Liberty Leaf: Smoke Signals: Cannabis, Race, and Music
Description
Smoke Signals explores the paradoxical nature of marijuana, highlighting its dual roles as medicine and menace, and its legal battles in the U.S. The text then focuses on Louis Armstrong’s life, detailing his long-term cannabis use, its cultural significance within the African American community, and its historical use in Africa. It connects Armstrong’s experience with the broader history of cannabis, emphasizing its use as a remedy and its cultural significance in West Africa. The narrative weaves together the political and social context surrounding marijuana prohibition, contrasting the plant’s medicinal applications with its legal status and the government’s response to the medical marijuana movement. The piece also explores the cultural legacy of marijuana in music, specifically jazz, and its connections to African traditions and spirituality.
Episode: https://castopod.thinkandactlocally.com/@LibertyLeaf/episodes/smoke-signals-cannabis-race-and-music
Podcast: https://castopod.thinkandactlocally.com/@LibertyLeaf
United States
