Arkabutta is the dam that floods in Brother Where Art Thou?, the 2000 Oscar-nominated Coen brothers movie starring George Clooney, John Goodman and Holly Hunter. We are going to see Lake Arkabutla. It is Arkabutta. Listen to the blues sountrack of the movie to get in the mood. If you have been paying attention and have listened to the blues playlists assigned previously, you have now spent the two nights of listening required to appreciate the blues. See, it’s not that hard.
Okay, let’s get it out of the way. Chitlins are hog intestines. If you ask me, they are gross, but that’s just me. You are supposed to eat them.
The Chitlin Circuit, however, is not gross. Between the 1930s and 1960s, most entertainment venues were for whites only. The Chitlin Circuit provided safe spaces for Black people to entertain other Black people. You have probably heard of the Apollo Theater in Harlem.
There is a bunch to watch or listen here, so get in the mood. Or not.
If this don’t make you happy, drive that bad old Ghost to the other corner of the room.
This is a PBS Fresh Air book review, but explains what we’re talking about here. Plus, it has music.
This video is about a town in Alabama, but watch the first two minutes that explain what the Chitlin Circuit was.
