Crankin!: Fifty Years of DC Go-Go with Charles C. Stephenson Jr.

Charles C. Stephenson Jr. and Melissa A. Weber discuss Go-Go's development across communities and generations and its impact on New Orleans. Charles C. Stephenson Jr. will discuss the recently published Crankin!: Power and Resilience in Washington DC’s Go-Go Culture (Georgetown University Press), which he co-authored. The book documents fifty years of go-go history, the homegrown live music culture of Washington, DC, and a sound that has influenced many New Orleans music artists. From Chuck Brown, the Godfather of Go-Go, and pioneering bands such as Trouble Funk, Rare Essence, and Experience Unlimited (EU) to go-go’s role in Black culture and activism in the nation’s capital, Crankin! traces the genre’s development and impact across communities and generations. Stephenson brings firsthand experience to the book as EU’s original manager, a longtime community organizer, and former chairman of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. Conversation moderated by musicologist and go-go enthusiast Melissa A. Weber, aka DJ Soul Sister. This discussion is sponsored by Tulane University Libraries. The Andre Cailloux Center for Performing Arts and Cultural Justice is accessible to community members who require mobility-related ADA accommodations. Parking near the venue is free, though somewhat limited. The nearest RTA stop is at N. Broad and Columbus.