West Africa

scholar Imani Perry about her new book, "Black In Blues." It's a fascinating meditation on the color blue and how it is intertwined with the concept of Blackness from the dying of indigo cloths in West Africa to Louis Armstrong's question, what did I do to be so black-and-blue? Imani Perry is the National Book Award-winning author of "South To America," as well as several other books including "Looking For Lorraine," which is a biography of the playwright Lorraine Hansberry, and "Breathe: A Letter To My Sons."

Justin Chang is the film critic for the LA Times. He reviewed "The Woman King" starring Viola Davis.

While The Washington Post's bureau chief in West Africa in 2001, Douglas Farah discovered al-Qaeda's diamond smuggling operations there. His coverage for the Post angered his hosts in West Africa and embarrassed U.S. intelligence officials. Forced to leave Africa and to defend his findings back in the United States, Farah continued his investigation. He's just published a book, Blood from Stones: The Secret Financial Network of Terror, that details his findings.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews the new British colonial comedy, directed by Bruce Beresford.

Randy Weston is a jazz pianist and composer. He travels and performs extensively in Africa, and African influences infuse his music. He is playing a rare American concert in Philadelphia.