Critical Discourse - The Legacy of Gil Noble and Like it Is

By the time we air this Saturday, our media giant, Gil Noble, will have been given his last rites. For sure, what a life and legacy he left for us. 

 I say with complete certainty that his loss is heartfelt and personal, to those who tuned in on Sundays toLike it Is. This, his signature show, was an important source of information and inspiration. And it was always a struggle to survive. How many times did we have to endure pre-empts or truncations, for golf or auto-racing? Not knocking anyone who likes those sports, but priorities are priorities. 

Gil Noble was also author of the book, Black is the Color of my T.V. Tube.

He was special, because Like It Is was special. The show unabashedly dealt with our issues and attempts at solutions. Whether it was his down to earth interviews with Imam W.D. Mohammed, Robert Mugabe, Bob Marley, Sekou Toure’, Sam Nujoma, Minister Farrakhan and Fannie Lou Hamer, or his powerful documentaries on Malcolm X, Adam Clayton Powell Jr. or Jack Johnson, Gil told the story of us and to us. And he was ahead of his time. The Jack Johnson piece in particular, came out years before the PSC production, Unforgivable Blackness.

Beneath his gentle presentation was a clear, passionate and unbinding love and commitment to the betterment of black people, here and worldwide.  Sadly, unless you lived in the New York Tri-State area, you didn’t get to see Like It Is. To that, I have to say with all due respect – “You missed it”.

On Critical Discourse, we will reflect on and celebrate the life and legacy of our dearly missed brother and Media Warrior, Gilbert Edward “Gil” Noble.

Tune in and share your thoughts and energy!