Sheri Parks

The Help, based on the popular book by the same name, opened in movie theaters yesterday. Sheri Parks, professor of American studies at the University of Maryland and author of Fierce Angels: The Strong Black Woman in American Life and Culture, and David Edelstein, film critic for New York magazine and NPR's Fresh Air, provide historical and cultural context for the book and new feature film.

Listeners: Did you see the movie yet? Did you read the book? What are your thoughts about "The Help"? Call us or comment here!

Dr. Sheri Parks, associate professor in the American Studies department at the University of Maryland and author of Fierce Angels: The Strong Black Woman in American Life and Culture, discusses the mythology of the "strong black woman" in both black and mainstream culture in the United States.

Dr. Sheri Parks, associate professor in the American Studies department at the University of Maryland and author of Fierce Angels: The Strong Black Woman in American Life and Culture, discusses the mythology of the "strong black woman" in both black and mainstream culture in the United States.