poetic BIRTHDAY

AMIRI BARAKA was born Everett LeRoi Jones on this day in Newark, New Jersey. He was a poet, writer, teacher, and political activist.


His first book of poems "Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note,"  was published in 1961.


He was the author of numerous books of poetry during his writing career which spanned nearly 50 years. His themes ranged form Black liberation to White racism.


Baraka's poetry and writing has attracted both extreme praise and condemnation.

In July 2002, Baraka was named Poet Laureate of New Jersey.

Amiri Baraka died in 2014. He is recognized as one of the most respected and widely published Black writers of his generation.


To read his life and times, and sample his poetry and writings GOOGLE his name.

POETIC BIRTHDAYS FOR JULY

MARGARET WALKER - (7/7/1915 - 11/30/1998) - Was well noted for her poetry, but she was also a distinguished professor of literature at Jackson State College. A historically Black school, she worked there for 30 years (1949-1979). In 1968 she founded the Institute for the Study of History, Life, and Culture of Black people. It is now called the Margaret Walker Center.

Google her name to read her poetry and learn more





JUNE JORDAN - 7/9/1936 - 6/14/2002  - While serving as a full professor at the University of California Berkeley, in three departments, English, Women Studies, and African American Studies, Jordan was known as the "Poet of the People" (1989-2002).  In 1991 she founded the "Poetry for the People" program. It's aim was to inspire and empower students to use poetry as a means of artistic expression.

Google her name to read her poetry and learn more

POETIC BIRTHDAYS FOR JUNE

GWENDOLYN BROOKS - (6/7/1917-12/3/2000)     Was the first Black person to win a Pulitzer prize when she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry  in 1950 for her second collection, "ANNIE ALLEN."

NIKKI GIOVANNI - (6/7/1943)   Initially gained famed in the 1960s as one of the foremost authors of the BLACK ARTS MOVEMENT. Her early work, which was influenced by a strong Black militant perspective,  had her dubbed the "Poet of the Black Revolution."

JAMES WELDON JOHNSON (6/17/1871-6/26/1938)   Established his reputation as a writer during the Harlem Renaissance for his poems and novels.

PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR (6/27/1872-2/9/1906)   Was a poet, novelist, and playwright. He was one of the first Black writers to establish a national reputation. He published his first poems at the age of 16.

LUCILLE CLIFTON  (6/27/1936- 2/13/2010)   Was nominated twice for the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. Her first poetry collection, "Good Times,"  published in 1969, was listed by the N.Y. Times  as one of the year's ten best books.

To learn more about these poets and sample their poetry GOOGLE their names and read the related entries.

POETIC BIRTHDAY

A REMEMBRANCE CELEBRATION FOR APRIL'S POETIC  BIRTHDAYS




4/3/1826 - JAMES MADISON BELL - 1826 - 1902

4/4/1928 -MAYA ANGELOU -1928-2014






For a bio, and sampling of their verse, Google-search their names.

BLACK POETS REMEMBRANCE DAY

MARGARET WALKER - Poet         1915-1998
 In 1942 her poetry collection For My People won the Yale Series of Younger Poets Competition making her the first Black woman to receive a national writing prize.

LUCILLE CLIFTON - Poet                1936-2010
In 1988 she became the first poet to have two books of poetry named finalists for one year's Pulitzer Prize.

JUNE JORDAN - Poet                        1936-2002
While a Professor in the College of English at the University Of California Berkeley, she was known as the "Poet of the People"

POET PROFILE

JOSEPH SEAMON COTTER, SR, was a poet and writer who was one of the first Black playwrights to be published in this country.

Born in Bardstown, Kentucky, on February 2, 1861, at the start of the American civil war, Cotter Sr. was also an educator and community leader, who was a worker for racial progress.

Cotter Sr. began his teaching career in 1889, and went on to become a teacher and an administrator with the Louisville, Kentucky public school system for more than fifty years.

In 1891 Cotter married his fellow educator Maria F. Cox, with whom he had three children, including the important poet, and playwright in his own right, JOSEPH SEAMON COTTER,

JR, who was born on September 2, 1895 in Louisville. Cotter Jr. died of tuberculosis in 1919. Cotter Sr. went on  to promote Cotter Jr's writings many years after this untimely death.

Although Cotter Sr.  was a prominent educator and Black civic leader, he is remembered primarily for his poetry. Cotter  Sr. published his first volume of poetry in 1895 and went on to publish nine books of poetry, plays and fiction on wide-ranging historical, philosophical and social themes. 

During his lifetime Cotter Sr. became known as "Kentucky's first Black poet with real creative ability."

He died in 1949.

To read the bios and sample the poetry and other writings of this father-son duo Google-search their names.

BLACK POETS REMEMBRANCE DAY

JUPITER HAMMON   1711-1806 - Poet

One of the founders of Black Literature. The first Black writer to be published in America.

GWENDOLYN BROOKS   1917-2000 - Poet

The first Black poet to win the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry (1950)

MAYA ANGELOU      1928-2014 - Poet

In 1993, Angelou recited her poem, "On The Pulse of Morning, " at the inauguration of President Bill Clinton, becoming the first poet to recite a poem at a presidential inauguration in 32 years.

GIL SCOTT-HERON    1949-2011 - Poet (Bluesologist)

His poetic style has influenced every generation of hip-hop artists.  

POETIC BIRTHDAY

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BORN ON THIS DAY
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                                             1936

June Jordan, poetess, journalist, essayist, activist and teacher, was one of the most widely published and highly-acclaimed writers of her generation. She authored more than 25 major works of poetry, fiction and essays, as well as numerous children's books.

**Details of her life and times can be found by  googling her name and reading all the related entries.

POETIC BIRTHDAY

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BORN ON THIS DAY:
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                                                             1872          
                        
Paul Laurence Dunbar - A poet, novelist, and playwright born in Dayton, Ohio. Dunbar was a prolific writer: he wrote at least a dozen volumes of poetry, as well as, four books of short stories, four novels, lyrics for a musical, and a play.

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                                                             1936

Lucille Clifton - a poetess, writer, and educator born in Depew, New York.  Her poetry celebrated her Black heritage, women's experience and the female body. She was nominated twice for the Pulitizer Prize for poetry.

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For more detailed information, google-search their names and read all the relevant entries. 

SPECIAL POEM CHALLENGE

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WRITE A POEM FOR MOTHER'S DAY
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***Will meet back here Sunday, 5/11/14, which is celebrated in the U.S. as Mother's Day to share what I've been inspired to write.

WORLD POETRY DAY

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MARCH 21, 2014 is WORLD POETRY DAY.  It is a day for cultural organizations, libraries, and publishers worldwide to celebrate poetry as an art form.

It is a day for everyone to "support poetry, return to the oral tradition of poetry recitals, promote teaching poetry, and restore a dialogue between poetry and the other arts."

Take a moment to learn more about poetry organizations and festivals around the world.

For starters, click on the following link cca.ukzn.ac.za/index.php/poetry-africa-home

            CELEBRATE WHERE THE ORAL TRADITION BEGAN