5 10 650 https://digitallis.isg.siue.edu/files/original/cb827ff2ea92aacd73a7c753da49071b.pdf b300bfe0dfdbf9a641328a4d2ed24306 PDF Text Text - ell fci \_ flHAPTER V A LONG WAYS FROM HOME: j f 10 , ,. 0 , 1~~ Sometimes I feel like a motherless child, A long ways from home; A long ways from home. - t Afro-American <l'p iritual / 1 M- I OVERVIEW c;::::- ':':le d i srti.rt io n of c::ro:1clocr rill Ja~.fg._4Jly8vide:-:t :.:-: ,.: ; '- ~s 1 f n nres'si f ma ms z WJ f s 1 s_______.. because poets of ---------------same age do not always achieve recognition at the same time. chapter 11 the We have looked at James Weldon Johnson, for example, but we mention him a g a i n ~ i ~ In fact ~ for freasons to be shown/4-Johnson overshadows almost the whol ;f _/l ack poetry . al ~ . Melvin B. Tolson, born before Hughes and Cullen, will be viewed ~ ai'ter t hem in the so-called postJ enaissance period, tJince ~ the primary aim of this study is to ..__,, *citeN the most si gnificant _,I names and events in the development of th·,e • poetry,) e1m err• a ~ riticism will remain minimal. (~,o·Ly= ~) From this point Aon, ) lac_fr pee.ts M and Black$ ~Tlle./.Wjtlt !"1':'"":: b~ ame1t,cur c.to,li,'!, ~~r n o..,.1itfil s,•<-,,.flM "': Regin being 'lriewedJ\al~ngside all oth e r r . A-tl"o-Al"\tH u."~y~ ·r-~& - M A_/<P_P raisals of- C tApoetry ii I 1 a-; become a bit more difficul~ since up until the second decade of the 2Ot - nb �we. ... a. v,ewed ~'Y century, ,;nack poet~lilallA...,._Aas somewhat of a novelty. a we~1h..e for ---•• ,t1ub jec't$ for "curious II whites or . , a few dedicated Blacks. ~~~.rses.fed J• 11 , ""' 11»&-airsAL r a ·: .lSlli- very little armament with which to fight critical or literar y "lynchings.n Their models were essentially white (some cont temporary/lack poets continue this practice~ and so were their critics. g;.rsowie. d dtve~stcin.1 11 p.--011:deJ In the 192 they lHIM~one of many "exotic"•·•• 4 WJ,\bored and thrill-seeking whites, I ••••-1•-•.r" In the postJ,tenaissanc~ their skills were often directed towa;rd.l integration and various other social pri _ . most incisive and j.\'1:ltiflli\a ams.) The blow to 1iii-_JJ.ackpoets\iS a dis{,- respect and rejection that parallel the general treatment of Blacks. Criticism of jlack poetry is invariably political 'I and racial "iii • be. · tr /4 just as ?lost of the poetry is forced to and. -p..o'fis't ~ Some poets lament~this because it implies t h at protest and anger are reserved for them. It also says t hat the whole range of huma n behavior is somehow placed off t limits to the Afro-American poet, criticized by whites for not being "unit hi, versal" and by s own {:!_op/.tl I ti :,...for not being )Slack" enough . Needles s to say, it is a dilemma of some magnitud~ and no amount of words or lamentations will answer or solve it here. We do comment on these matters, though, because they begin to appear as serious i unavoidable -/4- plagues to the?ack poet from this period on in our study. ' ... �J. 1 Lhi:1!! el tap1D¾l8U1~1~.• ~. Many poets (Mari Evans, Lance Jeffers, James Emanuel, Ray Durem, Dudley Randall, ~ Zack Gilbert, Bob Kauf an, ~o butdidn~~;t ov+ oLon-ies unTi en,, others were pu :i.ng in period cals Frank Horne, and • ~ foeuwhohad been publish ing books during the years b f ore 1960 (Hayden, Gwendolyn Brooks, Conrad Kent River s, :1ughes, and others) brought out new works sometimes reflecting different themes and attitudes. Poets who had been publish ing substantially in periodicals or anthologies before 1960 will be noted in pa*ng. There will be no attempt to give individual attention to the ~cores of? 1960 sand '70 U:. ack poets writing and publishing i n t h e • II Literary and Social Landscape ,Y<I ~, 1"' '. . ':•· Ni gh t is a curious child, wandering~•••• _, MFrank Marshal 1 Davis 1930 I n 191 I tr.e pop lat i on of/ lack America was 9,ijfy978) \ 14- Langston Hughes was a boy of ten and the NAAC!?s one year old, By 1930, h owever, thefa ack population uon~d ="increased to 11, 891,143 (or 9 t t ~ ~ajor migration of Blacks to northern .-1/tAJJ e-.,_ A fl industrial centers W::QUJai ha u°I\taken place; rac4:-eJ:- riots 1 , ~ ~ __________ _ _ _ _ _ _ - - ...__ t11 4£.,,..0,-,./f:l ,n,{~ - · �and lynchings f . l 1 continu~ to be among the most fearful prospects for/ lack men. Booker T. Washington had chronicled the hardsh ips and bitter disappointments of Blacks in his Up J'rom Slavery. > The new "freedom" was short== lived and illusive, Washington observed, because the ex-slave bad no skill, no land and no place to go . ''Emancipated II Blacks were not farin g muc h better than their fore parents. D1 ois had be gun to raise some of the broader, global issues of/ lack oppression and place the.J(lackJxperience in its proper perspective i n ,., The Souls of Black Folkf. During the second and third decades of t h e @ century,_/1-ack sch olars, acti vists and writers continued to record t b e )D-ack j 'x perie nce with tell ing accuracy and drama. Additio nally, a number of ch anges and de velopne nts i n )tlack co:--iniuni ti es se t o:ff a ch a in reaction of cross-exa11'li nations, intense debates , calls for c:-ianc;es and t he cbarti n2:lof ~e-:.r directions. of 11.ar.k."°'lttf Accordingly, t h e studentt:1ust u nders ta nd t h e o:r the tines i n terms of· Q 1. Tb e decline of Dunbar ' s inf'luence amone poets. 2. Failing support of Booker T. Was½ington' s "accomi mi datio nist" philosophy. 3. 4. The continued disillusionment of survi vors and heirs of ;t;ee 1Reconstruction. t "'--' The development of white hate and intimidation groups (Ku Klux Klan, etc.), , r! oOa �C 5. The _ I 1 91 presentation of "stereotypes 11 of Blacks in the mass media and creative literature of the period. 6. o,vJ The "Jim Crow" laws or the ~outh, /\job discrimi f nation and general segregation in the north. ~ The splits and confusion in the/ lack community due to the "new" mid le class; the appearance of ,( '.,{ - West Indians in Ame1l ~a and class alienment according to color stratification (i.e. , light f skin, dark~skin, near white, etc.). Much of t h e literature of t h e period deals with t h e t h eme of 11 passing or f miscegenation. /\ 8. Race riots in various parts of the country between \ i::_ ,f't 1905 and 1917 . , .:C-11 ~ ~ 11 gs•s: at' America -...____..,., , science and industry were developing rapidly. -t~ Indications of t h is were tech nological warfare and the automobile. ~ radio, Th e "new / sych ology" was taking hol~ and t b e realis m of the previous literature was bowing out to naturalism. Th is new mode is seen in the works of such writers as Theodore D~er,,and William Fauikner. Interest in local color t: dialect, which had dominated the later portion of the /\ century, was also dyin ~ and the~ lack American was "re~ iscovered" by white writers as a subject for r .e alistic fiction, drama and poetry. White writers who published popular e accounts of/ lack life included DuJose Hayward, Sherwood �Anderson and Carl Van Vechten. characterized American society. Revolts in interests and manners Black critic James A. Emanuel points out iq2ot s, th --~ that during many~hi tes ·went to Harlem to ":forget the war and engage their new Freudian awareness by escaping into exotic black cabaret \'~-rr-o Q~AUIJ~·tj,ti'q J ugbes records t his exotic indul8ence in li:fe ✓ The Autob ioeraphy o:f ,l.n > Ex-Coloured Man.1/Drama...o:f the period was dominated by Eugene 0 1 neill wbo won Pulitzer and Nobel prizes. ~ / Two o:f O'neill's ~ plays (The Emperor Jones and The Hairy Ape) symbolically dealt with the psychological involvement o:f Blacks and whites and suggested a transracial mixture o:f :fear, hatred and admiration. j r, ] Si L &lib b12 D! icl,;; ::tor orif~•-11, • e-o'f/..e • .w&i!r"-fi' ~ ilpin ~ z:Jh e starred in The Emperor Jone • r 3 I I . _ .ffeviews _ . ~ '----" I ~111""' ..........,, f ~Gilpin' s performances ( "naked bod~ ••• dark lyric o:f the :flesh") _ _, typi£ied preoccupation with the exotic savage M a trend that had continued :from Jack London (The Call o:f t h e Wild, The Sea-Wol:f local color: ~Page, Harris, Cabl ~ and t h e white writers o:f J ii 3 However, many &Me writers, like O'Neill and Dreiser, had begun to shake �off the mystique of the American Dream and deal instead with ih ~ "illusion. 11 Such was Dreiser's theme in his novel{- An American Tragedy ( 1925) • The founding of Poetri: ,/2. Magazine of Verse, by Harriet ~ Monroe (1912) signaled the birth of the )(ew ../oetry movement in America.~ ---------J ·cci:?r- In 19151 the anthology! if.I ti ?] -----=--_P_o_e_t_sl ,~~ J~ ppeared to l .!-1\aissident factions wanted to dispense with traditional forms. -Wtl!M!'J- Imagism was in fluenced by Ezra Pound's theories and French Symbolism as well as ) 'riental and ancient Greek poetry. Ch ief spokesman for the Imagist poets was Amy Lowe1; who was joined by John Gould Fletcher and Hilda Doolittle, among others. During the next two decade s_, the group waged a successful battle a gainst the dissidents~ but t hey also ret iorked traditional forms and cornered a new reading market for poetry in America and England. "':'\ Poet Vachfel Lindsay, an advocate of using rhythm and the \!,, reading aloud of poetry, is credited with having "discovered" Langston Hughes. Black poets who participated in t h is "revival" of American poetry were the innovator Fenton Johnson and the . anthologist William Stanley Braithwaite. The most significant development of the period, however, was tbe,P4ck cultural £lowering , principally in Harlem, ~ has become known as the Harlem Renaissance, the Negro Awake,l ning and the Negro Renaissance. Central to the ;:,(enaissance" (critics differ over whether it should be ~alled such) was the ~ �migration of southern Blacks to northern urban centers. With the working-class Blacks also came (and grew) the f lack telligentsia, artists and activists. Current f lac k creativity or scholarship cannot be understood unless t h e Harlem Renaissance is placed in proper perspectiv8.J because the Harlem period is the most important bridge existing between slavery and t h e ,,,,., modern and/or contemporary era,_, . Hence, it is necessary t hat we sketch out the important political and artistic de velopments 1 /la;~ up to (or happened during) theARenaissance. A partial listing of these developments must include: Founding of the Guardian by Monroe Trotter l'i (l901). Founding of the National Association for t he : Advancement of Colored People (1909) and estabi, l ishment of The Crisis. 01 Founding of the Urban League (1911). Founding of the Association for the Study of ] Negro Life and History by Carter G. Woodson (1915). Establishment of The Journal of Negro History by Woodson (1916). Black troops' involvement in World War I. Great ,)figration of Blacks _t.Q__ northern urban center~ / ~ /) 1916 1~ 19; ~ the tre d~continued through the /) middle of the centur] • '--' The recording of j 'lack achievements in all areas; lack scholarship is brilliant and sustained -~ (d �throughout the entire period. The writings, especially, of W. 1 I ·F· nf ois, Charles s • .Johnson, Alain Locke and .James Weldon .Johnson. The high point in the influence of Marcus Garvey's Universal Negro Improvement Association (Garvey, who came to the ~ from .Jamaica in 1916, preached a back-to-Africa movement . He was imprisoned in 1925 for mail frau .) Founding of Opportunity, A .Journal of Negro Life 1 (1923) 0 Opportunity and The Crisis published much of the new work of t f!e /\Re'naissance ··-··-••11LLM&!!!l-'l!!¥1!!1£!1£-&• writers and offered annual prizes{YJ The flourishing ofjlack j usic and musical dramas (Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake do Shuffle Along, 1921; Louis Armstrong, with his own band, opens at the Sunset Club, Ch icago, 1927; Duke Ellington opens at the Cotton Club, Harlem, the same year). The postf war Pan-African ;t'o ngresses (Paris, 1919; t I London, 1921, 1923; New York, 1927; Df ois was 1 primary organizer.) .James Weldon .Johnson edited the first ~century American anthology of/ lack poetry, The Book of American Negro Poetry) in 1922 . .Johnson ' s work was followed in quick succession by fi ve other poetry anthologies,;;> 11..,'1-~ ( ~ Negro Poets and Their Poems (Robert Thomas Kerlin, 1923~ 2lb �An Anthology of American Negr o Verse (Newman I vey White r and Walter Clinton Jac ks on, 1924); '-:) fn Anthology (Clement Wood, .1924 )/ •~• Caroling Dusk (Countee Cullen , 1927) ' ) -..,_Tegro Songs: £. ~Of ------------------=-~ Locke , 192 7 ), G our Negro Poets (Alain note also was F·f· Calverton's An Anthology of American Negro Literature (1929)J which c onta ined 6 C ;.l:'..en and Loc rce 1-!ere t ·wo 1t_-'7 pages of poetry ., a :~:ajor fi g 1res of t': e Ii 3 )i& nai ss anc ~ al on.:; Hi t'h Q- a.u~€ :IcKa:: , Johnson, H sh es,- and -_, Jean Toomer. JI- Locke edited the anthology .:wQla.:,;;,,.~ heralded and chronicled the new filack mood and achievements: The New Negro : lt emains a classic today . He /4n Interpretatio n (1925); !_! "Ar ?r-c1dv(.eo also ba~the equally important A Dec ade of Negro Self=Expression (1928). A Rhodes ~ cholar from Pe nnsylvania, Locke received a (A. Ph.D. in 1918 from Harvard and is still considered• • *l •~fortj f/41.k-" -- most interpreter of_p..aok creativity of the ARenaissance . Cullen published Color, hi s first b ook of poetr:r , when he was @ and w~-:. instantly recogni::$ as one of the best young poets in America • r1cKayA Culle n Mhei,,eJ to of English poetry. ~ ....----:---- s-r,,.,,t t he s ft Jl11 tradition Considered the best "formal 11 writer of the naissance period, Cullen was "1eticulous and careful in b is (VJ.. poetic workmanshi13A J-'e - •••• !3oifled J'A, t h ose ■ wh o CL im b-e~ rr7he Dark Tower II to '!-)r ood over bein3 called poets. In addition to Cullen, other key poets of t b e !Ie:i4 eFs ., '• ,,,,,,, l\·wakening ~ publ ished b1p ortant '1olu~es or antb ologies and 2 t7 �int'e~d· added t o th e creative and criticaltflttrb=l;ei". Joh nson and :1 is broth er, J. Rosamond, edited The Book of American Negro Spirituals (1925) and Tbe Second Book of ~ e:d. eliU;ia Negro bo'fh Spirituals (1926). McKa:~.r published poetry inAEngland and America. Johnson said HcKay belonged "to the post-war group and was its most powerful voice. poet of rebellion." He was pre-eminently t h e Hughes and Cullen won national reco gnition (and poetry awards) at about the same time. There, h owever, ~--;;t t h e comparison ends. Hugh es was one of t h e wide traveled of all the~ naissance writers. He was also the most prodi gious and multif talented, writing succ::£ul~ in all ""-=--- -_-_...,,. · Hughes, who when he died in 1967 was t h e ~ ~anslated American author, is known as the international poet laureate of f lack people. Joh nson recorded much of t h is creative outpouring in various ways. As a scholar, he is known for his anthologies and h is seminal interpretations of _!lack cul ture ~~s ic J e:ae:the f pirituals l in ~articular. 1-: ~} 1922 anth ology/ ~ Of great importance was bis i~ an illuminating / reface, h e cited t he four ma j or j 'lack artistic contributions to Amer i ca: V 1. The Uncle Remus stories, collected by Joel Chandler Harris. 2. The f piri tuals ( 11 to which the Fisk Jubilee Singers made the public and the musicians of both 3. The Cakewalk (a dance "poetry of motion"). nd Euro~ listen"). Paris called the 9 �I ~ 4. Ragtime { "American music," for wh ich t he @ i s known all over t he world). 1 Johnson is also noted for hiS work with t h e U.S. diplomatic corps, his pioneering fffit:Wi t h the NAACP and h is brilliant ~ employ~ent of / lack idioms and psychology in his poetry and discussions. One of the most unique voices of the Harlem Re naissance _ . w a s Jean Toomer, who along with Hugh es, Cullen and McKay make up Locl~ s Four Negro Poets. A complex of person,i, alities, talents and racial mixtures, Toomer was a constant enigma to critics and fellow writers. Alth ough h e admitted that b e was of seven racial strands, he acknowled ged._, imat "~ growing need for artistic expression has pulled me deeper -and deeper into t h e Negro gr oup." In 1924, Toomer's Cane was published. Set primarily in the deep south - ~in Geore ia 1~ 5 N\ it also deals with t h e urban i mpact on migrating Blacks. ~ Love, racial conflict, sex, violence, reli gion, nature a nd a grarian themes are all explored directly and allegorically. ,) Rae f pride, the lower side of Jilack life, and a romantic engagement with Africa were the main t hrusts of t h e f.enaissance literature. activists. So too with t h e painters, musicians, scholars and Garvey had set up a re eal court reminiscent of ancient African j 'ingdoms and had infused his followers with v isions of returning to the "homeland. 11 His "court" was resplendent with h i erarchical titles and lavish re galia for - - - - -- - -- -- - - -- - - - - - - - �~ parades. ships. Black Star Line was t he name of b is fleet of The prevailing spirit of tbe day was one of } lack indulgenc9i and many whites sough t for, and · got t heir share Bui. Nµi(,f of, it. ,<fne aladk- Awakening was not the exclusive property of Harlem. Po~ as Kerlin points out (Preface, Negro Poets and Their Poems), t he mood of change spread to other sections of ~~ the country. • • • • • • • • • • l ~ ~ a n thologies - published were The Quill in Boston, Black Opals in Ph il ~ delphia and The Stylus in Washington, D.C. Important, too, were the collections and studies of folk songs. Af'N oteworthy fr' collections for tre period included: Negro Folk Rhymes (Thomas W. Talley, 1922) Negro Workaday Songs (Howard W. Odum, 1926) Rainbow Round My Sh oulder (Howard W. Odum, 1928 ) Wings on i·"r:J Feet (Howard W. Odum, 1929) American Negro Folk Songs (Newman I vey White, 1929 Other brilliant and exciting poets and writers shared t he _;{e naissance sce ne~ -th ough they are normally over~ Hughes, Toomer, NcKay , Joh nson and Cullen. adowed by Some of t hese °'- writers ;rmost of whom did not publish volumes until "SM later period-' were: Arna Bontemps , Georgia Douglas Johnson, Waring Cuney, Robert Hayde n, Gwendolyn Bennett, Sterling Brown, OWen Dodson and Helvin Tolson. Prose writers of the period included Eric Walrond and Rudolph Fisher as well as Hughe s and Toomer. Bontemps, anthologist, critic, librarian, poet and novelist, �published in leading magazines of the period and won nu~erous awards for poetry . Brown pursued the fol,';;, tradition wh ile cultivating an ear and technique that rivaled some of t he best modern poetry. His debt to folk idioms and characters is ob vious in such poems as "odyssey of Bib Boy, - "Memphis Blues," and "Long Gone. 11 n 11 S outhern Road, 11 Brown contributed to per odicals of the and later published important critical studies. Dodson wrote verse plays and collaborated with Cullen on at least one writing project. and poetry. He 1 too, won numerous awards for h is plays Hayden and Tolson, both significant modern poets, were to be heard from in succeeding decades as critics and outstanding teachers. ~ ~~~. f 'f 60 e-- l~Den t h e stock market crashed in 1929, white patron4, zation of/ lac k artists ended. Black creativity and scholarship, however, had grown up during the ffi1/st three decades of the century, and important writing and musical development continued. Migration of Blacks to northern urban centers was stepped up before and after World War II~ witb many Blacks being attracted by shipbuilding and oth er war-manufacturing industries. Afro= Americans have participated in every U.S. military c onflict V Th e rr iti ng of poetr:" co rit~ nuedJ but publishing was slowed down. James (1973) , notes1 ~ o. Young, in Black Writers of the Thirties "Black writers produced less t h an one l �since / olonial days. During World War II and Korea, however, t hey were used almost exclusively as fighting troops (between . a,, 1943~ ptt¥S:, ,,JJ Jim CrowAas abolished in thefa med / orces). Nevertheless, f lac k soldiers, returning h ome fro m European and Pacific war t h eaters, still faced unemployment and lynch ing ; and in some southern citie~-vkre forbidden to appear on t he streets in military uniforms. Baldwin is one of many perceptive American th~ G\ writers to note t h at'>31~ck mftn, seeking t he fruits and . . realization of t h e American Dream, tried t hrough out h istory 11 to adjust and fit" i nto American society. So, in face of official American contempt for h is humanity and h is welfare, t he/ lack s oldier marched also with an "equality " of death into t he Korean War. 2 James Weldon J oh nson had opened t he dis mal period of t he De pression with Bla c k Nanhattan, a social h istory of Harlem. Black :Manhattan was one of t he dozens of studies on urban ~ ack communit ies~~1 h ad been begun by works such as Df ois's Ph iladelphia Negr':;_ - Social Study (1899). Like Joh nson, many of t he poets and artists tur ned their writing skills toward .t pe . recording of .J'lac k social problems and artis~· i ach ievements 18 Charles s. (.Joh nson's -:::~ ~ na ~ mericans, Wh at now ~ 1 Joh nson's Th e Shadow of t he Plantation, ~th _!31' 1934). Some ' volur::e of poetry per year·· "b et ween 1929 and 1942." V This turned out to be not so true in t he Viet_)<fam ~ar ~ ~ho s1xt ~ wh en a dead f lack veteran was refused burial '1n e a wh ite cemet, r y near h is h ome in Georgia • ___ _ _ _ __...__ ___ __ .__ - -- - - �of the writers were subsidized by WPA grants1 wh ile others <;t{Ll managed to obtain jobs as teach ers a nd journalists . A ;Jl;hers, o.UO like t he common folk, ln soup lines . It was~uring t 11 jtooJ, t h e period of 1930; 60 that wh ite sch ools or h i gher learning started accepting more B ~cks, as students and teachers. r Jf.1. -c :_t.; Generally, .Araeriea witnessed rapid advancements in science and industry. Radio drama became a cultural mainstayJ a nd the motion picture industry provided a new and exciting diversion. "'::"\ Baseball continued as t he "national past!,.ime" (for Blacks, it was the era Jackie Robinson). Jac k Joh nso n had already (in the previous era) dazzled Araerica with b is pugilistic skills. But it was the prize fi gh ter Joe Louis ( t h e "Brown Bomber 11 ) , however, wh o captured sports-minded ---- America with one of t he greatest records i n ~ b oxing h ist ory. Louis•• defeat of ~ Germ 1:_:= Schmeling . ~-'t \,.eN"'~ time i n U.S. h istory - L y orld of nations ~ ~ itler. ira~• siRg ~~ (1938) came - - _,, at a cruc i al ,<tmerica's rising mi gh t among t h e challenged on t h e battlefield by Two years earlier, a ·racist Hitler h ad refused to acknowledge t h e feats of America' ~lack Olympic track star Jes s e, OWe ns. "--' , In prose and drama, white American writ ers continued to straddle a t h ematic pat t 9tween realis m and t he American Dream. A distinctly "post war" gr oup of' writers emerged. Dominating the period were Dreiser, Sberweee ....____ -Anderson, Sinclair Lewis, Willa Cather, Thomas Wol fe, ort/eill, ~-- - - Faulkner, Erpest Hemingway, Tennessee Williams , J o~n Dos Passos , Katheri ne Anne Porter, Er ski ne Caldwell and Carson HcC ullers. Usinc \ • �symbolism and all e gory to attack war, decadence and t be a tor.tic b om":J , American -writers often took as n~odels such Russi .'.;.n wr iters as Chekov , -Dostoevski and Tolstoi. I :~ny employed : : t rer ..: 0-!: c o~sc :. ot .3 ::cs:: tech nique -a style ini'luenced "ne,;-1 psycholoQJ 11 o:r ~ 1e t he and Irish writer James Jo:rce ~ wbich allowed f'or uninterrupted explorations on the t h ou ;hts of c!1aracters ·who 11 streamed" t he ir references. A si milar n ood pre vailed in t he poetryM much of wh ich dealt wi t "'. 1 social decadence, war and the mechanization of t;1a.n. E. ~ . Cummings, known for h is t:rpot graphical tric kery and general linguistic and syntactical experiments, was one of t h e most relentless critics of bureau cracy and war. Such t ':1emes h a.d also concerned T•f • Eliot, considered one of the greatest modern poets, in such poems as 11 " The Love Song of J'. Alfred Prjtfroc k" and The Waste Land. Irnagist poets "H.D., 11 ., PArsued Th e t h eir development via such voices as Ezra Pound and Harianne I-Ioore. ~ A____...._= ld lcLe is-h , u _art Crane, John Crowe Ran-&em--, Allan. Tat&-, ' ;.,, cJ Historically,~ lack_/usic had been marked by white imitation exploitation. . There always e · ·--~-- · foU 'white" musical face t hat t U0-- - ~ ~@e;&:&1lffl' need to create a -C-o lil!' Americans at large. From the minstrelsy of plantation <;"lays to the sophisticated operettas and musicals of the twenties, this pattern ran u~ �During t he modern period, f e: Jop became t he musical broken • Wh ile t _.e bi e:; :: . \ heir to )(a gtime, early fazz and Tin Pan Alley. f/ ,;,,,r (!eK a{t:and 11£0~ composers-M l Basie, Ellin8to n, Fletcher Henderson, '' \ ...______ W·f • Handy, Eubie Blake, Noble Sissle, etc. - 1 continued t heir 1 1 important work , different k inds of experiments were going on among other musicians. From these new for mations and probings came some of the giants of modern _p ac k ,Music: ..,.,J.files Davis, Charlie "Yard Bird" Parker, Lester "Prez'.' Young, Sonny Rollins, Gene Ammons, Art Blakey urns in Africa), Ornette !I Coleman (see Four Lives in t h e B LIIJA:-:-,\I (Af'ro-Cuban), Business) , Chano Pozo - Dizzy Gillespie~ _ !abs Gonzales y op poet I Paid Hy Dues ; 1967). and singer: o From t h e musicia ns and t h eir supporters emerged an undersroun°:, 11bip " language. Th is tradit i on, of tal king in metaphors and encoded cultural neo~ logisms, h ad begu n during the,./enaissance. Often, too, / lac k Rs vocalists were featur ed with the musician9 i3:@PI ( atul 1 I cf these a ( Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Billie Holtiday and Bessie Smith - wh o died in 1937. \.;; /V\ The mi gration to cities also sa~ t he continued rise of urban or b i g~city pues. B:r 1960 , h owever, t he ;{1ues h ad gone t hrough several important periods of de velopment. Some names associated with the moder n period were Louis Armstrong , Fats Waller, Cab Calloway, Bill Broonzy, Pops Foster, Eddie "Son" House, Robert Johnson, Johnny Temple, Roosevelt Sykes, Elmo James, Bf • King, Leadbelly, Jimmy Reed, Muddy Waters, Josh Wh ite, Sonny Boy Williams, HowlinJ· olf, John Lee Hooker, µ1 and Big Joe Turner. These men - - - -- - - -- - -- - - - - - - - g nin ' Hopkins t_ / i'r.,n',ied t eal\ h e flame~ • tJHlf\b y �w.f. Handy. Leroy Carr, Blind Lemon Jerferson and Several notable/ lack literary explosions occu.fred during a,.. ,~ 11 ( c10 " the period between 1930 :eQ.. Important werei the publication of Native Son (Richard Wri ght, 1940); the publication of For People (Margaret Walker, 1942); the appearance of Invisible G,""encJr,Lv n 81">e.C1 ~~,~ • ,✓¥1a.n (Ralph Ellison, 1952) and i:aAwinning of the Pulitzer/ rize My for poetry II ] ] j (;___950) -/@-nnie Alle~1 • Native on, a novel, featured a/flack protagonist named Bigger Th oma~ who sym~lized (and in many ways contained) the anger, rage and pressures felt by urban Blacks. The book was the first by a)1lack author to make the best : seller lists-jand was also a eook of the Month 6lub choice . ~ ,! During t h e same periodJ • Wri gh t, wh o died an expatriate in France in 1960, published several other novels, sh ort stories, books of essays and miscellaneous prose. appeared. In 194~ Black Boy, his autobiograph~ Wri ght is significant for many reasons, fore most among t he m being t hat he was the first j lack writer to deal, a., accurately and on ~par with the best fiction writers of t he day , with the philosophical and psychological complexity of the p ack urbanite. In doing t h is, he opened a new range of possib ilities and ~lped free .flack fiction in many ways. There were other excellent fiction writers during this period: Rudolph F ./ 1 er, Zora Neale Hurston, 75 1 J -. ___::_, ; McKay, Hughes, •••Bontemps, Ann Petry, D ois, Frank Yerby, Eric Walrond, w,Ui4171 f)emby Chester Hime,~and Sterling Brown. Wright, however, was the first to for ge and sustain a major f lack art piece out of mythical and racial materials. �~ ::;:win., whose reig~ succeeded Wright I s, made h is entry in 1953 with the publication of Go Tell It ftn the Mountain. Hi s other ~~Cl~f~~. 7 work includes Notes of a Nati ve Son (1955) and Giovanni's Room (1956). A1 il. r(\(;\ r"\ et · ~ AWalker, ae_ 1ii !__:J &: 1 !£ who teach es liters. ture at Jackson State College , was @ years old when sh e wrote "For My People"f one of the most famous,.J'iack poems. Her book by the same name won the Yale Series of Younger Poets award in 1942. Rich in cultural folk references, / lack ph onology .and social history, the slim book brilliantly traces t he h ope, humor, pathos, rage, stamina and iron dignity of t he race. Tbe winning of the Pulit~er_h ize \ by Gwen~ l y n Broo0 (and Ellison's accolade • )~ d the world that j lack writers had mastered t he "ultimate" English literary craf'ts of poetry and fiction to a degree into question. no longer called their abilities Ivrany, /lack critics feel, h owever, t h at t h ere 4, before Annie Allenf e;, were excellent volumes received t h e Pulitzer / rize. should h ave These critics say f lack artists, like t he.Jlackfa perience, come periodically into fas h ion (e.g. , Harlem Renaissance) ~~ to be tolerated at t he whims of white literary bastions, despite their proven abilities. The G.,,tndolyn citation of ~,Brooks (who published A Street in Bronzev ille, ~ 1945) was a citation of the )D.ack ,Experience , h owever;kdespite .7y the fact that the prize was not a major~ i ; . ; in the 1 _/lack community. searching and f Bla~ks, caught up in the post~ ar mood, job~ quest,.or social equality, were not reading �much poet:y.fEllison, who has not published a novel since Invisible Man (1952) remains one of t he most controversial figures in American. Jiterature~ much of the controversy arising from what he says outside of fiction (see Introduction). Communist-oriented papers genera_lly condemned Invisible Man when it first appeared. They held that it was a 11 dirt -= t hrowing 11 ritual for Ellison-~who combines naturalism and complex sym (V\ bolism in t h e book. Black novelist John Oliver Killens also gave it a ne gative review. Generally, h owever, t he work is considered, by jlac k and wh ite critics, to be a gre at novel M perhaps the greatest American novel. It won t h e National Book Award in 195~ an~ i n a subsequent poll of "200 j ournal i sts a nd cr i t i cs , i t was judged t h e most dist ingui s hed single wor k of fic ti on since World War II. ~ r . - Anflamed by t he spirit and example of t h e Harlem Re naissanc e , -g/- OJVJ f"'CLY fl" , lack poets of t h e pre ~and post war years continued ex citing G""mdt,L1ra experiments. 1illlllB~ Brooks recalls t h at a brief e ncouragement .from t h e "great II James Weldon Johnson wh en s h e was a ch ild spurred h er on her way. Some of t he poets of t he~ naissance, h owever, quit writi ng altogeth er or be gan writ ing in 4other J o. nso n r eported in 1931 that Fenton Joh nson had been "silent" for ten years. Poet Bontemps also ·wrote novels f t h e most famous of t hem being Black Thunder (1939 ), an adaptation of the 1 831 :Nat Turner-led slave re volt. He edited and wrote, and sometimes collaborated with oth ers ·o13,anth ologies and biographies for young readers. With Hughes, he ed i ted The �Poetry of ,~ e Hegro: ...,1764J1949, c c :1s it..~ c r e c~. a breal-(___::throush in modern/ lack lit erary activity. One of t !-ie };a ndful of/ enaist sance / lack writers to survi ve into t he .ie ~:enties, Bontemps died in 1973. / a,. 17.)'f So~e have cal led t he period ~e tween 1930 the a ge of Lanss ton Hugh es in/ lack letters. I ndeed, Huc~e s remained pr o·~1inent and prod uctive thr ouch out t he t :.:ree per iods -'~naiss,~ e , 1930~54, and t h e fo nt emporary era . ;)uring t '.1, pr e ,-1, ahd post$-1ar periods, Hug:ies conti nued to · turn out ever:'"·· e t b ing fro n news pa per fictio n columns (Jes se B. Si mple) to juvenilia to plays . Eue;hes i n poetry, like Wrie;½t, Ellis on a';'kBaldwin in fh'ose, faithfully recorded t he_jlac!r mood. =~the others, he also predicted t h e social violence of t b e sixties. Poets and other volu~es of the period includeO: Sterling Brown, Southern Road ( 1932); Culle n, T'De :Iedea and Some Poems (193.5); Hayden, Heart-Shape in t h e Dust (194 0 ); Naomi Long Mad ::;ett, Songs to a Phar,tom lUsbtingale (1941} ; M ,}! 1th H. BingQ. DiJmond, We Who Would Die (1943}; Tolson, Rendezvous America (1944), y b dson, Powerful Long Ladder (1946); Cullen, On These I Stand (posthumously, 1947}; Hayden, with n . tfyro~ 0' Higgins, The Lion and tbe Arch er (194 8); Tolson, Libretto for the Republic of Liberia (1953); Selected Poems V or Claude McKay {posthumously, 1953}; Ariel W. Holloway, Shape Them into Dreams (1955); John C. Morris, Cleopatra and Oth er Poems (1955); Alfred Q. Jarette, Black }Ian Speaks (19.56); Beatrice Wright, Color Scheme (19.57); Mary Miller, Into the • Clearing (1959); Percy E. Johnston, Concerto for Girl and "' �Convertible (1960 ); Oliver Pitcher, Dust of Silence (1960);~ G·Jendol:rn r ooks , T'~ e Bean Ea ter (1~ jici:Ff&FijJ; 81& ltJt )! ~ 2 ? ?ssn Tis "' writing and/or translating during this period were Dudley Randall, Samuel Allen (Paul o.nd Vesey), Margaret Danner,1 Rich ard Wright (wh o also wrote poetry). (□ I a, t g;; :Ji Black and white poets exchanged ideas and socialized_ _ Ii - , · st J cl Ju ! I§ j I •ff=••~d -••-11111112•1111111112111111LS•t•z-11g~i-•..."s111t••••·1111■2,a i I c O ~ ~ny of the A~rna~ were introduced to publishers and t he reading public by well-known white poets or critics. Such a practice was to come under fire, during the late '160:fs andlf701's, by some ~ lack poets and critic; who judge .._/ lack writine . favorable to '5e-e work. .f'ee.l that whites -eot1ld not Reviews of the period were generally lack writerc who showed great finish in their Hayden, Walker, Brooks, Tolson and Dodson were among t he poets who rece i ved h i gh praise for their technical virtul osity. Steph en Vincent Bene't wrote t he fo~~ rd tob For Hy People~ Allen Tate to 7 l!'.!E j:!bt Libretto I or the Republic n-.hon rt.<eiued of Li eria and Hayden won Hopwood/ wards twice.~ accolades fri om jJJIJJII. Poetry: A Magazine of Verse ~ re garded as the white American olympus of poetry. One of the most important anthologies of the post~ naissance ',,µi/ period was The llegro Caravani (1941 ~ edited b y Brown, Arthur P. Davis and Ulysses Lee. The best inclusive anthology of / lack ---=--:--:- 41'l - literature, it remains today --0ro 0€ th~~utstanding textboo't!,· 21.0 f%_ fr �Brown also published two important works of criticism, The Negro in American Fiction and Negro Poetry and Drama, both in 1937. And J. Saunders Redding publish ed his critical work To Make a Poet Black in 1939. ft Wo.4 estcu,tt, hed 1 i•sfl I I .Jn 1940 !!f Pbylon/\wi th D+ois as editor(~ 1954, Ir., I· t h e venerable W•f •f • as American soldiers prepared to return from Korea and television glared to consume the world, the Supreme Court decision of May 15 closed the book on one era of lack American history and opened up Pandora's box on another. Wright's Black Power (1954), a commentary on his experiences in Africa's Gold Coast, may have been more than of just a hint "A~ w~a~ _"::!:_t..o .~on:~..~ · c;f{ffi;.;:would witness some, but not all, of the ingre, t ~--ients of Pandora's box., lil'"1.ac k woman i n M ' t gomery re f use d to eive~her • Vf. when a ,,...., ~on seat on a public bu5 to a white man, a new era of )3lack struggl e was born. A successful boycott of buses was led by Martin Luther Ki ng , Southern Christian Leadersh ip Conference. hordes of young .Bl acks (and some whites) be gan sit-ins and various other "in! s" 1 as the Freedom" cry reached a new pitch. This was t h e ges ~ tation period for the Congress of Racial Equality and the · And o.U~~ wl,',Le.J Studen~ Nonviolent C<\o rdinating Committee. ,j"hite youth took l? to television and swayed to the rhythms of Chubby Checker, the • Jf'' \ ~ ~t Chantel s and the Five Satins. But as America "twisted the ) ight a':;;'a; " another and different mood, expressed through a �diff e r ent v oice , wa s bugging the r im of t he we were not y et "Beyo nd t h e Bl ue s . rr,, eam . 11 And 11 III THE \JO fl TOTEM Good mor ni n ', b lues, blues, b ow d o y ou d o ? /() di_}. j()R.);!µ y /u:;J 1 _I_ Leadbellv N\ - The Comin g Cadence: - -- w Pr e'£i0na i :::sa nc e Vo ices .._;,, s t .. e 2C ,. .. ce nt r:r con ti nued to open its - e 1ilde r ec. ( s 0::1 ~3.:" "s h ocked " ) ~ l'tlt,.~y :"e s , all. UC£ I. /v ta fM!li\.c}'lan.;es we r e occu1tl n[.; M not t~ - le a s t o.r.:o ~ :::; t 'l: er:: i !1Jtl a c . . oetr:-r and t he arts . 1·· i t'ti t}'l e i ::1cr a s e i n t ~e nu:-::'Je r of p '.Jlicat i o;1s tak i n 6 t h e ir wor k to t he p i on e r i nG effort s of D n~ar, Carrothers, Camn½ell, ( du Cott e r , ~ ) an othe r s ) , ~ ;.ac k (tl 6.1'\ l)4'C _,,, pat e !~a 7 i ng t:1eir ~ rt flTJ oe ts could at leas t a nt ici l r e ad 1J7 white editors. : :a.·-:7 of t~ e 'r' p oet s ·riting i nt e fi ct a nd sec ond decades of the cent ry 1-1 ould ne~ e r e l i ghts of t .. e . eard f ron a g a i n~ ½ t a few would ar 1. a i1 Re~ai s s anc e . e co .~ Nl.nC,fd ovtr- Th e p oet s -1 J. 3 i "mi n or" a sur i- _r i ~i ng d i Ye rsit~ of styl es , li n~ui s tic i b e nts, the n es, te m~ e r ame nt s a nd a ce cate Gories, n. ~1d came fro'."1 pract ~ ~r e v er~r cor ner of the U:'.1ited S tat es , the ,.vest I !"ld i es and -Soatr America. '\ i 1 • o nz th e early poe ts ~,er e Kelly :-:iller (l 8 63/V1939), Leslie :!'i r.c .{ne:.,. Hil l (1 SON{_ ), (1 380j l960 ), Charles Be rtrar.1 Joh nson Benjamin Bra~l ey (1 SS2J 1939), Raymond Garfield �~ Dandri dge ( H38 2J 1930 ) , Otto L~ Edward :recal l ( 1333.!. ? IV (1 836~ ..t.Y ~,.__ 1 _,,, • - ) , Angel i na Weld Gr i :::~c~ (1~30~1°5~ ), ( 1330/2 ( J ess i e Redmo::d Fauset ~ Boh a nt nJ ◄!!•••-• ~ - J a !::es (1 322,.!1961 ), F al ter Everette !-TawL::i :'} S ) , ~Irs . Sarah Le e (Brow n ) Leo n R. Harri s ) , :2f f i e Le e News ome (1 835/2 i , Ha lt er Ado lp.-~e +-o-b_e_r~t s 1 (1 886~19 65 ), Eva Alberta J e s s y e- (1 397~ ) , Geor [;ia Dougl as J ohns on (188 611966), T e odore Ee nr ~,. Sh ac ke l ford ✓ (1888.!1923) , Ros c oe C. Jami son (1 886! 191 2 ) , Ch arl e s ~ i lson N fl/ ,,,_., ) , T:rs . I-' I ae Smi tb Johnson v(l 190J / ), Andr e a l885/4 ri ef o c1s95k z ), Ben jamin Ebe~e z er B rr ell ( 1~92Q ) , J oseph Se a mon Cot te r , Jr . i illiam Ed ga r Ba i1(~ ~ (1 895~1919 ), Clar i s s a Sc ott Dela nJj (1 901/2 ~ 2?) , and s cores more. Najor poe tic contrib utions wer e ma d e by James Hvl c! on J oh ns on , Fenton J ohnso n , Cotter , Jr. ( cu t dO"wn iefepf \t \ ~L4 0 deve l op h i s pro:iiise ) a1id a feiv ot her s; :ret it i s i mpor tant that we a t l e ast ~ ~~ 0 lq J 5s 1% Br own a nd ~ o:ne of the l esser l n C ~ s of th i s per iod . Redd i nG feel/\ not11i:::: of i:,. fr portanc e, beyo nd the Joh nsons , occ u7'ed i r. t!"!e fi r st tw o de cades . But; fo r pur poses of ou r study a nd co nti nuity , He must note t h a t t h i s was no t a per i od of i :iacti v ity amo ng poets . n ic all:r , t here was s ome e.x pe r b1e n tation. Te c}:, i However, :r..ost of t b e poets e i the r h elp ed ph a s e out tJ"!e dialect 1 ~osue or rr ot e h armless pie c es on nature , love , gard ens, de ath and ~u~an sorrow . Ot hers wrote h arshly and b itt erly of t h e war . , Hiller , r:athe mati c ia n and s ociol ogist, was a l e a d ini; �/ lac k spo _csman of the d ay and onl:r occasionall~r rrote poetry . His prose 1. e e and . n Sa.t i sfi d II provided fuel for oe:-:: 'I f rthcr discuss i on of co nte m orary racial issues. ~ stanzas, of it i s r e mi nisc en t of Fent ,0n ._.Tob nson (''.T i red" ) &eSL,e~P.irx.k <::J and l"1ar 6 aret Wal rnr good s tud ents Co nsistinc 1 ( "F or Hy People ")., ~i ll produc~lan:r ile he was pr incipal at C eyney Trai ninc for Taac ers (later Cbe~n y tate Colle ge ). 1-:ordswort:.'1 , I: l ton and B 1rns . ch ool e at tended ~ a rvard taug t at Tus egee; ': : . n d ,1 1is 1 1 t e rary i nfluences an ,,,,.rt~ -aJ?-e Lon gfellow , Hi s p ' lis he d 1-1or s ar e Tre ~- ing s M. of O '"'ressio n (1 , 22) a nd Toussaint L ' O:rdrt r e -/;.A Dra r.iati c Hi stor-:--- Roy L . ~11: , poet a ..1: 1/e d cat:., is a prot~ i:se .... 9 2 ~ ) . 1i1. ...M of t:: c s eni o ~il~ 1 "Wt.tq« I\ ~; ith '·fas:-:: i ngto .-ty::ie f0el:l.. ::.~s a' 01 us teat 1..,e i l_ 11 - , t race relat io ns . J ~·h 1s o n : ,,... l is 1~ 7 71; , n J-.,, - ! laced !:e tel_s ::os t 6 ri ';)inc l:: s no ~ i c tly ," a poe t c d i s t i _la t i o:1 #,c,.arl~s ..... strenc t :·:ourn t e travail of ..::~ race ." ~ - i-."' --. t 7 :o f eels~ tiJ·:~~fro-Ame ):;Wj~~ constrai ed o ~press i on to 3 i7e ~-: i :-: -:, i n: _, n _,, ~ , " ✓ - - d 1 -i ,, s - as a!'l • oetr:- i s a .d s 0ri a~, J. --- nr--1 ..... - - <.;:.. _ fSr' 'C,J ),..,I o .:e ri ::: rork in �""'1 .... -. ... ~!- 1 T_ti C" ..:_ c c r::::i . 1 -- ......, r..._ .,--, ,. - i ,- " ~-v, ~ t"l ~ ~:~.:~~p:~ ~;~l~i~e~-~~ ~<1qW; .. .J ._L,....., .... ...,,.. l.. Dandr i d::;o ' s poetr~r i s -"I _ , ... \ ~.. ,, '-- _,,. , , ~ ~~~c.K;i.,.~~\.,tL :e s _,. ..._, ~ '- !'ac i o. :1. .; ~ c o:--:,t '::i "': c t o :S i J 11 8-d ·; ~_:: : es: I •~ to ..) --.- c t 1_,e .; r :. if c "for sor.: t'-- t ::::. 11 J.?;)S:!:0:1t::r eD:~(}ttcred '•:r t he ab or ted Reconstructio n and contemporary vi olence a gai nst Blacks, h e asks: Or can it be you fear t he grave Enough to live and die a s lave ? "Zalka Peetruza II recalls McKay 's 11Earl e m Dancer II in that every part of t he woman is dancing "~ save her face." A native of n Cinci~\t,i, Dandridge suffered a stroke when he was O years i' old_, whi cb left bis le gs and right arm paralyzed. Thereafter writing most of b is poetr~r fro m h is bed, b e published The Poet a nd Other Poems (1 92 0 ) and Zalka Peetru za and Other Poems (192 8 ). Dandridge also wrote competent poetry in dialect and ¢ I ✓ 1 I U was a disciple of Dunbar.1/ Bohantn and McCall contributed poetry to various magazi nes . ✓ If • A teacher from Washlngton, D.C., Bohan~ did not publish a volume. Neither did NcCal 'ly wh o be came ~ beC.fAlJSe OP,an editor of the Independent aft e r PECOIIM'1g . blind typh oid. A Angel i na ~rimke pub lished a three-act play (Rachel) in 192~ but her poetry remains uncollected . Born in Boston , s h e was �educated in various schools ~ several states, and later taught English for many years at Dunbar High School in Washington, he1t Jfr-e~"-"'~~ D.C. More than slightly& 17 llag/\Gwendolyn Brooks,,r• L ■ nGadt ;• Ar poetry contains some of the most distilled language in modern i.<-iflt,,Ut,.trl,1 American literature. ,r»d?f · t , precise and poignant, she writes of love, seasons, darkness and high spirits during her maturing y ears ~ 11 eg , n the phrase "the)'ew Negro. Although she had ----- been publishing poetry in periodical~ her first big break came when she was included in Cullen's anthology \ Caroling Dusk (1927) . houJ~e/) Not until the sixtie./~would such lines as t h e following take on their full political /cultural significance: ,~1y , beautiful still fin ger, are y ou blac k ? And why are y ou pointing upwards? In 11 The Want of You/ eve n t he moon and clouds j oin i n "the crying want of you. S • 11 Long overdue is a detailed study of '¼,~e.Lt~O.. I 'It Grimke.4111 But she is included in the best anthologies of Afro: American poetry and literature. Critical comments on her work 3 2.. ( can be found in t he work of Kerlin, l_:( B~, who c~o.W1.c:mn3ec:J he.,,. wort.A~ ..., and Brown1 A"ir?ny and quiet despair "I. e.~cefon4L ~ AUs · 3 lent student i college and for sever~ years ,___ _ __, / i_ ' literary editor of the famous Crisis magaz n, Jesse F uset ~--- ~ also served as an interpreter for the Dtf ois-inspired Second Pan-African Congres ~ in London. A native of New Jersey , she attended Cornell (Phi Beta Kappa) and the University of Penn sylvania, and published four novels: There is Confusion (1924) , Plum Bun (1929), The Chinaberry Tree (1931) and Comedy , American �St ;:rle ( 1933). Her poetry appeared in numerous periodicals during the twenties and thirties. "Oriflamme, 11 Her skill is evident in her most fa mous poem. Inspired by a quotation from Sojourner Truth, the poem views the/ lack moth er "seared with slavery's mortal scars" but vows that her sons are , p Still visioning the stars! Black poets apparently spent time reflecting during t h e period l/a1~-r- - between the beginning of the century and the ARenaissance. So much of the poetry takes us into their private lives '-sometimes into racial tones and sometimes not. Some of J essie Fauset's verse, for example, mirrors h er knowledge of French (sh e tau 6ht the language and translated into English several West Indian French-speaking poets). This is seen i n t h e titles of some of ~e poems and in other places where she interpolates French words ~~he~poe.Ttiy l:S into t h e texts. Generally her tone is quiet A. neat and well written. Hawkins (a native of North Carolina) ,sraduated from olle ge in 1901 and worked for many years in t h e railway mail service. I n "Credo" h e announced : 4rl'rn:t I am an Iconoclast. With obvious irony, Hawki ns goe s on to claim h e is "an Anarch ist,n (see Brown) and "an Agnostic. 11 Additional irony and cynicism is seen in such poems as "A Spade Death of Justice." fs Just /. Spade" and "The In h is rus h of language and boldness of subject matter, Hawkins anticipates Tolson. His Ch ords and and Discords was published in 190~ and h is work appears in �-The Poetry of Black America (/t:3.off, 1973) and Kerlin's ~ anthologJj which includes critical notes. Brown also comments on Hawkins ( a "foreshadow II of new "Negro Poetry 11 ) . Harris, 1-Irs. Fleming, !{rs. Newsome, Roberts , ~ :i 'i # Jessye, Shackelford., Jamison., Wilson, Mrs . Johnson , Raza.1'; ter i A:ro , Burrell and Bailey were among oth er poets contributing to various periodicals of the day. Harris brough t out The Steel Makers and Other War Poems in pamphlet for m in 1918 . He served as e'ditor of t h e Richmond (Indiana) Blade and publish ed sh ortt stories in The Century. 11 Tbe Steel Makers 11 is emotionally and technically a kin to some of the work orfwhitman \ Walt Sandburg . Jand Ct.\-lL It praises t he steel2,w orkers M among wh om Harris himself numbered at one time . In another place, Harris asks the white man to accept him since , despite color and feature 1 differences, "'t Th e Negro's t h e same as the rest. Harris' work can be found in Kerlin's book.1/Yrrs. Fleming publish ed Clouds and Sunsh ine (1920) in Boston at t h e inceptio n of the /enaissance. Mrs. Newsome, wb o writes pr i marily for children, did not publish a volume of poems until 1940 (Gladiola Garden). 1 Among the "earliest Negr o.es to employ free verse with artistic effe ctiveness II were Raz af'ker i efo and Will Sextpn tw ..;~1#.o fq.)b,r o-.1,00.s "-Sexton contributed to various peri odicals, as did Razaf 1 e i efoJ whose work appeared in The Crusader and The Ne gro World. through the t heme of the day, Sexton announced : I am the New Negro. Carrying �Taken from "The New Negro" .- this line will be seen again in various places and temperaments> including •Tolson' s "Dark 11 Symphony. In "The Bomb Th rower II Sexton plays tbe role of "America's evil genius" and sardonically proposes a reversal of the ideals of J'emocracy. Razafkeriefo, born in Wash ington, D. C•.1 to A.fro-American and Hadagascaran parents, /only/_hag/ an elementary education. He asks, in "The Negro Church ," for "manly, thinking preachers" And not shouting money-makers, after declaring (in the ma nner of a Stokely Carmichael, Halcolm - X or Rapl Brown) t h at t he church has great "power." Preach ers, be warns, s h ould work to Tlf'i t t h e Negro" 1 For this world as well as h eaven. , i In addition to anger and impatience, t h is poet also expresses race pride and praises "The Negro Woman." If it were left up to him to pick a woman for "queen of the hall of fame ," h e would "select the wonderful Negro woman. 11 <fhurrell, wh o con~ tributed poetry to ma gazin~ , ech oes Razafkeriefo in "To/ Negro }ioth er. 11 In four e4. gb =e -linef stanzas (using iambic octa ~ meter) Burrell celebrates the mother. () ...xa ~ grace and fortituden of t h e )fiack Recalling that greatness of f lack h istory, he asks fu . ; ..Jt2J\"O ~&fth.. mother to V,~i \ :? f ) ~,;;t/ '1;;, ~ - 11 Create anew the captains or the past; (_I in your soul t he Ethiopian power, • • • The preceding two poems call to mind Hughes •s \"The Negro Mother," Watkins' - -- -- - 1 1Ebon 1"laid and Girl of Mine," Hrs. Joh nson's - - - - -- - - - - - 11 To My �11 ...._ Dodson 's "Blac k ?-Ioth er Pray inc , a nd oth er moving tributes to t h e Ai'r o-Ar.ie r i c an woman • <//,.1 il s on • s "S o01e{ Grandmother, 11 .._ b ody ' s Child" is not 1300d poetr-:ir 'but its subject is. :_e worked as a printer and t be atrica~ performer a nd serv ed ti me ~---- whe. tte in t~1e Hi s souri Stat e Penite ntia.r:r dna i.11 .._, 4/ . !ei!s .t,i.:., .e,._:: e pu t ) S?:-: a.c ~rnlford was a i.mti ~re togetbe1"' a s 111all b ook of l1is verses . ?h iladelph ia Art 1-l useum. Hi s bo ok ~-Iy Cou ntr:" and Ot,~er Poer.:s ~ was publish ed in Philadelph ia in 1913. Jamison publish ed ~foo-o Soldiers and Oth er Poems in South St . Josep~1 , :I5.ssouri , in 1918. Jamison writes ab out "Castles in t'be Air, nEopelessness II and 11 ~e Her:;r o Soldiers. 11 something of t':1e flavor of Dunbar's 11 11 l ove , T1--: e latter poe m ':1 a.s Colored S oldi ers" and salutes the bravery and coura 6 e o:f f lack troops wh ose grandly r ise. 11 These troops, ~ America instead of seeking 11 11 souls on points out, fou ght for veng~ de for t h eir wrons s." I\ A native of i•Iissouri, Bailey's only volume o:f poems @rhe Firstling) was released in 1914. r baseball L( vi a ..Q..h t lstian s ym )Olis m) ga~ "The Slump" ma kes a. analo g ous to t ._e hardships of / lac k life: J Well, we're all at t h e b at ~ and warns t h at the nball may b e h urled" as a plea. "Hr . Self n is at t he bat but 'f There's t h e Beggar and Gatei - nd a wh ispering voice from above call nstrike t h ree." 9v0....,.ftt!essye wrote moving poetry but is much b etter known �for h er work in developing and l eadi ng professio nal ch oruses. Born in Kans as, sh e r e ceived musical training at Wester n .. Uni versity in Kansas and Langston University in Oklah oma. - Hoving to New York City in t h e twenties , she c.onti nn1ee. wor k~ wit w/ I\ .....,,.,, fi gures -H-ke Will Harion Cook, J. Rosamond Johnso n, Hall Johnson and oth ers. In h er famous concer ts ar ound t h e world she bas used work from Por gy and Bess, Joh n Work 1 s compositions ~ a nd tha.t. of t h e men listed above . Her pub lish ed collections i nclude 1-~y Spirituals (1927), The Life of Christ in Negro §.giritu~l ~ (1931), Paradise Lost and Regained (Hilton•s work adapted tofo ac k songs, 1934), and The Chronicle of Job. (a fol::: dra:-:~a, 193 6 ). I '.'.'1porta:-it fo r t:~e sar.ie re aso :1s ::-ioted i q or discussio n of Alex Ro gers, .b<i.-VfJessy e successfully comi )''~ . ~~m bi ned t h e . poetic and t he musical lancuage (t:-i ouc;h t h ey are so s i milar to start with !). Her poem 11 The Sinr;er 11 recal l s t he ·work of Corroth ers, Dunbar; t:oh nson_j Jamesl , a nd numerous oth er poe ts wh o ha ve brid ged the gap between t h e two art f orms. One is rer.ii nded of Johnson' s "O Black and Unknown Bards 11 in i_'j:,.YJ:. Jessye' s statement t h at t he singer's "speech was bl unt and manner plain. 11 Like t he "unknown bards, song was "but t he essence of t he heart. 11 11 h is unlettered Her poems, published ' i n newspapers during t h e twenties, sh ow f li gh t h eartedness a_ V but _,, • sincerity and /\sense of convict ion . She writes about "spring " and t h e "Rosebud; ' and wh ile sh e i s not singularly distinguish ed as a poe t, li er l i fe's work is a n indispensable float in t h e grand parade of creat ivity i n �the arts. ~ iht In choral work, H!i.aa Je ■■ sto' is especially noted for her direction of the Original Dixie Jubilee Sineers, later named the Eva Jessye Ch oir. ,,------. hµ. of aHi: ■ ■ I 11 Pt 1 For a thoroueh discussion '&/,life and works ( along with th of h er co temporaries)) see Eileen Southern's The Husic of Black Americans. For poetr:" s_elcctio:1s , see Kerl n. !It During t h e period of t he ~Renaissance, poets such as Georgia Johnson, Jessie Fauset, Anne Spene r I Alice Dunbar = Nelson, Hill, McKay, Jame s Weldon Johnson, Dandridge and Cotter 1 (Who had achieved reco gnition before r- 1923), continued t heir output either t hrough magazines or book\ publication~ Much of this work is recorded in Johnson's The Book of American Negro Poetry (1922, 1931 ) 1' ~:3:::lin' s Ne gro Poets and Their Poems (1923, 1935) and Conter.iporary Poetry of t h e Ne gro (1921), a nd in ot:., er sue:."} co ...:l'i~a t:to ~s a n per ioc.i cals. A~~e Spencer was born in Wes t Vir ginia and studied at the Virginia Se minary in L:tnchbur gJ where s __ e h as spent most of her life. (she recently relocated in California~ fllttt ua, for a long tim~A\rt;arian at Dunbar Hi~h Sch ool in Lynchburg . This poet's work h ardly ever reflects racial or political con cern~ but s he is one of t h e most technically1sure of all J lack poets. She writes about women, love, carnivals and t he workings of the mi nd . In its brevity and conciseness, h er poetry anti cipates t he work of Gwendolyn Brooks and is loosely a kin to Angelina Grimkf 's (though vt h e latter's work is raciallyl flavored). Her poetry also bears some kinsh ip to t he 1I magist • sch ool of - ..,I �poet , writing in t h e early years of t he century. Elements of a.L>t1 t h is particular t echnique a nd style can~be see ~ in Hayd~n.. . ~ ~. ~~ 11 ( The Diver , n ulJigh t-Blooming Cereusf , and others:' . ,4 "At Th e Carnival 11 we s mell sausage and garl ic t h at i Sent unh oly incense skyward and are told (in an echo of t h e ronantics) t hat ~v 1-vhat ever is good is God. 11 Dunbar 11 laments "h ow poets sing and die! eulogized J lack poet in t h e same class and .K. ea t s. tt-e~mos t ~ ib!!EBapoasu l!S 11 al.Y w±i,h and places t he Ch atterton, Sh elley · · moving poem, i·t seems , is "Translation/ where in two lovers r.aver speak., I But each knew all t he other said. Calling :::ier t h e "most original of all Negro women poets," ft □ lllaa Brown advised, in 1937, t h at 'h er '1sensiti-re, and keenly d be "collected for a wider audience." ut ~s o , no one h ad undertaken Brown's su ggestion. Al\n-e Considering her span of ye ars, ..,_~ Spencer (somewh at like Hayden) has not been prolific. Her work can b e found in se veral antb ot logies and periodicals of t he twenties. Critical assess ments are given by Kerlin, Brown and Johnson. James Weldo n Johns on, we not ed earlier, published Fifty Years and Other Poems in 1917. ----7D: :: .JlJr 'r~ncluded dialect as well as conventiona~ itandard~English commemorati ve pieces. Not h i ghly original, the work was one more step in the long and fruitful development of perhaps t he most important f'igure in the h istory of f lack poetry . It seems Johnson was involved �in as many things as could have been hu;nanly possible. After ht\ VOl.vfn'lt.l\ f his 11 1 (\on Broadway (with ligh t operas), h e worked for t he re-election of Theodore Roosevelt, served as United States Consul (a reward for his political work) in Nicaragua and Venezuela, published (anonymously ) The Autobiography of / n Ex-Colored Man in 1912, wrote editorials (for more t h an QQ) secretar:r~general-L wor .dng i n that post for ~ \.:'.:j) N\ ye ars . A deeply psyc .olo 6 ical wor1: , Autobio 6 raphy dealt wi t 11 sue"": an explosive contemp orary topic J -the theme of passing- Lt hat Johns on /V\ -----= IV\ would not affix h is own name to it until it was reissued durin 6 the ;(enaissance (1927) with an introduction by Carl Van Vechten. The conventional poetry of Fifty Years shows Johnson to be politically at the t hresl"' hold of t h e "awakening." ¥: Sri ti; V Brown stated, incorrectly, that Johnson's "Brothers" was t he most "vigorous poem. of protest fro m an~r Negro poet up to h is time." We know that Whitfield , Whitman , D ois, Hawkins and others were just as strong and forceful. Fifty Years was highl:r praised by Braithwaite ("intellectual substance") , Bra er Mf.thews ,'~h ould be grouped with t he noblest American commemo l (i\ ~ t\ ~ ( rative poem~), and other influential critics. This first book ti. strength, ~ irility M and robustness t hat would mark '-- Johnson's future writings /V\especially God's Trombones (1927). The poems are patriotic {"Fif'ty Years/ which commemorates the fiftieth anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation), nos talgic { 11 0 Southland!"), descriptively amorous ("The Glory of , ' ~ or"), the Day ~ as in Her Face"), strong and v~rile ("The Young Wa~ �.-I/"' / ~ - -::J race-proud (angry) and didactic (~ rothers ")) and fundamental .s and reli gious ( 11 0 Blac k and Unknown Bard/ '). The last poem, more i mportant for what it records t b a ~h ow it is assembled, ~ /\ is an artistic tribute e:f t h e makers of t he / piri tuals. Using actual words and names from .fpirituals, Johnson weaves in t h e strength and artistry characteristic of the~ songs h e loved '4 and to which he devoted so much research and listenine time. Oreat aJ:, he says, is produced b y These simple ch ildren of t h e sun and soi l . Johnson knew, too, t h at these makers would not e O b lack s i ave singers, gone, for~ot, unfamed , if work of t he sort h e was doing continued in t h e '!J ands of those t o wh om he pas s ed t!1e torch . Alt _ ou,)'} Fift:r Years is stron0 , solid work , it is l at er t hat Jo!1n:::on ~ cones .!1to :1j_s own as experi~1entalis t and pac e s et ter. Ge or 6 ia Joh nno!i al s o ,;rote race-c o:1s c ious 17-rics . $; ~ t\ ....___..... e.r ii? t!1 ,3mes ay,e s« c,:;csted in h er ti tle s: . . . The _:eart of I q,-i) Woman (1918 ), Bro nze (1922) and An Autumn Love C:rcl~ "Skillf ul and fl'::)t," her poetry deals primarily 11ith loneliness, sorrow, seasons-" unre quited loveJ and is intellectuall.,,rt b ased. T:'1e first . w}~ gnition as a r i lack woman after Frances Earper to ach ievekreco poet, she is explicitly racial in Bronze alth ough allusio ns to 1 Sh~ J'lackness sometime:appear in h er other work. Yet~ seems to know something about the heart of all women (and men) when she says the singer's songs ~ 1 Are tones that repeat �Th e cry of t he heart 0 Till it ceases to beat. 0 "The Oct~roon II deals with a woman who is tainted b ecause she is t he victim of One drop of midnight in the dawn of life's pulsating stream but who finds h ospitality in the )!lack community . His Critics/ 11 humble fold"- Lpresuma.bl y t h e Tb is poem recalls Cott ~ The Mu la tto to / f Sr, '.s i' wh ich depicts t he multit racial predicame nt of one {probably Cotter h i mself) made up Of Red Han, Black Man., Briton, Celt , D and Scot, but wh o loves t h e dark-s kinned, . curly;:::haired race t hat "puts s weet music in my Qi eot'J t lJ,.. SOU~ - ~ tension in "To My Son,!" •xj~h~ p s a similar .-.zbc~ ~ b etween advising her son t h at ._. "dusky pall or shadows screen t h e h i ghway of '-- sky" and encouraging him to "storm t h e sullen fortress II founded on racism. In addition to writing such powerful and lasting jl.,"!l!:(h " ~ rJi••••• was of service to young writers for several Poetr-."1 , ~r-~4i.ra......i.e,■ decades. A female counterf part to Langston Hu ghes, s he h osted regular and spontaneous writers' meetings in her h ome in Washington, D.C • ., wh ere she moved after receiving academic and musical training at Atlanta University and Oberlin College . A native of Georgia, she was employed in government service most of h er adult life. For critically introduced selections of her work, see Barksdale and Kinnamon, Johnso ~ and Kerlin. Brown also supplies a good �asse s s me nt . We s h ould note, i n pas s i ng a nd by way of introduc tion to Fenton Johnson, I-I . Binga Dis mond (1 891~19.56)1 wh o did not publish a v olume of poetry until 1 943 (We Wb o Woul d Di e ). Di smond , like Johnson and Frank :-:ars!la ll Davis1 was one of t he ma ny writers of t ~ e period wh o -1as not p:~y si c ally prese nt i n Harlem duri ng t .1e fa naissan c e . a nd , a trac k s t a r Dismond was b orn in 1 i r g i nia (as was Frank Horne ); studied pb ysical t: .era;-:r a t Rush r:e d ic al College after attending Eoward Uni v ersi t:• Acader.iy and t l-:e Uni ve rs i t:r of Ch i c a g o_. c ipation in t .e/ n•1" (T~e Hidwest ' s pal't · qtvt~ o..oect..tHJ..~~ enaissance r>. a.s"-b ee'fl~rpm f.J 1; · r11 1 ½M~ml 6$1 i'L ) Dis mond, ·t-rb o Hrote so., e crisp and po i [;:.1ar:~ poetr:- of lo·.-e a nd protest, is more i r.1portant t o us dt rin.::; t :~i s period for _1is journali sti c ~-1 or {. :'Ti t:1 Jo~._son , :1e edited The c _. a ::7ipio n (starting i n 1916) for se veral ~e ars. ::a0 azi::e They The Fav orite :ia 0 a z i ne ( nTl1e World ' s Greatest :-=ont .. l:r 11 ) w:i'eG~ 1 tkt.•·-- t'Fu _ 7 1 iii& published Apoems and art ic _es . Johnson h ad se ve ral of h i s plays perfor r.i.ed in Ca. icag o ' s Pekin The a tre ~-rhen !1e u as ni neteen a nd is genera_ -:r seen as 0¥1t t he raost creativ e link~ , etwe en t:1e poets of Dun'!;ar ' s era awd I th H l n a:i.· s s ~~ a nc e . B or ·n i_n C. i- c a g o ~ ., 1:.,. •\. J1 r-., eco no ..-t~c a.:.. ~ r ' : /'} e atte nded t ."e cit~-rf s r).a '.'!e s a k e : l i·,rersit:r and tau gh t scho ol for a year in t 'b e So 1t~1 . ~~e priva tely pub l i shed t h r ee vo l u~IBS of p oetry , one (A Litt le Dr eami .G, 191?) in C'h ic ago, and two ( Visi o ns of t i e Dusk, 191.5; and S on~s of the Soi l , 1916) in !.ei·1 Yorl5 w:1ere _ e l ived f or a s h ort time. iarr iet 1-Ionro0 and t "The !Tew ;oetry 11 groupt b ad estah lis'!-:? ed oP' �Poetr:r (1912) L 1 :: is l: o,;1e tow n, n :1d Jo .nsor. i;iade co r.tac t w:.t'"' le er . I n 192 , i"'h !;-, "" P"'· lis'•cd Ta _cs of Darkest A:ccerica ~ A participant in t b e "poetr~ rev i val" i ~ ~~ort stories . A nerica, Joh nson :.-~ ad b is wor { a ccepted for Poetr:rt and t :1e an-t .. olo ,. . i es Ot:-iers (19_6, 1917, 1920) , T!: e :~ew Poetr:r a r. An Ant bo lo;:;:r of American Poetr:r: _ L:.rric A,. er ica, 1630Q1 93 . I ✓ and tl"'at F~,it say i n,:: 1/ oh nson was , 1 timat e l ~r t _e poet of "des·pair" :1e ~ was t:1e onl:' poet ri ti ng i n s ch ~ rnin ( as Br ow ~, Reddil~ G, Jo -,~s on , ~-ac;ner , a nd ot'~ers :::a-,-e done ), cri tic s l o~ J?resented~ t of t l': e 1,ia n . ~ a nd :J ~:1 ':mr.:; ; !!e did orrow fro l"!l :~nsters, Li 1dsa7 t:::!.3 allm-red ~ir: to v oic e so:::1et}-:ii::c relat i v el:- ., e•,ri n / °"ac ., poe tr:• .r'- Ee\~ro·; i ditg an a·:e nue h,(experi. eni;t e<c:h«nge. bfA~1 tf:'j1a c :~\~do~r[~porar i es . But in p oe ms such as "Tired , n "Th e Ba nj o Play er, 11 11 Tbe Scarlet Woman" and "Rulers II b e displays mu ch more t h a n "despair . " Reflecting , a.s Brown noted, t h e "two extremes of Ne gr o poetry after 1914," Johnson can deal with eith er t h e )rawling urban blues or t he down- h ome , "we s h all ov erco~ ' motifs. Because h is work d oe s not co ntain a co nsistent sp irit of h ope, 8r sj-a..-.t,g .;::::::___,... Weldon Joh nson s aid 'h is riessage mirrored ideas nforei r;n to any ph il os ophy of life t h e Negr o in America 'h ad e ver preac::1ed or pract i c ed . the 11 Johnson t hou gh t t is was 11 sta.rtlingtt de spit e 1 "'oirt~ about t h e same time as Fento n Johnson's wor k , of •f · Handy tbe b lues era-~ a nd t be work of W sometimes calle~ a civ ilizatio n "father. 11 ( 1.3 73,; 1958 ~ wh o is Fenton Johnson is "Tired II of ,_ , h as g i ven b i r.i 11 too many" ch ildren and �no ch ance for t h em to share i n t he American dream. Eo proposes to h is wife t h at t h ey Throw t b e ch ildre n i.1to t h e ri ver: and observes that ••• It is better tfdie t han it is to q grow up and f'ind out t h at you are / colored • .'l~ ~ Johnson writes about roustabouts, prostitutes, va ~ants, ~ aborers> eu~J IAu"i,u,11\tWtl \CIMJ/ ; · aai strong will) and is, as Jay Wr ~h- -~id~ of Henry Dumay poet of t h e dispossessed. (and it1211 11 11 t he He is also t h e poet of t he blues ...__, ' • 81col!l!wo1 'ui 1,ui!c@i bh&b HtLc 1.s!l:&63 JIG a fi68e!0..I ubi1g. 'Io In breaking away from traditiona:,.Pack poetic dictio n and form, Johnson not only received influence from t h e wh ite experimenters lr.M" of free versek he borrowed h eavily from t he b l ues and, at t h is leveli must share some of the accolades usually reserved almost solely for C: @?i.Hugh es. 0 It is now widely accepted that the b lues do not simpl:· preach resi gnation. To the contrary, t he blues, telling about heart ache and personal failures, carry h ope in the singing and the going on. Hargaret Wal :rer is only one of t he many poets whose work seems to reflect t h e influence of Johnson.A/Jo we really believe t hat Joh nson meant for t he ch ildren to be t hrown in the river f ,/n+ ore than we take the bl~es singer literally wh en he promises to "lay rrry h ead down on some railroad track 11 ? Johnson's "note of despair" is one mor-e 'brilliant ~Vlhl\Loqic.o..L ' distillation of the strange l)ill!J&&m1~if\web T.ua>_....~ ,aia'1 tu i!lii,i!liOP produced t he sorrow songs, the j pirituals, the ditties, jokes, r hymes and / �blues. At t h e t ime Joh nson wrote h is poetr~ Handy was com posing some of h is most famous blues songs ( 11 st. Louis Blues, "The :Memph is Blues, ff 'Yellow Dog Blues 11 ) and arrangi d ().// blues pieces Travel<;'· 1er, ~ 11 ..__.. ~ 11 aditional I I nTrain' s A-Comin," "Let Us Ch eer t h e Weary "Come on, Eph ," and "Juba." And in t h is list alone s locked partial answers to much of t h e work of several Afro-American writers: .._,Hughes, Walker, Tolson, Wrigh t, Brown, Jayne Cortez, Gil Scott-Heron and numberless oth ers. It is possib le t hat critics looking at Joh nson were ~ ,~re~ pared for b is irony and poetic assimilatio n of t hemes and ~ jfv,evious.Lv \ feelin gs Ptivhzi]F3IXJs~gloss~d over by Christianity and oth er anesth etics. I n nRulers~n Joh nson dis cusses a "monarch II on "Lombard Street i n Ph iladelph ia , " wh o "was seated on a t hrone of flo ur b ags . " Near t he "monarch II two y oung b oy s with guitars l play ed "ragtime t unes of t h e day . " Clearly t h is 11 :nonarch 11 (a p ac k ~l ab orer~ in reality) is being serenaded and saluted just as any oth er -ruler • would b e. -...,., -._,I of t h e b l ues ( "~a.gtime 11 ) . He presides as a prince Joh nson 's work is i n most anth ologies of Afro- American poetrY.';) and critical assess ments of h i m have already been noted. For more t h orough discussions of t he poetry-blues concep\ seE}.._ Steph en Henderson's_,U~n_,__,___-= ~.tl, "tt-t°til ~ t h e New Black Poet r y / .-,. i 1L i or;rapty ~A ];ftit,Zi ._ At t h e dawn of tbe .:. ar leci Renais s a nce, t here slimi'.;ol..: ., e of poetry eared a :~ Se amon Cotter, Jr . "'!!!!_'JJ~~~~~ pr ecoc i ous s on of the Cott er alre ady disc us s ed . ~ t be Young Cott er di ed a n earl:r de at!J wh i ch cut s~ ort t h e wor k of one of the �most promising fi gures in Af'ro-American poetry. Born in Kentucky and frail fro m childh ood like Dunb ar, Cotter :1ad to end his colle ge career at Fisk University wh en h e de v eloped tubercul4x3\• . An i nnovator, as was h is fat h er, Cotter s h ows a s h arp awareness ( in The BAnd of Gideon, 1918 ) of t h e pli ght of Blacks and an even sharper ability to express t h at pli g~ t along with oth er sentiments and feelings. He ech oes Much of ;(lack poetry's concerns in "And Wh t Sh all . I Sa_ ' ,~1ai n i'·1(s ic 11 }L::,i,... j ef.per-,rne,,13 anticipates \)lf!Y of' Hughes 's p,{ ~ .s tl · 2!•·/\in The Weary Blues, "Jazzonia, 11 and so on- Lwh en h e recalls t he "dusty earth -drum" M which hammers fallin g rain~ Now a whispered murmur, 0 Now a louder strain. Bearing t h e i mport of much of the "exotic II J la.c k literatur e of t h e renaissance, Cotter neverth eless sees in t h e b eat of· t h e (_!) ~-#"Irr---. ')r ,:,._,;i ~~or f~f S l e nder, silvery drumstic ks a rejuve nation of life as ordered b~r God, "th e Great l'Iu sicia.n. a/ -= ,-- \/ Cotter b e gan wri ti~ poems lih P e a tee 9',a g er. Eis tech nique, _ ~rrton ~ ~.,,,., ~oh nson ' s, combines t h e b est of tro.di tional Western / t>e,.wY' poetry with t l1 e neu wave of free v erse. ,) love, "Ue gro Soldiers , @ --r own illness. 11 His poe., s a.re ab out reli~ion, ..flackness, justice and h is "Is It Because I Am Bl ~ • seems to ha ve looki ng forward to a l 960~ een "soul II song of a sit:1ilar title wh erei n t 'te singer sa:rs (r; ~ Sometb inG is h olding me b ack! Lawd , is it ":-:iecause I' m Bl a c k ? I n ~ ~ooen Cott er asks wll:r wh ite s a.re so ar.1azed tl'., a t e ca. n 11 l!, kt. �"stand II in t~: :: ir i r:porta.nt :1e eti ncs, l ook tirnrn st r ai _:,__t in t>e fn.cc , a r:d 11 spea~c t !1c ir to :::.::,t:{'A:j Cott erR work app ears L1 '=''~0 3 ook: of Ame rican ~Ie.:;ro ?oe t r:; , 1Je~ro Caravan ., :1:erlin ' s study ( 1 The stamp of tbe African mind is upon" Cotter)., and T:~e Poetr:" of Black Americ a . Al t b oue;b Kerlin submits brief critical comr.ients., a study of t b is young poet's work is sorely needed. He[iert\ alsotseveral plays and unpublished sonnets. Ci)c PR01HETS : LThe Harlem Renaissance \ ._, if .... A wave of lon ging t hrough 1/ my b ody swept . ·. Claud e i1cKay c--- The Harlem Renaiss ance fsee s ection 'f of t b ls eh apter) ~ is normally seen as a dec ade-length (1920 1 ~ 30 ) of cultural and artistic activity in what James Weldon Joh nson cal_ed t h e Ne 2,- ro cultural capit~. There is h arriless dis agreement as to wb er. t _e~naissance actually b e gan and h ow long it l asted. 1935 . Some say it started in 1925 and ran until Others gi ve t be first time span_; mentio ned ab ove. Still others (includi ng Wa gner., Black Poets of t h e United States) (1 ~,.,, ~~ ~- ._, .,... •at v"' t '.,. . c "'t' er .;- od{/ ,_ e t Trcn .. v • . +-v 1d ~e +-Tro •,•or ln " - ,. •.7!)..,.,.,. . "'- .L. .., (,- c, 0 iJ, ... ,,.,39 ) • ~ ; ..._ _, ~ j oets of t h eAt naissance- ~which included dance, painting ., sculpture, mu sic, t heater, literature., science and sch olarsh ipMI knew and read ea.c:1 oth er's works. Ironically ., h owever., only one of t h e leadi n 0 fi gures is said to h ave ,..., been born in Uew York City: . . . . ,C ountee Cullen (1903/~46)1 and �he w0;s rai s ed in the "conservative at mos pher e of a Meth odist ~tlf-b· parsonage, 11 the adopted son of a mini s ter. Hugh es " (1902J '"' 67) s pent much of t h e decade of t h e twenti es traveling i so did Claude McKay (1890~194 8 ); who wandered over "Europe and /V J::'~~ouv North Africa" j in many instanctis t ""a lone; way fro m h ome. 11 Jean Toomer (1 894f 1967), disturbed and h aunted by h is com~ plex eth nic background, was a mysterious fi gure wh o died the same year as Hughes in the anonymity of a Quaker commune in Philadel phia (obscure after h aving years before). '- gi ven up writi ng several tio.n/2,, " Often called "minor" writers of t ':1e Ren ai s sance, neither sterling Brown (19 01was born in New York. I\ - ) nor Arna Bontemps (1 902N .., 73) And neith er publi sh ed books duri ng t h e twentie ~ but t h ey did have poems accepted by such ~agazines as The Crisis and Opportunity. EcKay , label ed t h e renai ssanc e ' s poe t of a ncer a nd: rebelli on , Kn•-' "h is famous sonnet l "If We Hust Diei" wh ich win~s is chiefly,for l 4 down (up?) to t h e following couplet: Like men we' l l face the murderous, 0 0 cowardly pack , Pressed to t h e wall , dying , but □ fi ghting back! wrote it in 1919 shortly after that took hundreds of/ lack lives. ' as the be ginning of the l!I )Ii! ------- Many critics use t he date j enaissance . But McKay had ma.de �his entry i nto t he Harl em world of letters two years earlier (1917) with t he publication of two poems ("Harlem Dance II and ~ - ~ "Invoc a tion 11 ) in Seven Arts Magazine. He came t o ~ in kl APvov~ 1912 fro m h is native Jamaica, where he~Amuch European lit erature and philosophy, to study agriculture. Enrolling first at Tuskegee and later at Kansas state College, he finally went on to Harle111; where he worked as a porter , waiter and restaurant pro~etor. Before leaving Jamaica, McKay had established bis reputation as a poet of dialect poetry with his Songs of Jala i ca (1912) and Constab Ballads (1912), the latter work reflecting b is onef time e mployment as a policema n on t he i sland . In New York , h e gained quic k entrance into literary and political circles, establish ing a life long friends h ip with Max East man (who wrote a biograph ical note for Selected Poems ) (1953 ~. McKay counted among b i s friends some of t h e f luential l iterary and political fi gures of t h e day: '-' Joh n Reed, Floyd Dell (The Masses), Waldo Frank, Frank Harris (Pears on ' s Ma gazine), =~ c 1 s Gar ve~ (Negro TTorld )i and others. Fiery and f orceful, McKay was t h e sub ject of much attention a nd di s cuss ion. Alth ough he ne ver joi ned t he Communist Party, h e ~.-w·'-,~" def e nded its s ta nd in most of t he publications/\he wrote~ .... nif Tle Mus t Di e II wa s r ead into t he Congressional Record as an example of / iack unr es t and resentment. In fur McKay l eft t e Uni t ed Stat es i n 1919 , re turned for a brief period the fol l owing year, and left agai n to travel all over Europe and North! Africa for 5 l ears. He r eturned to America in 1934 ® �7 remai~until h i s death in 1943. HcKay's other volumes of poetry include Spring in New Hampshire (192 0, with a preface by the famous crit i c I ~A. Rich ards ); Harlem Shadows ( 1922) and The Dialect Poetry of Claude McKay (1972). Son 9s of .Jamaica was reissued in 1969; and a new volume of prose and poetry (The Pas sio n of Claude McKay) was published in 1973 . published writings, 1912!t{ in Chicago_, where ~ It contains published a nd un ""' 48. NcKay died obscure and poor ._, had gone to teach in Cath olic/ ch ools. His life, like t h&t of so many f lac k artists (Dunbar, Charl ie 11 Yardbird" Parker, Sam Cooke, Leroy Carr, Bli nd Lemon .Jefferson ~ ?t) Ito t'li... o.d.,tfid.n was lived with consurrw-te speed, fea~~o.nd tragedy . Though he lashed out at whites, his closest friend s were white; while he wrote defiant, ' angry and militant verse, h e denied t hat it pt-ecl1c~mtt1-t-. was inspired by - - - - - BlackiA tradictions and enigmas in h is life. to unravel t hem here. There are other conf, But we make no attempt Key s to much of McKay 's complexity , however, can be gai ned by reading b is autob iography (A Long Way from Home, 1 .37 , lS'? ), .J i s ovels \ { Home to Harle m (1928 ), Banjo (1929) and Banana Bottom (1933 ~, and h is many articles and short stories ( Gingertown (1932 ~. He also wrote a study entitled Harlem: ._,Negro Metropolis (1940). for McKay's poet ry is bis Selected Poems . T:e ~e st source I n many ways it is ironic that McKay is called t h e poet of anger ( Nathan Huggins 1 Harlem Renaissance) calls him t he "black Prometheus! '~ since most of his poems deal with quiet �topics s uch as mothei l..o) nature, nos talgia, loneliness, mental reflection, reli gion, world travel, and descriptio ns of c ity life. Of~terally doze ns of poems he published, only ~b out ten can be called "angry . " . ,,\ Of course., there is often seeth ing unrest (ll/jmewl4 I/ And I am sharp as steel with discontentF=l.J in much of t h e poetry t hat is not overtly violent. true of everyday j l ac k lif e. Such is And in this sense most / lack Americans could b e labeled "militant" or "viole nt 11 J - harb or i ng , ('I\ as it were, polarizi ng tensions ( "Baptis m" ) t h at make one defy all : ov1 I will comel\bac k to y our world of tear s, A s t ro nger soul with in a fi ner fr ame. Though one of t h e gr e at es t inf lue nces on) lac k t h ough t and art of h is day , McKay per h a ps did not know t hat h is writ ings i ns pir ed various s pokes me n for Afr ican nationalism: sldar Sengb or , Ousmane Soce and Ai. ~ Le opold t clsair e. And he i s today . Ii 1IJ . seen as t he ma Jor link between t he~~ naissance a nd t h e mil i tant writ i ngs of t h e 1960 s. Just as h is dialect poems (such as "Two-an '-Six") h ad ch armed a nd entertained h is fellow Jama ica r.s, t he disciplined anger of h is popular American poe ms incited and ins pired Blac ks, and titillated and fascinated wh ites. For during t h is period, wh ites around t h e world were indicating a new i nterestl .._ in Blacks ; a nd Blac ks , inspired by t h e growing national i s t feelings in s ome Europe an countries, found ready fuel a nd propaga nda in t h eir brother s of col or returning h ome �from t h e war. Ye 1} for all the anger, Nc Kay never swerved fror.1 h is use With Cullen-Lt b ou e;h not so of conventional English verse. religiously~ he avoided experimentation. f\,' The fol k materials of American Blacks, t he examples of Fenton Johnson and oth ers MI none of these see ms to have h ad much influence on Hc Kay . But his English is desi g ned to cage fury and passion in "sonnet: tragedie ~ n as James Weldon Johnson called t h em. Ab ove al ~ h e is a poet of passion, distrust, anger and h atred. We ha ve seen some hatred before in. flack poetry (Du~ ois, Gwendolyn a.: Be nnett ) but not q u i t e ~ we s e e i t in Hc .KaJj wh om Wa gner ✓ says "is par excellence the poet of b ate. 11 Such f e el ing is i,ta,,tY/ ! (j., e.xpressed,(?oems ~ "The 1"Jni te City, 11 nHulatto , 11 no ne Year Wllc-s:::J::-._-_,°'} ter, ' - - - -- -- 11 1 i!}ork I Love to Sing," and is not always the b ater. 11 Polari ty. 11 But lfo Kay He examines bate in t h e r. ands of whites ~ or as a product of Wes tern sickne s s a nd decadence, vented albe it on t he Blacks. The nobility of the f lack sou'!. lb is to stand above t his emotio n and not"-be de stroyed by it. Other t hemes in t h e wor k of :Mc Kay are t _.e i mpor tance of t h e e arth (and t ~e c ou'ntr:rs ide), disillu sionment ( see Du:-:a.s) with cit:r lif e , r ace D!'i de (c e ebrations of / l ac 1r. v irtue9 I ~ ( "E-1r1 em Dancer 11 ~ ' ast s. nd p~ird ti v is n a nd r oma ntic tr eatnent of Africa , Harl e n as spiri tua.._is m and reli g i on . :·lb i e 1-lcKay was not a n ex perif mentalist, h e did make t he sonnet form . a Pan-African c ross road, and unnoticed modifications in IMl.t.t As t h e fir s t _Jlack poet to --~sustai ned -A43>-P-e~tF-e~ use of the sonnet as a p olitical/racial weapon, b e mus t be - - - - --- - - - - �s i ve n cr ed it ( i nste ad of be i ng d i sparaged - Lc. f . Hu;~i ns) fo r /V\ turni ng t h is "wh i t e f orm i nto a veh icle of protest, love and rac e pr i de . We ob served t h at Lucian B. Watki ns opened h is s onne t to "The New Negr o " with CE~' He t hi nks i n black . ------ But in no oth er quart er, before or since HcKay, does a j 1ack poe t persist-Li nf using blues a nd tragic iro ny •.A"with t h e sonnet. M ' ( V\ Gwendolyn _B roo rn wi ll lat er i nvent h er me morable 11 sonnet-b allad. 11 And Culle n 's s onnet s certa i nl y must be taken i nto account. :n cKay ., h owe ver, endur e s with an ir onic i nco nclusiv e ne ss t h at ver ge s on t he 11 despair •11 .critics s eem to se e in Fento n Johnson. F or HcKay t h e sonnet is a f orm of t b erapy/4- a l i owi ng h i m to loose controll ed anger. ( 11 Eis is the .anger of a nati v e Jamaic"an h ome b oy 11 ) ca.u_gh t u p in t h e strait f j acket of wh ite literary amenitie l . He wa n..ts to be freed.. poetry -principally t h e sonnet. This open-endedne ss c an be #\-) s een i n "The Negr o' s Tr a gedy , and "The Lynch i ng . " 11 A! d freedo m comes t hrough 11 The Negr o's Frie nd , 11 "In Bondage, " As . a correct a nd carefully nurtured darling ..., , a,.J,1,w&... of .Wes ter n poetry , t he sonne t h ad been , in t h e annals of English /\ · ).i~•n. (.;"j:') li t era1:ure ·tf o;-_ c e ntl}ri s wh en }1c~YA nsf1!9 it.' Contai ning ~ ~ ~~ 1',el ~ .,M\,,c,, \\k'fM~ ~chf..-s li ne s ( inA,1{ t e tH• s tan za ic patt~rn~ , it is desi gned to pose -===----, a prob le m, squirm in it for a wh ile, a nd close in a neat. answer ~ve.lly ~~y l, :.-(1.f. s . wbichl\b e g ins with line nine, ~ the sei tet . · Presto! Just like s olving a prob lem in math e matics t 3tluU\ r, s no 4t ~°"" ~ 11Solv i iNS .-.,.~ : t e so easy ng " the _. ~ 11 solve " a lynch i ng . But be pla ces it i n t h e most awesome, · �gruesome contexts by equating t b e lynch i ng t h e crucifixion of Christ (see Cullen's The Black Christ and "Colors"), and failing to resolve the white man's moral and religious crisis. The blue-eyed women come to view t he body, but sh ow no sorrow1 And little lads, lynch ers that were to be, Danced round the dreadful t h ing in fiendis h (_ P glee. s Clearly this is not how Petrarch, Shakespeare, Spentr, Milton, Wordsworth, Arnold or Sanwana would have wanted t he pr oblem "solved." There was no answer ~ except for Blacks) "fighting back " her e a nd th er e.J- so McKay modified t h e conce pt of t he sonnet in order to deal with a real "prob lem." '/Afost --aiD So critics of /lac k literature and culture ha ve discussed McKay's work. His Selected Poems is available and h e is now bei ng repres ~ e ve n in wh ite "pres ti ge" anth ologies ,. ') on,\ y~ roo15.,....- ~ Th e United Stat es in Literature an 1·icKa;r to date is 'by Jean Uagn er (Blac k Poets). Another recent study (which includes prose writi ngs) is Arthur P. Davis'' From t h e Dark Tower: _Afro-American Writers, 190 to 1960 (1974) . Also see appendixes to most anth ologies,·t'NJ bibliography section of t h is work, and especially t he listi ncs in Black Writers of America (Barksdale and Kinnamon). Unlike that of t he "pure~ loaded" 1:cKay , Jean Toomer' s body housed seven racial strains and he looked wh ite. Evidence to support the fact that Toomer rejected h is f lack blood and "passed II cannot be found in b is major wor k: ~Cane ( 1923). �' Tci· t ·•,:,r i· s i t ]• .,., .l4 ... V - _... fl l"'l' o .J..,,--- '-' n1u ··c.,. , · ;an :...J ....., 0 .l .L .J.. - - ' II wri .1...1..en 1.· n 1°36 L, L, L ;,· a •1d '- - sad 1 ~· - •.' overlooked, in ifu ich h e tries to unite t h e disparate eleme nts of t h e American personality into one person. Apparently unh appy in childhood, Toomer never knew h is fath e~ wh o abandoned t he boy's mothe~ shortly after he was b orn.I in Was h ington, D.C. Toomer's possible claim to name and money b ad been t hwarted earlier wh en his moth er, t h e daughter of P. -~ · Pinchback, an i mportant Louisiana Reconstruction politician, had to reduce h er s ocial statu,s and re locate in the upper-class of Wash i ngton. lac k area It was,'Ch ere t hat Toomer found spirit and robustness: _ 11more emotio n, more r hythm, more color, more (~~~~). gai etyi" AAi'ter attending local public sch ools (including Dunbar Hi ght h e enrolled in one colle ge a.f'ter anoth er, never becon ing a serious degree candidate. From t h is latter type of life, h e went t hrou gh a series of jo s, finally gettine . i nto serious writing and putting poems and stories i n s eve ral avant- earde little magazi ne s. Too!ner also fo;med close assoi ciations with Uew York i nte llectuals: ...Hart Crane, Wald o Frank (t o wh om h e dedic at ed a section of Cane ), Gorha m P. Hunson, Alfred Sti eglitz, Paul Ros e nfel d, Kennet~ Burke and others. Later, wh ile workine as super i nt endent (for four month s) of a s mall / l ac k s ch ool i n Spart a, Geor 6 ia, !~e gained much of t b e material for t h e first and t h ird sections of Cane. After pubi, lication of Cane, Toomer's life returned to "psych ological disarray " and h e tur ned to oth er sources i n search of a sel unify i ng meth odology . Wi t b oth er intellectuals/ associates, he �delved i nto t he ph ilosoph ies of F. Hattb ias Alexa nder, P·f • Ouspensky, and, most importantly, George J. Gurdjieff--w~ose ,r disciple be later became. Gurdjieff, a Russian, assimilated aspects of y oga, religious mysticism and Freud, to produce what he called Unitism. won over converts. Toomer later e~poused t h e t heory and For a short while be also lived in a heterosexual experimental commune . married two white women . In quic k successio ~ Toomer After h is second marriag~ in t he thirties, h e quipped: "I do not know wheth er colored blood .flows through my veins. rr Earlier, h owever, h e h ad noted i n a biographical sketc'h accompany ing work b e submitted to The Liberator , t:m:'t'I have lived equally among the two race croups . Now wh ite, now colored. From my own point of view I a~ naturally an American. I ha ve 0 strived for a spiritual fusion anal agous to the fact of racial intermingling. Wi t.1out denying a single element in me, with no desire to subdue one to t he other, I have sought to let them live in h armony. or three years, h owever, Within t h e last two my growing need for artistic expression has pulled me deeper and deeper into the Negro group . And as powers of receptivity increased, I found myself lovine it in a way that I could never love the other. Although James Weldon Johnson complained that Toomer refused �(alle gedly out of contempt for racial categorizing) to be included in the second edition of Tbe Book of American Negro Poetry , it was later brought out (conversation between Sterling Brown ar:rl Jean Wagner ) t h at ill1f eelings existed between the two men . At any rate, Toomer's poetry and prose appear in practically every subsequent anthology of Afro-American literat ture. ~R t ormo o£ /influence L Toomer exerted mor e )t h an any other ~naissance fi gur ~ on t h e lack intellectuals of the era other writer experimented with literature o qui te t he way b e did . PDr,~ro,~l ~ No depicted Blacks r It influence s eems to ha ve occurfd between h i m and Hart cr·a ne. And Robert Bone ( Ne gro Novel in a. , erica) places Cane on ~par with t h e writings of some of t h e best American contemporaries: Hemingway, Stein, Pound, Eliot • . . . 1,.,J,e.-. o.;,q,i-taltv pvbl;sl,e," Tb is is IJii4 surprising since Cane ..s old ~ than ~ copies. I ~ " '~ I '<.:.:/ As a wor k of art, h owever, it reflects oomer's efforts to ach ieve unity of b oth self and purpose. Called variously a novel, a collection of short stories/vignettes, a poetic drama, Cane defies labels. we In~ classroom~ ~ often refer to it as a Zlues l "lipic-Lconceptually"similar to the great nationalistic IV\ ~ sagas of t h e world: BeG,wulf, Siegfried, The Song of Roland, r~ r· haka, and others , ....:vwelded by / lack spirituality and t he -----,~L::;; Afro-American ritual. Cane has three basi c movements .1. N\ Toomer h ad b een interested in bot h music compos ition and painting- l wbich involve (1) Georgia and t he South, (2) Chicago, fl Washington, D.C. and t he North, and (3) Georgia agai ~ where �,w.t. In Toomer waxes autobiograph~. t h e first part of Ca.ne t t ere are numerous pictures of women, many of will be ripened "too soon." C)l-'A\ bttt7ffi--.JQLLUJ..a a_.v1 lHce Karintn a, In tbe second section, Toomer views northern urban decadence and corruption and t h eir i~i fluence on Blacks. rack In the third movement, a ne.1ve north ern educator goes Soutb (Georei a) to find b is African roots. He rather clumsily passes t _rough a series of rites duri ng which To~mer use.s &ll:1~1' s ymb olis m to h ei ghten t he man's tonPi1sto~ --......._ fear and,eo,1p1811 II l'i.....__ """""Nany of t h e stories are introduced by and interspersed with poetic sketch es. fi nal) section, "Kabnis~ The third , and i s s i milar t o a play . Karintha 's skin "is like dusk on t h e eastern" h ori z on; and immediately, at t h e opening of Cane, we find si,snificant symbols in the words "duskn and "eastern. 11 T°'.".1rou r;h:)ut t h e ~ book, Toomer Assays t h e plight and joys of Blacks t _rougb t i ~ and sometimes enigmatic poetr:r. Word meanings a.re gi ven double , triple, and even more levels, as in t h e "Reapers" s h arpening t heir scythe s for far m chores out also, perh ap s , for a massacre. Black b eauty is someti mes surprising in t ~e cont ext of wb i te barrenness and brutali t :{ {11 :;o~,ember Cotto n Flower1,r0 0 "Face n is an old, tired_/lack woman in Geor 3ia. "Cotton Song" celebrates t 'h e workson g , un ity a n ong field workers, and encodes revolutionary messazes: nwe aint U, LJ Day! a gi..rine t wait until t h Jud gnent n The nBecb i ve II is a ri:ctap .. or for t h e .zbetto, cor:pr 0ss ed , doned off, L~1poveris1°cd . cfrl, The narrator wis1~es 'he could rest �"Con7ersion 11 and Homan's li ps, needles. 11 11 Portrait in Geor 0 ia , " t he e lectricit:r of a Ea.rves t Song , 11 and t he cane scents a.nd pine From t h e pen of t~~e poe t spill t h e li,,e s M :Jroke n, mended, sorr.e ~ / 1?esun/4 of t l10 se'rerely damaged men a ,1d 1-1 one n w! o , 11.with ve sti ges of pomp ," carr y t ?:e ir ,f; Race memories of king and car avan \ and g o singi ng t h rou 6 h t b e "Georgia Dus«.." Ori Ginal, awesome a nd s us ta ined in craft s.-:1anship , Ca ne as p oetry is a classic of A.fro-A~erican literature. In the most i mportant poe m in t he . ook , "Sor.ar r t b e Son," Toomer encases 'b ot:: b is superior t e ch niques and t l1e conc e pt for Cane. ':!:1~ e s o:~ si:-1:s: ,· · Pour O p our t h at parting s oul i n song , b ecause h e knows t h e tradition is in" tact. '-' Just "pour II t h e song, b e as ks , p And let t h e v alley carr~.r it along . And let the valley carry it along . The songs of "slavery" will be transformed i nto ~ t dir ges, composi tions and epics (lik Cane ). And Toomer's was a fitti ng a-, observation i n t __e years trreceding t he b irth of big b ands (Basie, followin g t h e b lues (Handy and The plaint -e soul will soon be g one, but it will leave 1) 1 An everlasting son, a singing tree •••• Likened by some to a series of artistic sketches, by others �to a symph onic composition, ~ ot:.ers to t h e syncopat i on and vocal blendings of Afro-American folk music, Cane i accord inr; to one critic J -was at least two decades ah ead of t he era in M which it was written. Less i mpressive as j lack material but bril l iant as a :----"\ general work of art is " ~ Blue :i: Ieridian . " 1 Heavily i nfluenced '---1 by the modernist sch ool of poetry (Pound, Crane, Eliot, etc.}, , hE•nt.t 1 "Meridian" was overlooked for years and is finallyl\.a'rlt h ologizei~ ~Black Writers of America:)~ ____________ of Upwards lines, the poe m makes use of various r hyme sch emes, stress formulas, linguistic and stylistic marriages . a lot to Walt Whitman in its sweep and intent. muted shades of Sandbur g . It owes And t here are "Heridian+ " seems to be Toomer' s near-final effort to PArsuade t h e different elements of h i mself to 11 live in harmony. 11 ~ Eliot b ad knelled the doo:n of Western civilization in 1922 (Tl~e Wast _and)> and other poets had echoed him. Fenton Johnson, of course, h ad preceded Eliot with t h is proclamation. in Cane -- Toomer had intimated t he same t h ing -- (6a,' 11Nove mber Cotton Flower"). But it is in 11Heridian" that he warns of t h e impending downf'all of t he West 4' noti ng t ~at such f'ate migh t not be undeserved. The world is full of "cry ing men and hard womenn and We ' re all niggers now~-get ~e? Black niggers , white niggers , MI take D your choice. These omens of doom come in the first section of the poem. �But t h e second section heralds t be coming of t he new man (for Toomer, perhaps , an admixture of races a nd colors )1 wh o is spiritually a nd psychically elevated above race and oth er immaterial pr oblems . Tbe new man is a "blue" man , possibly a cross between a j lack and a wh ite man, and even sexual crosses are sugges ted. For we know all t hes e things troubled Toomer. 11 He was concerned as a teen'a.s er about hi s ~ nascent sexuality . " t~~ And b e declared t hat he was above b oth sex and race if~tneym1!41N'T or obstacles ..-~defeat. It is a ch allenge to t h e ~ curious student, h owever, ____, to unravel t he life and works of one of t he most complex geniuses in American letters. lvbatever the outcome, Toomer's i s an ach iev~ k .b e reckoned , wt.l•r His work can be found / l •l"" in most anth ologies of Afro-American literature. lisb ed Essentials ~ 11 ~ ~;; He also pub.l, defi ni tions and aph orisms n_/ in 1931. Toomer wrote more things1 but most are uncollect ed and remain at Fisk University . An unpublished see;ment of h is autob iography, Earth - Being, a ppe ared in t he January Sc..-} olar . issue of Th e Black Wr1ile Hagner' s treat men~ o not equal h is discussion of oth er poets of t h e ~e naissance, it is good. /\ :; Brown, Redding , and numerous other critics discuss Toomer's work in various places. "Jean Toomer: Of special aid is John ~1. Reilly's An Annotated Ch ec klist of Critic is m, -.J for American Literary Study , ~ l. IV, no . Toomer listings in l (1974). ~ c i · ~ ~ane 11 Resources See also WT)ZtldDI El] r Countee Cullen, another bri lliantf tragic fi gure inf lack r7..-\ ~ �poetry , s pent most of h i s life t ry i nG t o bridge t he gap ~et we en a 11 Christ ian upbri nc;i ng 11 and a npa c:;a n ur s e . n .__.. How can t _e educat ed Afr o- Amer ic an , Cullen se ems t o as ~, re ~a in true t o h is nat ive inst i ncts a nd f eelings wh ile be w:e ars t he mantle of Eur opean ,:!ie s pe ct abili t y 11 ? Th i s particular aspec t of Cullen ' s lif e and wor k i s oft en taken too li sh tly by critics wh o view h is h i gh l y st_rli zed poet ry as i ntelle ct ual ( a 1d lJ enc e not real) journeys i nto t b e awesome worl d of deat h , rel i c ion and color . Yet Cul le r. knew , as he s a id i t i n nThe Shroud of Col or, 11 t bat bei ng/ lack in wh ite Amer i ca requires "courage more t _1an angels h ave. 11 History , of course, sh ows t b at so far Culle n ' s name ha s a/.),' witbstood h eat fro m t' _e furnace of !!Baptis m" just 1:-Hre r:w.ny oth ers before a nd after. And such fi gures as Gwe ndolyn Broo ks, Carl Va n Vech te n and Eleanor Roosevelt~\\uded h is passionately search i ng and s killful effort to a.void be in 6 dev oured b y t h e dragon of racisr.i h e tried to slay . However, Cullen did not consciously seek aft er t h e unity s o des perat el y t h i r sted af ter by Toomer. On t h e one ha nd, To omer f elt f ree t o ex pl or e all facets of t h e r eli gi ous a nd r.iys tical world; on t Je ot he½ h e was committed t o a n i ntellectual a nd spir i t ual search of ~1 is African ori gins . Cullen embraced Christia.nit~ and de veloped t h e first major ~ l a c k tra gedy fi gure b y r ei ncarnating C~rist into a j 'iac k man. / "onl_ :: egotten /_!~ff' The "pure II and no ~ Black becomes t he new Ni'li, on a several-;bundred~marcb up Cal vary . Here, of course, Culle~ was close to McKay ; but in sustaining such efforts, i n rr..a king t he m alle gor ical, h e surpas s ed McKay . Cullen's already complicated perso nal situationsllalS'lltitNl. ......_,,, �aggravated ":Jy b is reluctance to deal truthfully with t h e details of h is early life. It is still unclear as to wh ether he was born in Baltimore, NarylandJ or Louis ville, Kentucky, t h oug. h e makes references to both ( 11 Incident 11 and "The Ballad of~ Brown Girl 11 ); or if he was raised by h is moth er or h is grand mother (up until the time of his adoption by the Rev . Frederick Asbury Cullen). Johnson (The Book of American Ne gro Poetry ) says Cullen was born in New York City (as do t he editors of The Negro Caravan) 'M' probably because this is what Cullen wanted readers to think. Possibly, Wagner notes, he was an ~illegiti matet ch ild and, out of fear of embarrassment, purposely confused This mystery, coupled with Cullen'sfllP* awr;ti,vbl4d .,.t:, Pe ~ ------s exual"-1«: ll 1 tmk h is desire to assume the persona of an t he ~ . ~ ~ bs.rd English romantic poet, h auntK"bl f precocious ,..tAthrougb out h is l ii' e1iii.\ ,..,___ Cullen's initiation into poetics came, as wit. Dunbar and IIueb es, in h i gh sch oolJ where h e won poetr:r contests a.nd published pieces in a student publication w½<l i e~ b e helped edit • ......__,. By t he time he h ad finis . ed New York Uni versity (P_ i Beta Kappa. )1 be h ad won several awards (including t he Witter Bynner award for excelle nce) for h is poetry and received a contract from Harper'f-s .....__, and Broth ers for publication of b is first book (Color, 1925). This marked the first timet, since Dunbar's death that a major publisher had brought out the work of a j lack poet. It also marked the first time in almost @ yea.rs that such a book h ad been published for a live )Slack poet. @ The most skillful �f lack user of English verse forms, Cullen achieved almost instant success. Color sold over ~ two years of publication. copies during t l1e first AM h e rec,ei ved 'hi s TI. A. from Howard during t he same period. He generall:r sided with }IcKa.y in not breaking away from traditional Englisb poetry. e~pecially admired the poetr:r of Keats and Sh elley. 11 noting that He Jo nson, he .migh t b e called a younger brother of' Housman ," said some critics argued t h at Cullen was not an flautbentic Negro poet. fl And Cullen, reminiscent of Toomer's position, straddled t h e fence on t he question of inspiration and t hemes for/ lack poets. On one occasio~ he acknowled ged h is de bt to the J lack tradition~ but_; on a nother, complained t h at t he ~ ack poet ought to b e able to "chant fl poetry spiritual or blues appears. 11 11 in whi ch no His ~stb etics were stated more ew-( __ , I\ concisely in 1927, h owever, in t h e _ flex ll2 _f_ _ • 'l'or•rd to Carol ing Dus k (1927), comp iled. an anth ology of Afro-American poetry wnie,lii he _. His comment was startline , especially at t . e heish t ,, of· the Harlem Renaissance and comine , as it were, from a )(ew ,, Negr o: As heretical as it may sound, t here is t h e prot bability t hat -Iegro poets, dependent as t h ey a.re ~ on t he English lane;uage, may _, ave more to e;ain ( fro m t h e rich backe.;round- of English and American _::.. poetr~ t han fro m any nebulous atavistic year nin 6 s towards an Af'rican inh eritance. Cons equently, Cullen called Caroling Dus k an anth olozy of "verse �by Nego poets rather t h an an ant oloi:;y or iie ~ro verse." But Cullen could no t alwa~,rs subscribe to t h is particular~est!1 etic111 f'or mucb of' h i s ow n poetry can b e labeled towards a n African inh eritance. u a ta,:istic· ~rea.r nings Exami nation will s h ow t h at such poetry is found i::i h is earl y volume (Colo_ ) as well as in b is later irnrks: /ft, Q}_d Girl; Copper Sun (1927), T:.1e Ballad of t· .e ....,r own ~ Ballad Retold ( 1927), T!.1e Blac k C1"r ist and Other P oems (192 ), The '.fodea and Some Poems (1935) and J~ is selected On These I Stand (1947). poems children : l The Lost (1942). ZooJU-940) ~ :~ e~ also wrote b oo ks for and Hy Lives and How I Lost T. e. f He translated Greek literature ( Tbe Hedea), wrote numerous lyri cs for musi c and worked on a draliJ.B.ti c adaptation ( "Saint Louis Woman 11 ) or an Arna Bontemps novel: Sunday. God Sends In 1932, s eeking to renew h is •iminis . i ng creati ve powers, __ e publish ed bis only novel , One Way to He a ven. s~. Hos t of Cullen 's poetry represents t Le vast influence of C _ristiani ty. _ e wrestles with t e Lord or o.sks God w__ y this event or t h at event occurs. Especially is t __ is see n in . 1 co nf l.ic t ,t'~er-e ,1,Av;A the co ntrad.i ctio • ns of wh ite h i s poetr:r of racia 1 11 Chris tian ity are exposed ov er a nd over . For a Lady I Know" depicts a wb i te woman in h eav en wh o t h inks "black ch erubs 11 servants) will do h er 11 c elesti al c~ ores. Is vhrth Its Sonn.: " ch ides "An erican poet 11 nscotts"b oro, +" ( or too, outrag ed by t h e pli ,gh t f of Sacco a nd Vanzetti ! for not defending / lack b oys -- e. t kangaroo d for "rape II in an Alabama / ourt. ThJdu cause, Cullen • says , is also "dt vinely spun . 11 In 11 Colors 11 t h e "swart" (i.e., �~ lack) man is .. anged on a 11 newer Calvary. 11 Cullen's onge st poem and treatment of this t he me is The Black Christ (pu~)lis'.: ed in France). It deals alle s orically with a lynch ing . A j 1ack man, Jim, attac ks and kills a white ma n wh o insults a wb ite woman. Jim is lynched, as southern law requires. His statel, ments leading up to t he lynch ing, and t he actio n oft e poem, suggest the crucifixion. Redding called t h e poem "foe ch ildis.1 mysticism of a bad dream." 84 !"tide ~ despite t h e poem's evasi vei ness and "mysticis m,i: lync ing is much worse t b an a 11 oe.d dream." Finally (th ough t h e the me continues in countless ot er poems), there is t h e famous ''Yet Do I Harvel. -11 Here Culle n applies t h e sonnet to the riddle of t h e Afro-American poet, concludi ng, after high praise of God; i,h ab ~ P C Yet do I marvel at t h is curious t h ing~: To make a poet b lac1;,\and bid h im sing! Curious, indeed, was t h e/ lack poet i curious ~oth for Cullen and t h e whites wh o lavish ed praise and gifts upon t li ese ·;ew and Unusual Negr oes. was also "curious. 11 And Cullen ' s fame (recallinr; Dun ar's) Here was a poet making waves with old, outdated forms of English verse. "fresh beauty. 11 Johnson said be 6 ave t h em This _is true.J but Cullen's wh ite audience seems to h ave gotten special pleasureSout of b is ability to h andle J'lack anger, Jlack grief and }§lack pathos in such a.musingly antiquated poetic cloth ing . Prevalent t h emes in Cullen's poetry, then, are race pride, endurance, lynch ings , cynicism and pessimi sm ("can deat!"} b e worse?"), �a primitive or romantic view of Africa ("Heritage" and ma ny others), religious and psych olo 6 ical conf lict , love a.nd death , spiritual freedom, personal or racia.l inferiority, doubt and fear, t he tensions created by b eing...)3lack a mong whi tes, and Christ as a sy 'bol of conflict and co ntradi ction. Cullen saw the plight of the Afro-Americans as true tra gedy in a Christi an land. This comes t hrough in ma ny of b is poems, but poi gnantly in 11Heri tage n: Fath er, Son, and Holy -Ghost, So I make an idle boast; Jesus of t he twice-turned cheek, Lamb of God, alth ough I speak With rrry mouth t hus, in rrry heart Do I play a double part. For t h e/ lac k American, trapped in Christian attire but lo nging deep inside for what Zack Gilbert calls "t 1-:at all-Black Saturday night,n it is indeed a tragedy. Cullen tried all __,. ~ i s life to reconcile a 1~hristian 11 education wit 1 a npagan ur ge.n Toomer wanted to "unite 11 __ is several parts. And IIcKay tried to find a nh ome n in t he desolate and sometimes conteri.ptuous place Elijah Huba.mma.d calls "th e wilderness of Horth America." HcKay went all t he way to Europe and }fort 1 Africa. made annual treks to France for several years . Cullen Blac k literature abound s with t h e tragedies · incurred WJ en j'lac k i ntellectuals relinquish t h eir "dance n for a "b ook. n Earlier in ''Heritage/ Cullen admits t h is deep need, felt by B acks can~h t i n wh ite �worlds everywh ere , to "Strip!" a nd . Doff this new exltberanc e . C_r fo Kay 's 11 ~ Come a nd do the Lover ts dance! 1~rnch ins '' remains unsolve d b:r t l1e sonnc t and Cullen 1 ,, w ~ is unab le to n a ke h is "h eart a nd h ead re know t' ,at ze d1 b eat 11 of h is i mpressiTe iar1b ic tetrat-, despite t he meters. . V lJ.. . ., i Cl II A c lass ic statement on th e inner , wor kings of th e mi nd of a f l ac k genius wb o must world. 11 twist and squirm" i n an alien "Heritage tt h as yet to b e seen on t h e many psycb oloGical • • O.-t wht~ h. -'"' AA ~'-w•omc.u,-rt",'t.'' ~~t.urtioti inio A~\~-.1 dimensions ~1.\1. t operates J t l 11 i T {s AL~ 0,dQvisiafiir19 ~ vrg•CQ1. - E-"-pLo ... t>-11\!Y\ 0~ T~,..,oht-t ?S vent• This and related t h e mes also perv ade oth er poe::-:1s :r Culle n . .-,llOo,,Q" ,+ 11 From t h e Dark Tower 11 is inspired by l: is column of a similar name in Opp ortunity . Alth ou 6~ not made e ternally to ·weep, 11 11 lac k artists and t ~ inkers were t l:e:r must ei t :Jer face destruction of t h eir pote ntial or wear t h e mask and "te nd our a g onizing seeds. 11 Cullen also writes a b out ti mid lo vers and .J3'l ack proi stitutes, a bout nany 11 many nbrown 11 c;irls (anoth er fa v orite t heme ) and t h e ach e of t e .auma n h eart. :Ie writes in t e e s h adow of Ke ats and Shelle:r and pens epitaph s to t b e m. His of tradi tional Engli s h verse for ms is not as a s HcKa y ts. But 1e does 1.:)ri ng a } lac k force and tellectual veracity to t h ese devices and tech niques wh ich h ad long h oused "w _, i te" h opes and feelin gs. He too x: t h e best of Keats and Edna St. Vincent i,Ii llay a nd ma.de i t wor d an ODwii~L~ b.'-il•"' : ; ;~ ~ tech nical"{ I ;;i:Ql(:J @ _.ti& Brown identifies '> is "gifts" �as 11 f'luenc:,r and brilliant i magery. 11 But h e is likened by many critics to t h e standard~English work of' Braithwaite and Dunbar . Cullen consciously developed misery~ apparently in an ef'f'ort to 11 suff er II like t h e romantics, so he could know wh at real innerf strife was all ab out. He had not seen the underside of ,)3lack life in t h e way t h at McKay (Banjo, Banana Bottom), Hughes (The Weary Blues) , Fenton Joh nson, and oth ers had come to know and understand it. into a pristine verse. or 11 He subdued h is anger and viol ence Most critic\ allude to the woman4)- ikeJ pris s; " nature of Cullen's work. Redding complained t hat h e viewed "life t hrou gh the eyes of a woman wh o is at once shrinking and b old, sweet and bitter ." In Culle n 's natavistic 11 or "primitive" piece; one feels t hat he is not really t here CJ/.)/ bimself t, much H-ke one feels in reading wh ite poet Vach el Lindsay 's poems oq Af'ri ca and t h e 11 Cone;o. 11 But Cullen remains one of t h e e~l\!~~meteorites of J3lack poetry. His passion h as yet to be surpassed,i even among contemporary Afro-American poets . Th ough h e does not convince t b e reader t h at h e would actuall ip ! 11 and do t h e an intellectual fury Lover's dance! 11 •• e does distill chronicles t be death -during-life 1 vortex (Davis calls it 11 11 alien-and-e:x:ile 11 ) that so many Africans in America struggle against. Wagner's Black Poets contains t he most up : to ~ ate and incisive critical assess ment of Cullen. Seel ,also criticism by Redding , Brown, Johnson, Huggins (Harlem Renaissance) , Bontemps (including Harlem Renaissance Remembered) , t •. e listings in t be Cullen section of Black Wri ters �of Ameri ca a nd 1'\\<t w~r 011 a i' lio:3raph?t" Ii:an:,r of C 1lle:i ' s u npu½ lis:.: e works are depos ited in t ~e library at At_ a nta n i ~ersit~ . James 1foldon Jo 1nson, ·wlJ om we h ave cau se to r.1ent io n a cain, ranks today as one of the r.iost distinguis ::! ed men of_Jnac k US JU JC &... ! G&i~ ti£ DC& Amer ican letters ? , e _lb Jt.Ci tr _Ml bl J"gLt; . PD tPili -'7111 ?fl .Wtali1ctisrsf]ij§QDJfft] :s ililll [teArts•jg "- Autcb iograpby was re issued in 1°2 7 :,w\, t.WYl, c ontinued to I D a.-• rarl i• t h e earli e r pse ' donym carr,r1 Johnson ' s~na ;.1eJ drop pe~ e2 ~ Duri <Z the t we nt ie~ Jo'hr..so , een so c ial o':) s ervations of ,.z(lacl A.. erica wit'!:: oetic de v elo me nt a nd output. Ji" Sdlbb!S _ ? Th e Boo k of Ar:aeri can Le gro P oetr:T ( l 922, l / 3 - ) ias one of t b e ._ i g:1 poi nts of ~ ~enai ss a n ce. I mp ortant for r.1ore t . a n j ust t . e poets inc luded , t . e ant .. oloCY represe n ted t:1e first sustained effort 11 t ii£!2.!? t .. _3 of a lac k cr itic to ide tif:r 1Tegro 1 elements i n poetr:" •ritten si nce Dun , ar. 10 i fir st ant. oloc:r of t'he ~ 1 fr -A:-1er can poetr:1" to ce r~.tur:r a nd t .e first e v er to 1Je p It ·was a_so e 1'~ _is " ed lis ._ ed in I:n:::;lis•-- One can safel:r s a:r t:1a t any seriou s st, d:" of .,l-flac1 critic ism 1as to ~:i e:::;i :: i:-rit~~ Ja ..1es Ueldon ,S say Lis s · L,itle (1-itr on the lle re Is Creative Genius )~ uc:;, s ted the _, di me nsions of' t e o._ nson . 01'::nson ' s co ncern in the a.nt~olo;::;:r . ari ous Llfluences on t e t :::e r.re ; ~e .t · f-!. oets, noted dist ;1 ctior..s ·~etwee, _ .@ �rootr :r . Di ~c 3 po ts : Wh at t ':1 e colored poet i n t je United States needs to do is sometb i n; li ke what Synge did for t t e . Irish ; t e needs to fi nd a form t h at will express {j) t h e racial spirit by sym ols from wi t .. i n rath er t . an b y s~n~ ols fro m wit. out, s uch as t ~ e :IBre r.mtil a.ti on of Ens l is h s pc lli nc a nd promm ci~ at i on . !:e :-icec.s a f or :1 t.. at is ::.'r3er a nd larcer t~ a n d alc c t , b ut u ~ icb wi l l sti l~ ~ old t ~ e r acial f l e vor ; a for ~ ex pressi n3 t ~e i c a c er~ , t h e i d ions , t h e pe e liar t ur ns of t :.: ou 6l'1 t, a r;.d tl1 e d isti ncti~.9"e l1ur.1or and patl1os , too , of t :~e a ., so '"'c· c r-i a'~., c o-" •· oi· c1.· .L~,., .:;,,.. - c_ L_, - ~ ,i t .. e d ee pe s t a nd ., i sl. e s t emotions a nd as;;,ir atio ns , and al lou t ~e 1ide st range of s •½j ect s and t ~ e w d e s t 3 cope of tr e atment. It was a gi g a ntic c:-i allenc e . it? Eas any s ucceeded? W Q Did a ny / lac k p oet rise to meet ~ 4..ll!-" Witb _ is broth er, J. Ro:Jamond, Jo .nson also co$ dited The Book of American r e:;;;ro Spirituals (1925) a nd Th e Second Boo K: Bot': cal arran(se ments b :r J. Rosarrtjqd . ~olu mes carried mu s i i Jo.in.so n htns g tried to meet �~~~allenge with God 's Tro m½ones: Seven :i.Ter:ro Sermons in ,,rcrse '-" 1 } lack preac~;er s • (1927), a rendering of t b e works of the ._.1 old ~time __, His pamph let 1927. Native African Races and Culture was pu½lis!·~ ed in A study of Harlem, Black :1antattan, came out in His auto io t rap.1y+ Alon6 T~1is Ha:•J app e ar ed i n 1933. A:1<3. a. social/political commentary, Negr o Amer icans, Wbat Now? publish ed t h e same year . 1930 . l ms His selected poems (St . Peter Relates an Incident of t .e Resur re ctio n Da:r ) can e ot:t i n 1,3 . Jo'~nson hfd 0- esta lished i mself a s ~ rol ific and exe r.1plar~ r:1.a ?:1 , a co:;:~-- i ~ nation of formidable talents, b:r t he ti:ne 'h e was ki lled i n a.n automobile accident in 193 8 . Aside from t h eir literary and soc ial value, t b e sermons in God's Trombones 1a ve , in t h e years since t h ir pu lication, 0 brought deligh t and instruc tion to many ~ ~ r i o u s6 '::',"J:;f,r ,,. ..._ which t h ey h ave been presented. t-e1d s¼,13 " ~or oth erwise dramatically I ~ ~ m classes.J we assi 0 n a sermon per ~stude nt and , allowing days for research and preparation, stag e t e works for a larger.J campus · or comrnun i t ~ audience. Just . ow muc~ of b is own ch alleng e (see a b ove ) was atte mpted i n God's Trom one s ~ ~-,A lie►«= is indicated by Johns on's Preface1 la I ,'h e b riefly r.-ives the history of_)3iack preacher s and explains w~y h e ch ose t h e trombone as t he central symbol in t h e work: / He ( the preacher] strode t h e pulpit up and down I in what was actually a very r hyt hmic dance, and h e b roug:1t into play the full gamut of .. is wo r l ( I der.ful v oice, a voi ce 'Mwh at shall I sa"t1'?--not .J of an organ or a trumpet , M Jut rath er of a - �tromb one, t h e ins trument possessing ab ove all oth ers t h e power to express t h e wide and varied range of emotio ns e nco~passed by t h e human voice J /V\ and with gr eater amplitude. _Ie intoned, b e moan ed, h e pleaded- Lh e blared, h e erased, h e t h undered. ,-'\ I sat fascinated; and more, I was, perh aps against will, deeply moved; t h e emotional effect upon rrry me was irresistible. /}, Th is s cene occured at a church Johnson atte nded in Kansas City. /\ \~1ile t he preacher was s trutting and deli vering, Johnson recalled t hat h e f jotted f down note s for "Th e C eation. '--' 11 God's Trombones -..; c ontai;:1::i seve r. ser .. ons a:1d one pra:-er$'\ "Listen, Lord. s er mons , each ta ken fro m a text in t he Bible, i nclude Cr eation, 11 11 "The Prodi gal So n, foah Built the Ar k, 11 and nThe Judgr.ient Day . 11 11 T.. e 11 Tbe Go Down Death 7r- / Fu neral Sermon," "The Crucifixio n, 11 11 11 "Let 17 People Go" Ilk Cor.ii ng as it did at t he h i gh point of t he Renaissance! ~ /\ 1927;;;- God ' s Tr omb ones was rath er odd in t a.t a less t h an osf' tensibl y r eli gi ous verse was be ing written by oth er poets. There were r eligi ous t hemes i n rnuc'l:l of t h e poetry - but none of t he poets di pped into t 1e same reservoir in t he same manner &,i as~Johns on. J o. nson was, h owever, able to fuse some of t h e jazz and blue s patterns of t . e day into h is work/4 t hough .aev pt ~ not t ha t noticea l e . The sermons are not in lack dialect) si nce Johnson said t hat t he Afro-A:-!erican poet must transcend t ha t for r.i. Tbe language is ,3e nerally t at of a ny w.1i te �American or Englishman. Wh at Joh nson does is instill racinl ◄ -~f:Jh ngJI' feeling and drar.iatic (ethni c) touch es taneity, btl@!! l • ~ repetitiont and forms. "~~IOOS l o;i;j ~,..free:: . verse erst Har garet Walker, ~B _, Bte:iw Hughes I Y,1"t-~r sponi eLemeJJ13 1 I and ~±1:::.S Brown ~ place~\all t h ese DM 1/\ in a more secu_ar contextl"'\ a.lth ou g~ Brown ....._ i nterpolatec!N I ~ A,. clamations I J I reli g ious expletives and ex-l, r~ ~ --/ . s-eme b is work. ~t e doub le nesa.ti~1e , 1a1.. ich cf 6're6.1"' Johnson makesNlse of, is not an exclusively/'3lack product. But we do find him interspersin 0 ~ lack sayings, usac es and ot :er idiomatic npices into t h e text;s\ of t h e sermons. It was the first time t h at a)t.l.ack poet b ad undertaken suc h a task solel~r for literary reasons. So t h is alone makes t h e wor k i mporta nt/4- not to mention its anth ropolOg ical and sociolog ical •alue.fT .e over riding achi e vement of t h e sermons is their e;rap., ic, full- low:1 images and t be ir inferential 11 lackeningn of God (see Cull en, 6 Toomer and others). ~ -:i.,,;i:b ~pe Th'5 analog:.r is more obvious i n "T':1 e Creation/ Go~ Li ke a ma mmy b ending OYer ~1 er ba by , Ct- Kneeled down in t .. e dust Toiling over a lump of clay Ti 11 ~e s:1aped it in &is own i ma gej It seems only natural t h at Jo!1 nso n would pay t h is tribu te to t .e )!lack mother;}- mostflack poets writing since, say, 1830, b ad done so. And b e 1ad earlier co mplained of Job n We sley Holloway 's "Black I-Iammies II in dialect, saying : for better poetry t h an t h is.Tl 11 Tbe b lack mammy is material From Johnson's nmilk-wh ite h orse, 11 ~ �t h rough phrases like long plunge, 11 11 0~ i-Ia.r y 's 3 a b:ri , 11 "sinners in t :1eir liead~ and "Blacker t han a hundred midni gh ts, of t h e drar:iatic / lack sermon can oe seen . 11 t h e power Th ere are t l~ reats - ~ and warnings, admhnishments and pleas , fire and brimstone, , V for ce and1 even wors ~ fury. , 11 The Prodig al Son II is warned: Young man ~ Young man-tYour arm's too s h ort to box with God. The incremental lines, t h e spontaneity , t he witty turns of phrases , t he colorful and sometimes 0 ombastic langu a c e-l all ('I\ g i ve God 's Tromb ones ~ auth entici t:r. Joh nson does use s :;m'::) ols t h at express fro m 11wi t h in] II rath er t 'han fro m "with outJ II t h e p,,(lack experience. For Aas b e noted in h is Preface,.; 11 The Negro today is, perhaps, t he mos t priest- g overned group i n the c·ountry. 11 The old.:: time preach en\knew the "secrets" of ancestral oral and ge s tural power, Joh ns on says; t h ey knew t h e 11 secret -._,.,of oratory, t h at at b ottom of it is a progression of r hyt hmic words.'- • 11 •• 3 J rf The preach ers h ad inh erited innate grandiloquence of t h eir old Africa n tongues. t he pulpit, t he minister fus ed t bese 11 11 -+~ ~ Once in tonGues 11 ~ : / iblical language) because this "gratified a h i gh ly developed sense of sound and rhythm in h imself a nd h is h earers. 11 These were the concepts and ideas under wh ich Joh nson labored in God's Trombones. Doubtlessl~, the volume is one of t he most precious in the annals of Afro-A merican writing . Th ere is hardly a person wh o cannot "feel II t h ese sermons -and yet t l1 eir power and t h eir intuitive {V\ �embracing of a world of emotions and temperaments ma ke t h e m la.sting as classical literature of wh atever defi n ition and ::m e . Johns on's Saint Peter, following a traditio n of Dunb ar's nThe Hau nte d Oak , 11 Hughe s !s "So ng for / Dar k Girl," ::cKa:rt s 11 Ti-~0 Lynch ing ," and Culle n ' s Tbe Blac :r Chri st a nd "Scottsb oro, Too , y Worth Its Song~" ," atte mpts t o place t u e dese cr ation o_0lack h u manity wi t h i n its proper co ntradictor:r c~~r istian co ntex t . In each of the poems , t:1e lyncl1i ng is co nn ected ~ to a 1~ i G~er order l - l s ually the C1-:r i st i an God . f"\ Usi ng a 11 -;,risio na ry t:rpe of ima.;ination , n Jos1::1sor.. applie s ~, ,. .:_ .~. :t. t \.. \. ~ '\. ... ..... \. ~~rn:!~-E~ \ i '%'o ld= tar '- parents to visit t}~eir sons ' gra ves, t .e ~Jar .i.,epart:-::ient p t s )flack mothe rs on a fou l , crowded boat (re ::1:t:1is ce nt of a sla ve s hip ) and u}']ite :-:1oth ers on a modern li ner. Johnson, in t½e poe ms , imae;;ines t h at t!1e Unknown S oldi er arri res i n 11eaven ,........, and is dis co vered to , e $lack . 1 arious patriotic a nd terr fo rist --- organiz ations (tt e ·a . A. R., t e D. A. R., the Le g io n , t h e . la n, and ot ers) want -:i i n 1.)ur i ed a gai n .~ 1 -------------- -~ For r.-:ore cri ti ci s : -,1 of Jo}m so n_, see Da·.·i s , 1.!acne r, SIJIIL. Bontemps (i ncludi ns note in A,;1erican Necro Poetr:~) , !3ro m, Redding , EugGi ns and ot 1ers. Lanc sto n ?: gbes ,;.ras at t~ e opposite e nd of tl-'! e poetic spectrum fro r.1 Cullen when :~e wr ot e, i n ": Iotber to So :; ," \ TTell , so n I'll tell ~ou: Life for ~e ai n 't been no crystal stair. For while bot!-1 men ach ie ved reco g nition a')ou t t h e sa:ue tL1e, �Eu[; •. e s 1-1as a f o l k tro 1:: ad or with l is fi n 6 er on t ,e " puls e of t h e pe o le . n !:e was also fr e e fro n t .-ie r e strai nts of co nt t a t d o~ i n at d v ntio na l ~ ncl i s~ v ers r a ctical l7 all of Cul l en r s poetrJ . orn i ::1 Jo pl i n , :: sso 1 ri , !! z; es b ad pt ""'~s e v e ral oa ks of poe try l s ._ e d ore t . a n v olumes of prose and plays, .. i s o ·m dram.as staged a_ l o · r t . e co n try, ,. y t , e t · of :.-: i s de at::~. Of t"!-}e qu art et of first-li n e Ear_em Re naist s anc e • o t s , !!u.::;:.: cs wo l d b e t h e o nly o ne to re ai n ac t i v e u . ti_ t h e lac !;: Art s :-_ovement of t _e 196 succ 1m1J ed to ~~i .:;.- -'rs. I-Tc:,.a::- a nd c, _le::1 lo d pr e ss re i :1 t!: e fort i e s1 a n d Too~er, as en r.:arr i ed to oue of t 1~ . l!'3 -, 1 ~; : r t C L-aurenc c , at er, t '~c fi :1i ~J'-: od :~ i ::;1 • s c oo:'.. a d 1-ro. s ele c te d class ,. ,~i · -1-- " d ~ -'L,-- a.i..V e <:! ~-· v V - -.... ave .;.. c..n oet. 0 8 ': ,e .d " n ,... Upo n . , 0 ....,t' 1 L .. of Cl OS s c,_, Cc.nar:- ! 'J la nc.s , t 1, e L zore s a nc tl• e :les t Goa.G t of Africa. Re ~ t ur n::. r..c f or a ~h i le to l;ew "York , ,' e left t·1e co ntr:r o r. .1 i8 @ birt~~c: a:r o. n uent to ?aris , a ,:;t'.i n worlci ns odd jobs, o n s �to Italy and Genoa, and afteI' a r..urao er of varie d exp er ie nces ( see Tbe Bi 0 Sea and I ~·onder as I Wa nder) , returned to. ::e r :ca. Ee then spent ti me in Washington, D. C. ~(i-i!.1ere 1-iis ;-- i_ ot:~er '·1 ad moved)/ workinG i n t 1a office of Dr . Carter G. Foodso n, editor o:f the Journal o:f l!ei:;ro History) and later, ~ If _. . . ass - ;p; S 1. · +.1.. 0 0 ·,:. ... u~ V l..i" I rr,I a. ... + V bu~ t .,., 1 ra-.-•d.,.., ~n u ,., .,., - u o.,_ ,., , ;_ .;, ,_; .. .. , .. t,...I,. .I,. - U..L .: ... -- t.J - - ..a At • y ( see -~ la+ter V ) I II .1 he had a c ance to s.i ow some of 11is poems to Vachel I ,, ..)+-" ,, Li ndsayM thus launching ~ s "career" t hr ough t h e newspapers . His · olun!es of poetry include Tli e ,.re ar:· 3_ u e s ( 'J/'2 6 , Negro ilfother and Other Dramatic Recitations (1931), Scotts1::lor o A6liiJ~Cl938); Limited (1932), The Dream Keeper and Other Poems (1 932),~S~ akespeare in Harlem (1942), Freedom' s Plow (a long poem, 1 943 ), Jim Crow ' s ay Ticket (1949), Last Stand (1943), Fields of Wonder (1947), Montag e of a Dream Deferred (1951), Ask You ---------------______________ _____ for Jazz (1961) and The Panth er and Times (1967). ....;;;;.. ms of Our :E:u.;b es also ~-rr ote s ~ ort s tories a nd no·.re_s (incl ding col_e ct ed stories fro ~ t ~e Jesse w ic _ :-:e ori gi :.1ated ). Prose -r. ~ e St m le serie ~ T -,..,.,_er .ua u ~-v or Ks a re . .rot ": (1~3n) - I , , Tbe 1·la:rs of ~·Jh ite :?olks (1934) , S mple Spea ks Eis : ;:i. d (l , 5 0 ), Laugh i n 6 to I~eep fro m Cryi :.1 0 (1952) , Simple Takes / ;•i fe (1953), • S i nple S ta ke s a Cl ai n ( 1.,57 ), Ta~1'::o rines to Gl ory (195~ ), S ometh i ng in Co mmon (1963) a nd Simple's Uncle Sar.~ / ~9jf)£. ? i ,:e 1 Plays ½:~ Lancston !!u;:-:es ·Tas p · lis~1ed i n 1963 . m ~ a ls o either wrote ( or collab orated,1' wi t .1 others ~ usuall:r Bonte;nps) many ½o olrn for yo un~ readers as well as works of cenera.l a nd spec fie i nterest on f lac k culture. �In bis earl:r :rears, Hugh es was L'lfl 1en ced and Dunbar. :" Walt 11':.., i t r.ia r: I n h i 0'::J sch ool, a teach er introduced l1 Ln to t:1e poetr:r of A;-3.y Lowell , Lindsa:~, :.rasters and Sa nd ur .::; . especiall:r i ndebte d to Sand ur.::;, of wh om T e Big Sea, as ~is Hguidi ns star. 11 .10 !~e was would spear, in Fento n Johnson ha.d een the only poet up until ~ugh es to sustain sue . an ener s etic poetr:r of )3lack fol k life . Hughe s i mproved on what Johnson b e gan, addinc fres~ portraits J t b ough n ot t .e ri di cule somet , times appearing i n Du:1. ar/4- and actually usi ng music to ins pire 1is writing or accompan:r b is live readi ne;s. He made recordi ngs with Ch arlie !~ngus, a ~on G oth er jazz s reats. And h e is g i ve n credit for ori c inating t~e pra c tice of readin~ poetry to jazz . Interestine;ly eno ;h , t i s interweavin 0 of r.iu sic and poetry • {discussed in C.... apter rr) -: eco mes a v t rtual ½ack.:; one off lack arch itectonics. aldwin , for example, speaks of liste ninG repeatedly to t he re cords of Bessie Smit 1 to 6 ai n r hyt m in b is prose . Certainl:" t :. e same fusion of st:rle a nd sp irit ca n Je found in Elliso n , ·Tri 0 '~ t_ Tolson, Baraka and Crouch . 1 r oet Greenlee x ~ 3 7· n ovelist:: i n a b iograp ical note to tftAM .is~ lues for an Afri can I1:r ch ief literary influences are Ch arlie Parker, (i Lester Younc , ltlles Da v is and Billie Bolida~ . As a writer, I co nsider m:rself a ja zz musician whose instru:::1e :1t is a t:rpewri ter. Ilic:1ael S. Harner, a J lack. poet who ca me to mat sixties , also a ttri;)utes :;mcb of ~ is st:rle and poetic p!-:i loso{;- phy to jazz musician7 'L,o h elped h i m understa n{ pain'(and- make �s it "arc:1etypal." Pa.rt of Hu;;b es '~ L 1pa.ct on t •is a.re a o "' filac LC poetry is docu~i1ented ~):" ~ 1ard ell i:1 T~e Foll~ Roots of Co n te m.porar:r Afro -Amer ican Poetr:-. falls into thre e st:rlistic cate~ories : dialect (.ri ~raril~ of _is an ur b an sort), blues and traditionallltf'ree v erse. t se of dialect is seen in practically e very ½ook b e pu lish e . ~is blues and free - verse forms are especia._17 ev ident i n T~e ~·. ear:,Blues. S ea.ks of Ri-11- ers , 11 a u::Ju a Redd:.DG, is n I! ch 1-;:ore effectiv e a ve .1icle for purer -erse f orms. t e deepJ dee . well of T!~is for ,'.1, accordin 0 to :r..r 1::.;'~es _ 6: es cot, es t 1-:ro-:..1.::;:- , Redd i ~: feels, t an dialect or · lues. i n t. e The Te 6 ro writt en ri g1 t after 'h e fi 1is.1ed ":, i t:;1~ sc .. oo a nd publis 1ed in T.1e Crisis i n 1 921. J1 11 One of b is most fa ous free- v erse poe ms is I! ,/1-ac In 11 1 • .1.. .R . i• v er ~ II u__ ;::;.1es reac.s es invo !-: istor:r and stru gsle, 1 n i ti ,:: i : -1 spirit t he Glo½al African: I ' ve :n1own ri ers: I 1 ·.-e CJ 0 t{i1 01·m ri i er s i:t.- c ::. e nt as t~-: e ,1orl older t~a . . t 11e flow of l :.: ,~:an a. ., -::).:.i0.n ·11ood i n 1 rein • s o •l l: as Gro..,, ~ dee) 1:.~rn t :: e ri -ers . . . .. .. J, . . !' 73 .now 1 ri vers: Anci c~t , d 1 sk:'" ri v er s. The use of worc.s li ke ns oul" a nd t h r ou.::;1:/ 11 ri ' ,ers 11 ~ ,1 >ic r n l '·: e spL, e3 lac !r fol d ore and literature, o.l~ows rr,-1,:::,...,e s to ton e'~ �t ,c de pest lon.=;in.:;s a.1:.d s p:!.r i t al wel 4s pr:!. :-:.::;s of ~,j_s people . I n "veins , 11 11 c.eei) , n nflo .-1, H lo~ n.:; of a c tuai plo.ce ( 1a ,1es nd slr:·, '' "a nci ent !' a :J .:.t. por ta nt t e loncevi t:r of life a nd struu.::;le , ~ to Blacks, 1, e esta1~lis~; es put into 11 Poe r:1, 11 ~ ~i :uilar jsa g Fl d/,.j/ strenst s o.nd longevit:- K t~"}e cat ~ 11 ...._,, ..;:: Te c;ro, TLe 11 a L.d E G--es ' • dialect and b l' es - orie. ted poe r.1s were not 1 swee t ' '-- to the ears of some Harlem / lac intelle c t uals of t ._ e twent i es . , Just as ~n-y of tl: e~, ~ ad sou ~. t to c ens ure Cul le n for not ·w riting more . . , latantl:-- a'Jout,/'lac k strugc;le ( in .)n ack idio,us), t!-1e:r c riticiz ed Eus!~es for deal i n 0 'Hit. t h e "lower strat ~ " or ' nder+ side of / lac le life . 1 ~ie l: idde n and ro': ust ( "ta -:: 00 11 ) aspects 1 of? -a c k life 1ere , e g inning to come to t _1e fore i n t ~e wor rn of p.. a c .rt (1:c:Ka:r) and w~i te ( Van lfec _te n ) writers. And Eu;::;~ es joi ned t _sis ;:;ro ·1 ir:c tend enc:.r in speakins fra nkl y a . out "Suicide, npo r , o:r Bl es , 11 5 ard Dadd:,., 11 1 "=~u latton ("A little :rel loi /'Jastard '; o:r." ) , aJu y rown , 11 a nd riore s, c~, experie nc es a.:J. s .. 1)j e c ts. Te 1 1 es for r.1 cal _s for t '!-Ji-•ee - lL1e f stan za s: ,,_tl~e seco nd li ne '-' re peat s t: }e first , a nd t _ e t ', ird • ...,... :; D rece dJ.. ones • ~ 1~ r h :•,~1es lli t b t : .e t wo ,..,. d -'l,- . , i· s ""' 'To ro.e l.u.e d :!.."u.c f or :·~1 ..,,_c'.--:. of \ ~,,1h-- at it • ,.... i.c, . These ~.~ario ,s f orms also '::: elped .. is .Le, ,. . .t ime., s esta".J _ish I! ,~:1es , . t :.e mes and su1Jje cts . ~i n 0 u istic freedo ~ u as 1-rort l tra;ed:r, ·,-:_ ole :}ce or co::1p assio :1 . I :1 " a :::r of ': is poems, ~-! u 0 b es is a ~le to de velop a dialo p,_ etween t b e 1 w:i i t e ruler . 11 lac k u!.lderdo z; a nd t ''.' e 4;~l J T.. i s occur ::, in "Brass Spittoon ~ " wh epe t~: e '.J ul b o:r �int erlace s a portrait of a co:-nmo n vhyt':} r,.s of c!.urc:. , wb ite lac :<: -1or ke r wit,-: da zzli r:: e n ' s ord ers, }tla c ': pa r t :"' an ' ni : 1~t life a nd t h e s h i ny s _ittoons Blac ks rust ~ee p polis~ed . ~e see it tech nically, t h ouc . n ot racial-~ , in " J azzo ni a" i ::1 the call-and-re s ponse patter n cou pled wit J c a refull~ rearr a nged chordal stru "t ures: r_ f Oh , ( '/) silver tree! Oh , s h ining rivers of t . e soul ! Three stanzas later, t h e sa,i1e idea r,ppe a.rs i n t l~ is for r.1: I Oh , singi ng tree! e_: s; ining ri v ers of t , e s o,,11 nd fi ve stanzas later, it a pp ears t hu sl?: ~ / Oh , s b ining :bree ! Oh , silver riv er s of t ~e so, l ! •~11-ti---... This rilliant , s e of t h ~ me i ntricate pa tt er n o all-and-re sp ons e continues in "::ulatto." dialo~ nd 1 ~ e '.,ta.dtard , o:"" _/ is re j ected first b:- t .. e wb :!. te fat !'} er o. nd later ·.J"" t ::'.'. e w'1i te . brot .. er, ~J oth repre s e nti nc p ( t sJ rough t . e i nter j ection of dialo;: ) ~ differe nt t yp es a nd c;e nerat :.o ns of wh ite me nJ - or:.e o' 5e c tin: to fV\ t h e existe nce of an 11 ille c;i t mate II sO::1 a nd t :.e ot er ( t~e for n er ' : : off t spri ng ) refusine to exte d a h and of hroth erl :,. co ncer n . ITugh eds ~~emes , 1-r'h icb re r.1ain ed wi t 'h !·1:t m t b rou 6 h most of ~-i s l i f e, ar{~~.;;;:;:.~~':,l ·•ifiii ~] p ack worn~ 5 .....,. t bl ne 6eauty and t n1t,, , rac e r i de 1'•1 ,!I 1 U, •fc ulle n or : ic ?:a:~ ), ~ stre ngt .,s), jazz, ~ ''.)l ue s/ a:811 reli g ious mt s·ic, v iolence a s ai nst Blac k~ a nd i nte c ratio n . �Iughes 1f ,ie.si.e-1t:½ac '.1 :) spa ce s.,.an of t 1 especially And .1 e often relis}~e c. t' .e co ..:.-non prof und it:r of Blac ks at dance, play, worsh ip or wor l{ . J . }Iord Allen ' s 11 In 11 .,_Te s ro Da ncers,'! ,e recalls Tb e Squ ea k of t h e Fiddle II a nd James Edwi n Ca , pb ell ' s "Ho ile Bue k . 11 Allen Lints t h at w:"} i tes ca nl1 ot d a nce. And Campb ell re produces in poetr:r t e r 1:,-t_ dance k nown as t e satio n , clai ms t h at II ck. re 11 Q.. of/\.co nte mporar7 ,is Hu [; .. es; s ':1 owi ng off.J'lac k i mprov i a nd __ is 1Ja. : h a v e -..;,,, Two mo ' ,; a y s to do de Ch arlesto n ! -L~ a pop lar cont emporar~ dance . Eve n if wh ites 11 1a · .;~ 11 fV1 "---"' a nd 11 pra~'./ " Bl ac ks ca n ta ke satisfaction i n t ,e kn owled[;e t h at t h ey can ~p t b ei:1 own reser v o _r of spo ntanei t:,. and creati v ity wh e n t h e:'" want to side-step or a nnoy t h e mec11a nica ~ wh ite t Luf"J":.es also wrote poe try a b out b ei n; "alone II at vorld . 1 ni g~1t n a nd a -'- r a i a . Th e re a,Jv ~ c:,.nicis m a nd sarcas :n a nd t ra3ed:r in t .. i s poet 1-!1: o o·Js er ved . i s pe op e t .. r o gl, a deep a nd creat ".T e affec t .:.. on . s Huc __ es 'f perso nal life , of cotrs e , was a ti n g as l-:d s poetr:,. . Ee ro· 41itliiiiliirn111:ill?S•--•"'••11121a11-•■ 11 0 1-r 1 Jt-1 s t as fascit n 1;i;.er o s awards and wr i ti :.12; ~e fi '2. le d a car tru n - wit at ~ l a c! c':"- :rc!: c::: a::.c co '2..: c _::c ::; . h oo ks and ~ e r u')1Jed s:-:. ou_d ers wi t :1 t'le .ranki ::"l::::; ·Hr i te r s a.:1d i..t ell ~c t t•.a '2..s of '-i s da.:- ~ t re ::r.ai ne d L l �Pa::1-Af'rica . li rar~ a~~ artistic t i cs. ~ - C cs uas one of th e o:..der states :-1en of } iac .1:. c J.t re at t 'he F irst ~·!o::r'2.. Fes ti ~:al of . . .ccro ts, :--:e:..C: e:.e:::;a:1 L1 l S' 66 . Ka:::1 , _;1 I) T.,. e ., also e it ed ant~oloci as of A:'ricar: prose a ,. countr:-. -~e H d e C -ca.,.., ec.· t .. a.._u .,_u ,Jr.>1 n..,-o _. , ..., '" u :!3,:ro artists 11 wo L t .. eir " nd i v idual dar :i:- 0 -:i,1::ec. se:·-es ." ex ress I :' e t'.:" er :3 lac::s er · . it es a.. :ro·.-od s ~ ~-t o:·! C:' CS a. rai se f r o l. ~ 3 d i ~1: , TT a: t ::o ,~\-. ~e di ~1: tel_ ectuQ_ stat re of ot~ er s a:> :-:a 1.ss ai.1c I\ s f lac1: cri t :!.cs J s ai .. / naiv ete. " It 11 c oe s n ot t ": i!1k 1 b u t to sa:r ~;C intellc c a uJr.mastic i r.telli ;:;e words . 1 tlu __ ._,.., fe els s true t :~ at TI \_,1--:c :J .'1ai ::1taii. ed a ., ou ";.it erar:· profi_ e a nd d d ::ot aspi re to loft~r tji e a 1 d n:; of ritcrs . is 'C.~t r .A ,,u .. i:J poetr:T pro·.:ed to t iJ~:.:J~~;P~~:e~f:uL t'n ~ \.S ' AA ve\",~ - CC ~ ~ e:we >as a ::rai ~ a. nce and a f• r cus p o. er wit': e irresisti~J .. e a.::c. to al. ost a ,.alf c e nt~r ~ of co nt e r:ip orari es . ::spiri:-1.:::; �to , c a o 1t a 11 Dr o.rn Def erred . n q e stj_o n: in an a3~re~ate analogy t ~at lencthens to : ~ And .:. .. C Or does it exp_ode ? l · "t",ec. to se e t _, e explos on i n Hatts , 1"'.'ewar c, Detro t :fg() ~ a nd otl-:e r places . ,rr iti nc-s ar e ~... "'., all anth olo 0 ie::; of Afr o-Ar.1erican l t er ature . Fro t 1 .e j)ar :..: Tu-i-rer . • 't or~ _s ""':r Brown, \,., 1.. erl i n , Red 1n~ pilations . Detailed c ri ti ca- Ee is also assessed : n o.- .::. c ent r :r J Jo ,nson a ndf\p 1 .1erous ot:.1er st ud i e s and cor~ 1 Jar.1es =:r:ia~1 ' el ' s . ,_, io rapl-::T of -~ L ~ (La n~ston i .;:;-- es) 0 was pu lis~ea i n 1 , 67. Other i mportant source ite ms on Hu he s are Fran9ois Dodat' s Langston Hugh es (Paris, 1964), Ra:rmond Quino ~ Lan1sston Hugh es (Brussels , 1q64), Milton :i'-i eltzer's Langston Hughe s: _ / Biography ( 196·9 ), Elizabe t h P. ; eyers ' Lan gston J Hughes : ~ Poet of His People (1970 ) and Ch a.rle mae Rollins' Bla~~ Troubador: _ Langston Hughes (1g70). steadily pouring out ~ Of the plethora. of material Hughes , a most valuable b ook is Langston , Black Genius: /critical Evaluatio n (1° 71 ), edited by B. O'Daniel. O'Daniel includes a selected classified s (.Jl;-a1:.;.x., bibli ography detailing Hughes'f lengt hy career as ~writer in all w 0,J-- enres, /\ anthologist and/\ criti~. Hughes inspired generations of j 'lack Africans and Americans and also edited t h e followin g ~Q.t:l / -;.; ~ �a nthologies: An African Treasury: Articles, Essays, Stories, Poems Jf:y New egro Poet s: _U. . . A. ( 1964); and Voices: ...,A Quarterl:• of Blac { Afri cans ( 1960); Poems from Blac -r AfricA. ( q63) ; Poetry (Negro poets is sue , wi nter I II I I . 195 ). �or Second , Echelon Poets of the Renaissance ~oz e ns of poets helped to ma ke up t he varie gated atmosph ere of the New Ne gro ··-:ovement. the 19601's cannot ~ ~ ,, •/ And just as the )(ew pack_}'oetry of racterized in terms of four or fi ve indi v iduals, so t h e ~Renai ss ance cannot be understood unless t h e a'ornoL.ei-e ~ poetry scene is examined. Yan~r of the so -cal led mino!j or second ~echelo~ poets writing during t h e peak of t h e_jenaissance ad already es tabl ished re putations be fore 1923. d ~ hese wer e Arna Bontemps ) :II . ,t,{/ ~ Principal amon g I Angelina Gri mke, Gwendolvn N ...., ~ Bennett (1902~ ), Anne Spencer, ._,Clarissa Scot t Delan~Y,8 (189~\11', ,.. Frank Horne Allen (19 05 1 Georgia Douglas John son, Geor e Leonard _ 35), Donald Jeffrey Hayes (1904J ), Jonathan He nderson Brooks (19 04; = 45 ), He lene Johnson (190 7~ ) , Waring Cuney (1906 1 ), r Lewis Alexander ( 1900i _.. 45), and Lucy Ariel Williams Holloway I (19 05N ) ~ poe ts, to be ment ioned at the end of t h is unit, can be f ; sper ecd rather widel_ alon ficance. a spectrum of relative sign!:/, Nany of t h em won prizes and places for their poems among t he pa ges of The Crisis a nd Opportunity and then disappeared e a t½s M -'- •b · 1e yet ot ers c, ose d i fferent careers or l e ~ cd i nto t~e freed om fi cht . C llen's fro t he c c3De. Ot}_,)ers n:o t un t nel-.:r 1 ~ Carol n; D sk (1927) co ntains thJ , est re resentation of Afro = Ac. er ic an poetr:r 1-rr · tten , etwee n 19- 3.!.1 1925 . Jo __ ns on ' s of . ~er!can ,s gro Poetry (1 : 22) presets poe ts ~etween the ti~e of its l as t editi on (1931 ). h e Boo .{ nbar a:1c =~ !or and minor poets are also to ,-:, e fo nd in Kcrl i n ' s !Te .:;ro Poets and Their Poems (1<)23, ... 35) . �Hughes and Bont emps made ma n~r of these lyricists a7 a i lable ~ in The Poe try of the Negro (1949, 19 70 ). .... At least b lf a dozen of the les s e r known poets are incl'd ed i n Alain Locke ' s The New Negro (1925) . Randall (Th e Black Poets, 1971) dis lays work by Horne a nd Bontemps, but only Bontemps is i ncluded in Randall ' s Black Poetry (1969) . Henderson d oes not list one of thes e tra ns itio nal fi gures i n Understa nd i ng the New Slack Poe tr7 (1973). And only Cuney and Bont emps are included i n Ros ey Pool' s Beyond the Blu es (1962). ~ t he anthologi e s fo r co nt ent . we are ~ ra nd oml r samplin3 See the b i bl i ography for more = Sf ~ e tailed listin 6 s :t/-Th e best co nte mporary a nt ology of ~ ntury )'{lack poe try is Arnold Adoff I s The Poetry of Blac 1 (iq1lJ Americ ~ 140 poets and practi cal ly all which lists of the minor ones of e naissa nce , alt jou 6 h the omissi o~ \ ~ ~Pp «.U\·tl, ' of Cuney and Edward Silvera heron .. fl ii t ??il1 11 t. Unfortu nat e ly, nojlacr a nt h ology of t he ma g nitude of the Norto n series has appeared. ' Tbe Hes;;rg Qara '-1 ( terli ng Brown, et al.), a comprehens i v e anth olo y p l i s . ed i n 1941 and res)- ssu ed ( nrev ised) in 1970, contai ns near...,:r a do ze n of t . e rr. inor v oices . I n "Fra nk Horne and th e Second Echelon Poe ts of the Earler.1 Renais s ance 11 (The Harlem Rena i ssanc e Re membered , Bonte mps , y 1972), Ronald Primeau launch es an i mpressi ve ~nd i mp ort a nt d isc ssion of~ ese lesser known fi gures . ·• i le ~a gne r (Black Poets of t~e United. State s , 1973) makes a partial effort to dis cuss t~ese poets , ~e seems gene ral l:' to dis r::i ss theL a s cli ~ Africa n past . see!cers after a n So1 at t h is wri ti ng , SEEi A s Brown ' s "C onte mporar:' ,.______...,,. �•eL a ns the "1--)est cr i tical o~.- r -i e~r of th sc poet s . .,,,,. Bontocir c · s on e of t'. ree i m orta nt%e na i ssa ~c e fi ;; re s 0 (alonz r t . !! ghcs and up ro,rn) to s •rvi ve ;;{;i_7 cre e.tive ;• calls ont er:: s "o ne of t~"' e most -c t s :·Tofa ::1cr t . c "Fiar_en Rena i s sance a nd ro nt l t o 19 6Cf s . ".)r lliant _, i nor lysi<All~ nd 6 , ~ o" ( ~ ~ ~~-c ..~ ·m n al so ha s ~i ; ;-, "'ra s e cf~) 1 s ~o tr:~ and f ic t i on . ~ Dav i s ) sees a n "a lien- and-exile !T theme c ont i nuing . /4 ~ from the najor trunk orJnaiss a nce poetry i nto t h e work of Bonte m s. p With the notable exception of Geor gia Douglas Joh nson , the i mp ortant mino;:.{enaissance fi gures d id not publish b ooks ~ of poetr~ until t he 19601s . This fact alone tells us much ab out '-' Bontemps !.,s/seeming poe tic ob s curity e t ween 1930 a nd 1960. But _ more i npor tant, for t 4e re cord, is the fact t ha t Bont emps'J eff orts ere i rec t ed to ard fiction , drana, c~ ildr en ' s liter ~ t r e , -· story, c1ir oniclin,.,. the develo pmen t of ot er / la.ck poe tsJ and : round - r ~aki ns ibrary 1ork. orn i n Alexan ria, Louisia na, Bonten s f.____;,a~ilv mo~ d to California fuen he was still a ch ild . He attended Pacific Union Colle ge a nd t he University of Cl icago. s di vc~s e ~-ri tin g outp t , almost as prodi gious as Eugbe s !!, includes numerous books, pamph l ts and arti c les . Hi s novels a.re God Sends Sunday 0-931; dramatized as S t . Louis \-loma n, 1946 ), Black Thunder (1936, about t e Nat Turner ~ at Dusk (1939). Bontemps also c o edited, wi t h rev olt ) and Dr ums t'So;iI, Hughe~ the very influential a nt hology The Poe t ry oft e N'egro (1949 , 1970 ) , and he brough t out American Negro Poetry in 1963. Other anth ologies �Reade r s ( 1941), ook of 1'Te5ro Fol k l ore ( 195'~, wit,,_ T.: :::., es ), Great Slave Narratives (1 9 69), Hold :?ast to Dr ea::.1s: ,_.,,Poe:-:s Old and Te1-1 ( 19 69) a nd Tl e !~arle m Renaissanc e Rer.:e,,.':;ercd ( l C: 72 , a collection of articles). ~ ont e r.1ps pu' lis 1--: ~c. Addi tionally -!."•• o~ e @ ::odd works of 1:'l i .Jl ioGrap _.::- ( usu a l ~:r on~ l ac ir >c roes), juvenilia , c ltt re a nd 1 is tor:•. at F is - for nore t _,a n @ !:e scr,·ed as ni7crsl. t:· 11 f '•raria,: ye ars a nd was a t11e r.1:er of t'~e fac' 1 tie:: o:f t l e Un i -ers it:" of Illi n ois a nd ~~alc ~ W17ere ~~ e -ra s L: c - r .::;e o:f Afro-Ame rica n j tudie s at t _e ti me of ::1is dea t . • 1924 a nd 1 931 ont e .1ps 's{poems wer e p 1)lisb ed wi del:r L. ~.- ario s magazines a nd pe riodica:s a n The Cri sis a ::: Bet1-1een Opp ort ni t::,r .. Personals , die. n o o ,t co:ie :-e i:,ro n poetr:r priz es fro r.: ',ot....., !:is o nl: pu Jl is hed 70 - t:.:::e 01' '.:)octr:r, n ti l 1964 tNor~ _;j;'-s aiili,i,-=.., -~~ Q'aP: . re ,_an). • "1Jrs o nal s p octr:r . '70 11 af ~or t: re t) ms 'P ,.. c~., of int 0 1 s of on-'.;e n ps !s 1 !I or or Comte att ~ C ::o :: ' s a~1d :::-1:--ar: ,{ !To:r::: .... 1s . _ds _ o ::: c :::i:- s ,.sfI o u:.. 1 :- _ c o:.lfcrt2:<:_::L~e:::::s :: o -" ._-:... _- ~_ cf ::c :; c. ::::::::u ,: co, u.... or+-v , ,_ ·t + " ' 'co ~:.... ::ita')i lit:- a n . . . co.ref , _ 1- or .c :a m:~ i p . ?e i:-ras a mo,_r: t os ccts C, ~b) �,... J- .. .,l U.,_ '- . . , ___~II' . ...., ., J..1 ..., r- """"1 L, ___; -• tre.c iti on o f '"!.. r;.c!r. 1a½or 11 f c c d o . ½i tt er f r uit . 11 .. ._ I • co ncludes t _J at t 1" ~ -:1. a ~)or ers • c' ' ilc.:,e::1 ,u.fLed on Bil l i e Io i d a:· wo l d _a tc r"-llll : a 2~~, _, ang i ns in t he S out:: a nd write t at since Jam s 1'i:1itfi eld , ~ 11 St1"'a nse Fru it . " ack poe t s And we recall a v e po i nt e d to t ., e co ntradictio ns i r: Ame rica n C'hristian:!. ty a nd tr1e h arr e_, =. 7 ers s~ ~ b carinG t ~ e~e . tH~/\ ~ Bonten:ps als o fo llowed cizing a pa g a n~ t : naissa nc e pat ter n of ro:~a nti t y Afr o-American or Africa n . Wi t b t ._e taste of sl a v ery a nd t h e dial e ct tradi tion still b itter on t ~eir tons~e s, t h ese poe t s lea ped another clime . ac kward s over slav er:r to a.notb er place a nd c l osely reser.1.b l e s Cull e n ' s 11 __ 11 remcnbered rai n , 11 ~ (£) 1-Ic Ka:·. "th e friendly gh os t, "d ance of ra i n , " " j u ngle sky, Tbe Re tur n~1 w_1i c 1 e r i tag e II a nd some of t b e atav istic p i e c es of L ~ Hu 6b es a nd of 11 Bontemp s d oes just t h is i n n 11 11 Bont e mps spe a ks 11 lost n i ~h ts, 11 ;.1uffled drums , " a nd t h e n su m;ests : Let us g o b a c k into t h e dusk a gai D© .•• Dusk , ebo ny , jet , ni e;b t , e veni ng s , pur ple , b lue , rav en a nd ot e:- such synonyms for Blac ks are freque ntly e mployed to gre at effect a nd power b:r Afro-Ame rican poets . Likewise, symb ols or i ma ge s of invisi' il i ty a nd b lindness are al so pr ev ale nt in;(lac k w!'~ Bont emps er.iplo:rs a nd i mplies sucb states in se v eral poe ns ~ ere be achieves a surreal qua li ty-J;,_ a drear.1J. )- ike lo n:;i ng for anotb er time and a noth er pl ace (agai n , a pattern i n t h e poetry of the period ). If y ou "Close Your Eyes , " Bonte mp s say s, y ou ca n i:;o · �back to what you were, and may e t h e son c , as wit will "in tin e return to t hee . n 11 allow one to Toomer, Closing t '!Je eyes will also walk brave ly enou gh . " Away fro1:1 t 1e d aily lime ligh t and without tbe constant pressure (c+f· { Cullen) to succeed and b old up the li gh t of thl race, Bontemps de veloped strong statements using co nvention:poetic patterns wit free-verse experimentation . occasio na_ Personal and powerful, Bontemp s's poetry looks ahead to a similar stamina (th is ti ~e in a neN dialect )~ .e.1h\~q 1-2? u:i:msd by Sterline; Brown in Southern Road. t hough Bontemps tells us i n "Golg oth a 1 !s .rj. Hountai nM F or e ven ~ lt, One day I will crumb l e._, we know that t he dust will fossilize and "make a mou ntai n" : \i, I think it will be Gol g oth a. There h as been very little critical assessment of Bontemps rs poetr:r. But brief reactions to h is work can b e found in The ~ r xznr ~.- -~ Harlem ~cnaiss ance Reme r.1 ered (,;, h ie . _ e edi te ) , at ii_. B r ot,J'1 ' s study, Barksdale\ and K~ nnamon' s anth olo g;r, Robert Kerli n rs cri tical t anth ology , ~ ] T1:. e Ue:;ro Cara.van . pub _is .. ed ·H or c~ see !3 Davis' t From t 'h e Dark Tower, a r.d onter.ps 's For a ne a .J1com lete listin.:; of l ac k 1.orld J : '(: (Se te::- L er l , 71) ft,12 tJ 9. ......t,. '/ Alo n3 -iri t' _ Angeli na Gri:-·1ke , Lewis Alexander, An ne Spen cer, ~ Bontemps , Ge or 3ia Do .:;las Jol~nso n, a:-id Ee _e ne Jo~:. ~so n , Gwendo_·:r n Be nnet t 1-::e~ped to fill o , t t 1.~e list of lesser lrnow::1 Hor~ It na ;_ssan c e poc t s wh•• o appear e a in · Tl T ~ .· 1 ~e ... Je _,ew _.T e ::;ro ( see ...L , 6" e a i· ..,:1..02 :: ''4b~l'1 with a preface ):r Ro ert Ji a-:rd e n ). Unfort unat el:.-, :~owe ve r , •H■l•• ennctt ' s b est foot was not put forward in t h e "Son !")' " wh ich °I �A Alain Locke accepted for pu lication in t h e a b ove :: named antholo gy . :? m:YHm~ ..Mitt. "Song " is not representati ve of r;enerally bi 8h craf'tmans _. ip; it is flawed by imb alance a.nd an ;too attempt to sayf,[r.any t h ings in one poem. Characteristic of t h e poetry of the period , "Song " reaches back to "forg otten b anjo sones" and Clinking chains and minstrels~ but ~ ...A.k.. h ;:;,.na11UJ:.t,J,w interpolation of dialect lines does not come off wi t L t . e ease and power of ◄J@ _ §Sa Brown's similar efforts. On the oth er b and, b er s h arp1 cris p and precise i ::-mgery employed in poe:::s s 1 0i•T ..B. appeared in r:mgazines and ot.Jer ant:i olo :;ies b cr as a poet with ma ny g ifts and resources. Gwendo l yn Be nnett was born in Giddine s, Texas, to pro~ fessional parents . After graduation fron t b e Girls ' Hi G. Sch ool in Brooklyn, New York , s h e attended Teac _ers Colle g e, Colu~ ia Uni ersi t ~r, for two years and studied in t ll e Fine Arts Depart~ ment ~ t b ereaft er e stab lis n in8 a dual career as poet and artist. Sh e l ater atte nd ed Pratt I nstit te, ta g t i n t e Fine Arts Department at ~: oward Uni 7ers i ty, a nd t h en recei ved t h e ;/h o sand .:: f ollar Forei.sn S c~: o_ars 'l ip of t a e Delta Si ~_:t1a T~eta / orori t:, u:1 ich enab led !1er to so to Europ e,, w' ere s h e studied for a year ✓ / i n Pa r i s at t b e Academi c J ul ia n a ~d t '1e Ee le Pant'ri eo n . Ila Sh e r) York at t .-:: e 'c:e i ~~~ t of t , e A naissance and for ,, ~ /4~ a ,;-1:: i_e was a :::em1:1 er of t 1e editorial staff of Opportunit:r ) \l@ er e-- r e tur ".1.e d to :Te 1 s everal of h er poems a.ppear e . In reading h er finest poe ms, one recan{1epth o:f} -ack wo,~a rL1 ood re 'ealed i ~ t ~e poetry o:f - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - -- - - - �Frances Harper, Geor g ia Joh nson a nd An:;elina Gri m.kl . Dark Girl n is a r.1edi t a t ion on t h e sist0r 100d £ "To A. retains We recall t h e word nfort, a s pec ts of nold for g otte n queens . n g otte n n fro m 11S onc;n; b ut it a. ) Otrnd s i n t ~ e poetr:r of t.)i s ~ He" ,,.--. period . XJ;,117Fi? lb,, "brown ;irl 11 ~ {9ullen ! ) is "s orrow ' s r~a.te 11 b ut if s h e for £1;ets h er sl a v e b a c k grou nd s . e J :~~ s ti ~.ll "laug.1 at Fat e ! : •· 1 .. g Mm u s lol.M±&.Hlits Qi£rj m 2O0&1s22lll3L& distills 11 ~ mt ng :~:i= :: ; : ~ : :: ~~ ~ gls zb.:bhxtM![l&C. 1 anJu: tTR1U• "Noctur ne" dista nt l augh ter" and "Sonnet J -2 11 re c alls "He groes M r.1c lod ies . 11 _J__Js _·_____._. "Heri ta; e II is a.bwst iden~ tical, in t .. eme and tone , to Coun tee Cullen ' s poer.1 of tb e sa~e name. Just as Cullen laments t ue di sparit~ ~etwee n 1is "h eart and ..ead , n t h is poet sees t .. e s ame duality in b er "sad people ' s s oul 11 ' Hi dden by a minstrel - s n ile . Finall:r , "Hatred " is s l1 arp a nd sting inc < Like a dart of si n: i ng stee ~ and we ar e reminded of t h e poen.s of ~:1 e san e t ~1 er~e: - D+ ois 'S ,.., "The Ri ddle of t e Sphinx• " and I'IcKay ' s "To t h e vJh ite Fiends" "-- a nd 11 Tl1e lu ite Lous e . 11 ,..., F or Claris s a S cott Dela nf y , "Jo~" see~s to c ont ain the 11 emotio na l i ntensit::! t h at Hatred" h olds for Gwendolyn Bennett . Tb e dau gh ter of Emmett J . S c ott , t ~~e t o Book er T . 1.lasb ington, 11 - - - - - dis t in_cuis .rnd se c retary i-~s . Delan~ r lived a t!'ag i c ally s h ort lif e and died at t h e peak of t h e - - ~- - - - - - - 11 fglJR. j e naissance . "Joy" is �what sh e v ows to t he troubling 11 11 a ba do n II h erself t o in an effort to a void r.iaze" of life. Her poetry is quietly power + ~ ~ ful and seems to co~·.1pl l\ment t ,at of k I 't' Bonte ... ps1 si nce it is deep and flows from tradition , stamina and endurance. Born ~ Tus k e gee Institute, . -:-e A1 a ama, s h e attended Bradford Academy in New England and t h en Wellesley Colle ge, after wh ich s h e taugh t t hree years at t h e I'amous Dunbar Hi 6h S ch ool in Was h ingto n, . (l~ri.1SO.. ""' According to • • • Kerli n , 11ii& Delanfy also 't tudied ......___..... " V delinquency and ne glect a mong Ne gro ch ildren in New Yor City ." D. C. Her poetry reflects a perceptive and analy tical mind. Init i ally, s h e appears detach ed and metallic * deceptively , like Gwendo l y n Brooks, ut t h e poem usually winds down to a grippin g messa[;e on pretense, lo neli ness, j oy or despair. T .e ni gh t in 11 I nterir: " is a "gracious cloak 11 used to conceal t h e defeat of t h e soul. "The Hask 11 i mr:1ediatel:r brings to mind Dun' e.r' s I-1ask . 11 11 We Wenr t h e Exc ept for t •. e differences i n persona and dramatic affects, t h e two poems are qu ite similar. Re readi n 0 l!The IIask, 11 one is rer,1i nded of Smokey Bill Rob inson's rece ntly nopul~~~t Tears of / Clow~ "# wn ich c arries t _ e t _ e ~e of duali t : a nd scb izop_1 renia so often fou nd in7J-ack t h ousb t a n~ :~.:,tin~ C ,fhile a11.,;tiack artists do not d~ pla:r t h is "twoness II wit 1 t h e inte ns i t :• of a e::::::,: Cullen or Il I JI: Ellison, it is almost alwa:rs present in t l1 eir wor ks. / Especie.11:; is t h is true of t h e lack America n 1i1riter, forced to use t .1e c O t?h-nu nica ti on tools of t h e over. seers to speak ab out t h at wh ic - - -- - ---- - 1 is closest to h i m. \ �This particular as pect of f lack poetry c;i ves rise to :-.:uc .1 speculatio~ since poems dev oid of racial or et .. nic flo. v or take on added si gn ificance wh en we kn ow t eir aut :.1 ors are fa~c~ Such is t he case with Gwend olyn Bennett's "Eatred 11 ( "4el!e "you" of t h e Sph inx 11 e wb itcs ) a nd i · ~E .............._ 11 ·F· nf o is •s!"T!1e Riddle t b er:i II prob a bly r.:eans wh ites). '#Fra nk Horne, who won a poetry contest i n Th e Crisis in 1 925 , ut did not pu lish a b ook r (Haver straw) ~ ntil 196J , fits into t h is context. Hor ne was public sch ools. or n in New York Cit1 where h e atte n ed As a s t udent at t he Colleg e of t :-:e Cit7 of New York, he won varsity letters in track and wrote poetr:r. He later graduat ed fro ::1 the iJorth er n Illi n ois Colle ~e :of f OphtbalmoloGY with degree of Doctor of Optometr:r. !:or nc o. wor<ed in Cb icab o : ew Yor {, tau c:1 t in F ort 1 all e:J Geor 0 i ~ and uas for s ome ti ~ie e mploye d Aut ority . y t h e United Stat~}Iousi· c ~AIJ_~ ~ d'o lll14/. 1-ornet, "possesses t'he aut .. entic g ift of poetr:r, ._, 11 . accordi~r·- to Ja , es foldo n Johnson;,· ~rid 'i t a J; • Drown ,:entio 11s ~ "i ntellect ual ir ony . !t I ndeed Iorne i s c:-rni co.l, s ~w pti i al , "- r· rei served and alr::ost . are i :1 ~ is s :10rt l ines a nd eco n o:1 &f"~an -::ua.::;e. The c orpus of . is earl:,. poetr:r re ·ol es arou nd !!Lett ers f Ol nc. °'near a suicic. ~ 11 for w__ ic½ "'e 11 0~1 Cri sis awar • :-:o t of t. e poer.1s are addressed to ind i ··idti.all:r t na.,_ec. erso s ~nd recall sor:e point of co i.-;t act ( co:1tontio n ?) ·..,etween t 1: e a_ le_: v ict i!. and t 11e perso n acc.re s s cd. s 1 ic ide .\. s :'lot 3c earlier , :· a ,.:· of t 1~ e po e n s !: a,· c to he plac ed t ::-:. t,1e co ntext f ~ _ac !s.: ~ '--'" o -- t::-:,. if �t, c c __ortnons of lire, c o. tradictions i ~ C~ risti anit7. ~c tr a~a l, de ath, .:usi c, scientific L1q i.ir~r ac: a t ed to t 1-:e rac ia_ in~tstic e , and v i c tory as fa c t or idea . oet ' s qu estior~i n:: ~orne 1 s vers e is sanc uine bu t, for t he most part, a roids tbe ro ma nti c treati, ~ ""''y, I/CJ.& ment of' Africa found in ?•rnti as? 3 _ aiBtl\.~•i:s □ ~a 11 :Iis Ti c;ser ( Chant fo r C i _dren ) n catalo{s -,. }tlac ~ pe1 :f naissanc~ :""' eroes: "' Lannibal , Oth ello , Crispus Attucks, Toussaint L 'Ol erture , and adds Jesus near t he end . A ch ora l i ter a tion, a nticipatins ii J ■'@, _Br01·m and compl~ .. enting ~ Eu g"h es, /\includes: SI ~ "ITi1:sGer • • • n i c;::;er • • • ni g;er. ..• "To t "!1 e Poe ts 11 recalls Cullen ' s 11 11 Scotts oro, Too, Is 1forth Its Song" ; b ot"_ poems c"h ide oth er poets for sin _in c son ~s 07er Hron~ causes . Ior ne 11 7elled yell:!.ng r;ot b i !;;. nowh ere . for Baldwi ~ vL!O, as 11 (ITe itier did yellin g n ove mou~tains as a b oy f preacl. er , quic ly saw t :1 e c ontradic tio n in s in,;ingJ "You can _orne ' s osannas 11 intc t tJe e r:ptiness , ":lut a ve al l dis world hut ~i , e me Jesus. 11 ) rnowled c e of science i s p t to 0 ood use i n sue: poems 11 To __ enr~ " and ~ - Q.• E.D . surfaces as in "To Yol}" whi ch is t .rou c:;1.~ 11 Your 11 11 uAnd b is skepticism co nti nually i~t/er~ h e ~ examines t11e road to salv a t i on, +eT (c 1rist ' s ) ....__ involved in a uorldl:· experience wi t :.1 body . 11 b e:r/ But later b e i s and wb en h e re t urns to t h e a l tar to eat and drink of '~our" splendors Le c an t h ink "only of her . 11 Euc h of Horne ' s poetr:r employs t b e symbolis m and v oc abu lar:r of at_ letic contests ~ princ ipa lly foo t b o.11 and trac k . �~e. oC He also uses language associated with,_playingAmusic or singing. "To Caroline" and "To Catalin~' merge melody, harmonies, pain and ecstasy. "Caroline" plays ,--- "skin" as well as the piano. "Catalina" is warned (and ,ru<:.e) that the piano will give4joy and hurt. "To Chick" reca~ahe days of the "Terrible Two" on the football field. ~ ~ 0 The ~ signal ~in football is anal•gous to the "signal" called in real life. In both instances the poet crossej the victory- linej "fighting and squirming." "To one who called me 'nigger"' is a comment on the white man's ability to do everything but face America's race problems. Continuing his theme of skepticism, Horne presents a "Toast" to eyes, lips, heart and 10dy, even though the person fJ addressed h; s an "unborn" soul. though sparl e _ .....,_ .-/ His poetry is solely in freer verse and, his language invariably operates on multiple levels. "To Persistent Phantom" is an excellent example of Horne "complicating" the meaning of words through the use of repetition, ~pses, and the strategic -j:/j use of/\words e . "tears," "tangled," "deeper," "charms" and "buried," If the language and action of athletic competition influenced Horne, ~~ it was melody that ~pturedAGeorge Leonard Allen, a poet who lived only Go) Slu,wJ.j tn•d1 \loo k+L•,... nl «g 01 It~ ,o(J;.yJ years. /f(,llen achieved wide recognition before his death: his "To Melody" won first prize in a 1927 state-wide poetry contest sponsored by the North Carolina Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. His poems also appeared in Opportunity, American Life, The Southern Christian Advocate, The Lyric West and Caroling Dusk. "Pilate in Modern America" employs what is, by Allen's time, a traditional theme in / lack poetry: equating p ack suffering to the crucifixion of Christ. The "Pilate" of America pleads with God for redemption, claiming that "one man's voice" �(pf dissent) could not be heard in the din of the lynch mob. But God's voice (the white man's conscience) tells "Pilate" that his guilt is as great as the crowd's. "To Melody" has no racial import. It simply praises song and is imitative, in language and theme, of poetry. ,: century English As a sonnet, it only remotely suggests the work of McKay and A:!.l:Eii was born iR "Pilate" is well handled in iambic pentameter. J urnha rt1a; Ho t th CJibliha; where ne accead@d a pubht §titbbf§--\Clater cbilip±ecliig /1, A certain formalism also marks the work of Donald Jeffrey Hayes. Hayes was born in Raleigh, North Carolina; his education, which was quite e,i., ,(/~ I"' I ~ tensive, was gained primarily through private stud~ whare he pursued his interests in singing, directing and writing. During the twenties and thirties, Hayes appeared in several Broadway productions as a member of a singing chorus. His poetry, much of which reflects his interest in music, was published in Harper's Bazaar, Good Housekeeping and This Week. "Appoggiatura"M a musical term -draws sustained comparisons between a woman's movements and hodiso aai I sounds of water . and w:~ It is a towering poem full of surreal image)~ mysticism low. Ultimately the woman seems to become a mermaid. He hearJ the "indistinguishable sound of water si l enceJ' and then the woman disappear~: "Sea-Woman- slim-fingerell-water-thing II ( This theme of having lost something or someone pervades Hayes s r oetry . And while he never mentions Africa or the lost / lack purity lamented by other f naissance poets, it is possible that he h a ~ _______________ ...._ - -- - - !~!'!:t me. "Benediction" ~ ~ �is for the departed rather than a prayer to end a religious service. pursues Horne's theme of life's briefness. the poet's "kiss was sweet." for time before death. "Poet" A eulogy, the poem notes that "Prescience" depicts the poet trying to stall His concern is not for his own physical and emotional well-being, but for the "you" addressed in the poem. The speaker cannot bear the thought of his loved one being alone after his death. "Have~" death haunts all of Hayes and conventional forms. 'Jranthologized poetry. Except for He writes in free f verse "Poet" and "Prescience" make the most of careful meter and rhyming couplets. Another poet, Jonathan Henderson ~rooks, writes with allegorical el~ His work is deeply religiousJ ~ :t , s not a canned religiousness • .......__,,. "'''' ' He takes Christian symbolism and makes i t work for the / lack cause. I & quence. Ll. Al SO , neA~quates f lack suffering to the sufferings of Christ. And like Phillis Wheatley, he ensconces his deep and t r oubled feelings in religious fervor. " The Resurrection" is a poetic narrativeMlemploying dialo ~ racial concerns can only be inferred. doubt as to its intent. and my disgrace' ""'- But "My Angel" leaves little Freighted with both hope and doubt, with "Despair the poem depicts "my angel" attempting to lift the burden from the shoulders of j iack Americans. But the angel, who struggled "All night," is unable to lift The heaviest load since Lucifer •• • • Carefully and startlingly, Brooks weaves in the relatively new lack poetic o.P theme of indifference toward• (and distrust of) Christianit v the angel intervenesj••••••t _________.. but after the all~ he wearily flies off (t) "To angels' resting placeJ 3tJtf necessity" ) �/ hus leaving the narrator with his despair and disgrace. poem, one 1.m- ~ It is a chilling cF !1 blatantly carries a doubt more subdued in otherl\!3rooks-S)pieces. Alternating between iambic tetrameter a n d ~ trimeter, and using six-lin~ stanzas, he presents an exciting technical achievement with an ab c b db rhyme scheme. Brooks was born in Mississippi, on a farm "twelve miles southwest of Lexington." After his parents separated, he stayed with his mother until ,~~ ~ saved. ---,te went to Jackson College for four months on money his mother At Jackson he won a prize for a short story and later completed ~f.~!:1:dJ1!!ttssour · high ~c; : - : ; at {1."1it1 dot"J. 4Mduafisfridy1.t ~, Cl,t,, ' at Tougaloo, Mississipp~f\Though religion is the o He then l) 4 ~7.,~~ .. , standing influence on his poetry, he is nevertheless unconventional in his use of i S and his poetry is always wellt crafted. His over riding achievement appears to be "She Said) •.• " a poem dedicated to the memory of the first J lack soldier from Alcorn County, Mississippi, to be "killed in action in the invasion of Normandy." Again using Christian symbolism and terms, he imagines the response of the soldier's mother) who wonders if her son screamed when he was shot, if "unhurrying Death" was called, and if he died in sunshine, rain, or night. The mo~her finally equates herself to "Mary of Galilee" and notes that the two women must have felt the same emotion. This is an irresistible idea and theme inJ iack poetry. The searching~,skillful contemporary poet Raymond Patterson presented a similar situation in his elegy on the death of Mrs. Martin Luther King, Sr. Cot'\ c.-et-ri ' 0 f! ("All Things Abide," Black World, September 1974). Patterson echoes A-lheatley, a..mon u.s-- Du~ois,/ McKay, Hughes, Cullen and Dunbar when he as s whol~......~. .•aa.a._ ~ - t ----=--- "e..tl-{ ~ can ~ ay how Jesus' mothe1 ~ '-f'-' / MJ esus, , crucified? _ �The question mark aids in calling up all the gore and grief and passion and terror that engulf and interlace lack existence as it is infused by Christianity, Africanisms and the An) eican experience of slavery. there again. hauntingl Was Jesus really crucified? yet immediatet requiem by ~ anticipating 4iia Skepticism and cynicism are In his poem, Brooks achieves a ing the soldier's death to the cosmosM Dodson's "Lament"r/4-and relating placet names of importance. He establishes other associations: ~the stars and stripes (of the flag) are connected to the "sun's shining," the sunlight and moonglow are associated with the "stars forever," bullet and death and days and hours and sunshine and night and rain and battleground~-all set the stage for Mary and the "Garden" -Hie.. ~ns oi nd the su LastlJl\the narration • fho.t · d C,.rf, OCCVr 1'n -#, € frl tn Helene Johnson's small output should be collected and published in boot ormJ m,nor because she is an importantt.eoet. Born in Boston, where she attended local public schools and Boston U n i v e r s i t y , ~ $~rrived in New York in 1926 to do additional study at the Extension Division of Columbia University and to become one of the important "younger" figures of the ~ / enaissance. Her poems were published in Opportunity, Vanity Fair and several other periodi-lcals and anthologies. and language. Her poetry is terse, emphatic and diverse in form, style She is at home with the sonnet, free verse, conventional rhyme t:[;, pieces, with what James Weldon Johnson calls "colloquial style- a style ------M which numberless poets of this new ag ~ ij910 193~ have assumed to be easy." &t' ornJ.lf.t\T~a - ( (Johnson sounds as if he is~d Jtf g ts some of the poets of the current "new· -=+- f ag)_:' 1960..!. , . ) . she / And Johnson is right about Helene Johnson when he says aware that a poem written in dialect, colloquial or street language �"demands as much work and workmanship as a well-wrought sonnet." Helene Johnson's dominant themes are cultural reclamation (the African heritage), the ludicrous (sometimes peacockish) dress and mannerisms of J1-ack men, J'lack beauty and love. Almost always she expresses longing, either for personal love or a return to pre{ slavery Africa. In "Summer Matures," "Fu1ffment" and "Magalu" she invites lovers both literally and metaphorically. "Magaltiv) like "Sonnet to a Negro in Harlem," "The Road," "Poem " and "Bottled," suggests that the )fl.ack American is better than he thinks he is~ that exam~ nation of his African past and his innate rhythmic richness will allow him to maintain both his past glory and his present sanity. The hint that whites -, are crass, immobile and inhibited ( _,a theme recurring in writing) also creeps through these poems. lack thought and "Magalu" is told to ignore the teachings of the man in a "white collar" who carries a rble. Poetry, or ~iv) ~ ancestral and cultural worship, is better than Christianity, the poet says. Here, of course, she advances an answer to the riddle of 5iYRilM2 Cullen, who appears to have wanted to "dance" but could not throw off the cloak of Western education, sentimentality and respectability. Helene Johnson asks Magalu: Would you sell the colors of your sunset 0 and the fragrance Of your flowers, and the passionate wonder [J of your forest For a creed that will not let you dance? Continuing this theme in "Sonnet to )('Negro in Harlem" (and recalling McKay's "Harlem Dancer" as wel 1 Harlem ~as 20 d~.';l~~oem~· ~ h e depicts the dimJ-ed r.. P-...otn~e ~ being psychologically and religiousl:r~ ut I �environment in which he or she lives. Somehow, thj l 'lack American has remained untainted by crass, Western ways and inflexible thought. All this is embodied symbolically in the Harlem Black,e who, in his dtvine hart barism, stylistic richness and refusal to imitate those "whom you despise," is "too splendid for this city street." Helene Johnson seems to direct her poetry at Cullen and others who are unaije to E.:Jh--~1:cmsulew ~ the clash of - "pagan urge." "Christian" training and ,.._ is the answer an e : one. '1urt.. M • tbw For despite all th~naissance proposals calling ~ \ Q:J for spiritual or physical return to the essences of the African self, the writers had no concrete suggestionjto offer. Except for nf ois, Garvey and a few others, they simply explored romantic declarations and yearnings. ~~ This mood is evident also in Helene Johnson's "PoemJ' where the "Slim, dark, big-eyed" boy becomes a prince like the "monarch" laborer in Fenton a "Rulers." Yet there is important immediate social commentary in "Bottled," which ridicules a ~uperfly-type character of the ....... 1920# s. s Her "Negro dressed fit to· kill" refusel to dance the Charleston or the Black Bottom since he is too "dignified." Instead of a cane, she says, he should be "carrying a spear with a sharp fine point." spear should be dipped in poison. The tip of the And the rest, of course, is obvious. Finally, the poem laments the apparent internal turmoil of a / lack man who is "all glass" ("plastic" in today's language). J "Bottled" is typical of much of the thematic focus of / lack writing in all ~----~ of the period. --- ante anticipated the continuing satire that would be found in the writings of Frank Marshall Davis, George Sc1Jler, Hughes, and others. A young cont temporary woman poet, Barbara McHone (Black World, August~ l974) assesses a character similar to Helene Johnson's in "A Sea of Brown Boys."- o/' e �~'1 ~- (A.~>JV'r\ the boys for wearing high~heel shoes, purses, and /\ patterning their lives after Shaft, Superfly and Sweetback. After stating -ll•IIN!PPl!.,...l•ieMl■ la1~11~•1\.chides the urgent needs of the times and implying that/ lack masculinity is being undermined, she asks: J. where did our love go? Helene Johnson seems to make her most cogent statement, however, in "The Roar ~ N' 1 1v,,/l WRQ~e,- ✓, she links into a theme longTassociated with , lack struggle: ~"Keep on moving." fight. "The Road" encourages Blacks to see their beauty as well as their ,, ,, J t'<"(',. "Trodden beautyf " is still "trodden pride." Reminisc t off\ Johnson's "Lift Every Voice and Sing" and Fenton Johnson's "Children of the Sun," she adl vises her people to f Rise to one brimming golden, spilling .C cry! -HPerhaps not coincidentally, Helene Johnson's work is similar, in language and wtLLi41Y1 ALL(n /./ill theme, to the poetry of Waring Cune~ who (along with Hughe8Jfnci Edward Silvera) belongs to the group sometimes called the Lincoln University poets.3 born Ge Cuney was ca. haU ofAtwin!_ in Washington, D.C ~ where he attended public schools andJ -:l.a.te.r studied music after Howard and Lincoln Universities , at the Boston servatory of Music and in Rome. Coi The twins had similar interests: ..... Waring's being singing and his brother's the piano. After his poem "No Images" won an Opportunity prize, James Weldon Johnson stated that Cuney's work held "exceptional promise." Howeve~ Cuney never became a prolific writer of literary poetry. Instead he divided his time between writing lyrics for songs and his other numerous chores. His protest lyrics were set to music and sung by Josh White on the album Southern Exposure. r f ~ - -- - And his poetry was not published in book form until 196 when the \ 3 / See Four Lincoln University Poets (Hughes, 1931) and Lincoln University ~ (Cuney, Hughes, and Bruce McM. Wright, 1954). Hughes called Lincoln University (Pennsylvania) "a place of beauty and the ideal college for a poet." His assessment seems to have been correct. Raymond Patterson, Larry Neal and - �ibliophile ~ociety in the Netherlands brought out Puzzles. r s _ _,1 ~ free -rverse and maintains "great economy of phrase." He usually writes in His poetry surveys the whole of the human experienc~ but most of it carries either a racial or a folksy note. There is also cynicism and skepticism of the sort found in Fenton Johnson, McKay, Heavily influenced by Hughes, Cuney's early work depicts frank Cullen and H~e. pictures of.Jiack and general life and often uses ~ a major vehicle. _,:,tuA plain, direct folk speech as 0,. / This trend is seen 1~ poems-Hke "Hard Times Blues, 11 "Crucif fixion," "Troubled Jesus," and "Burial of the Young Love." Though his poems were published in several magazines and antholo gies of the era, his "No Images" l.which won the Opportunitz prize ties in with a general poetic theme of if~e~ aissance: that pack beauty and creativity are too good to flourish in the decadence of Western civilization. The/ lack woman in Cuney's poem is similar to the Harlem Negro of Helene Johnson's poem, the dancer of McKay's "Harlem Dancer," the ravished and tormented narrator in Cullen's "Heritage," and the split personality in Toorner's "Kabnis" (Cane) ..!.. they all seek to be whole in a world that denies and caricat -- M (y tures their humanity. J: Cuney's woman figure . . . thinks her brown body Has no glory. But if she had an opportunity to dance as her natural selft "nakedJ" perhaps* in her natural habitatf'J Africa/4-where her "image' would be reflected by the riv~ then she would "know" how beautiful she is. ..,,_..,.~~-- - But civilization corrodes the idea of trees and naturalness and, consequently, deprives Blacks of their own beauty and their healthy s e lf-image: (f) And dishwater gives back no images. Dishwater is a kind of deathJ -a spiritual and moral death-~for Cuney whose work M M J Gil Scott-Heron are only three of the nejer poetic talents nurtured at Lincoln. 1oLse>(} CA'--5o 4"ffe,1ded lt ntoln, �~ - -- - - shows him to be preoccupied with death. Several of his poems ("Threnody," "The Death Bed," "Crucifixion," "Burial of the Young," "Finis" and "Dust") react to, anticipate or contemplate death. For Cuney, who seems to place a strong trust in the folkways, there is an irony in the fact that the God who protects the oppressors is also expected to protect the oppressed. cism makes it~ meet' dramatic ~.C?P.~~ This particular brand of/ lack cyni} wi h Dunbar and remains a dominant theme in pack poetry up until this very day. ."El '6 In "The Death Bed" the dying man sends all the praying "kin-folk" away from his bed. The praying ones, of course, think strange and continue praying against his will in a room acf ross the hall. "e,_;------.:----. ailing in an attempt to sing a final song, the dying man la'f>ses ....,.. and, knowing (1'I is i~nent, wonders . I! What it was they cou d be saying. talks about drought, hunger, de pression and general bad times in the South. The refrain contains this paradoxical plea-assertion: Great-God-Arnighty f) Folks feeling bad, Lost all they ever had. The indirect association of God with the misery)coupled with an oblique prayer for help is different indeedi though its antecedents can clearly be seen in the 1 coded;s'p irituals, blues, jokes , and oral epics of t he folk. A similar paradox and irony is contained in "My Lord, What a Morning" S ~he speaker is ecstatic ) over "black" Jack Johnson's defeat of "white" Jim Jeffries. Admitting to the "Lord" that "Fighting is wrong," the speaker nevertheless exclaims: But what an uppercut. Making God a colloquial personMp ack, that isp in several of his poems, Cuney - - - - - �kt- µ recalls Johnson's feat in ,God's Trombpn~~ ,uhaPe God is likened to a "mammy." 1 Another important later achievement of Cuney's is "Charles Parker, 1925 11955." The legendary jazz musician is given credit for reshaping the blues idiom in music/4and hence revitalizing the..Jlack aesthetic. The poem is made up of lines 1" of one~three words and includes phonetic renderings of saxophone sounds. And throughout the piece, the reader is advised to "listen." ~ Lewis Alexander apparently also wants us to "listen" to his "Enchantment/ ' which embodies, again, the theme of the exotic and beautiful African. the "body smiling with black beauty" is wearing "African moonlight." divides his poem into two sections: the "Medicine Dance." \,,. This time Alexander "Part I" which is "Night" and "Part II" J - - - -1 , Part one gives the setting, moonlight in Africa, juice gushing from over ripe fruit, palm trees, silence. In ! art ~ llAthe medicine dancer is placed in relief against the "grotesque hyena-faced monster" who (seeming to represent whites) is driven back into the "wilderness" by his own fear and the spell cast on him by the medicine dancer. The poem is in free verse and features several exclamation marks and single-word lines. Typographically, the poem works wel.7 with its depiction of dancing, mystery, suspense, fright and anticipation. There is a quickening here, a stalking there, finally a resolutio~ and the black body now dances with "delight" as lf..· erf Alexander Terror reigns like a net crowned queen. was born in Washington, D.C., edu;ated in public schoolsi including the celebrated Dunbar High, and •:.:.:.::!SI Howard University. His interests somewhat paralleled those of Cuney and Donald Jeffrey. Haye, and he acted in the Ethiopian Art Theatre Company; for a while he was a member of the Playwriters' Circle and the Ir !IOI'. of the Aldridge Players. I\ =- Many of the major themes and experimental techniques ~~~ naissance can be found in Alexander's poetry) .Jhamination of the Black ---r . 3il �anatomy to nature. Hughes says the faces, eyes and souls of "my people" are beautifu~ like the night, stars and sun. that the heav6 Alexander finds, on the other hand, anging sky, the curved scars of the moon, the twinkl,~f stars and the trembling earth all parallel the ?I; brow, tears flowing 4ilam C'an aging hurtt:~~ ~H)w~,,. tears A For Hughe "' '-l • 111 • ~ burdensome hair, wrinkled {eY~ ci?l.9.uiv,.~ , and cupping nature is a partner to / lack beauty; for Alexande~ it is a companion to agony, suffering and historical pain. possibilities of color and shade symbolism. when night falls black." Alexander also probes the "Dream Song" advises one to "dream In "Nocturne Varial" shadow (Blacks) becomes light (beautiful, aware) and the deeper thej iackness gets (spreads its influence) the more changes (the greater the impact) will occur among whites. In the deepest core of the night, "Each note is a star" but the light emitted from that dar~ ness is not blinding. Then, after this searching contrast and overlay of what painters call chiaroscuro, we are told ~ti'ra't:"!'I came as a shadow, To dazzle your night. The idea of transfiguration and change weighs heavily upon Alexander's poetry. Significant changes occur in "Negro Woman," "Enchantment," "Nocturne Varial" and "Transformation." After having arrived as a "shadow" in "Nocturne Varial" the poet (or the persona "I") decides to "return" a bitterness that has gone through the wash of tears. through the years." The bitterness becomes "loveliness" has been ~ rnished Announcing that the bitterness has been worn from the taste of the past, Alexander implies here, as he does in other poems, that he is a forgiving person. Indeed he may be saying that Blacks will hold no hatred (for whites) or desire for retribution. Alexander's poetry is concise and neat, mostly - - - - - - -- - - - - -- - - - -- - --- �in free vers nd conventional language. Neat also is the only anthologized poem by Lucy Ariel Williams Holloway. Found in Caroling Dusk (Cullen), The Poetry of The Negro (Hughes and Bontemps) and Johnson's The Book of American Negro Poetry, "Northboun'" garnered the coveted Opportunity poetry prize in 1926. We mention it because it shows great talent and feel in the employment of_;n.ack southern speech and it embodies not only ~~/~but historical concerns of Blacks. The world is neither flat nor round, the poet tells us: H'it's one long strip / Hangin' up an' downJ - M and there's only "Souf an' Norf." The foregoing is part of the chorus in this song-poem which comically predicts how people "all 'ud fall" if the world "wuz jes' a ball." challenges ~ ~ __.., ! hose who brag about the city seen by Saint John, Lucy Holloway to see Saginaw. Opportunities for Blacks are good in Saginaw (heaven~ and pretty women are plentiful. The poem restates the belief (developed during slavery and abolition efforts) that the North is heaven compared to the South ·(hell). Lucy Holloway emotionally chronicles the feelings, anticipations and oral narratives connected with "moving north." ',\tl~ Such a preoccupation can be seen throughout the literature of the period, in the stories, the poems, the plays, the novels, the articles and the songs. ughes, Ellison, Baldwin, C aude Since Norf is up, An' Souf is down, An' Hebben is up, I'm upward boun'. ----./4h.l.3 ; "-tells us what we ~uo,nc-e Finally, v. nd St mp refute: �Lucy Holloway's poem is interesting for another reason: '-'coming, as it did, at th/ 4 1 ~ thrust of thef naissance, it represented a throwback to the dialect and min ~ strel traditions •-.-t-'7'~ most of the New Negro writers were trying to break. And , ~ ,t)J Lwr ,, ~ although/\Johnson ~ and fl ughes worked in dialect, their m~or efforts were decidedly different from those of the Dunbar school. Reading ~Holloway's poem, however, one is immediately reminded of Dunbar, Campbell, Carrothers and ~ D 1JI Hill Davis. YetJ a final reason for using the example of Lucy Holloway is to lead into at least a partial listing of the poets who published in magazines, regional ..., anthologies and newspapers during the Harlem Renaissance and afterward • • among the dozens of lesser and unknown poet~we mention the following: From Gladys May Casely Hayford (born in West Africa), Allison Davis, Esther Popel Shaw, 1 1f' J. Mason B r e w e r ~ ' ( M~_,, .,. { enneth W. Porter, Harvey M. Williamson, Eleanor Graham Nichols, Corrinne E. Lewis, Mary Effie 1 ~~ , Edward Garnett Riley, Albert Rice (a member of Georgia Douglas Johnson's writin workshop), Carrie W. Clifford (The Widening Light, 1922), Marcus B. Christian, Winston Allen, Mae V. Cowdery, Tilford Jones, Adeline Carter Watson, Will Sexton and Edward Silvera. Some of these occasional and newspaper poets made temporary "splashes" and moved on. Mae V. Cowdery won a Crisis poetry prize in 1927 and published a volume of her poetry in the thirties. and Silvera are the most important. Of this group of poets, however, Christian Christian (1900~ ) was born in Houma, Louisiana, an{~rimarily self-educated. For a whil 7 he served as supervisor of the Dillard University Negro History Unit of the Federal Writers' Project. later rOeived a Julius Rosenwald Fellowship to complete begun on the project before V - af He historical study going to work in the Dillard Library. His poems �appeared in various anthologies and magazines. And his available work has both general and racial flavor and shows him to be a skilled wordf handler. Craftsman" is about artistic excellence. The artist~ presumably the poetf must work with "consummate care" and be "free of flaws." above everything else. ever. "The This is so because art is The poet knows that if he writes well, he "lives" for{ I I Christian employs a form-;\the sonnet/V\that is consistent with his high calling. Another sonnet, "McDonogh Day in New Orleans," is a celebration of the beauty of Jiackness. Detailing the difficulty a poor ,ilack girl has in trying to get the kind of clothes she needs, Christian finally has her attired "Like some dark princess" wearing "blue larkspur" coupled with "yellow marigold." True, she looks good going to schoo l, But few would knowt or even guess this fact: How dear comes beauty when a skin is black. lived a productive, if tragically short, life. He was born in Jacksonville, Florida, attended local public schools an~duated from Orange High; he then went to Lincoln University in Pennsylvania where he participated 1 in sports and wrote poetry, some of which was included in Four Lincoln Poet • His poetry also appeared in magazines and anthologies. i s quie t and spari,ei reminiscent of Cuney, his friend introspective poets of the period. Much of Silvera's poetry Horne, and many of the But his work does carry the prevailing themes M~ t :aissance poetry. "Jungle Taste," for example, celebrates the_ Africa of oldM I\ ;:.. ~ .-,lem1 ,. ' Africa before the appearance of the "civilization" Fenton Johnso~n_, The "Coarseness" in the "songs of black men" does not sound "strange" to Silvera. Neither does the "beauty" in the "faces of black women" seem unusual. men alone can "see" this "dark hidden beauty." Yet lack In "Forgotten Dreams" only a "heap" of entangled thread now lies where once a beautiful dream had been spun. Here, �Silvera seems to be lamenting the loss of something -maybe viewing his approaching death. Likewise, in another poem, "On the Death of "spun" image . Child," he again uses the The child comes without a "voice" to announce its arrival. lark sings, but "shadows" have already "foretold" that death is near. had been "spun" and the end comes. Hughes and Bontemps anthologies. The The "shroud" Silvera's and Christian's works appear in the Silvera's poetry also appears in Kerlin ' s Negro Poets and Their Poems. The dominant themes in poetry of the Harlem Renaissancel -cultural reclamation, M stylistic experimentation, romantic engagement with Africa, a presentation of the rawness of p ack life/\1\ can also be found in the fiction, drama, painting, music, criticism, and Efles ~lett§ , of the period. is Locke's The New Negro. Bu t we 1 The best documentation of these items € ) ·sb t t o rnont i a~ S ome of the major names in • prose (fiction and non-fiction) •~ --• ••½;::::::----••l~1 also wrote poet rJ: ~Jean Toomer, Eric Walrond, Jessie Redmond Fauset, Rudolph Fisher, Nella Larson, Zora Neale Hurston, McKay, Hughes, Cullen, Walter White,~) D~ ois, Charles S. Johns on, Carter G. Woodson, Bruce Nugent, John Matheus, Cecil Blue, Montgomery Gregory, Arthur Huff Fauset, James Weldon Johnson, E. Franklin Frazier and Arthur A. Schomburg . ~ n-:u C Renaissance Fallout: N~gritude Poets and Pan-African Writing Claude McKay's influence, as a novelist (Banjo), on leaders of African nationalism has already been noted. But McKay's impact was not the first of its kind, nor the last. and During the centuries, Africans in the Western Hemisphere had exchanged ideas and made pacts with each other and with their fellows of color in Africa. In Chapter III we noted this pervasive influence as seen in documents, the establishment of African societies and the African Methodist Episcopal �Church, the founding of Liberia, and the daring and courageous example of the West African Cinque. of West Indian, We also noted the arrival in the United States of a number ------ ~ t.r1 . and ~ unabated up until this very day. Russwurm, He:5 American Blacks/y\a flow that has remained We call innnediately to mind such names as .!illlll Garvey, McKay, and Stokely Carmichael. The poet John Boyd, dis cussed in Chapter III, was a Bahamian. '::l It was during the 1920~, however, that the Pan-African flavor was most dramatically and thoroughly demonstrated. H- Garvey's Universal Negro Improvement Association~which claimed thousands of followers and members, was in full swing by the time of the 111 ,n ~ - naissance. - D,.fuois was the driving force behind four T Pan-African,Jfongresse~ whi~h met successively between 1919 and 1927 (in Paris, London and New York). And the predominant themes infenaissance literature were ~ reclamation of the African heritage and celebration of the beauties and talents of African peoples. Consistent with our study, however, is a consideration of one of the most I ,fl'"{ttt, Svd, Q.-tA,Jic:t.S important from the Harlem t'enaissance: ~ the Negritude school ot"f ~, _ ____, --------- - - -,.. , Paris, Dakar and Algiers. As natives of French=Cf<oms•' young / lack students and intellectuals were trained in I French schools and 'l 4"-""""1-i.. dual citizenship • • (This practice represents a throwback ,.,/ to the Creole poets, many of whom were educated in France.) the Negritude poets' activities here. '/ of Martinique, Leon Damas (191 (1906 ) of Senegal. But we only summarize Chief among them a r e ~ clsaire (1913 ) ) of French Guiana, and Llopold sldar Senghor " More information, including examples of Negritude poetry, an be found in Jean-Paul Sar~'s "Orph:e Neir" ("Black Orpheus"} which prefaced Le'opold sldar Senghor's anthology of ; ifca_n and West ,Yldian poetsi l,i1 nowell ,ie ,U'l,jlr$ et Anthologie de !!'algach' ~~~ t!;ii.llljil~~ (P~ris, 1948) • Although .__/ �the important preface has appeared in various hard-to-get translations, it appeared in book form for the first time in C·f •f · Bigsby's The Black American Writer, Volume II: Poetry and Drama (1971). For further study see the works '--" of Fra1 Fanon, writings of Senghor (see also, 1/opold se'dar Senghor and the Politics of Negritude, Irving L. Markovitz, 1969), and the numerous anthologies Ml\r>I e CoLL ,"5,, of African poetry by Langston Hughes , ,\Keorapetse Kgositsile, Wilfred Cartey, Rainer Schulte and Quincy Troupe, and Mercer Cook and Stephen Henderson's The Militant Black Writer in Africa and the United States (1969) _111'/t)J .f.1.,t Is m 1if'e.xl,11ustr11e • N~gritude has been eloquently and illustratively defined by S~re, Senghor, Cook, Paul Vesey (Samuel Allen) and others. The term (roughly corresponding to ;aiack American)l'oul) refers to the mystique o~ ackness -W'tl½>ett actions, creativity and general life style of some Africans. pervades the thought, Senghor calls it a philosophy of humanism; Vesey finds elements of it in the Afro-American church and in the works of artists such as Baldwin ~ fib Haiti to Cayenne, there is a single ide~ ~, is evangelic, it announces good news: \ Ellison; Sartre notes: ~h~ "From eveal the black soul. Blackness has been rediscovEed : ." I/, ' first creative work to emerge from this French-speaking sector o~ / Black poetry fluence was Le~ n Damas ~ rPigments {1937). The nai ssance Like t h e ~ works that followed, Pigments extolled/ lack beauty and lamented / lack suffering . The influence of ~ Hughes is more evident in Damas than in other I )(~gritude poets. Damas \ freely admits in conversation that he (and his compatriots) owes much to Hughey who offered prizes to African writers and helped expos e African literature to the world. Pigments heralded the arrival of ,J(~gritude. Its style, reminiscent of Hughes, is "sharp, slangy, tense and fast-moving" and was revolutionary to French poetry when it appeared. / Cesaire published Cahier d'un retour au pays natal (Return to My Native Land) in 1938. Senghor has published Chants d'ombres (S06 ) �of Shadows, 1949), Hosties Noires (Black Victims, 1948), Chants pour Naett (Songs / fo, NaGt~, 1949), Ethiopiques (1959) and Nocturnes (1961). Both c: saire an? -+M ,J Senghor have been heavily influenced by jazz, blues an Apoetry of" ,-.-,, 11 \\ i Qrio.'$t;a.t1 Eirt ·y \ \ C~ ~ ~ posed to these forms in the salons of Madi moiselle Nardal between 1929 and 1934, they found Afro-American expression liberating and "fertilizing." ~ r an a fforded them similar exposure after 1935.) (The salons of Also contributing to this convergence were the efforts of Mercer Cook; who, as statesman and scholar, played an important par t in bringing the works of/ lack Americans to their African and Caribbean contemporaries.fsenghor's great poem about New York has immediate ties to both t h ~ naissance and the impact of Harlem on him. As in many of his poems, Senghor de ignates the instrument(s) to accompany the piece. he chooses "Jaz·z Orchestra: solo trumpet." For "New York" New York's beauty at first "confused" Senghor, but after a couple of weeks in that city one grows accustomed to buying "artificial hearts ." He is ecstatic about ([;' Harlem Harlem! I have seen Harlem Harlem! ••• Senghor writes of the African landscape, warriors, love and his admiration for ) 'lack women. As president of Senegal, he presided over the First World Fest i val of Negro Aj.ts, held in Dakar in 1966.,Damas deals with problems of color and class in his poetry and def ines i~gritu~ freef verse. - in a series of rolling, vigorous stanzas in ✓ ;- His ot her collections of poems include Poemes ne gres sur des airs africains (1948), Graffiti (1952), Black-Label (1956) and Nevralgies (1965?). Like other ~Efgritude poets, Damas read the poetry of ~ tiualteJles~cJ,- ll[ r:J N ..t14i)tsaat _ k (critics seem to a gree, however, that the Africans and Caribbean poets surpassed their American brothers and sisters) Damas ~(cynicism and irony can be detected in the following titles: "Almost White ." "Enough," "s.o.s.," "Position," "Good Breeding," and Damas satirizes the J lack middlet class and the / lack habit of .rr" �straightening hair and using bleaching creams/similar themes can be found in ~/ the poetry of Cesair7 who also employs free verse and makes great use of irony. ~ ,. Return to My Native Land catalogs all the scientific things that Blacks have not -th e. l"lu\l. invented, but later gives them credit for being the backbone ofAbumaTI;\eriat e-... rJ..,Cv Cesaire has served as mayor of Fort de France and a deputy to the French National /\ Assembly, representing the independent revolutionary party of Martinique. He quit the French Communist Par ty in the 1950~ and has since been active in African '-- nationalism. His other collections of poetry are Les Armes miraculeuses (1946), Solejl e⇒ (1948), Corps perdu (1950) and Ferrements (1960). c / saire~ mas and Senghor have also written drama (mostly about } lack historical figures) and essays on )(egritude and Pan-African liberation. Washi ngton , D .C ✓ where he teaches literature at Howard University and Federal City College . / ~he /~gri t udy I in Norma Damas is currently living in K) ovement i n poetry ~ best recorded in / I / Shapiro's Ne r i tude: ~Black Poetr s4re'j articles and from Africa and he Caribbean (197 0)~ encompassed ~everal other important / lack areas and figures: Ernest Alima (Cameroon), J oseph Miezan Bognini and Bernard Dadi¥ (Ivory Coast), Jean-Fernand I/ Br ier re and Re11e Depes tre (Haiti), Si riman Cissoko (Mali), Dav i d Diop) (Senegal . a great poe J killed in an airp l ane crash in 1956 t Jocelyne Etienne and Guy Tirolien ~ (Guadeloupe), Camar a Laye (Gui nea) ad Emile-D~sirJ O ogoudou l (Dahomey ), to name jus t a few . In other J ha.ck French- spe aking t errito rie s, t h e }.(~gri tude , · concept took ho l d unde r diffe r ent hames. In Haiti i t was calle d Indigenism~ </I' The_ Harlem Renai ssanc e and the s ubsequent concept of7-egritud~ influenced t hese poets in various ways and t o greater· or ~ fi~ i,-.uem,, ~ . njJt' and .q, emotio UW\ ·IIPt..'f? ~ Afro-Ame ican" than and thinkers of po 1 i· t i c __-::r,rw. n ___. s tyles a nd tech ees. But t he influence i s there. 7 This interchange among writers the;/i-ack world has~••ill~~~_j ts current rich and i mportant tide (more on thi s in Chapter VI). ,,.~,ft oets b ear greater resembl ance t ~ ;,t1;hl6r.. 1 �✓ ~r L~ (!;/ l THE EXTENDED RE~AISSANCE: ,3Qls, ~ ,40:,J,S, ~ ,sols ~ c;::-- Some critics ~ h e Harlem Renaissance ~as simply the peak of f near i;kJ and consciousness-raising . And, as observed earlier, there is also divergent opinion over whether an actual 7enaissanc~ occurred. But, arguments aside, the stock ., a ket crash of 1929 is PeNN (U"ff\e Ha J generally~ i as the official end of theNesignate~Renaissance t-r\since white 11La.clc. patronage ended and th~writers had not developed followings among the grass roots. Important here also are positions t aken by two £ 5t ot-wkont critics Kw~ k-entntJ.. of the er~f~ Sterling Brown and J. Saunders Redding/ )f!othAfeel th~~m,a6i,er 7 ~ ~ was primarily a fad; Brown C . d/\.4::e- Harlem~ a "show-window" and Redding claimed the writers mistook Harlem for real..)'lack life: First of all, Negro writers, both poets and novelists, centered their attentions so exclusively upon life in the great urban c ent ers that the city, especially Harlem, became an obsession with them. Now Harlem life is far from typical of Negro life; indeed, life there is lived on a t heatr ical plane that is as far from true of Ne gro life elsewhere as life in t he Latin Quarter is from the truth of life in Picardy. The Negro writers' mistake lay in the assumption that what they saw was Negro life, when in reality it was just Harlem life . (To Make ,;{Poet Black) 1 }I 'V 1 By way of parallel, it is instructive to note that a leading contemporary / iack critic, Addison Gayle, Jr., accuses / lack write rs of the 1960s and~ of being similarly remiss. In the September 1974 issue of Black World, Gayle discuss~ €) �"The Black Aesthetic: ~10 Years Later" and for "Reclaiming the Southern Experience." a"tempf Iii ;I$ P new; (lack literature is rooted in the South sho recent~ lack writing than he should be. to lay out a blmifJrint claim tha t hardly any of the him to be less familiar with (See, for example, the works of Dumas, Alice Walker, Pinkie Lane, Arthenia Bates, Alvin Aubert, and others.) But, generally , his thesis, derived from John Oliver Killens' ~ statementj, "We are a ~ outhern peoplel;' is solid and :"ell taken. Gayle's and Redding, s comments ought to be measured against Donald Gibson , s vie.J/of the \INew''/Poe try as an\''urban'' fn roduc The works of .,.Zlack poets in the three decades following the 1920s vu .,bc,.,..V\(H.~'-1 e.~ ~o,..:, .C\. ...lC,~ - -,.;..C.ros-s~~e~m,! cP technical by ,~ and thematic a. k The Great Depression was felt world-wide•p111M•2~2®naaB lacks and rich. . whites, poor The droughts , referred to in Cuney's "Hard Time Blues," the ravages ~tia.•■J?~~:nionization, J5t f@ i of the/ oll_jeevil, the plight of the sharecroppers, the workers'p~ and the attraction of the Communist Party (with its c~f o of racial unity and equality) , all inspired and informed Afro-American poetry of t he thirties, forties and fifties . So did lynching, unemployment, )ilack history 8cultural reclamation and protest; but the tendency, in general, was to seek the deliverance of "all men." _,,/.ttl. .1nd thirties: seeking McKay, Hughes and others (in the twenties 32jgg]wJI \ti; @J to~t ~~ i3 / Ji I · riag tft!' eee < ,,,-. err racism1 ____. / ommunism . istJ C (>.. I, Desperately • Afro-American - - ~o.iN~Te.s J artists, intellectuals and writers-.. not only bec~me Communists, but.4i rt baisbs ~ . t egrationists, . . pan- Af ricanists) . . ~ . Drea~._. -... in 2~- - n ~Ssee k ers o f t h e Am erican 7 re,le civ il servants or model citizens. example of Richard Wright Wt:t-eUsW:~lt.E" Gi1:,Cast ~ P \I -o,; W.E , B. Few of the writers, however, followed the acfuo.Llv ~\I~ Dtfoi~ who~oine& the $ arty. -illb w~~ hak:cs against ~ ~ the Depression in the thirties, jj/J//ai/\in the forties, and Korea and McCarthyism in the fifties. Compared to the first three decades of the century, relatively little,11ack \!j{e e h is Mo dern Bla c k Po etsr J ~ "Introducti on 11 ) . • �poetry was published in book form between 1930 and 1960. In a 1935 article in Opportunity Alain Locke lamented the low quality and quantity of postJtenaissanc e poetry. d<ff!.,. With the exception of Hughes and Cullen, most of th~pens were silent during the thirties. Several -;,:n~Woets, however, made their debuts . Frank ) and Sterling A. Brown (1901 ) made m~or i-~,-a(li> ~ ~ ~ . t i , ~wo.·, i ntt\e 4.~ ~ t"o" Jat o.~ ll"ewll wtl> no-1- ~eo.,-dy .. oh-1 "'' " ' ' • aM th n •~H• 1111 t 11eltr.1 · P'!'e1tt•ftik!ep:."1z.li A ~ / \ . Robert Hayden (1913-V), Har~all D~vis (1905t-7 Melvin B. Tolson (1900 1 ~ 66) and Margaret Walker (1915f ) also made first appearances in the thiFtie~ but they sustained roductive careers. r,, Fiction writer Richard Wright (1908J Mf' 60) wa 0,e-1~~~ -±'- poet who joined the '-" thirties group. "transitional," A second wave of poets, Owen Dodson (1914{- appeared in the forties, fifties and early sixties: 1 '"' Dudley Randall (1914N ), Gwendolyn Brooks (1917NL (1915;/ - V ) , Pauli Murray (1910-f w ) ,. Bruce McM. Wright (1918,;;- Long Nadgett (1923-'tv' Lance Jeffers (1919p ) , May Mill ) , James C. Morriss (1920t - I ), Naomi elen Johnson Collins (1918N~ ) , ), Raymond Patterson ) , Oliver Pitcher (1923/r _. nnt""be,..,. ).••••••17fMostj.of this transitional ,J Sarah E. Wright (1929 j ) , Myron ), Gloria C. Oden (19 23N- ), Russell Atkins (19267v- 1§ ) , Ray Durem ~ (1915;;." f.J), M. Carl Holman (1919~ (1929t{ .,,.a a 11 ), ~ argaret Danner ~ Paul Vesey, 1917-I ), Samuel Allen(~ " I O'Higgins (1918-~ • ), ), and 'C/ group did not s et a real hearing until the sixties; j hey will be looked at as a group in Chapte r VI. of DozensA,others published or wrote occasionally. the poets writing in the thirties ll .__ Brown separates o~ ______ ......._,,,,, i nto "new rea~ists;; l'\'l~Ultf and "romantics." \ The ( ord "romantic" seems to be anall gous to "l brarl;\11 l and both are used to speak - - - - -- . - Yj ~V somewhat disparagingly of poets thus categorized. The "realists" and writers of protest included Welborn Victor Jenkins (Trumpet in the New Moon, 1934), Frank Awton9 Marshall Davis and Wri ght. ~ose concerned with "romantic escapes" were -- �Alpheus Butler (Make Way for Happiness, 1932), J. Harvey L. Baxter (That Which Concerneth He, 1934; Sonnets for the Ethiopians and Other Poems, 1936), Eve " ) Lynn (No Al a baster Box, Marion Cuthbert (April Grasses, 1936) a~ ~ t Our Voic~ ae ~owdery The romantics wrote about nature, delicacy / lov~J qu ntnes ':I and their work reflects vI more ..._bookfat learning than anything else. ____.., said that Jenkins' work deserved "an original pl ace in Negro poetry:" but Trumpet 'l in,jlhe New Moon is out of printi and Jenkins' poetry is absent from every anthology of Afro-American poetry. His poetic s ketches of thej lack life encompass praci tically every important facet. Though owing much to Whitman and Sandburg, Jenkins' work is still important enough to be reissued as well as anthologized. Wright, often called the father of the modern,,t1ack novel, was a poet in (l No other American writer ' s personal od4yssey has been so bleak his own right. ~ and difficult.• • • • • •""':. ~ From poverty, orphanhood, educational deprivation and racism, he emerged as one of the most influential and dominant forces in American literature . Not only did a so-called "Wright / chool" of t riters result from his efforts, but countless white writers also imitated1.,Hlli~••· most discussed novel, Native Son (1940), th1 1h u ii ems e Boe1r s f His cs l!Hl.ihl2i it - sunnned up the emotional and psychological history of p ack urban America over the preceding @ t"" years. • l m112:::,1!:tst1:•v .,,.rr;. ~ chr"oT"icle! the hopes (and - "Northboun' " to seek the Promised Land • ---- $ (1:018) ; p&bliShtd rte@ disillusionment s ) of Blacks ..Jiiiifr11211·01thhiat•1•l•-,fl!I! . llitlliJIB!'mlk1111ed:nxl!'!aamcm1111e•••ea9_ !!ll'JII!.■-- As a poet _.~•1111111• Wright deserves more than•passing interest. ) He joined '-" the Communist Party in the thirties and remained a member until 1944 . ~ His poetry, protest coupled with calls f or u n i t y ~ Blacks and whites, was ~ - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - .. - - - - -- �published in various journals and news organs of the period: Literature, New Masses, Anvil, Midland and Left. Much of International ia:::::::: J~~s quoted in Dan McCall's The Example of Richard Wright (1969 ~ and his poems appear in » The Norton Anthology of Hodern Poetry (Ellman and O'Clair), The Negro Caravan, I\ _T_h_e__,P~o~e_t_r~y_o~f=-B_l_a_c_k_Am_e_r_i_c_a, American Negro Poetry and other anthologies.,.) fl ( 81 t ..,.. ~rn near Natchez: Mississippi, and experien, an erratic educatione, and Mciltzv home life/ 'D'ffl~~:., ~ nsarl u a dnn di ffernt 11\~ J b I . JdC SJ HI I I d l1 l I L Y ~Y s-e.#LeJ in :<(k,·c.&.~9·wher-e he.-1"1Ceci w~'Nt ·r · 1 . l\:ederal Writers' Project during the Depression (becoming a friend to Davis, Margaret Walker and others). Ha. ii 1 ll I .• & II I zft 11 g 111j tiPlii - He died in 1960 in Paris where he had settled (at the suggestion of J Gertrude Stein) and joined the Existentialist group of writer, led by Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. His poetry is in free verse and the Japanese haiku form -which he discovered late in his life. His haikus are harmless elliP, 1Fteri tical statements, as haikus~re. -,I,€)/ Aare . rarely racial in flavor. But his protest poetry of the thirties show.{him to be a poet of unmistakable talent and sensitivity. "I Have Seen Black Hands" owes debts to the American school of poetry developed by Whitman, Fento)l Johnson, Masters, Sandburg, Hughes and others. -ft...ct po,ep,,.I In ,;,,..AWright catalo s the services rendered and corresponding disservices received by Blacks. He announces) ~ I am black and I have seen black hands, million., and millions of themk and that these "hands" have reached na·i vely, creatively, harmlessly, softly and with strength, out to each other and to do the white man's bidding. Despite their stamina, vigilance and dependability, these same hands are the last put to �work and the first idled. They held the "dreaded lay-off slip." They suffered from "unemployment and starvation." And they grew nervous and sweaty, and opened and 9 shut in anguish and doubt and hesitation~ Iand irresolution . •.• p Wright continues, as in his prose works, to develop a psychological portrait of the abused and dehumanized Blacks. There is a drive and an incremental swell reminiscent of Margaret Walker's "For My PeopleJ'.," as he recalls having seen "black hands" grip prison bars, knotted and clawf like under the lynch rope, or "beat fearfully at tall flames." ButJ1ack hands and white hands will someday merge as "fists of revolt" and create a new "horizon." 41 ;.at zS5iJens Blacks and whites Here, of course, ~ W r i g h t ~ ~ to become Communists. "Between t he World and Me," however, sustains a different angle of the theme begun in ."I Have Seen Black Hand : " A )flack man has been lured into a wooded area and seduced by a white prostitute; the narrator becomes the l ynched body whose remains are ••• dry bones •.• and a stony skull staring in O yellow surprise at the sun. • •• Making use of awesome, horr~ fying images and clashing, brilliant -~ olors and jhJ#"HJ'fll1d'1 I i IJ sounds, the poem recounts the most insignificant details of the events andJ\ i,J( of the lynching: And the sooty details of the scent rose, thrusting Q themselves between the world and me . . •. There was a design of white bones slumbering 0 forgottenly upon a cushion of ashes. There was a charred stump of sapling pointing a 0 blunt finger accusingly at the. sky. ll'J~ �There were torn tree limbs, tiny veins of burnt .0 leaves, and scorched coil of greasy hemp; And upon the trampled grass were buttons, dead ! matches, butt-ends of cigars and cigarettes, , peanut shells, a drained gin-flask, and a whore's lipstick; Scattered traces of tar, restless arrays of feathers, and the lingering smell of gasoline. The poem continues, as the narrator , who "stumbled suddenly upon the thing," becomes one with the victim. technique. It is a fascinating and highly appropriate poetic Owing much to the psychological school of writing, but indicting t he cosmos (as Dunbar does in "The Haunted Oak"), "Between the World and Me" states that the lynch victim is every Black. And the world (through the recitation of usually passive components of the natural landscape) shares in the guilt, the revulsion and the horror of the act . Before God and the world, the victim .•. clutched childlike, clutched to the hot sides fJ of death. In Black on White (1966 ~ David Littlejohn calls Wright's poem and Robert Hayden's ''Middle Passage" "the two finest poems by Negroes." Sterling Brown's poetry also falls into the category of realism though not I in the political sense ~ .1'111 which it is applied to other writers of the era. Like Cuney , Wright, Davis, Hughes and others, Brown in Southern Road (1932) depicts the harshness and starkness of )flack miser~ but his poetry is "chiefly sov~e.~-, an attempt at folk portraiture of our @I] &~characters." A highly respected critic and scholar of/ lack folk literature, Brown approached his "portraits" as a student of the linguistic and thematic materials with which he worked. He was born and �reared in Washington, D.C. At Williams College, he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa in 1921 and in 1923 received an H.A. from Harvard. Since that time, Brown, the son of educatorf parents, has had a long and distinguished career as writer, editor, teacher, and professor of English at Howard University. He has also taught at New York University, Vassar College and Atlanta University. 193 ~ he was Editor oJ. Negro Affairs From 1926 for the Federal Writers' Project, and in 1939 he was a staff member of the famous Carnegie-Myrdal Study of the Negro. The recipient of numerous awards, Brown is the author of The Negro in American Fiction (1937) and Negro Poetry and Drama (1937). In 1941, he served as senior editor of The Negro Caravan (with Arthur P. Davis and Ulysses P. Lee), probably the most influential and definitive anthology of Afro-American literature ever published. In the twentie 7 ::::Ji of publishing articles, \,\b ~ ••M L - ' ~ ~ Brown began ~~rah.,,. t _ reviews and criticism in various journals, newspapers and periodicals. Perceptive, relentless and seemingly always in focus, Brown performed important surgery on/ lack folk culture and its manifestations in the poetry, music and language. His f indings were published in Negro Poetry and Drama, where he also ,...., concluded t hat the New Negro Movement (1914,7~36) produced the following five "major concerns" among the poets: .Q (l• )'. p, rediscovery of Africa as a source for race pride ; (2 t /use of Ne gro heroes and heroic episodes from American history· J P"ropaganda of protest· / (4 • -k' treatment of the Negro masses (frequently of the folk, less often of the workers) with more understanding and less apology/ • (S t )rnd franker and deeper self~ revelation. Brown's own / poetry revived interest in / lack dialect from a vigorously different l e,. ftJ,,t angle '~ r,Cullen ~1 before~ (Caroling Dusk) and Johnson (The Book of American Negro �Poetry) had for ecast t he doom of dia lect poetry . ) ,, Cullen said it s day was over \\ and Johnson reduced it to two stops: humor and pa t hos. '-" (Int e restingl y , Art hur P. Davis, in From the Dsu:l& Imxey, r epeat• Johnson's pos i tion!) However, Br own ra..nd took the ~ 1 & @r\that dialect has limitless possibilities if poets a nd writers only have the courage and t he ingenuity to work with it. Of the debate and con flict over dialect poetry, he said: Ii ' lnialect, or the speech of the people, is capable of expressing whatever the people are. And the folk Negro is a great deal more than a buffoon or a plaintive minstrel. Poets more intent upon learning the ways of the folk, their speech, and their character, that is to say bett e r poets, could have smashed the 'Pie'/ mold. But first they would have had to believe in what~ere doing. ~ And this was difficult in a period of conciliation and ~class striving for recognition and respectability . Brown himself used his knowledge of f olk culture to interpret the people through poetry . ,._, And he considered t his ap proach "one of the i mportant tasks of Negro poetry." Some observ;..r s see a contradiction in Brown's dazzling academic achiev~ ments and his poetic work in the folk materials. poets could learn much from ~rk But current young scholars a nd example . (_ Wagner (Black Poets of t he United States) points to the irony and humor in Bro4 sking Johnson to write the .!:ntroduction to Southern Road. For, in doing so, Johnson was literally forced to take back much of his own criticism of dialect poetry. Indeed Johnson had to admit to Brown's formidable achievement with the folk forms. Before Southern Road, in The Book of American Negro Poetry, the elder poet and critic acknowledged that Brown was "one of the outstanding poets �of the younger group"; for the '.'best wor1:,'' Brown "dug his raw material from the great raine of Negro folk poetry," thus expressing the folk idiom with "artistry and magnified power." Kerlin (Negro Poets and Their Poems) ranked Southern Road as a first volume with Cullen's Color and Hughe s s lThe Weary Blues. f □ J M Even from ..C. Senegal, Africa, \h._as comifp""raise \ ,-,t;,._Brown in the form of '.fii",j'"?tr Senghor's assertion that Hughes and Brown are "the most Negro" of J lack American poets. There is always the temptation to compare the two poets but, as Wagner suggests, Brown is the "antithesis of Langston Hughe~' since Hughes is the poet of the city and Brown the bard of the @ In his closeness to the soil and his serious studies of / lack folk culture, Brown has been compared to Johnson and Zora Neale Hurston (see Jonah's Gourd Vine and Mules and Men). The folk idiom, coupled with drama and word\ portraits, provides the meat of Brown's work; though it must be mentioned that he also writes in conventional English with marked success. His poetic universe is generally drab ~ with occasional flashes of wry humor. His is the poetry of hard times and suffering. He expresses skepticism in .,face of religion and God; and ironically there is no ~ reference to Africa as is the ease (almost thematically) ~ '11'\ period. most poettl'{of the i+me~,c~,.i Brown seems to be saying the fight is her71 not in an Africa of mind ~ - or fact, and that the f lack man is pitted against forces of naturc. -wmi::s,k alter~ , nately work f or and against him. Writing during the pression years, Brown was concerned with the deadly cholera, the boll weevil, the ravages of the flooding Missouri river, the plight of the sharecropper and tenant farmer, and white racism. It is clear that, for Brown, the hope (if it is there) for the/ lack man lies in his own stamina, his own historical endurance and strengths. " f uses the poet in ~ ½iii@ Consequently \ ~ 1 strengths and defianceSwith folk rhythms/4especially the dramatic narrative and the contrapuntal pattern 331 incorporates italics �for emphasis and the various sounds of men at work, play, prayer, dance or battle. "Strong Men" is perhaps the bes t example of Brown's style. line from Sandburg~ Using a "The strong men keep coming on"f.A.he actually borrows exact phrasings, aphorisms, bits of parables and parts of secular and religious songs from the folk culture. The formal English narrative is set in dramatic and musical relief through the use of the technique described above. Steeped in a µ); tradition that spans Whitman, Fenton Johnson, Hasters and Eliot , Brown catalogs '/I the numerous injustices Blacks have suffered; he interjects "The strong men keep a-comin' on" or "keep a-inchin' along" or "Walk togedder chillen." Even though Blacks were "dragged" from their native land and degraded in every possible way, they kept "Gittin' stronger\y.) (\...,,"t/1. ~ · ~ same messag~in "Strange Legacies, 11 "After ~inter, 11 "Southern Road" (a near paraphrase of a work song), "Ma Rainey," and the six-part sequence "When/e Saints Go Ma ' ching Home ." is what Brown gives his characters. to "stagger" but none to halt! Wha t D~ ois called ~ "dogged streng t h" As Hargaret Walker sug8ests, there is room Reminiscent of "The Weary Blues," "Uhen / e Saints" depicts the "Trouble, Trouble" deep down in the "soul" of a/ lack singer. But that trouble, like the "weariness" of Hughes , is a collective trouble! the weight, the fatigue, the burden of the folk . We hear it everywhere in / lack expression, from Bessie Smith to Mari~ Anderson, from Paul Laurence Dunbar to Paul Robeson, from Fenton Johnson to Harvin Gaye (Trouble Man), from the "sad" and "sorrow" songs of the slaves to the blues singers of the river towns and jepression years . After the singer in Brown's poem had played his various sad and sin songs, he alw~ys '- played one in which he stepped out . of the role of "entertainer. " would then give forth nts." He Anticipating his arrival in heaven and others who would be there, heAcarefully describel what each of the entrants _, �~-) .:.wiJd be wearing. It is a gala affair f'l\ initiation into heavenM and most of the The sinners, of course, are not allowed in heaven. 1 They include portin' Leg , lucky Sam, Smitty, Hambone, ' Hardrock Gene and others. Brown also wrote in the ballad form ("He was a Man"), conventional verse ("Effie" and "Salutamus"--a sonnet) and the blues form popularized by Hughes in The Weary Blues. His lack men are on the run (from a mob or police), in trouble with whites as a result of an arrogant act or response, getting killed, trying to figure out how to feed the household, or being assaulted by natural disasters. In a large number of these poems there ~ orrow, devastation, catastrophe, violence, death, tragedy, social disruption, chaos, ruin, need, pain, skepticism and the paranoia inherent in ack life. "He was a Han" depicts how a f lack man -::: beat a white man (who drew first) to the draw but was lynched in the tradition of handling Blacksg Despite the fact that "strong men" keep coming , "Strong Hen" is a poem replete with negatives. "Sister Lou" is a longing for heaven as a respite from the hardships and racial injustices suffered here on earth. is the portrait of a/ lack man "ragged" as "an old scarecrmf "After Winter" whose "swift thoughts" are about the food, drink and space he must obtain for his family. "Ma Rainef' (".fother of the Blues") is therap~tic in her words and her delivery. But she -w • bcL. ~ .l-ii!l!e~ Fenton •• m •"' merchandise . Johnson's "monarcl!,' ' who presides over sacks of The people come to Ma Rainey to "keep us strong." and feel sad when she sings. But they cry And on goes the Southern Road with the exception of the Slim Greer story-poems and the lover-man theme~ which nevertheless feature men who must either love quick and run or those reminiscing about their loves while they swing the hammer on the chain gang. predicaments. ,.___ _ --="---- - - - - Slim Greer finds himself in various Most memorable are his visits to heaven and hell ("Slim in Hell"), �his absurd effort to pass for whit e t hough he is dark "as midnight" ("Slim Greer") and his bout with the Atlanta law tha t requires Blacks to laugh only i n a "telefoam booth" ("Slim in Atlanta"). Brown's really great achievement, however, is s een in t he brilliant "Memphis Blues." Here the poet asks what difference is it to Blacks whether Memphis is destroyed by "Flood or Flame." Memphis, Babylon and Nineveh are all the same: fl) De win' sing sperrichals Through deir dus'. Forecasts of doom can be seen in much American literatur \ but '1.ack writers have 1hTh1:So.1-ie.ct. / · ca rved out a special place for thernselve,r- This allows them to place their racial predicament in relief aga inst Christianity or Christianization. i4e have observed t ha t this concern runs like a spine through j iack poetry: _])unbar, Fenton Johnson, " Cullen, McKay, Hughes an'Jl certainly Brown~ and white. J~ Par 8 ✓-, God is alternately ./'lack And here, of course, is the contradiction} ~ ,Because the God of the whites (the oppressot cannot be truste1-and the/ lack God seems somewhat hel¢, ,, l ess a gainst a white power structure, of which Brown sayJ A,N\. \j.., l otd I A " i...c.M : They don' t come bx £P~§.. Having published only one boo~ which (1974, withtnew Introductio bel:'L'l:g- reissued by Sterling Stuckey), places Brown in a rather . ( fnaccess .ib d i f f icu 1 t a n d sometimes l appraisals of his work. 7 Ju/ A:s just position. ~ But there 1-~been good, if few, ~ Jean Wagner takes a long look at i~-•(Black Poets of the United States) , Brown takes a short, but helpful, look at himself in Negro Poetry. So does 3 I it& Redding in To Make a Poet Black. Also helpful is Stephen Henderson's "A Strong Man Called Sterl ing Brown," Black World) XIX �• Benjt'mAn Brawley (The Negro Genius) assesses Brown as (September 1970) , 5 12. poet and criticJ a s does Blyden Jackson in Black Poetry in America. Charles Rowell, a young critic-teacher at Southern University, Baton Rouge, has prepared a yet unpublished criticism of Brown's poetry. See also Black Writers of America (Barfsdale and Kinnamon). in mos t antholo i Brown's work .ttW""VU..~ lite c'J ne C aracter1st1c of Blacks and whites. O was a cry for unionization ac( poetry Brown 's "When,/e Saints Go Ha 'ching Home" allows room in I I I heaven for a handful of whites who befriended Blacks. According to t he Marxist / ol Counnunist-influenced thinking of the times, downtrodden peoples~ of whatever color 11were in the same boat. ~ Their strugg les were . . . the same. One finds this feeling in Frank Marshall Davis'• ....,, "Snapshots of the Cotton Sout~" which pain~ a rather pathetic and' depressing picture of voteless Blacks who "lack the guts" and "po'" whites who "have not the brains" to fi ght the rich plantation owners and the police. The poems also reek with irony and satire~ a Davis trademark. Even ~ though racial "intermingling" is "unthinkable," syphit#,is is passed from the \.:., "shiftless son" of a plantatio n owner (a lynch-mob leader) to a washerwoma~ who gives it to t he chief of polic~ who g4ves it to a young mul atto cook) who gave ~ it to the mayor of "Hobtow9" who gives it to his wife . Currently living in Hawai~ where he is a salesman, Davis was born in Arkansas City, Kansas, attended local public schools and studied journalism at Kansas State College_,where he was the first recipient of the Sigma Delta Chi Perpetual Scholarship. He later left school for Chicago to do newspaper work. In 1931 Davis went to Atlanta to help establish the Atlanta _paily World . Ri turning to Chicago, he worked with the Associated Negro Press until the late 1940s_, when he moved to Hawaii. I In 1937 he received a Julius Rosenwald Fellowship �to write po et ry . He has published f our vo l umes of poetry: Black Man's Verse (1935), I Am t he American Negro (19 37 ), Through Sepia Eyes (193 8), and 47th Street _., (194 8). Dav is est ablished himsel f ear ly as a social'~ -minded poet who combined his journalistic training with an innovative free-verse form to create interesting l yrics. (Gwendolyn Brooks later developed a form known as versef journalism . ) Stephen Henderson (Understanding the New Black Poetry) notes the similarities - between Davis'.poetry and that currently being written by Chicago-area poets . The influence of Masters and Sandburg can be seen in much of Davis '# work~ but "--' his poetry is hi ghly flavored wity lack themes _and (sometimes) idioms. Hughes_, he is t he poet of the city. But he . renders believable pictures of /lack "society" and t he hard times of southern living. Like In "Snapshots" he warns whites that death~e bol l weevil do..;'not n i b b l e ~ "nigger cotton." Ironically placing the "Democracy" of death and natural disas t ers alongside a hollow American "Democracy, " Davis is able to turn the poem into a piercing sword of ~ ul..v' . social criticism. I ronies also spinel\ poems ~ "Robert Whitmore," "Arthur I Ridgewood, M.D., " and 'Giles Johnson , Ph.D . "- bourgeois Blacks destroyed by status- climbing . Whitmore, having reached the peak of social and business success, dies when he is mistaken for a waiter. Dr. Ridgewood, forced to choose between the life of a poet and a doctor, dies from a nerve disruption caused by worry ove r reject ion s l ips and money problems. do labor; he d i es of starvation . Dr. Johnson will not teach and cannot The great tragedy, in this stream of poetic ~ i deas,~the story of the poet• "Rooseve lt Smith." !M+ Smith could be Davis himself or possibly Count ee Cullen or Melvin Tolson--orAany number of / iack poets who wrote as they were directed only to end. up having "contributed" nothing t o ~ ~ v ' ~ ation ' s literature." -------- Smith's first book is attacked by white critics for imitating Sandburg , Masters and Lindsay . His second book, writt en after he had done �Allah, Buddha/,'l and so on. .l!~ Everyone can partake of the happy-sad sound being played by the "black boy." ,z:::_v11±agtbh woaid 1 ter ca JJ biwseJf an "ernwspj ni / 4rd Pmcis seews o<).,, ·_ ) to bra sad ct a tMd---;i:;;--11 u pt close study o f ~ work has yet to be done. for his work: ✓ one It rre¢ Unfortunately , a il'dt f)avis had many things in mind poem is designed to be read aloud by eight voices. There is a brief, but good, assessment of him in Wagner's book; Sterling Brown sets forth poiql\aY.T r,.,_ • crisp and ~~riticism. Benj~m~n Brawley discusses Davis' ! poetry (Negro Genius)(!) but he appears all too infrequently in anthologies. ~ For a current look at Davis see Dudley Randall's interview with him in !Um !:l,o.l:l.g, XXIV (January 1974 ) ; S1~1./f, Robert Hayden has one of the longest poetry~writing (an4 ~publishing) records of any living American poet. His poems have appeared in numerous anthologies, newspapers, periodicals, books and pamphlets since 1940 . Born in Detroit, Michigan, Hayden attended local schools and Wayne State University, and in 1936 " graduated to the Federal Wri ters' ProjecS:' heading research into local Afro-American history and folklore. He· resumed his training in 1938.,when he enrolled at the University of Michigan, where he received a teaching assistantship W ,r, Auden, whose poetry his own sometimes reflects. and did advanced work In 194~ his first book of ~J poetry, Heart-Shape in the Dust, was published. t\)l'e joined the faculty of Fisk University in 194~1 involved in a series ·of a ca 2112 §i +ring the sixties he became "meaningful encounters with proponents of a black literary ~sthetic" (Barksdale and Kinnamon) which resulted in his leaving Fisk and joining I the faculty of the University of Michigan (1969). Hayden has received Rosenwald �study in the South, is criticized by Blacks for being too sordid. Critics dist missee his third book, an experimental effort, as not being consistent with the V depth and breadth of the philosophical material treated by Stein and Elio t. A / lack man has no business imitating the "classic" works of Keats, Browning and Shakespeare, they sa ~ He ought to use his rich African s Of his fifth book, critics ~ suspicious: ~since it contained' background. of his fourth book. no traces of anything done previously by a white poet, then it must be "just a new kind of prose." O ,J ,t tf S The poet then becam= \a mail carrier) wher e he hal time to read in the papers thatfa ack writers har contributed so "little" to American literature. Davis also wrote freef verse utilizing themes of love, night, and the stark life of Blacks in Southside Chicago. sculp~ ,\ . His poems about love are quiet and we11\ Ji g They are placed in the category of "mystic e~capist" by & ,1),1, Brown. In his first volume, Davis strikes vivid pictures€23 in~pieces cv')/ like "Chicago's Congo," "Jazz Band," "]1pjo Mike 's Beer Garden," "Cabaret," "Lynched," and "Georgia's Atlanta ." In "Jazz Band" he ant it, cipates the work of literally dozens of poets of the sixties (Neal, Crouch, Cortez~ Lee, Baraka, Harper, the Last Poets , Carolyn Rod gers). And certainly ~ one recalls Hughes' • "Jazzonia" and "Jazz Band in a Parisian Cabaret" when one hears a H11e like"" / lf, Play that thing you jazz mad fools! and the steady hammering of g) Plink plank plunk a plunk. Everybody and every place has the blues since Blacks brought the sound to town: Chopin, Wagner, Lor'idon, Moscow, Paris, Hongkong, Cairo, Dias, Jehovah, Gott, _______ _______ .__ ·- - - - -- �------was awarded the Grand Prize in the English poetry cate go--_............\ orld Festival of Negro Arts in Dakar, Senegal. In presenting Hayden wit h t he ward, the festival committee cited him as ( ~ . 1 r. a remarkable craftsman, an outstanding singer of words, ~ a striking thinker, a o~te ' He g ives glory and digt nity to America through deep attachment to the past, present and future of his race. Africa is in his soul, the world at Llarge in his mind and heart. ~~ fl In 1948 Hayden collabor ated with Myron O' Hi ggins in publication of The Lion and the Archer. His Figure of Time: published in 1966. Poems appeared in 195~ and Selected Poems was Words in the Mourning Time, with its portraits of violence 'T and destruc tion, came out in 1970~ ....__, I~ was nominated for a National Book Award (1972). ,_- The Night-Blooming Ce r e us, showing Hayden as nature and • deeply religious poet , was published in 1972 by f '-i' Bremen. has also written and produc ed play s (Go Down Moses i and during the forties he was drama and music c r i tic f or t h~ Chronicle. Hayden's wo rk a ppears ~ in practically eve r y a nthology o f Afro- American literature or poetry publ ished since The Ne gro Caravan. -- Hi s editorship of anthologies includes Kaleidosco pe: Poems by American Ne gro Poets (1967), Afro-America n Literature: ,An I ntroduct ion :z (1971, with Burroughs and Lapides), a nd The United States in Literature (1973, with Hiller and O' Neal). _The latter work contains many of Hayden's seminal ideas f as well as brilliant crysta\ izations of / lack a nd general poetry mo~ements in t he United States. His individual poems have appeared in Opportunity, Poetry and ~tlantic Monthll . Currently, he is poetry editor of the Baha'i magazine World �Although, as a poet, Hayden has maintained a steady balance between racial concerns and the modern poetic tradition, he is what Sterling Brown would call ~ arx poet. Classical allusions, obscurantism, surrealism, and complicated syntax go hand in hand with experimental blues poetry and muted anger. ~ Bontemps said that the term "Negro poet" was particularly "displeasing" to 4 Countee Cullen; and Hayden (a Cullen admirer), in Kaleidoscope rejected being judged "by standards different from those applied to the work of other poets." The/ lack poet should not be limited to a racial utterance, Hayden believes. (Ironically, a poll of/ lack poets today might easily show that a great many of ~ti ,, them feel the same way4 even though such is not suggested by the\ popular image of the contemporary lack poet) J,, ....... 1 • o'Bn.~e.ns Speaking of hi5\' influences in Knterviews with Black Writers' Hayden noteei /when I was in college I loved Countee Cullen, Jean Toomer, Elinor Wylie, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Sara Teasdale, Langston Hughes, Carl Sandburg, Hart Crane. I read all the poetry I could get a hold of, and I read without discrimination. became a favorite. his style. Cullen I felt an affinity and wanted to write in I remember that I wrote a longish poem about Africa, imitating his "Heritage." was pretty imitative. All through my undergraduate years I As I discovered poets new to me, I studied their work and tried to write as they did. young poets do this. I suppose all It's certainly one method of learning _s omething about poetry. I reached the point, inevitably, where I didn't want to be influenced by anyone else. my own voice, my own way of seeing. I tried to find I studied with w\a. Auden f �in graduate school, a strategic experience in my life. I think he showed me my strengths and weaknesses as a poet in ways no 1.5:ne else before had done. ~0~ Hayden thus establishes himself as a poet of the book as opposed to the raw EJl Hughes, E , .£!!tll r- I L}! Da~dis, Brown, k~ \S.QA!a.osu v,e,o. .. Margaret Walker, and numerous others _ ~ltho~h such a division~ consider 16 ~Al,A.AJ. ............./~tJw ~ , ....... OJt-lblJAJr.,,._w,, •. , J . ~ ) \..~ Jo-• many vari~t les. ~ --..,~cording to 1 I R Davis, in From the Dark Tower, = ~ Hayden has repudiated his early poetry-l lis ⇒, · :1 folk,fY/~l,cJ,..¾"iiie f"\. $'6ma,F- ,i' fn9; Crt·~~,_ ~ ,,,.. I'\. blatant protest and in i:-Lve!"l!.ed poetry shows Hayden as~itator of the older Harlem Renaissance poets and under the influence of the Communist~ Socialist thought of the 1930s and 19l•0s . aa In "Prophecy" he depicts destruction and the people r eturning to the "r-uined city" to rebuild a new society. "Gabriel" ~recall~ .f\tVOL+ Leodew--: P~ossfir, \> L,_s~the final moments in the L· l ·:Lf:e o :, flabr-1elA "Black Gabriel" 'lifllll>~ hanged for leading slaves l'f l! I From for go tten graves Inte~v•~l),...italfr) iL xust 9-e ~ I ~colloquialisms (like Sterling t~th· Brown), Hayden r ~ reates the terror and drama of Gabriel ' s ~ • nse. Black and golden in the air, Gabriel dangles from a noose abov03-ack men who £ Never, never rest~,._,.•.• "Speech" is just that j -af. harangue calling ) lack and white "brothers" to fight /V\- the common oppressor, presumably totalitarianism, fascism and greedy over seers. "Obituary" is a sensitive and paine<l reflection of a "father" who lived Prepared for wings. Among these early pieces (found in Caravan an<l Hayden's fi rst volumes) "Bacchanal" is especially interesti~or it collects the new dialect into the kind of social statement~ Brown~erfected. - - - - - - - -- - -- -- -- - - - - -- -- - There is irony in using "bacchanal" to �describe a? ack factory worker ge tting ® High ' s a Georgia pine to forget that the facto ry closed "this mawnin. II can never rest, is seeking r eal "joy" on earth. TheJ -ac k mar)' whot in "Gabriel" But, minus money and woman, his I " bacchanal" becomes a weighty blues statementM not the revelry of ancient Greek or Roman party life. One finds none of these fl!'~in Selected Poems. Instead there is the polished Hayden of "The Diver," " A Ballad of Remembrance," "Sub Specie Aeternitatis," "Hiddle Passage" and "Runagn t e Runagate." /41 '#Ml Neither does one find ....-rA. in •Words Hayden has obviously elevated his protest themes. ) 71 the Mourning Time. :ti: r---1" To be sure,~ • \ ·~ Q. II; & .. ~,does make his social comment, as does Cullen. ' u..-.~·•Cei nonef o t Hughes the vrq en ey" P (Mourning) ,( "Dream Def erred" ~ But his "Zeus )ffi!er Re~yel) or "Ask Your e Moel:," /lhul- "Runagate" and" Iiddle Passage" address with subt ty and allusion the concerns of...._, Dodson ("Lament"), Hargaret Wa lker ("Since 1619").._ and Frank Marshall '-' ' e,t ·~ Davis ("Snapshot s of the Cotton South").'(_Hayden brings a fine and intense in I tellect to his poetry7 regardless of subject matter. His output has been relatively small, considering his long career, but Words in the Hourning Time proves that his intensity has not lessened. And he must be admired for sticking to his ~ flrtiu,J, lt,v~ aone aesthe tic convictions and his unswerving devotion to poetic craftsnr1lri;hiJ>A )(and in hand with 5t!!__________·_ft , · his and general. enduring interest in history, racial His manuscript of poems dealing with slavery and· the Civil War, The Black Spear , Hopwood award. The idea fo r book-length series of narrative poems on/ lack historyk "from the black man's point of view" I_ came to Hayden after he read Stephen Vincent Benl t' s long narrative poeml John Brown's Body (1927). ~ - -- -- -- - ---- - - The Black Spear never emerged as a book, but remnants of �it can be found in s ection fiv e of Se lected Poems. Hayden ~ ~ ".I P vs,~lack h i story , h ·r8 sr~ mpions such persons a s Nat Turner, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman , ~ Cinq ef ~artin Luthe r King and !1alcolm X. He also includes whites who 1iiiii' ~ sharecl1 the burden of the } lack strugg le: _,William Lloyd Garrison, Ralph Waldo L -- -- Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, John Brown, John and Robert Kennedy, and others. Hayden's history poems, however, reflect the complexity and disturbances jM '(,, inherent in man's continuing struggle. In a non-racial poem ~ o- "The Diver" there can be floating, plunging , piercing, blurring , disillusionment, wreckage, drunken tilting, "numbin{ /f isses," and other suggestions of dramatic tension /I. (\ between the real and assumed, between the shadow and the substance. same "feeling" come$ through in poems of racial flavor. But the "Middl e Passage" certainly bears this out, as Blyden Jackson notes in "F om One ' New Negro' to Another" µ(\--------....u,v-·~ I!,,.,, ,, La,.J lack Poetr in America,:I\Jackson and Rubin, K 974 Situated, as it were, "in the rocking loom of history ," "Nidd_~ : Passage" is at once Hayden 's and,lack America '.r achievement. ~ ----.:J'' ipening with t he names of slave ships/\\ Jesu's, Estrella, Esperanza, MercyM the poem criss} crosses the vast geographical, chronological and spiritual web of racial horror since slavery. the ships _________ d >ea and ~f'~.t.fe'e1'i:~C::,5.1lontraclict3", ,., 38&~ reminiscent of t he explet i ve "Jesus, have mercy&"' ~nd = &jueard daily i ~ l:S The names of ' - ______ ~erve$' 4iiJ 1 I 3b I~ zl l a ck communities. - g] I · But this,.__ _,,_ I Ii f Cl and ...... ~~o~.-.P~' tr ',II ·55Williii \I "'c::"- ~ 1 J as the albatross around the neck of Christian slavers. ~,,s Henc~~~lmiddll Any middle passage is exciting as well a~ dangerous~ since it represents the peak and the unfinished quest. passage sug gests both the horrible and brutalizing experience of slaves aboard ships crossing the Atlantic 2 · et and the incompleted "adventure" of Blacks in America. 543 - - - - - - The poem also (jfji) �satisfies ~ f the demands of modernistl poetrYi '- "Middle i ? Passage~ " in fact ~ t'sj 37 ~LA'ied J Jo s,t5tylistically ~~uch Pound's Cantos, Crane's The Bridge and t poems as Eliot's The Wast _and, ~ . Williams' Patf erson. ._______::.-,; ...., Especia lly is it akin to The Waste and in its use of allusion, fragments of obscure ~ information (old documents, letters, conversation, etc.), typographical vari} atio,and t~ea..a-n•t 1 ;°'"i"oc., ••n~> ~•,in: 13Ht1..vden s p6emJ ll g7C,~fter its j I $ sharp and arresting opening, weaves together objective narration, notes from a slave ship's log, sections from a ships~ fficer's diary, testimony a t a court of inquiry (into.· a ~ revolt aboard the Cuban slaver Amista~ ~~oseeaHM> bol\Cl ~ - - -- - - o8&ii.lie8 en 1 NLAQAiLfai&i @Hn ■ • .,s;- ~1839) , _the tale of an old sailor~e melted .. from the II i fever &.o.wt~I'% paraphrasings of a Shakesperean text and familiar expressions '!!:::!::Jtbn f ible and live religious services. The poem depicts every imaginable dis aster and conflict: .._ storms, rebellions, suicides, a plague that - )\ ' causes blindne s ("oPlthalm~ ia"), th lusty crew members>sexual exploitation of . ....J female slaves, ings' who sold the Africans into slavery, descriptions of the smel]Jand sounds of dying, and the hatred/respect t he slave shi~ surviving ✓ spokesman has f or rebellionf leader Cinque{ Gimost ~ years before "Middle 07 Passage," James M. Whitfield had honored ';his same revolutionary in "To Cinque.') The idea of t he r*ade man, a "voyage" ~~:.R takes one "through death" into "life," recurs in Hayden's poem: v'here, again, the sense of one mea ndering through a "wastela nd" in search of the right s oc iety, the sane environment. Indeed in muchjiack American writing, mirroring sometimes the literature of larger America, there is the assertion that the new man arrives only after paying the dues of being brutalized and oppressed. Even in everyday life, Blacks are often intolerant of others who have not "gone through" the fire and brimstone of depravity and ~ - -- -- - - - -- -- - - - - - - - - -- �alienation. Thus, f or Hayden, the "middle passage" is both spiritual ly and physically a "voyage" throu3h death i n order to achieve life. I n t he middl e passage the slaves a r e hal fy a y be tween their Af rican homeland a nd America. They will not be returning to AfricaJ and yet they know nothing of the life "upon these shores." Too, the middle passage s ymbolizes the initiation of evert an into the awesome awareness and responsibilit y of adulthood j -and his own mortality. The M middle passage is where we all triumph or perish, just as in t he wasteland one must create a new world or drift with the debris. However, the caretakers of slav+ hips crossing the middle passage are as acutely aware of their mission as are the reflective slaves (and poets). death. They are also bringing life through They bear f l black gold, black ivory, black seed. t All this occurs against the pervasive irony of the ship names Jesus and Mercy % and the doubl e irony of~slaver's spokesman who renounces Cinque!, for reb e lling against the crew: Cf) ... true Christians al1@ ···l While the "Middle Passage" places Blacks somewhere in the middle of things , "Runagate Runagate" continues the irony of moving through death to life. There is litt l e to be envied in the "life" of the runaway slave depicted in this poem. The hound dogs, t he slavet trackers, the auction blocks, the ~ wan t e_i~ signs, t he brandings on the cheeks, the driver's lashi all ref! ive the terror, the nightmarish nature of / lack ( life~ after the middle passage. For Blacks, then, the initiation continues beyond the first death (the enslavement) . The anxiety and "never, never rest" life of the slave is dramatically captured by Hayden, who empl / ,. tapestry of language, syntax, color, imagery, ' narration, an - ~ ·~ " liiil.. the symbolism a -------- - -- - - - -- - - - - -- -- · ~ mo ern poetry; added to this is the dramatic �use of italics. The poem celebrates the courage and endurance of escaping slaves and honors/J.a ck and white abolitionist leaders. Hayden allows the reader to re} live the experience of the runaway slave and the accompanying tension-filled hide-and-seek drama. We hear and see the runaway in the opening line . By a~ing the use of punctuational breaks, Hayden achieves a *rush" of language '-- very similar to the relentless f drive~ oy lack oral expression and to the "never, never rest" feeling he established in "Gabriel." ~f) ✓ The runaway Runs falls rises stumbles on from darkness into .Q darkness and the hunt is on, as the escapee reflects on the "many thousands" already channeled through the Underground ~ilroad. We see and hear the mi xed jubilance and fear of the slav:J who vows that he will never return to the auction block and the driver 's lash ; 11 And before I 'll be a slave '-.:. ------------ I ' 11 be buried in my grave ., , • Keep ing wi t h the trend of modern poetry, Hayden introduces incidental notices and data: an a nnouncement describing runaways (including age, dress, brandings, and a suspicion that they can turn t hemselves into quicksand, whir lpools or - scorpions), wan ted posters, and names of prominent abolitionists of the day . Typographically and syntactically, the poem is designed to be read~ithout significant pauses) so that the non-stop .hurt le of the slave toward freedom a ctually occurs in the text; it is, Blyden J ackson suggests (thoughf . ._,_ of "Middle Passage")J " as if it repeats history . " Especially notable is Hayden's treatment of Harriet Tubman, the greatest of \jlde r gro_und Railroad leaders, who was wanted "Dead or Alive" and who was known to level a pistol at a doubting runaway: �® Dead folks can't jaybird-talk, she says; You keep on going now or die, she says. - ... " "Middle Passage" and "Runagate Runagate" are only two of Hayden's magnificent poems. Other poems in the histo rical vein are "Frederick Douglass" (an ex4 perimental sonnet without rhyme), "The Ballad of Nat Turner" ("The fearful splendor of that warringJ "), "O Daedalus, Fly Away Home" ("Night is juba, night is conjot "), and "A Ballad of Remembrance" (a surrealistic, complex and erudite poem). Hayden poems (prior to Words) capture supernaturalism ("Witch Doctor"), folk life ("Homage to the Empress of the Blues ," "The Burly Fading One," "Incense of the Lucky Virgin," and "Mo urning Poem for the Queen of Sunday; ) r nd folk reminiscences ("Summertime and the Living .•. ," "The Whipping ," "Those Winter Days"). Wo rds in the Mourning Time , which we will return to briefly in Chapter VI, reflects Hayden's general and specific concerns as a poet. Again he judiciously handles the spectrum of themes, subjects and styles that assures him a place . 5w:J a✓ in the world of western as well as Afro- American poetry. ~ oems -±1:'ke "'Mystery Boy' Looks for Kin in Nashville," "Soledad," "Aunt Jemi1:1-a of the Ocean Waves ," Skew 1'i and "El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz," ..... Hayden ,in touch with the times and willing to share his poetic vision with revolutionaries, pacifists, cultural nationalists and }(lack~pride advocates. On the other hand,, he is at home with poems such as "Locus," "Zeus f ver Red eye," an<l "Lear J s Gay"t vi"'hich mirror his reading, travels, broad concerns and personal friendships. 9{ 599j55 is 7 159 9]935Jp tb?Min the 1960s jolted him. Hayden admits that the battle over aesthetics And while it is clear that the fight took place more �outside of poetry than in (see Chapter VI) , Hayden has not recanted in his position that thef " ack po • ~~ be limited to racial utterance. course, has his right to his own opinion. Hayden, of Bu t, like John Ciardi, Richard Wilbur, an~ .__, Robert Lowell, and other poets of the academy, his trek has not been easy or devoid of controversy. ~·A And despite statements Hayden makes oui A/ side -o-f his poetry, poems ~ "Middle Passage" and "Runagate Runagate" stamp .___,, A Si~t e he Alll _/JPro-~1r1S~fc.4~ pos;. him as a gifted handler of i lack themes and materials. ·f'.t'" ..-t:s not " likely 1s 1:1\ that he will be knowns; J 5 8' -------- for work that lies drastically outside the passage, pace or plight of / lack Americans. Much=needed critical attention is just beginning to come to Hayden. is treated in Davi s '.f From the Dark Tower, ~ He Gibson's Modern Black Poets 'Robert Hayden's Use of _____..,_Charles T. Davi ) , Jackso n and Rubin's Black Poetry in America, O' Brien's Interview with Black Writers, Barksdalef and Kinnamon' s Black Uriters of America, and ~ Phillips aa I -- Lawson Car ter S - 1972). ft!==:> I W .:i ~ g @_ayden, Judson See also Rosey Pool's "Robert Hayden , Poe t Laureat e," Negro Digest (Black World ~ XV (Junet 1966) , 39; 43; D. Caller's "Three Recent Volumes," Poetry) CX (196 7), 268, and Julius Lester 's review of Word s in the Mourning Time in 1971, p .~ . he New Yor Times Book Review, January 24, (:}) Dudley Randall displays good insights into Hayden in "The Black Aesthetic in the Thirties, Forties, and Fifties" (Modern Black Poets)) there is~ ensitive treatment of t he poet in James the Thirties. ~ M ~ l~o.1t ~ ~ ~ -;:~J re"~, ;.""i,fi1t . o. ~ Young's Black Writers of ~ ~~ ;,,....1/.J ]ta.&.c,V"'1-;_ ~ av: : elped make the Harlem Renaissance, Langston Hughes continued his vast and imaginative poetic output into t he thirties, forties, fifties and si{ties. He published four books of poetry in the 1930s, three in the 1940s , _ . two in the 1950s, and two i$6os, in addition to dozens of short stories, �essays, novels, plays and a uto biogr aphical writings . These things he accomplished along with his travels and his dedicated work on behalf of Blacks . s be "much too casual," notes Hughes 't friend Bontemps, simply to dismiss him ton Hu hes,,,__ Donald C. Dickinson , 1972) Hughes worked r apidly , turning out of writing, a fact, Blyden Jackson reminds us ~ 1 ~ But it would .,/. caused ~./ some to deny him a place alongs i de/\ "serious" ~lack writers -H:ke Ellison , Wright and Baldwin. Hughes always involved himself in "contemporary affairs"-Leven <luring t he fl/\ ;(enaissanc~ when Cullen, McKay and other~ roamed the Elysian fields of Africa '7t71V-endenc1 W4S pa.i-""t o fthe ,-e,uo~ t..uky or pined away in the "darl~ tower. 11 ,Jls=llll•• •,\Redding (To Hake f Poet Black) zc!s poet ry but little in~ ~ueJ h1'.s eo.1--Ly woi--i-._ 1-:, ~e.\"i m<rnTal l\.l'\d.ncft vnito'V'mLy ~ood; (.$ itcrpened 1inpor1arit new l"Oad~ mlll compla ined that Hughes employed rhythms in his - A· A,t"ld ~ the thirties and forties ;k-with their step,:up in l.e f ti.:. ~ 1 eveY' "-&ftd- radical activitiesM placed Hughes in the position of having to forge/\_newe"' tellect. protest weapons from his "weary blues." noted: ~a1:attug1:u:14£!_!!SS James O. Young "His poe try was popular because it could be read easily by people of all ages and backgrounds." new }'lack poets : In the sixties , similar comments would be made of the Haki R. Ha<lhubuti (Don L. Lee), Sonia Sanchez, Nikki Giovanni, /he5e.. David Nelson, Arthur Pfistez;,v ~ - , w?,T'1r.S <'.i n d. o1ne.t1-'; r.Jertt' oYU O~ Cl.ertheTic~ o...side (owi\-ibuTeJ im men.seLy,f"'e Bu9'1e.s e ~ (o..-~em I ~ ~ Q popu(O..Y' I 31n10 f j!uid~- puf;.y • 'rn ~~S early '(E.0.1--Sj ~ however, llughes 't poetry was cons idered "decadent" .....__, and 11 unacceptable ti J/) S~I t-'1 to Communis t critic 5 who wan ted him to ae1111e~from strict• and racial themes Slltffhampion t he fights of proletarians everywhere. I Hughes made ,/he/ v.10FtKs Lik.e · the sw~ h-ove~ andAScottsboro Limited (1932) showt the impact thought.l\ on him. 'I Communist The· ·pamphlet was dedicated to/ lack youths on trial for allegedly raping two white prostitutes in Scottsboro, Alabama. Hughes places the boys alongside such revolutionary saints as John Brown, Lenin and Nat Turner. The �effect/4- resembling aborted efforts of some r.1artyr-making poets of the 1960s was to make the boys , "ignorant pawns" though they were, "militant proletarian heroes ." The poem-play "Scottsboro Limited" shows "Red Voices" convincing f lack yo uths that the Communists are on the side of /pl I Not just blackj'v)but black and white. i ughe s pub lished wid ely during the thirties in Party presses . In Good Norning eµ,--,< Revolu tion (1973, fo • rd by Saunders Redding ), Faith Berry has compiled his "uncollected writings of social protest . II They give many clues to Hughes s \social concerns during the three decades following the Harlem Renaissance. He callffor a union of "workers" in Germany, China, Africa, Poland, Italy, and America.J- N\ throu gh the pa ges of New Masses, The Negro Worker, The Crisis, Opportunity, International LiLerature, Contempo, Africa South, The Workers Monthly , New Thea tre._, ...., and American S,pectator . he In "Good Horning, Revolution," :S Q tells pers onified revolution ~-e-hcrt" ( We gonna pal around to gether from now on. Section tit le s of Good .lorni the problems a nd needs o P Revolution show Hughes to be acutely attuned to " I t , ppresse<l peoples--long before Franz Fanon, Stokely (ti\ I\ Carmichael and El dridge Cleaver-~and in sympathy with Thir d World struggle : "" Section I, Revolutio; Section 2, / ~emo to ;:;;;:Whi t~ ooles; Section 3, ~ ( Ricila nd ,the Poor; Section 4, War and Peace, ~ Section 5, ~ \.,,_ 7 6, The Sailor and J he Stewar d; Section 7, e Christ; Section he Meaning of Scottsboro; Section 8 , Darkness in Spain; Section 11, China; Section 12,~ American Writers Congress, and Section 13 , Iconoclastic and s ac rilAgous, Hughes incurred the wrath of many / 1ack leaders �with his poem "Goodibye ChristJ' published in the Baltimore Afro-American in v 19 32 . Addressing Christ , Hughes noted: ~ Yo u did alright in your <lay , I reckonj("\But tha t day ' s gone now. And "Christ Jesus Lord Go<l Jehovah" is told to "make way" for a new deity, who has no religion, and whose name is (f; Marx Communist Lenin Peasant Stalin, Worke r, H~ • •• Religious leade s especially condemned Hughes's " blatan t atheism." But Melvin .s Tolson, coming to Hughes ' 4 aid, said that the young poet was simply showing that the Christian offering of a better world after death had little meaning for the world's s ufferin g millions . Hughes was never a member of the Communist Party , but i111-'(vf~ l,~11.ose.t oF I.,, (toca. many other p a ck writer\: Davis , Margaret Walker, EllisoTl© DJ~ his wotoft.~ s,...,., '1uuy pa-ol,TQ.WM. Tols on, Wright, Hayden , Frank Narshall · J_:::,. e While his poet r y and other writings of gommunist-oriented social pro test were appearing in radical publi,i__, v; ~e cations, Hughes continued/ ~ Sterling Bro~ developing and experimenting with J1.ack folk materials. He painstakingly po inted up t he contradict ions in the promises and realities of American_)'emocracy , a ssailed social inequality, lamented / lack and white poverty, ~ailed against double standards, attacked racial segrega tion, satirized the ,Aack bour geos i e, and immortalized the beauty of everyday Blacks. --- --µ>-..... ~uch of H~ "'SQ. ~ ~ * , : ; l ,e t America Be America Again," first published in 1936 in Esquire~ and included in A New Song (1938). reminiscent of Walt Whitmanf in its swee~ It is immediately and recites , in the manner of Hayden's "Speech" and Tolson's "Rendezvous with America , " the multiple ills and ingredients of America . µJ, Throughout the poem, as he catalogs the various ethnic stocks and ~rJ~ltl 'f\ contributions , he interpolates the haun~: .._,f "America never was America to me . "J.. �A"I $e·dt,_, 1't-1i"e.s Tf By music and folk materials was being worked more ;.;A)1~ghes's int artfully into kTe ► 'f(ecording hiS\-f'W'Qot'~ x He carried his interest i n_J. ues to his work in jazz his poetry with Charlie Mingus and others ~ and the j f.}op era is stronely reflected in his poetry and his writings (see the Simple stories). - ~-~c~ ~ ccord ing Especially is music evident in Montage of a Dream Deferred (1951 ~ to -ail --.__/' Wagner , "jazz has strongly influenced the tone and structure of these poems ." I It was from this volume , too, that Lorraine Hansber ry would get the title for her prize-winning play-t,_ Raisin in the Sun . The most famous poem in t he volume is "Harlem , " in which t11e_Jnack Ai:1erican is likened to a "dream deferred." Five precise similes help Hughes draw explicit comparisons between - e ~:er, raisins, sores, rot t en meat, syrupy sweets, heavy loads, and the .-.~ present " dreara . " Perhaps , Hughes notes at the end, the dream will "explode . " Hughes was not "per fectf,d @f I!_ t; ~ Jahn • I eria lu T he :MUt •■ .Gt1t11l? _9 "" II p 11 ined an experimentr r throughout his ==--~.=.::;~=-.:::;p.q.::..:..:...=~.:+--~·l~o~o~d~s~f~o~r~J~a~z=z (1961) was published after 0 years of experimentation in verse forQS, synthesis we referred to earlier: and themes. '-' that of jazz, blues and related folk idioms Contemporary white poe ts! E·f · chosen to place all letters in lower cas E:i capitalizing everything . It is indeed the attempt at the Cummings and Kenneth Rexrot1 ~ had Hughes did just the opposite, I Dedicated to Lo uis Armstrong~;( the greatest hortll blower I of them all"7q the volume is a n extension of ideas attempted in The Weary Blues, Shakespeare in Har lem, and Montage of a Dream Deferred. The driving social protest is there, but the indignation is mute<!J as in his earl· work . A recession in lar ger America 1J J!., IS COLORED FOLKS ' DEPRESSION. The wdrk is punctuated by the lin~ IN THE QUARTER OF THE NEGROES 1 'f nd Hughes continues �- the )llac k poe t's concern with history : ~honoring ,)!'lac~ s and race leaders: 9 displaying the beauty of }(lackn~ss and rec~lling the J:.ci.ghu. of pas sage . A g . ~ ~ a,l\o i"c..lu ie~ e-.Tt~H've liloTes on s~1n~ o.nd MIIS1ca.t. «ct..oMp"-n/me;,,f' (-'o r- n,,e po emi . Politician , organizer of sharecroppers, poet, dramatist, teacher and X raconteur , Melvin Be9-unorus Tolson was born in Heberly, Hissouri, to the Reverend Mr, and Hrs . Alonzo Tolson. Tolson lived his young life in va rious Missouri towns , publishing his first poem at the age of @ Corner" of the Oskaloosa newspaper . in t he "Poet ' s He graduated from Kansas City ' s Lincoln ,fP_ High School (1918~ where he had been class poet, director and actor inAGreek Club's Little Theater and captain of the football team. Throughout his adult life, Tolson ma intained an active interest in sports, dramatics and debatt He attended Fisk and Lincol~ iver_sities?\graduating from Lincoln with honors and winning awards in speech, deba ~ captained t he football tea lubs. dramatics an~ ssical literatures . He ~ J.;nc.olh . 1924 Tolson speech at Wiley College , in Marshall, Texas. poetry/ ' cl Ft N and directed drama~and; debat strea k . if Q_\l)FhL in l / group• ~ There he wrote prose and ~ i established a \2y-year winning Tolson interrupted his work at Wiley to pursue •~ • an :±3 1 ,1/.A • English and yampar'7l;ve / iterature at Columbia Universit)/ where he met V1F. l calverto~ editor o~lodern Quarterly. career a s a deba tft ~oach peaked when his versity of Sout he rn California, Later~~n 193,?_, at Wiley, To lson ' s eam d featedkational champions, Uni+ .eh --'~ be fore (!~OQ) people. 't--' ~z ~_.f7 And in 1947, the same year Tolson was appo inted poe t laureat e of Liberia by President v.f . Tubman , English and drama professor at Langs ton University , Langston, Oklahoma_; wfui.re he '-a.~ served as mayor for four terms . <./VI At Langston he directed the Dust Bowl Players and dramatized novels by Wa lter White and George Schuyler . A revered and feared teacher and organizer , Tolson became a legend in his own time . Hardly �a student at j\Yf eept i outh / lack college had not heard of Tolson' s work as poet, dramatist, deba • ft: oach and educator. His column+ "cabb~a and Caviar+ ' was a regular in the Uashington Tribune during the thirties. Tolson published three volumes of poetry: Rendezvous with America (1944), Libretto for the ·Republic of Liberia (1953), Harlem Gallery, Book I: The w;.oTe l'A.n1.1mber of='vnpubHsheJ noveLSQ.~ PLAyl. Curator (1965)1,,. His work .... appeared in The Modern Quarterly, Atlantic Monthly, Cll'lo I I' -.__;., Common Grouno, ~oetry.i..and other periodicals. He won numerous awards and citations, among them first place (1939) it;:ational Poetry Contest sponsored by the American Negro Exposition in Chicago (for "Dark Symphony"); the Omega Psi Phi Award for Creative Literature (1945); Poetry magazine's Bess Hakim Award f ~ ~ logical poem~ "E. ••'•sadc ong psych{ , i & 0~$~ O.E." (1947); honorary / octo ~ j etters, Lincoln Uhiversit~ permanen t Bread Loaf Fellow in poetry and drama (1954); District of <i'l,llt Columbia Ci ~tion and Award for Cultural Achievement in Fine Art~- - first ~ appoin t ~ t o the Avalon Chair in Humanities at Tuskegee Institute (1965); and& y award of the American Academy of Arts and Letter~ including a _, . ()V\,v, ,, )tf', 1 I' , 0 , (1966), the same year he died following three operations for abdominal cancer. t=;--~r :' ~e·-• As a / lack poet and intellectual in the mia~e • ~-~ 'm=-If and 1.J,llffll',,AJ century, Tolsonl \ ~ ~% ::~ 1 century predecessors '----' (Prince Hall, Benjamin Banneker, James Whitfield , Alexander Crummell, Frances the ~ w~ E. ~ f his ·a 1 I Harper anJ others) who served as teachers, abolitionists, revolutionists, def enders of wha t they believed to be decent in the promise of America, and character models fo r/ lack communities . Tolson's predecessors fought for the right to be called humans; he fought the battle of integration. As Tolson lay dying , other, younger poets were fighting the battle of self-<leterminationi albeit using the same tools employed by poets and intellectuals of the/---p-a:st two centuries. Si it is indeed ironic (and sad!) when a young writer like Haki R. ~ - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - -- - �Madhubuti (Don L. Lee) complains that Tolson is not accessible to the everyday ..____..,,,.. Negro Digest 1TB J; t January 1968) • '-' J But Joy Flasch points out -(Melvin B. Tolson) 1972) that ~ o n readerf see review of Kaleidoscope~J aili 9!, JQ 94 . • was aware that he was not writing for the "average" reader but for the "vertical" o_.ll'rt a udience. In "Omega" of Harlem Gallery , Tolson asks if a serious~ ) ·t s ould " s kim t he milk of culture" and give those demanding immediacy and relevancy D a popular la t ex brand? Tol s on did n~ t ~,:::.;; d;Syden, othe rs , to make T't1sls~ t he 1960s. 1966 g Urown , ~i-~IWll-~i Redding , and -.ontact with proponents of the 'f lack of But some opponents have continued to rake him over the coals of responsibility. ..---, •v Black poet Sarah Webster Fabio (Negro Digest , • •. .• anecember 1 l -------- f H), challenged Karl Shapiro's statement (Introduction ~ Harlem Gallery) ...__.,,,. J I; that Tolson "writes in Negro." His poetic language is "most certainly not ' Negro,'" " she averd, noting that it is "a bizarre, pseudo-literary diction" taken from stilted "American mainstream" poet r belonged." 11 "where it rightfully and wrongmindedly White critics and writers joining in the assault on Tolson included Laurence Lieberman and Englishman Paul Bremen (o f the Heritage ~, erie~. Lieberman t akes exception to Shapiro's statement, saying that he teaches f lack students from all over the worldt who are steeped in J lack language . stan d To 1 son ( review o f Har 1 em Ga 11 ery) . Autumn "p but ~ do not under 22} Gil 1 1 # ~ The Hudson Review, 1965)<:i)i . Yet Tolson's publishers had high hopes that he might get the Pulitzer P;;:-;:r Libretto-i2nd,wer'ldol~n 8Nok.1. who sided i'n fJ J 4-Tt lq(,os 1 p;,,p 0 ,uriTs o F-:th•j L.Ad,.. !le>~eTit.1 f~,·• Jh@/h~119f,1 ~ ,o.1Leey shouLA h~ve retei11C(i-ih-e R~ writing and ref-thinking his poetry over a period of decades, Tolson wt-t\ ll.t.u~cbJ became more difficult as he made adjustments to fit modernist trends in poetry . The stars/of English poetry were Eliot, Pound, Yeats, Crane, and Stevens, and Tolson admired and patterned his work after them. Yet throughout his poetic life, �he maintained an "enormous lo; }...;.~ work as well as in his poetry. eoplej' which was re flected in his everyday 4 Rendezvous with America ~ title indicates r ......::____,,. Tolson's commitment to love and do battle with America. America has cancer and promis~ and Tolson performed operations while he feasted on his nation's delights. His title poem, "Rendezvous with America ," reflects the Whitman influence and Tolson's awesome word skills, technical virtuosity and musical ear. He enumerates the races and types of people who also must rendezvous with America. He sees how Time unhinged the gates to allow the beginning of America, noting such landmark~ as Plymouth Rock, (I Jamestown, and Ellis Island, which he juxtaposes with,.. ancient s i t e s ~ Sodom, Gomorrah, Cathay, Cipango and El Dorado. The "searchers" came to America; which is the Black Han 's country, (r' The Red Man's, the Yellow Han 's, The Brown fan's, the White Han 's. America flows, Tolson believes/b. a,✓-:l,,\..:.., I An international river with a legion of tributaries! " A magnificent cosmorama with myriad patte1i_s of colors! A giant fores t with loin-roots in a hundred lands! A cosmopolitan orchestra with a thousand instruments D playing J America! [ His manipulation of traditional f orm, coupled with what he called t he three S's-l '• /V\ "biology, psychology ..• sociology ," or the synchronizing of sight and sound and ~ in a poem~ yielded much poetic fruit in his long years of writing and riwriting his poetry. Rendezvous with America is not a great first book) but it marked him as an able handler of unique verse forms. His major themes (history , �/ l a ck pr es ence in the ~orld, religion, hatr ed for class structures, and the plight of the underdog ) are ,J; j~n a variety of forms: ...,sonne ts, rhymed quatra ins, ballads, f ree.:: verse forms , an<l special two-syllable lines . Known as ~ i cono~ st, Tolson used his poetry to dj =stool pomposity and those who manipulated everyman's sufferings from behind a cloak of high office. Music and art inform much of his poetry~ another reason why his allusory writing has been criticized/4-as in " Rendezvous" and "Dark Symphony," the most popular poem in his first book . In "Rendezvous," in addition to his musical structures, he lists America ' s melodies by associating factories, express trains, power dams, river boats, coal mines, and lumber camps with musical terminology: " a llegro," "blues rhapsody ," "bass crescendo," "diatonic picks," and "belting harmonics." "Dark Symphony," inunediately musical and racial in its title , is s e parated into parts along musical lines and terminology : Hoderat ; Part Part I: III, Andante Sostenut "Rendezvous" and "Dark Symphony" are patterned after the ode form (which Tolson would expand on in Libre~ and Harlem Gallery) . "Dark Symphony" carri es the same theme as "Rendezvous" ~ people pitted against their injusticesi but the latter poem is more r a cial in flavor and subject matter . - "'iA~ _£J.-. Located, temporally and spiritually, between the concerns of Whitman (the 1& and John Steinbeck (Grapes of Wrath), "Dark Symphony" ope ns by reminding Americans M~ that "Black Crispus Attucks"(c11ed for them\ (Boston €-oftl:Blo~ 1 ~ '- Before white Patrick Henry's bugle breath asked for liberty over death. A strongly masculine poem (as is so much of Tolson's work), it moves robustly to recite the deeds of "Men black and strong." Part II tells of the "slaves singing" in the "torture tombs" of ships in the middle "" and "canebrakes." passage, the swamps, the "cabins of death~ In the remaining �parts, the ) 'lack Amer i can, speaking through the collective "we," vows not to . paa "forget" that "Golgotha" has been A_-=-9 or that "The Bill of Rights is burned." Th<y<'ew Negro wears "seven-leag~e" boots and springs from a tradition that pro4:-, duced Nat Turner, Joseph Cinquet ("Black Ho ses of the Amistad Mutiny"), Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubman ("Saint Bernard of the Underground Railroad"). Grapes of Wrath and Native Son are invoked as ind~ es to the suffering and the breeding of slums . l) And, finally, the historical concerns of the / 1ack poet: Out of abysses of Illiteracy, Through labyrinths of Lies, Across waste lands of Disease We advance! Brilliant, esoteric, complex, innovative, and able to span the world of,J1ack /olk idiom and academic intellectualism, Tolson always punctuates his undaunted ~ l yricism with ribald humor and thigh-slapping uproarlmsness. However, Paul Bremen d~sparagingly referred to Tolson as posturing "for a white audience with an ill-conceived grin and a wicked sense of humor ..• an entertaining darky using almost comically big wor<ls as the best wasp tradition demands of its edui cated house-niggers ." Englishman Bremen.) s-.,,.-, . (Maybe, one might ,r-«, Tolson was "even" too deep for the Nevertheless, the poets of the academy apparently loved Tolsor, and mo r e than one of them tried to get him deserved recognition before he died. W, U.,im.s ,, William Carlos~saluted Tolson in his fourth book of PcJ# terson; Allen Tate wrote a now famous .~• .tr:&E!fr0" to Librett o; Shapiro introduc: d Harlem Gallery,:,\ seven Y launching Tolson into the same curious fame that Howells brought to Dunbar,\.• years before; Robert Frost, Stanley E<lgar Hyman , Selden Rodman, John Ciardi and Theodor e Roe thkel all tried to "bring Tolson to the general literary consciousness, but with little success" (Shapiro). �; , Tolson's severest critics usually have in mind Libretto or Harlem Gallery. Rendezvous has been out of print for several years and many of the younger f lack poets and schola rs ha~ ead it -J,.as ~ Road (1 932 ~ which has j-tts,t b~en reprinted. he case wit! iii SA i;, Brown ' s Southern Butt any casual look at Tolson 's work will confirm reports that he is not digestible in a single reading. Even before the erudition of Libretto and Harlem Gallery, Tolson accustomed himself to the allusion . Indeed , his strongest weapon is the literary or historical reference~ the mar k of the library poet, the learned person. the Bar" Tolson is at his finest as he ji,it'qeose.s •arak2222 In "An Ex-Judge at J. humor , allusion,\ ironyl with . _ -...:..- philosophy and social commentary. bar. This ex-judge is at a "drinking" And rich in oral power, like most of Tolson 's poetry , the poem surveys t he history of a white man who, after serving in the war and returning home to d,..., ·, become a judge, is" guilt-ridden in a taver1) where he discusses his life with the ba rt ender. The opening couplet: • t:'""___,_~ and ake it two Bartender, make it straa.-gut M One f or the you in me and in yout •.. ~ t he/ l ac k American's dexterousness with oral language and Tolson's rich background a s storyteller and debatA oach. The couplet contains the kind of musical, s eemingly non1 sensical statement that J lack men love to exchange during fierce verbal sparring matches I-even though the judge is presumab l y white . Drunk, the judge r ef i ves his war ~er·e~ces and, in a vision, sees the "Goddess Justic ~ ' f"'14Ulnw~, j~ whom someone 11 'l --- blindfolds';'•1111t,\the lawyers ~ "l:" a ilroad defendf nts before him. - But Justice " unbandaged" her eyes and accused the judge of lynching a / lack man to "gain the judge's seat," even though, ironically, he fought in the last war to "make the world safe for Democracy." The judge, seeking consolation and implying that no one is perfect, is finally moved to self-evaluation, repents and orders �another round of drinks: ® Bartender, make it straight and make it three~ One for the Negro .•• one for ·you and me. "An Ex-Judge at the Bar" i -with its ironies and doubl~ enten<lres in the very title /Ylis a poem that slips away from the reader. never sure, that one has the meaning under control. One thinks, though one is The poem refers to c{adsar, ct Pontius Pilate, the Koran , the Sahara, "September Morn" (a painting by Paul Chabt s), W' French Macbeth. ~ words, Flanders field, and Macduff in Shakespeare's ~ Certainly these are not the ideal ingredients for a poem directed to the "people." and world On the other hand, for the reader ready to do battle with history e, Tolson proves quite rewarding . Dudley Randall ("The Black ~ Aesthetic inl\Thirties, Forties, and Fiftie~" -,,f Iodern Black Poets) states, with a strained air- of seriousness; ~ "If t he reader has a well-stored mind, or is willing to use dictionaries, encylopedias, atlases, and other reference books,'' Tolson's work "should present no great difficulty." Randall had in mind, specifically, Libretto, a section of which appeared in Poetry along with the book's preface. In this long poemf, constructed loosely ~ . around tire ode formf Tolson celebrates Liberia 's cent ennial . According to Randall, "Tolson used all the devices dea r to the New Criticism : ..,,recondite allusions, scraps of foreign languages, African proverbs, symbolism, objective correlatives. Many parts of t1e poem are obscure, not through some private symbolism of the author, but because of the unusual words, foreign phrases, and learned allusions." Randall goes on to point out that reading Libretto is like reading other "learned poets, such as Milton and Ti s. Eliot ." However, reading Tolson is not exactly like reading other learned poets, for he placesr ack information in front of the reader. lle bends the ode into an �~t A""~rltt'O .f-: ~musical structure and celebrates the /'lack past. ~ l'O• Continuing a pattern set in J {)[~ poems i±ks. "Rendezvous with America" and "Dark Symphony," Tolson separates --;it:; Libretto along lines of the Vestern musical scale: ~ @ ~-Do, -Re, Mi, Fa , Sol, La, Ti, Specifically, Libret to acknowledges the c § birthday of Liberia, founded in 1847 by the American Colonization Society for free men of color. "Rooted in the Liberian mentality as fact and symbol ," Libretto traverses the kaleidoscopic range of African his tory: ~ the magnificent a ncient and/ edieval kingdoms, European exploitation, various theories as to the reason for the question-markl shape of Africa , the origins of fa ack stereotypes, Africa ' s contributions to the world, the impact of Christianity, Islam and other religions . All this Tolson does with what Allen Tate calls "a great gift of language , a profound historical sense, a first-rate intelligence." Tate also pondered, as did Emanuel and Gross (Dark Symphony, 1968), "what influence this work will have upon Negro poetry in the Unit ed States." Nore than slightly recalling Howells} in his endorsement of Dunbar, Tate says : l"For the first time, it seems to me , a Negro poet has assimilated completely the full poetic language of his time and, by imp lication, the language of the Anglo-American tradition." Relentlessly posing the one-word question "Liberia?" and reinforcing the nation 's existence in "fact and symbol, " Tolson opens Libretto with lofty erudition and color. The fifth stanza of ~ . after the initial "Liberia?" and accompanying recitation of what the nation is not, add resses its citizens thusly: Yo u ar ---t Black Lazarus risen from the White Han 's grave, 0 t::..J t,-without a road to Downing Street, Without a hemidemisemiquaver in an Oxford Later, in ~ secti f tave ! olson excerpts a chant from "The Good Gray Bard of <B �Timbuktu": ® "Wanawake wanazaa ovyo ! Kazi Yenu Wanzungu!" ~ Hayden has been called one of the most skilled craftsmen since Countee Jifl,/ Culle~ but Tolson without a doubt has sustained t moM powerful poetr '~ ~ ' ' l adheres ri gorously to the tenets of the modernists. ~ ' ' His Libretto is the drama of "The Desert Fox" and the German " goosestep" across Africa <@); of the snake, "eyeless, yet with eyes " ( ); of "White Pilgrims" and "Black Pilgrims" who sing "O Christ" that the wors'f will "pas fr} ( ol); "A white man spined with dreams" a; of a "Calendar of the Country" to "red-letter the Republic's birth !" of "Leopard, elephant, ape" and :il); and of ." a professor of metaphysicotheologicocosmonigology" also . . i n a c 1 oaca o f error a toot h . pu 11 er a/ ,p ltap h ys1c1st a ielly' s welf a skull's tabernacle a 1113 wi th stars 0 t-a muses ' darling a busie bee de sac et de corde tJ f-a neighbor's bed-shaker a walking hospital on D 0 the walip •·•~ _ The symbols, t t1e syntax, the grammar and the language tumble on placing / -Quai d ' Orsay, White House , L...f- Kremlin , : wning Street t in the catalog• while (!~ ' Again black Aethiop reaches at the sun, 0 Creek fI ( i 0 The histo r y of world wars, the gos sip in high circles ("f Duce's Whore"), AA.- the concoction of ~ merable languages and book-buried erudition, reveal Tolson as a complex and difficult modern poe t. The tragedy, Randall and others have �pointed out, is that as Tolson wrote Libretto and Harlem Gallery, white scions of the modern vers e were turning their backs on erudition for a more common, everyday language in poetry. for more than@ Trapped in the middle (he held on to Harlem Gallery years), Tolson continued to labor in the best tradition of the modern poetry to the disbelief of contemporariesf who , like Cummings, Rexroth , and Hughes, were influenced by f (l/op and a freer language structure. Tolson's sustained scholarship and complex allusions are reinforced by the addition of scores of footnotes..J which cite the works of such as Dryden , Shakespeare, Emerson, Lorenzo Dow Turner (Africanisms in the Gullah Dialects)~ J.~ . Rogers C, Race), unnar Hyrdal , Aeschylus, Bocca'1(-o, Baudelaire!.,and hundreds of others. I symbols The work ends <@) in a use of mystical and technological examine "Futurafrique" and "tomorrow •.• 0 .. . Tomorrow." Tolson's career is a terrifying example of the confusion that can occur in ther ack literary artist . When he first sent the manuscript of Libretto to Tate (who was across town at Vanderbilt with the "Fugitive" poets while Tolson was -tke Whi re poet at Fisl(), •#[ejected i Si saying he was not interested in "propanganda from a Negro poetf "1Flasch),' ..i__fl 1 1!j_ Tolson then dil_!i gently refvrote the manuscript · \:>•3"'_.rt to subscribe to the t~~intellectual, technical, and scholarly demands of the modern poets (Tate, John Crowe Ransom, Eliot, Pound, Robert Penn Warren, Donald Davidson, and others). it. He sent the manuscript back to Tat~ who agreed to endorse In 1920, Tolson had stumbled upon a copy of Sandburg 's "Chicago" but was warned by a professor to "leave that stuff alone" (Flasch). a poet, then, was stunted* causing him to spend @ His maturation as years searching for his own voice. Harlem Gallery (the first of a planned five-volume epic) provides another example of the chaos in Tolson's poetic life. In 1932, he completed a 340-page manuscript called "A Gdllery of Harlem Portrait~ ' which was turned down by ~ - -- - -- -- - -- - - - - -- - �publishers. When the deriva tive ode Harlem Gallery was finally brought out in 1966, Tolson had published two newer manuscripts: , -tt\-t Rende zvous and Libretto . roe.-t.!. Harlem Gallery had been placed in~• • & a !!II "trunk" for @ years-;;a period during which he switched from the Romantics and Victorians (and Masters after whose 1 Spoon River Anthology "Portraits" was modell ed) to the Moderns . -t1t~ US PT r . ., i itt,g -21!he::."2.& · I Tolson said he ~ 1 read and absorbed the techniques of Eliot, Pound, Yeats, Baudelaire, Pasternak and , I believe , all the great moderns . God only /" knows how many \J.1. ittle magazines\Y I studied, and how much textual analysis( (sic_9 of the New Critics." A staggering poem , Harlem Gallery " is a work of art, a sociological commentary, an intellectual triple somersaultt (Flasch~ It meet s the vigorous intellectual, scholarly, and stylistic whims of mode rn poetry , but at the same time is "impossible to describe." Yet it is Tolson's crowning achievement in more ways than one . First it continues his fascination with/ lack and general history . pursues ~ Jo;;,., Second, it intense interest in bo t h the psychof dynamics of the Afro- American /" character and the artist; he is particularly concerned with the plight of the ~o lllll!!ntie ~C.. century / lack artist (hence Book I , The Curator). Third, it prov ides one of the most powerful and authentic link~ between the Harlem Renaissance and the Black Arts Hovement of the 1960s a nd 1970s. The very title of Har lem Galler y gives it a / lack setting; and t he fact of itt s being conceived and initially drafted <luring the f ena issance indicates that ;olson labored over the years (from the stand: point of memory, technique and sub ject matter) in the afterv low of the ,, literary flowering watered by McKay, Cullen , Toomer, Hughes , Fish r, Johnson , and Locke. Finally, the characters in Harlem Gallery are / lack: the Curator, Doctor Nkomo (Bantu expatriate and Af ricanist ), Mr. Guy Delapor te (p~esident of Bola Bola Enterprises), Black Orchid (blues\ singer and mistress to Delaporte), t he �ha l f - blind Ha r lem a rtist John Laugar t , Bl a ck Di amond (ghettot promoter of t he 6,e.,~ Lenox policy racke t), and Hideho Heights (the light-skinned poe t of Lenox Avenue). I\ The Cura t or of the Harlem Gallery is a n admixture (continuing concer~~ egun in Rendezvous) of races ("Afroirishjewish") , an octoroon who passes for j lack in New York and white in Mississippi . He is a digestion of the humor and pathos Blacks s ee i n those of their race who attempt to "pass . " Tolson noted t hat sinc e t housands of light- skinned Blacks passed over, there is a standing joke ask~ "Wha white man is white?" Harlem Gallery, t hen, is desiened to parade the/ lack " types" (ultimately ~veryman types) thr ough t he gallery of life as it is shaped by the view of the l i t era ry genius: ...._,Tolson • Spec ifica lly , the book i s a hu~ answer to Gertrude Stein's charge t ha t the "Negro su ffers from no t hingness.'' ,J1-ack hi story . All of his poetic life, To lson wo r ked to reconstruct Now , in Harlem Gallery, he was coming with speed and poetic prei -- cision fr om his corner of the syntactica-J. and semant i c* ring to do battle with /Y)~ -., Stein ' s charge . In the Introduction to Harlem Gallery, Shapiro explains i n pa rt the reason why Ge rtrude Stein would herself be so i gnorant. Whites do not get a chance t o read about ;(lack ·achievement; since "Poetry as we know it remains the most l ily- whit e of the arts." the poetry of t he Academ~f ears." Libretto may have pulled "the rug out from under but "Harlem Gallery pulls the house down around their Assailing El i ot and others for "purifying the language," Shapiro praised Tolson f or " complicating it, giving it the gift of tongues . " To lson certainly gave Harlem Gallery the "gift of tongues . " He uses tidbits from the range of world l a nguages; but his work is more sust a ined and coherent than in Libretto. Both storyt line and language a re more accessible in Galleryt;, with its interpolation· of ricy academic language and form. ack speech and musical term.inology into stilted Set up musically, with each section bearing the �fa1ler offh ~ name of a~Greek /lphabet, Galler y shows Tolson again displaying his amazing technical virtuosity and his merger of ,~ ode form with rela ted / lack orally~derived structures : ~blues , jazz ,/ piritua ls, f olk epics and oral narratives &a e'Satchmo" in GmbdJ / n ___, The verse pattern in "The Birth of John Henry" Gallery owes some debt to (gg} in Libretto Jwith its - tapered typography and irregular forces the r eader to speed up or slow down to line organization catch the rhyme. ~ opens describing t he spice of Harlem as "an Afric pepper bird" before the Curator tells us; ~ I I travel, from oasis to oasis, man ' s Saharic 0 up-and-down. The grand sweep and intellectual storage of Tolson are gathered from line to line , between lines, in t h e marg i ns, around and t hroughout the poem. Recalling the verbal jousting in "An Ex- Judge a t the Bar," t he Curator assesses his "I-ne ss," his ".humanness" and hi s "Negr ones sj " and this recipe mixes with t he pepper bird ' s r eveille in my brain where the plain i s t willed and t willed iA plain . The academic stilts a re shortened fo r t he sake of unde rstanding <@): 0 one needs the clarit y the comma gives t he eye, not the head of the hawk .0 's4wollen with rye . Like Hayden's "Middle Passage," Gallery views the physical and spiritual pret dicament of th y lack man : ..,_what has he gone through , how much more can/will he take, how long? tl,w long? The answer is that man may have to endure suffering forever/4-but if he is doomed to suffer, he is likewise "doomed" to survive. The �Cur ator is t old t hat others have su f fered and survived . cr eate in th e ir suffering . The Afro- American and So t he " Af roirishjewish Grandpa" of the ~ shim ,.___, ~ : Cur £!f e t ween the dead sea Hitherto Q and the pr omi sed l a ml Henc e U looms t he wilderness Now : O a lthough his confidence :_i s often a boar bailed up ILJ on a rid ge , somehow , ].. t he Attic sal t in man survives the blow [l.c.J of Attila , Croesus , Iscar iot , ·r---a nd t he ~ tches Sabba t h i n t he Ca t a comb s of Bos io . 1, '1:certainly t his survi va l theme i s c l os e to t he hea rt o f the Afro-American and t he a rtist. Art ists ar e of ten among t he f irst to plee~ f or clemency , for free e xpr ession , f or t ru t h . The j pirituals and t he va s t body of ~ folk e xp r e s sion reaffirm the Afro-American's fait h in man and the quest fo r s urv i val. of} lack exp res sion and strength, Tolson (and Hayden : i ncorporates t he rich blast of ~ '-' folk mate r ials . Acknowledging this a spect "Hean mean mean to be freef ") In heaven ~==-=-= 7 , Gabr iel announces; ~ (P '' I ' d be the greatest trumpeter in the Universe , [J if old Satchmo had never been born !" And the b irth of John Henr y is an e pic birth -akin to t hat of Jesus, Bud~ °' }1C,hammtd , and others . an ax The nigh t Jo hn Henr i is born (V ,CJ of l igh t ning splits t he skY,,i_ the earth , and a hammer of thunde r pounds , �0 and t he ear,l e s and pant hers cry! Reciting a soul-food menu at birth , John Henry 1' I want some ham hocks , ribs, and jowls, _ a pot of cabbage arid gree{; some hoecakes, jam , and butter milk, a platter of pork and beans!' ' ~ ) Tolson remains at home in s ynchronizing the Afro- American and Western heritages . In Gallery his forte is still t he literary a llusion juxtaposed with history or religion (as in Libretto),;\ but he love s to ascend the stuJty mountain of academia ~ and then suddenly dr'Jeinto t he midst of ghettot-i'uri<, ~ ; : '@ tha t tilt like "long N,fp lese eyes" to a "catacomb Harlem flat" \ (grotesquely vivisected like microscoped maggots) ,b~ I from t houghts !,ya the "Elite Chitterling Shop" @ )1 wh ich contains the "variegated jukebox" (sin~ing the "ambivalence of classical blues") . ; : : :ra of Meanwhile, Doctor Obi Nkomo, "the alter ego" of the gallery, speaks Across an alp of chitterlings, pungent a s epigrams • . .. ) The _,P(,ctor returns to t he theme of survival and free expression: J) d/ 11 The lie of the artist is the only lie for wh ich a mortal or a god should die." 7r"olson's ever-present need to synt hesize (and yet separate) the t hr ee ingredients of man (biology , sociology and ps ychology/4- extending into the three S' ~ / si ght, sound and sense) recurs in t~e poem ~ ) as the a rtists paint the seven panels of man ' s trid t•mensionali ty - 1--in variforms and varicolorsJ IJ since vir tue has no Kelv in scale l---since a mo ther breeds J-no twins alike, ••. �and since no man who is 1$~ '.: dged by his bioso cia l identity OCJ I { ------ n tote Kiefekil or a fart re , rn Henc e Tolson extends, sometimes in camouf l ~ ge, his ideas about man ' s similarities a nd differences . To be sure , he is say ing that;('lack lilen and white men are di fferent "i\but that the differences are not significant enough to keep t hem from working together for the lilutua l ~ood . This particular stand, which l a ces the work of Hayden, Tolson , Hughes and early Gwendolyn Brooks, is not one that will rema in popular among poets who subscribe to the / lack/ es the tic of the 1960s . NEver theles~ Tolson dug underneath the hysteria and the ideological neatness to probe the tine- honored questions about nan . Gallery) finds •&h;e:z;_doing liluch-anthologized section of battle with anthropologists , the D.A . . , the F.F.V. (First Families o f Virginia), Unc le Tom , t h e Jim Crow / i gn, the Great White World, and Kant, in an att emp t t o ans we r the questio \" Who is a Ne gro?" a nd "Who is a Uhite?"'/lrolson ' s wo r k contains e reat satir~ satire. and great wisdom in t he To be misled by his incred i ble and daz ~ling wor, ~play is to miss the essential Tolso~ who warned t he c omin~ ,eneration t ha t, although Uncle Tom was " dead ," they should beware of his son : "Dr. Thomas . " Suspicious of fame and wealth .-, and des iri ng to see laced over ,mother (in privileiz e), Tolson remarked a fter J ohn Laugart ' s mur • \\ t hat amo nc those thin3s remaining D and infamy , t h e ~iamese twin -- (.! of fame . _____________________ ...__ ~wete 0- ba1tle ol-' git! �Are we privilel';ed , here, to see a sneak (@- y e a r ~ ) preview of Wa terga te? We do not know what would have been Tolson's fate as a poet had -he come to his own comfortable style as a young man in the Harlem Renaissanc e. He was nearly fifty when he sent Tate the manuscript for Libretto . , f t y .\ :· oU is quite an Aage for a poet to be still at odds with fl.is craftM or to have•++....___.,, ~ , ~'tn,n,jf 11~ tvoH over,f's een by aA.critic . Nevertheless Tolson , not admitted (as Shapiro noted of J'lack poets)~ to the "poli te company of the anthology , 11 had to get his voice CJtJ,,,. immedl4tt Ptninw:.kn, em;Tithlal "together" without the/\aid ava i l ab1J' to the "Fugitives" or those inl\molcling . $'1~ .centers modern poetry . ,Few,J(l a ck poets at the time were attempting Tolson's 1'n t•-S~ I l'l •. OJ;_~ Bl ac Ics flIha s!ri lj cl ec 1.rne cl C:::::: • I · ______ :~'.> 111 I! during the fo rties and fifties -and there is much eviclence that Tolson generally intimidated other / lack scholars and intellectuals with his vast knowledge and great talents. Like poets of other generations, he was a part-time poet, expending much of his ener g ies on students and school-related work. p Randall has pointed out that unless a ck poets imitate Tolson?\and thus keep him apparent and interesting~ he will not exert a major influence on Afro-American poetry. But, as Barksdale and Kinnamon note, a poet of Tolson's range and power carf):iot go unnoticed for long . Criticism of To lson is sparse . Joy Flasch ' s Melvin B. Tolson, in the Tw~J United Sta tes Authors Series, offers good insights int o Tolson's techniques. Barksdale and Kinnamon give brief criticism in Black ~friters of America. appraises him in t he article on/lack poets of three decades following the Randall ~ Renaissance in his "Portrait of the Poet as Raionteur," Negro Digest , XV, 3 ...._. (January 1966 )J S4t;, 7. ~· See. a lso 11 A Poet's Odyssey, 11 an interview with Tolson (conducted by M.lw . King) in Anger, and Beyond (1966) ~Lee. I ~ j\eview!. Joy lte.be .-mA.tt) f:a.bto ([J ~ Margaret 1-Jalker' s poetry and life provide a ~.ich and fl rewarding jolt in t he writing activity of this period : her For Mv People (1942) /,.., "' �was the first book of poe try by a jlack woman since Georgia Douglas~Johnson ' s volumes of th e t wen ties; the poetry departeJ in theme and technique from t he prevailing mood of poetry byfilack women; and she had t he rare opportunity to £.~~i1e, ineo~o"A~ le, years , Wright, Davis, Fenton Johnson , and during her mo st-~ ~ with such Chicago-based writers a~ &1 1 FL ~ -,-11;111 Hu~ :bilec ot:1'11!'1.· it ors 9 £... the e ~ ~her experiences inc luded the Depression, Wo rld War II and ::; McCarthyism-Lalong wit h various ra cial and politically radical perspectives on M contemporary life. Margaret Walker was born in Birmingham , Alabama , the daught e r of a Me thodist~ .,..., minister father and a school teacher mother, both universi t y graduates. She ~ . M.1ss1ss1pp1, . . . Al a bama , an d Louisiana . . 1.. ti;_ • ~ a t t en d e d c h urc h sc h oo 1 sin ceso•• receiv ~ her B.A . from Northwestern ~ .., stag lee• ~ ts r srl "1T'1e • next fou~yE!ar~Aas a t yp ist, newspaper reporter, edi tor of a short-lived magazine, ~d"-'"i4J..t and with the Federal Write r s ' Pro ject. (like Haydei in Chicago . In 1939 she entered the University of Iowa (afte r short s t ints as a social worker in Chicago and New Orleans} where she received an _·LA . in 194 0, her thesis being a collection of poems. She i~ ~ obtained ~ I \Ph . D. in creative writing from Iowa in 19 65 a, after submitting Jubilee , a novel, in lieu of ...,.Adisse rtation. Jubilee received the Houghton Hiff lin Literary Awa rd in 1966 and ha s been translated into several languages. Sc~ I qc.fO ~ •1 \o ~ J T ~ Hargare t Wal ke r (Mrs. Firnist IA, James Alexander and t he mother of four children) was~ professor of English at Liv ingston Coll ege in North Carolina , received the Ya le Younger Poets award in 1942 (For My Peopl e ), was awarded a Rosenwald Fellowship for Creative \,Tri.ting (1944 ), s e r ved as visiting professor at 'Iorthwestern University , and became a membe r of the English f acult y at Jac kson State Colleg 7 where she is currently director of the Ins titute for the Study of His tory, Life , and Culture of Black ~ - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - �People (since 1969). Arthur P . Davis says) ~ ":t•ass Walker is a better poet than she is a novelist, " and one can hardly quarrel with him . • In addition to For ,1y People, she has sustained a ·1h. < \ _" quality of poetry in I Prophets for a New Day (1970) and October Journey (1973) M both published by !i Randall's ___. Broadside Press in De troit. J Al though some of the poems in Prophets '-- for a New Day were begun in the t hirties and forties , "most of them," according to the poet, were written during the sixties . them in Chapter VI . !, 8rief comment will be made on ; "For Hy People," the title poem of her first book, first Told by Owen Dodson at a College Language Association meeting (Howard University, in 1942) that she was winning the Yale Younger Poets Award, w hevi IL ~he had wonJ and · 1 1 -=1t-i&..isl, -e-1 ~ she "had not even s ubmitted 11Qp- "-manuscrip t and her- v o Lv"" e. • ,,:;;;-(31i/ ;ecalls ~ thought he was cra zy . " t\._include<l a sensit i ve Fo r d by Stephen V;i.ncent Ilen/S, who praised her " Straight -for wardness, d irectness, r eality ," and noted that such qua lit i es are " good t hings to find in a young poet." also observed Benet Q : lrt is rarer to find them cor.1bined with a controlled intensity of emotion and a language that, at times, even when it is most modern, has something of t he surge of biblical poetry. And it is obvious that Niss Walker uses that language because it comes ~ turally to her and is a part of her inheritance. Indeed "inheritance" is the key word to unlocking the fruits and juices of Margaret Walker ' s poetic storeroom. Her own experiences , as the <laughter of re l igious parents, of growing up in the South, of being nurtured on the oral tradition, of developing a ca reful and sympathetic ear for the folk expressions, are all served up again through the poe t's "honesty," " sincerity," "candor " and - - - - - - - - - -- -- - ---- �tremendous technical abilities . Harr,a ret Walker ' s verse does not employ the ~ oblique , ~truse , and learned scalings sometimes evident in Hayden and Tolson . And she is quit e at the opposite end of the spectrum from the ladxtlike lyrics . and of her predecessors: .._, Ann} Spencer , Gwendolyn Benne tt/\ Alice Dunbar 1Qg el son., ... Indeed when ·measured against the tradition established by most of She : certainly · her female predecessors, her work is startling. I\ · bears ship to her forerunner ,i/4 is;ers~ especially to Frances Harpert some ki"1, i n theme and e; ~ usag~ -but her language, lines , an<l narration a re more .related to the work of )3'.l.ack poe~s .renton Johnson, Wright, ,c}"arnes Weldon Johnson, Htllghes and Davis, and whi te -·poets Masters, Lindsiy and -Sandburg . During an exchange t1ith 'N i kk i Giovanni (A Poet ic Eq ua t ion : ,..Conversations Between Ni kki Giovanni a nd Margaret Walker , 19 743 't]~~tli'et alker !nut t o ge t bac k to t hi s business of l angua ge. £) s aid : In t he t wenties and thir ties, f or t he f i rs t time we had the us e of b l a ck speech / f r om the streets . He were r esponsi ble fo r t ha t pa r tic ular urban l2:_d i om going int o t he American languaf:e . ~ ;ikki Giovanni answered with ~ ~pe rceptive ~ _!tit• ohserv1iTi6>t~ 5 \r t was the first time because we were bec oming urban. {) one of the things we f or :·: et when ue start ~r ritiques is t hat we could not have had a street laniuage earlier . been plantation and southern and rura l. I t h ink Speech had And as we moved~o the ~ ities during the ~ i gration period , we developed a s treet language . M-ir.otret· think that's an import ant point," ' ~ J \~lalker noted , moving on to indebt herself and the whole modern/ l ack poetic folk.t r adition to lear that :Margare t Walker , t :1e ~outhc rner, ~leaned from the kinds of rich linguistic c omplements needed to draw the �For Ny People. The t itle poem sets t he tone of t he book and es tablishes t he poet ' s intellectual, aes t he tical , ph iloso phical and his torical consid erations : V the acquisition and employment of. knowle<l3e of her past; the exhortation of her people ("Th e Struggle Staggers UsJ ' but "Ou t of this blackness we must struggle forth"); the celebrationi specifically+ of the / 1ack folk heritage and language; esteem for her religious (especially supernatural ) and spiritual needs. Revealing in both its style and its content, "for ly People" is a majestic poem containing '""tot.So n1'M f'. the now-famous Whitman sweep of words and ideas with aa 4ordering disorder : J.f~ For my people everywhe re singing t 1eir slave songs IJ l , repeai :!{ t heir dirges and their d itties and I their blues anc,yJ ubilees, praying their praye rs nightly to an unknow~ od, bending their knees humbly to an unseen power0 ... Continuing from th is first stanza (note the similarity to Fenton Johnson's ?J the poem views "my people" adding their " streneth" to the " gone years" and the "now years." It sees them, as it traverses the physica l and spiritual history of Blacks , as "playmates" in Alabama "clay and <lus ~ as "black and poor and small and differen~ as youths who " grew" to "marry their playmates" and "die of con-{,, ~ul!lption~';) as "thronging 47th Street in Chicago and Lenox Avenue in New Yo rk and Rampart Street in New Orleans ' as "wa lking blindly spreading joy"; as )r\ blundering and groping and flounderin~"i a s "preyed on by facile force of state and fad an l ovelty, by false prophet and holy believer\f) and "as all the adams and eves ." Finally, in the last stanza , she gives t his ringing cry for a more a ggressive / lack push: �{f) Let a new ea rt h rise . •c. e ,,ott-·• \~" t),t>~\~ Let anot her wor ld be born . 1-tt IJ ·. 1a bl oody /peace be wr itten in the sky . Let Let a second /\A let a people , generatiorf/tull of courage i s s ue fo rth; 1\11 1ft ~\~ loving free-~dom come t o gr owth . Let a beauty full of hea ling,. //If nd a s tr en 6 th of f i na l clenching be the . . -1-z lf pu 1 s 1.ng 11;. .-,o ur spir its and our blood . ~ Let the # martia l songs b~~wr itten , le t t he dir ges disappear. I Let a race o f men now ris e and t ake control . For Hy People is a small book (only @ _f111~n;ia~ by a/ poems) but it is one of the most in~ lack poet.(/,,Da rk Blood" follows the opening poem, reaffirming 11 H~rgaret Walker ' s be lief in t he " forms of t hings unknown /4as Wright ~ it. "Bizarre beginnings in old lands" cons tit u ted the "making of me." succulent imagery un f olds: u t~ Lus c i ous , " s ugar s ands," " fe rn and pearl," "Palm jung les ," "wooing nights," in contra s t to t he " one-room shacks of my old poverty." nut the "blazing suns" of t he po e t's conj ured=up birt:iplace will help reconcile t he pride a nd pain in me . ti Lt, ,,._ Strongly reminiscent of t he Rena i s s a nce poe t s ' inf atuation with Africa, but ending on the reali stic not e of the poe t' s loca l ized " poverty," "Dark Blood" certainly meets ~ notion of "realit ." The skepticism, the doub t, t he scent of s acrilf ge ~ ound from Dunbar forwardJ br ing tension to "He Have Been Be l ievers": ~ .•• believing in our bur dens a nd our demigods too long . And now (recallin~ Dunbar's "Synpat hy") , t:,e " f ists" o f the believers "bleed" (t a gainst t he bars with a st r a::ige ins istency. The streng t1, begun in the f irst poer.i , is carried through "Southern Song" a nd ... ______________ _ ..._ �"Sorrow Home ." With incantation and incremental refrai1:,i "Del t a" t ells of t h: . ~ collective "s truggle. " Strains of "Delievers" course t hrough " Since 161~" ~ the poet a ga in re:£.t races the/ lack odyssey : /4. (f) How l ong have I been hated and hating? The speaker, longing _t o see the rich "color" of a "b rothe r's f ace, " assa ils racism, poverty , ignoranc e a .. violence , and laments s piritual desola t ion. War, poverty, diseas e and other heirs of the Depre s sion a re the themes of "Toda ~" which speaks of "chi ld r en scarred by bomb s," "lynching ," and "pellagr a and silicosis . " A different " stride" of this poet is seen in the second s ection of For My People . "Mol l y Means , " "Bad- ,[an Stagolee , " "Poppa Chicken, " "Kissie Lee, " •falluh Hammuh ," "Two- Gun Buster and Trigger Slim , " "Teacher, " "Gus, t he Lineman:;" "Long John Nelson and Sweet ie Pie , " and "John Henry" a re f resh treatments of authentic stories from/ la ck communities in Ame rica . " A hag and a witch," Mol l y Means had seven husband ~ and 1 Some s ay she was born wi t h a veil on her f ace .. •• The incremental r efrain ("Old .1olly , ~1olly , Noll y , " etc.) gives drama tic and r psychological power t o the poem as Holly's work wit h t he "black- hand arts and her evil powers" are catalogued . {!) Stagolee , apparently "an all- right lad," Till he killed that cop and turned ou t bad , quite possibly had kil led "mor ' n one" white man. The "bad nigger:" type found in all / lack communities is the portrait drawn of Stagolee: (!,) Wid dat blade he wore unnerneaf his shirt. • . . Stagolee mysteriously d isa ppe~, though his " ghost still" sta l ks t he shore of ....... the Mississippi River. Poppa Ch "cken was a pi mp who , in the American t radition of f lack-on-flack crime, " go t off li3ht" fo r killing a mant' and (J) Bought hi s pardon in a yeare ... �Also a p ack protot ype , he had plenLy \: men (" gals fo r miles around"), expensive rings and wa tches, f ancy clothes , displayed a coolness ("Treat 'em r ough" ), and when he walked t he st reets J The Gals c ried Lawdy ! Lawcl ! ,,.. Kissie Lee is a throw_ ba ck t o llar <l=Heart ed Hannah (who would "pour water on a . man, ") : d rowni.ng J) she could shoo t 8l a ss door s o ff a the h i nge ~ Shine and othe r s . Hammuh recalls Do ~ He killed hi s ••. He was so "bad" that law of fri ght . • . . The cultural folk ty pes par a de be fore our eyes, much after the fashion of "Slim" and other characters i n St er l ing Br o·wn ' s Souther n Road . Margare t lfa l ker' s cot t1:µ tribution, a s":'.a oe,s Brown's, lies ~l~ in the area of history and linguis tic ~ _.,,,,----- Sl.<1 for both a re chroniclers of s uc h . Jjut ct.err 17' surpa sses Brmm in her sear ch A+ . iL ...+,.-e...-e Le ttie Con~t°Cflf., 1 for the vers e fo r ms to convey / l acl~ folk i f e . 4v1 1 I r0 ~ 1Ctl Yf l" p.l'll~e.11l of \J.J\mt¥\ IV\ he~ p6ems. .. Big J ohn Henr y tales ca n be f ound in prac t ica l ly every Americ an communi t y . Y t Margaret Walker places he r man in Us sissipp~ wher e and sorghum." ,s e feast ed on " buttermi lk As a Bi g Boy t ype (Wr i:-;h t, Hughe s and other s ), he as s aults the world throus h physic a l prowes s . lie is t he best co t ton picker, stronger t han ~ a "team of oxen , " t he champion boxer; he ca anchor hand," is taught by t he "wi tches" how to " cunjer ," a nd is undaun t ed until a "ten- poun' hammer" s pl i t " him open ." The ha l lad, app ropriately, is the primary form of the poems in t h is s ection . The third sect ion o f t h e book con t a · s six sonnets, capturing r emembrances and vignettes. The poet br i n~s he r mm r 1yme s cheme, stanzaic pa ttern and line-stress variations to the se piec e s . " Ch ildhood" r ecalls that of a ll the many human a nd natural pcs t i ences t ha t invaded the lives of the poor, including J 77 �the "hatred " that "still held sway ," tp) ..• only bitter land was washed away . ~ "Whores" are told t ha t their labors a rc ~ndi 6nified and warned (a dash of deepf wornan concern (feminism?)) that as t hey grow older they will f ind that their bodies, in this world of turbulence , wi l l neither give " peace" to men nor "leave them satis fied . " Endinr; , rightly it seems , with "Struggle Staggers Us," For .1y People reminds Bla cks t ha t t here is room to "stagger" but none to halt: , Struggle between t he mor ning and ni ght . .I This marks our year s ; t his se tt les , too , our plight. There are few volune s of poetry published since For Hy People that can be cor i ()rt'{ et- sidered aii_,elacl<{; ,in t he complex sense of t,e wor d. From the e<l clay of the e playgrounds t o t he teemin~ treachery of urban fus t lages; from the . / J,.;- a r to the pi e rcing cry of the hungry; fr om t he deeply (unquestioning1 s to the iconocla sti c and t he here t i c; from t he healthy racial to the ,... ·,g'iod · dose of modest y a nd na'ive t : { it is al f i e r e : wonderful sensitivity and a rich bank of poetry for all times . fl b,. ., A link to the writers o f t heAr.cna i s s ance , llar garet Walker has had contact with ~ . twenties poets ~ '--"' Ilu13hcs , 3ont em:is , Fenton Joh nson and Gwendolyn . Bennett: 'as well a s with l a t e r barJs : V Danner, Margaret Burroughs a nd Tolson . Dodson , Hayden , Gwendolyn Br ooks, Harga r et Fo r Hy People , in t he end, stands a s the rich digestion (synt1esi s ) of t e ma i n currents of the / enaissance an~ t he a esthetic consider a tions being de ba ted by Locke , Cullen, J ohnson, Brown and Redding . Wolke, Hargaret"-rnay have pro duced the volume of poe try many of the older writers Ja~:te& ,'to write . Wi t hout being se lf - e ffacin g or "unrealistic" about her plis ht :fJa.ri:4'Afro-American, ,\ .- ..:. ''-• ~-!. .,. she poetically r econs tructed one of the most balanced pictures �o f ~f lack humanit :i; withou t l esscnine or prof aning her obvious self- love . I ~~yth<\ b-e a u!. e he. w tl..4 .J ~ro(fu, in Southern Roa d , avo ides,I even mentionin& Af rica~ perhaps s8' fed ~ Jp ni.tL w~().7 a ~~ the romantic escapad e s of s ome "f\ena i s sance poets . ~ !!:~!:, ~e deserves no'\praise 11-1\s1 0 n1' p r,J ~A}ortfor that aspect of his " - ~ ~ Tolson and Haydenl (bo_th~ U Hant poets) ~ )-.... 1.,vere o i:-te r. _ _ +1 ~ ~ ~,. .rj t s ~oi sed in t he wi ng~ , ~ of t en r equir.QQll a signal from the academy before they could " slip the e a g le ' s claw." ~ }lore critical assessr.1.ent of ;!ar garet Wal ke r ' s work is needed . c~ Barksdale !Ya ent s in t he i r antholog! , j A Poetic Equatio n) Walker_:; 1 974) is ext r eme l y helpf ul in getting to the grit of the poet's ideas . Ther e are s eminal comments in Pa ula Giddings' "A Shoulder Hunched Against a Sharp Conce r n ': .....,Sor.1e Theme s in t he Poe try of Margaret Walker, 11 Black Worl~ XXI (~ecembe1 1971), 2oj 2s . See also ~ Whitlow's Black American Literatur~. ~ , Young ' s Black ~vr it e rs of t he Thirties , ~ -Jackson ' s essay in Black Po et r y i n A.mc r · ca , 1§f!!!II Gibson 's 1odern Black Poets, ~ anuel "'s ,5 and Gross '• Dark Symphony, ~leg ro Ca r av an , ~ Davis '~ From the Dark Tower, Redmond' s " The Black Ame r ic a n Ep ic : - It s Roots and Its Writers/' Bla ck Thou ht an 9'!!!!9&Henderson 's Understanding -------Tilac c Exp r e ssion and The Black Aesthe t i c. - Poetry, a nd - - - • Gayl e ' s ----------~ ____, -------f Ia r ~ \ - th e mos t celebrated lack poet of all timef , cwendolyn Brooks~ cont inues t o make he r home in Chicag~ where she presides as ~'-"t"" f1't't~~~ of t he/ ew~ nck/ oetry . ~ CUI She joins To lson, Hayden, Randall, Margaret Walker and others as poe t s of " t ransi t ion"/4 thos e who helped continue the literary //(I fe ,r r/4i % light of./:hel\Renaiss anc e i nt o and t hr ou.~h the Depr e ssion, World War II '/\,t ivil _;;,C y~d ;ti,., , f i ghts/\ nd Black Power,;\ . 0 Bor n the daughte r of l .ihori class parents in Topeka, Kansas, Gwendolyn Br ooks Has r ear ed i n Ch ic a g<?J where she attended public schools, ,I ( �g raduating f rom Eng lewood ll i ~h School in 1934 and Wi lson Junior College in 1936. -. Wilson represented the fi nal st ep in her formal e duca tion) and in 1939 she ma rried Henry Blakely . in ,rh ■M S he had a son and a daue hter . (D W f.n&Lf t1 · tft1ooks ~ be9att W1'itu., ~ tlt#ie ~ 4'f;and b~ the time she was in her late teens s he had published two mimeog raphed community newspapersA one being the €-am;l~ Weekly . numerous publications: Since the early 1940s her poetry has appeared in Poe try , Black World , Common Ground, Saturday Review of '- Literature, Negro Story, Atlantic ~lonthly , and countless others. jo1ted tbe Jiteranr :rd a i.a. the 7 BGOs sac ¢1 · j h Ii · c titta:l!CS .JltC£t sl: " r II mra bclitg a I.WO@ ii bill t.dlfJh 1 ' IP ,.,;{4 I iga · c o t shifts Eresdci d j Ro:: ts iBl rl 0 ( P r b L 1&B£L ti 11l 1st §810 frbbdl Cif@§@ i!ldctGi§ Iii ctldp&t ti.» Her first book 0£ poetry, A Street in Bronzeville (1945), won the 1lerit Award of e. lad. mo isel le magazin j and he r second volume, Annie Allen (1949) garner ed 4 ,...--..... ) for her tite c-ovet~u.1 Pulitzer .;fr- ize (1 9 5()) as well as Poe tr ' )(~ ~ ,'&,t, Memor ial Awar d . Eunic e Tietjens v The recipient of a ~ award from the Academy of Ar ts and Letters and two Gug~enheim fellowships for s tudy (1946 and 194 7), Gwendol yn s -------- ~ />"AM"",,.~ ., Brooks'f list of awards and citations 4-8-- so b:mg it would take several p.ages to lis"t; them all. She has receivcc over a d: Y h onorary doctorat~S/legrees-,.._ served on special arts and cultural councils It been listed among the most in:t'l_u ential _and important Americans in numberle-ss .l . ~ reg ional'f-and national acknowledg..!,~ments. compilations/\ Literature (1964). ai.ln 1 969 ....__, 1 • She has won the Poetry UM,_---i Workshop Award, g iven by t he '.lidwestern Wr i ters' Conf~~ ~ ./ l 'W11-td the Friends Li terature Award for 1 e (th ree times: 1943p 45), A oetry (1964) , the Th,frmoa d fonsen Award for I\ ~ she anno unced that she would awa r d two prizes of $25 0 each to t he best poem and best hart story published each year by a / 1ack writer in Negro Dige st (now Blac: Ho rld) . Institu tions where she has taught · p �I include Columbia, El mhurs t, and ;forthenste rn Illi nois State Coll ege, a ll in Chicago; the University of Hisconsin, the College of t he City of :fow York , a nd many other public and p r i vate schools . For some , however, her crowning achiev~ ment was her selec tion in 1968 as/o etj aureate of the state of Illinois ( s ucceeding Carl Sandbur g). Other volumes of poetry are Ti1e Bean ~aters (19 60) , Selected Poems (1963), In the Mecca (1968), Riot (1969) , Family Pictur e s (1970) , Aloneness (1971) a nd The World of Gwendolyn Brooks (1971 , poetr: and prose) . the Centennial of the Burial of Lincoln (19 67) include A Portion of t he Field : and For Illinois, (1968). The poet has a so writ ten some much-praised {:Oetic fiction : '"' Haud Martha, .a, ~ (195 3) ~ and Jump Bad: _/ New Ch icago An t hology (19 71 ) . is most readily a ccessible i t A Broadside Treasury (1971) ----,..__ \\ ti Ile r pr e - B l ~ poe try Selected Poems which con tains her three earl ier section . ~ ~ Selected P ems shows @ ~ JS!l. JI I'reelte ~~Mt'!~~ - - ~ earn between t he int eg ra t ioni s t,h le.:1- bound wri ters and the firm, ~ and adamant voices of t;-ie 1%0s . / "StMELime s called the "most careful craftsman since Countee Cullen," she "--- ~ was (and to some ex t ent r emains ) greatl y indebted t o the mode r nist school of American poetry: ,_.,Eliot, Po und , Crane , Ransom, Joyce (influenced, as she says, by The Dubliners), Stevens, Frost, and Auden . I Read in3 these poets and th0 ack « 7M ones (Dunbar' ( 11 a family favoriteJ j ·1u~; hes , Cullen , Johnson , and othe~enaissance) ~ PPll!S.T9;)-,;aaill•flillldJ !J! her ~• . •"'1'J•ttn"" . . oedl f leant· choil <levelop11ent an,.t\>r-ovi ~ i.gn results were a bewi l de ring nrra y of tec~mlcal prof iciencies) which~ k.~~Ls for the thematic and psycholo;~lca1 _.-; _ J a in 1cr poetry. 1 · , II The a base Usually working wit:1 ,1/./W./ what George Kent c a lls ap propriat e '\lis t.:1nce ," this poet carefully sculptf - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - , Nld 8~6--if\\1097.5; G> Bronzev il l e Boys and Girls (1956'l A. Her work as an editor has been equally i~pres s i ve : books an<l a Special publications �poetic gems f r om t he r, r a ni te an ,l experienc e : t:ll~ chea:) rock. of u r ba n f lack Ame r ica ' s tenement housing , r e t urnin ,3 unsun z wa r h e roes , job lessness, cont' sumption , murder, endl e ss pov e rt y , l ov , uo.n- \mman rela t ionshi ps , womanhood and motherhood (es pecially) , no b i l i t v of the eco nomi c a l l yt presse<l and deep religious Ct, wettJdt/,yl) devotion . Commenting on th e effect o f the dis t ance and what ~ JtBrooks was able to perceive and achieve wi th i t, :·ent says (Bla ckness and the Adventure of Western Culture) she master ed Dr.:. such modernist techni ques as i ronv; unusual conjunctions of words to evoke a complex sen s e of real it y (Satin Leg s Smith rising " in a clear delirium" ); squeezing the ut mos t fr om an image ... , agility with mind - bending f i gura tive l a nguage , sensitivity to the music of t he phr ase , inst ead of imp risonment in t raditional line beats and meter; experiment a t ion with the po s s ibilities of free verse and various devic e s fo r sudden em phasis and ve rbal surprise; i_:nd authoritat ive managemen t of t one and wide- ranging lyricism . V''f- And one is struck, i n r ead in~ , wa tch inr; , or t a l k ing wi th the poet, by her intense \ yet relaxed lovef affair wit h words . lier prose is poe ti c; her manner is poetic. 1/.rn Report from Part One , her autobio r r a phy , s he disc usses her life as poet, mo ther, wife and traveler. There a re va lua ble i ns i ght s into the womar who shifted from " Negro" to " Black" in 196 7 . a dozen poems . f:.e por t also pr,...vi de s her own explication of at leas t About poetry wr iti'1 f~ sh says : \so much is involved in t l1e i:r i t in~ of po etry~ and sometimes, j) - - -- - -- -- although I don ' t like s u~gcs t ing it is a ma 3 ic process, it s eems you real ly hav e t o ,,a into a b it of a trance, self- cast t rance , because " brainwo r k " seems una b le to do it all, to do the whole job . -- - - - -- - - The sel f -c o. st tr:ince i. s po ssible when you are - - �Ll:l:!1portantly exc ited about an idea , or sur mi s e, or e~otion . Ce r t a inly the "trance" quality is found in the ea rly a nd l ate r Gwendo lyn Br ooks , One has only to comparef poem ~ "the pr eacher: "-J rumina t e s be hind t he s ermon" (A St r eet in Bronzeville) t o "Malcolm X" (In the Hecca) to see t he stayi ng power of the mystic, the seer and the entrance r . v ibrant yet static poetic sculpture . Bronzeville is a I t came in 194; under the influence of ;c t he poet ' s wide reading and experimen ~,·•· James Wel don .Johnson had hel pfully cr it i qued her wo r 5 a nd the results, she a cknowleges, we r e that she became a sure r, more prec is e poet and critic. The couple in t he " kitchenett e building" are pro ducts of " dr y hours and the i nvoluntary pl a ~ ' who smell " yes t erday ' s garba ge" i n t he ha ll. After the fif th chi l d ha s finall y eme r ged fr om the ba t hroom ~--' We think of lukewarm wate r , hop e t o ge t it . The memorabl e poems in Bronzeville a r e " the mot her , " " t he pr ea cher , " "of De Witt WilliaI'l s on !1is way to Lincoln Ceme t e r y, " "The Sundays / f Sat inf Legs Smith ," "the bal lad of choce l ate Mabbie , " and selec tions from a ser ies of s onnets called GAY CHAPS AT THE BAR. ~-·r The mother recalls abortions : You remember the children you got t hat you di d [] no t get, a nd pl edges he r l ove to the dead ch i l dr en. s he "loved " them " a ll." Even t hough she knew them "fai ntl?.," Taken from their "unf inished r e ach, " the aborted l ives "never gi gg l ed or planned or cried. " Rumi nat ing "behind tne senno" the preacher4 revealing deepening l evels of conc e r n and ps ych i c distress~ wonders how it f eels " to be God ." The god of t he wor l d t he prea che r discusses from t he pul pit is perha ps no t the god of the "rea l " �world. Consequent ly the p r e ac;:er "r·1:1;.w1tcs" on whe ther anyone will ~ Buy Him a Coca-Cola or :. '.)l.'C:r, Pooh-pooh His pol.it ics, c.1 l. ;'.ie: .1 foo l? Being god has to be lonely , "::it!10ut a hanJ to hold . 11 </te Witt Williams is carried to the cemetery behind the r efrain: (gJ Swing l ow swin 6 low ::;\\•eet sm~et char iot. Nothing b u t a plain hlack - Rf: 11 ,. (t, \te pla in . know he may hav e been anyt.1ins But if h e ~ just ; a plain black boy " we uill celebrate t'1e places where he hung out (pool hall , show, dance halls, whiskey sto re s) an,l \-:as knm•m (4 7th street, under the " L"). De Witt ' s journey is t h e J l au, .\ner ic an (~ ou t h to no rth) od,ssey depicted by ~ Wright, Ba ldwin, Claude Brown , ,:md co~.;r:1 (~, Born in Alabama . '--'" Br ed in Illino is . He was no t hin: b u t a P lain b l a c k boy . Satin Le g s Sl'l.it h is another cut off t'1' block of the/ '71h e y>o -1 lack jxperience . In · immo r taliz i n g hi m,~ITT18GH,Joi.ns a '.10st of / a ck bards , known and ~ n known, who have a cknowled ~ed t he i M~ortance anJ inf uencc of folk culture. Probably 11 lik e De Wi tt Williams , Sr1it h co:;tes fn".: a "heri age of cabbage and pig t a i l s. o.: He is remi n i s cent ti# Poppa Chi.c'.c. in the opening lin es, is to a c•1 ~ G__.,.. ~[arga ret The analo gy, i.s "ta~-rne , r e luctant , royal." Rising in the morning) Sa t i r Legf s n::t ·~:es '.1ir..!;01f of "shabby days" when h e "sheds" his pajamas. t hat , when l ~ He ba t hes , pu ts un th,~ best bocly s cents , and goes to a wardrobe istecl , soun<l s l i::e a re'.1 ay cf t\1e whole era of the zoot-suiter and ,., the / e bopper • : - diamonds , pearls , suits of yel low , wine , "Sarcastic green, " �an d II 1 . .ii. eu. I co b a 1 t " ; ,.-i., . 1. .:> ze b ra-str ip 1 n • l :,11,) 1. ,,'l" taper, hats t ha t rese:nble ur,c. · .:. <1 .,, . , : " · · .,t,, rical ti es." his imar, e and blot s ou t the r ,': . .:.n,:t.•.· ., does not hear"; " s ees and d uce ·1 .1• ;1...1 C:u1.ng , ballooning trousers that He is enmes h e d in p,,ve rty and ugliness. 1 :· •r He "hears and ovin~ his music and his lady, he ft,::- ·. '. 1ic ' 1 t1c re tir es (at home) to her body-l takes his d a te to " Joe ' s f.at :f /\'\ lt ~s a ~ osaic$ like study complete with "new brown b r ead/- · · soft , ar·,; ,1bs.JL 1t e . " the down-home ver s us Promis e...: L.111,'. t· ,'-':-:. , . {(The tle g r o llerolic " to hero) "had t o kic k " ~;hite t h e m. 11 :•i.: ·e r ": ~est .~c,rh. SU ':! i,h?'1 1 :; a 1:o rld War rr/ :"to'.:: e ir te eth" before he could "save ·, ....... r ~ .,":,( .. J.l. , Being / lac k , it was t h e ship was goinr, dm-m , to c-r-' un ,Instead of j umping ove r j boar ,~ hero invo k e d t h eir "~vhite- •~o,· th ick and thin of b a ttle when 0:-1 t :w ~alley and save the white sailors . ~. 1.c~1v:.·, ~ avy c oo k turned tlie:-1 to the ir fate, li k e Shine , this 1 and f oug h t a t their side de spite ~,'.s bile-fret1hid . • ~ statement by a s o ut:1 er l I n <l eed, I' r · ::·1 ,. Indce J , I ' r t Or r i.dJ e n () o f a flood ' T 1an saved ,y - • b n c k n a n ' s blood. i:·· "~-Ieg r o He r o " s ymbolic :i l · r / ♦ in Chri stianity anJ _,Y'c '1cc , -: _,.-~ the idea was lof sinr, ,., r o und -- ~ 0 .-,~ r esentment of such " '. ,e r- ic ,. chaps at tl E' '1Gr" l ' !1 • s . n e rican self. l /1 ,; ;-i t ' T .~~ '1('' 1• i-- ·, so 1 1; " r s ' Bro nz e ville Experimenta ] , ({jf-_Y CHAPS AT THE in <; does not prepare them to tr :1 i repel {!) As a t heme, b ut it would be s ome years b e fore ! ~v,,,t Ly ex r essed. 1 ·• c ·i nn n "soldier s onne t s" c1pp c a r in In l, '·~" r · can d oing his dut y , belie v in8 1 .. ' e- To h o l le r Jown the 1 l o::s in t '1 f-. ai r . �~ ~ In "the progress" the phrase is questionable when the soldiers hear the ma rch Of iron feet again. ~ • The Pulitzer / rize,$winning Annie Allen shows Gwendolyn Brooks sustaining her balance bet ween the modernist influences and her o,;.m intuitional phrasings inter est. Some migh t call it the least / l ack of her vo l umes., especially since it contains the enigmatic and diffusive "The Anniad." And while her ' children of t he poor" series ref'states t he plight of the "unheroic," she is nevertheless generally mo re withdrawn than in Bronzeville. -- Yet t he titles of both volumes signal her continuing int eres t in, and empathy with , " everY,<lay ~ In her first volume, she had written ex tensively about women (" t he mother," "chocolate ~bbie," "the hunchback").> and she opens Annie Allen ~ ;, •' with OTES FR0~-1 THE CHILDHOOD Al~ D THE GIRLHOOD'- Her neat words and stanzas - deal with a neat lifein "the parents: people like our marriage." "white Venetial1 blind" sit._,f "pleasant custards." Behind a "Sunday Chicken" is a humorous comparison between carnivores who eat human flesh and those who eat chicken. Iler excavating of poetic jewels from non-hero types takes her through the death of an "old relative" and "the ballad of late Annie," too " proud" to f i nd a man good e nough to marry . The reader is encouraged to avoid easy solutions in "do not be afraid of no ": f .It is brave to be involved , To be not fearful to be unresolved. And condescending people in high stations are brought low in "pygmies a r e pygmies still, t hough percht on Alp s." The high and mighty sometimes feel they are better than others, and {J_J But unbeknow~ Pity the giants wa llowing on the plain. to t he " percht II ind ividual, - - - - - - - - - -- -- - -- - -- -- - - 't'Jru; ~Y\e.. r no alps to reach. II �~ "THE AllNHD " c ontains @ ..,,Z,,-line stanzas, adapted, so Hi ss Brooks says, from the Chauceria n f hyme/ oya l. As a modern poem, it places the author in the 111t1,.y • M,U.e .. middle of t he modernist tradition with other } lack poets: _,Hayden, Dodso) lnd ~..-.o,ui ontfl\So Tolson,,. At least on e level o-.r complexity- i s reveai ed i n t he appearance !of-ffi I\ wo-!'."ds and phr a ses ~ ".rarad isaica l," "thaumaturgic lass , " "theopathy," ().,, I\ and ref'erences to " Prophesying hecatombs, "A" Hyacinthine devils sing , " / ; lato ,• .._• Aeschylus , t_• seneca, , • Himnennus ," ....t Plinf' and *Diony sus . • the poe t's own admis s i on , "THE AllNIAD" is " labored, a poem that's very intere sted in th e mys t e ries and magic of technique . " With Hayden ' s "The Diver," the poem carri e s you dee pe r and deeper into the underbrush ... of self and psyche. Annie b ecomes Anni ad , t he poe t's way of giving another unheroic character i ·<iii?' t he stature of t he heroic-k t his time the Iliad. z When you think of Annie (Anniad)1 you a r e t ol d to (t Th ink of s we et and chocQlat a,afl/ The blurr ed ima gery and perc ep tions of Hayd en's diver 4:s again anticipated in the line ( r' What i s ever and i s no t. (Remember Sat ir Legs hearing a nd not hea ring , seeing and not seeing?) Ful l of ma gic, history, l ore , my thology, supernaturalism, "THE ANN IAD" plunges t hr ough the mental and spiri tual spher es , and "crescendo-comes," f) Surrea l ist a nd cynica l. Anniad is needed , hungry , c ourt ed , and won, as she desc ends and -ascends the " demi- gl oom" of lif e, of now and t hen . ~ Thi nk of s weet and c hocolate at the be ginninc of the poem, you are to I \J_; J ust as you were to Think of almo st t hor oughly Derelict and d im and done �as the poem closes . And, perhaps it was all{\i'\after all·J t dream as Anniad stands VKissing in her kitchenette J The minuets of memory . /' " ANNIA " includes the nowt famous invention i n title and in type . "the sonnet- ballad," The tradi t ional sonnet is enlivened'Mgiven a ballad stance a nd t emperament; the young woman whos e soldier-boyfriend is dead wonders what she can use " an empty heart -cup for .J C ,I The achievement of Annie Allen, however, is " HE WOr1ANHOO t he five sonnets on "the' children of the poor . " and especially Childless people "can be hard " since they will not , like those wi t h children, Hesitate in t he hurri cane t o guar d . In number t wo, a mother asks wha t s he can give t o po or childr en. The fo urt h sonnet, seeking per haps to resolve t he sur r eal dr eam , adv ise s the poor to "Fir s t fight . Then fiddle. " There is nothing wrong with rising "bloody, " For having f ir s t to civil i ze a s pace \fuer e i n to play your viol in with e race. It is t he same unmut ed ca ll t o militancy rendered by .1ar ga r e t Ualker in the final stanza of "For Hy People. ,(ft/Beverly 1-l. ilP, Chicago" takes an interest i ng l ook, through~ ack and po or eyes , at the people who "live till they have white ha i r." To say Beverly Hills a nywhere is to evoke images of splendor and richness , of glit ter and high life . The denizens of Chicago ' s Beverly Hills "walk their golden gardens " as the poor sight =-seers drive t hrough the neighborhood . Here the "ri peness rots" though "not raggedly . " Decadence is neat, says the poet: J ·\Not that anybody is saying that these people have @.. 0 no trouble . Herely that it is trouble with a go ld- flecked U beautiful banner. t �The po em ' s theme is one that is dear to Blacks in their daily conversations: that whi t es , especially rich wh ites , do not really live; that they are mannikins, (>II~~ f~~ for the well- landscaped life; that they are inhibited and not free in t heir expressions. The s e peop l e , the poet reminds us, also "cease to be , " and sometimes J. Their passings a r e even more painful than ours. But they often live " t i ll their ha ir is white." They also make "excellent corpses," as it wer e , " among the expensive flowers." Nevertheless the poor sight;=-seers have been changed , no ticeably , by what they have seen, and the cha nge ~ e,. is no t ed in~ 'l i tt le gruff " tone5 of their voices as they " drive on." The Bean Eat ers finds t1e poet leaping back into the tra nsitional b rea ch where sh:'~s battle wi th problems and eneraies of the unheroic. She ga t hers up the pr ide, passion , despair, disillus ionment, joy and anguish of "bean ea t e r s " and r e l a t ed gourmets . The book opens with an elegy to her fa t her ("In Honor of w,Jt,,. ~a-.,, Brooks, :ly Father") and , reflecting debts to dar gare"Fugl'"~~, / /[J._• • iivi i i gh s I ___,.-) ~lack music, and the ~eat ~ vement, moves through a tumultuous (i:. spectrum of vignettes and perc eptions : "My Little ' Bout-Town Gal," "Strong Nen, iding Horses," "We Real Cool," "A Bronzeville 1other Loit e rs in ,.{ississippi.# " Heanwhile , A :-1ississippi r1other Burns Baca o{ 1" "The Last Quatrain of the Ballad Emme t t Till," "The Chicago De fende r Sends a Han to Little Rock," "The Crazy A. Woman," and the powerful s aga "The Ballad of Rudolph Reed . " The death of David ttl:-derson Brooks has lef t ~ l ___-/ //,)' v A dr ynes s upon the hous e .• .• J Absence of the man who "loved and tended" gives the poet pause, makes her recall how he tra nsla t ed "p r i va te charity" of the old =time religion into "public love." · ,,--- ;(;1 1 1 �, ).. The nan::at:or I s " ' bout-town gal" gall, vants with " powde r and blue dye " ~~ . h the moon. whjo i l e }l waits wit 11 Wat ching -t..R& weste r n movies , the speaker in '--- S trong Hen, Riding" (not reminiscent of Brown ' s poem) r ealiz e s tha t ~ 'gesterns are products of Hollywood , t hat the strong men are "Too saddled." Heanwhile the speaker has to deal with real life-Lthe fears , the dark..Land is Iv\ 11 old yellow pair" in their lives 11 11 11 not brave at all. 11 The irony, of course, is that the viewer is often braver. t he 11 Eating beans "mostly , The Bean Ea ters 11 put ter around their apartment, recalling with t winklings and twinge s. 11 kind comes to the dramatis person~of ' 11 Desolation and tragedy of another We Real Cool" in which the poet employs ~ a Hughes ian j azz pattern wi t h j a gged rhythns reminiscent of / eat poetry, Babs Gonza l es and King Pleasur e . The poem r ecites t he "live- fast- di e- young 11 pattern of many urban)31-a ck youths: We real cool . ve Left school . Lur k l a te . \e \· e Str i ke straigh t . Sing sin . Jazz June . l· e \e t.:e Die soon . The longes t poem in The Bean Ea ters ( 11 A Bronzeville Mother Loiters In rlississipp'i. Neanwhile, A . lississippi }lot her Burns Bacon.") is a collage of journalism , day$1reams, fai ry-t ale histo ry, and r acial hor ror. slain & The mother of year~old Emmett Till ( l ynched in 1955 in Missis sippi af ter allegedly 300 { \ \ �-e ak.ing "passes" at a white housewife ) toys over the rema ·ns of her son and her at the same tim<;, a white "mother ' mus es over the " c rime" childhood fair t ales of the " Dark Villain" pursuing the "milk- whi t e maid" (rescued by t he " Fine Prince"). The whit e mother ~ clares to doubt the need to lynch young Emmett as she imagines she is sexually assaulted by the "Dark Vil ~ n." The poeml includes news r epo rts of the crime, the lynching , as ...,/ well as accounts of t he tr/ljl and the "acqui tt a l." In "The Last Quatrain of the Ballad of Emmet t Till" Emmett ' s mother " kisses her killed boy" while sitting in " a red room" and "drinking black co ffee ." • 'IZ' Unable to describe the~ija t W 1 3 mother's gr ief , t he poet ga thers --. t he b l u rring pa in into a metaphor: Chaos i n windy \grays through a red prairie. ,n journalism, history and mythology with "contemporary f act," Again coml:ijng Gwendolyn Brooks portrays one of the hi~h points of the fivil iights era in "The Chicago Defender Sends a Han to Little Rock" (1957). People i n Little Rock, the poet t e l ls us in the opening lines, have babies, comb their hair, and r ead the papersJ like other Americans . She then etche s out the contrnclic t ions and ironies in t he nsoft women softly" who "are hurling spittle , roc k ." These "bright madonnas," like those wi t h "eyes of steely blue " in rlcKay ' s "The Lynching ," become "a coiling storm a- wr ithe ." The l ast line .of the poem, e "" was our Lord_, The loveliest lynche"t has since been ~ repudiatedj• e t()et new _ Is 11\'8 feels that the greatest trage<ly, slavery and "---------- dehumanizFof Blacks, makes for more important and urgent "news" than the c rucifixion of a white Jesus. ~ ~-the boo~J Later j in the~sectit'll\ a woman who refuses to sing in May because she feels (V A Hay ~ong shoul<l be gay \ �is admonished+ af ter she chwes t o sing a " gray" song in November. ~ Critics call he r "The Crazy Woman."fone of t he more well-=- known poems in Bean Eaters is /\ "The Ballad of Rudolph Reed" who, along with his wi fe , son and "two good girls," ) was "oaken." Rudolph Reed , seeking the Promised Land in the *orth and riding on the crest of the new push for integration , buys a home in a white neighborhood because he wants to avoid falling plaster and the l ghe ttol .J. roaches Falling l ike fat rain. But t he times are not quite right fo r integrated housino/ and t he Reed family exp erienc e f vio l ence when t hey move~ i n : ,._.., ~ the fi r st t wo ni ghts . ro cks are t hr own through thei r windows - The r epe tition a nd i ncrement ation are almost ironi c in the ballad a s Reed , fil led with grief and anger when one of his daught ers is fina lly hit wi th a rock, goes V ~ to the door with a thirty- four and a beast l y buwer knife . He attac ks f our white men before he is finally slain and kicked by neighbors_) who I t i s an unpleasan t story ; but a s a chronicle of t he themes and consciousness of a poet, it places Gwendolyn Brooks on the thresh! old of t he new militancy , 5~ some of which is unveiled in the <f2i_w Poe' section of Selected Poems. J oems ev- ~ "Riders to the Blood-Red Wra th" and "Langston Hughes" show her " concerned with s truggle and t he spiralfing fury of social unrest. At the same time, she -.;/ salutes a white poet, as in "Of Rober t Frost ," and continues her pr actice of ~\verse , 5 C mining the unheroic for poetry in a section of~W A Catch o f Shy Fish . f: The "ride~ (perhaps a parody of the ,gurple ~age riders) lurch into the breach of human struggle and social chaos. - - -- - - - -- - - - - - - stylistic efforts They are the freedom �ridersM seeking what is "reliably ri ght" i conducting sit-ins, wade-ins, lie-ins, sing-ins , pray-ins and voter=registration drives . '£!!!ill called them "shock troops" of the ~ "revolution." f Hy scream! Carnichael ha s 0F/tl>-e1>1 One A.s tates : unedited, unfrivolous. ✓ Hy laboring unlatched braid of heat and frost. I hurt. I keep that scream at what pain: At what repeal of salvage and eclipse . Army unhonored , meriting the gold, I Have sewn my guns inside my burning lips . And he goes on to 1fr r emembe r kings . '-.../ A blos soming palace. Silver , I vory. The conventional wealth of stalking Africa . This rider r ecalls his past, projects his future, and surveys the state of the worldJ from China to Israel. Ile is going to mal~e the "bloody pea ce" a s ked by wu.ker Ma r ga r e \ Democracy and Christianity ef Recommence with me . And I ride ride I ride on to the end-ML Where glowers my continuing Calvary. With his "fellows, " he intends to see the battle through, r (J v To Eail, to flourish, to wither or to win . We lurch, distribute, we extend, begin. "To Be / n Love" is also to extend and "fall" along a golden column ~ Into the commonest ash . Diverse , explicit and splendid, the poems in this section achieve balance as / _____ __________ ,.._ - - �Frost and Hughes . salutes t wo senior p, Iron at the mouth. j With a place to stand Frost has And he has much more t han immediate physical space, but a permanent position on the world ' s poetry totem . f As "merry glory, " Hughes Yet grips his right of twisting free. His "long reach" encompasses "speech," "fears," "tea rs" and "sudden death ." s Hughes 'f j ob is not done , a nd as a "headligh t" he must press on ~ Till t he a ir is cur ed of its feve r. 6.1.<;.0 The poetAr e turns to he r ~arden of non-heroes in poems about garbage men, the sick, old people, stern women, and "Big Bessi:," who "throws her son into the street." Sculpture, precision, exp l icitness and terseness a re key words to remember when approaching the poe try of Gwendolyn Brooks. Not prir.iarily of the academy, but of t en shar ing s ome of its virtues and fa~lts, she has been f ree to deal pr imarily wi t h pictures swirl ing a r ound her <lur i ng childhood and adulthood in Chicago. Sometimes her poetry about night life and t he South carries a fo rc ed );r feeling, since thes e a r e not t hings she is in intimate cont act with , but 3ilil!!~is always skillful and e conomi J 0 uer world has not been "wide" in t he way that Tolso 1 \and Hayden's(have been "wi<le ." But it has been deep and multi layered, complex and womanly, tragic and profound . Her poetry has not, at this writing, inspired a book-length study, but she has been the subject of much critical treatment. here sinc e bibliographies are widely availab le. Se lected studies will be listed Fo r example, CLA Journa ]j XVII �( Sept ember l 1973),! (a special issue on Br ooks , Hayden and Baraka) bibliogr aphy . lists a @ - page @ She is represented in every a nt ho logy of Afro-American poet ry { beginning with Poetr y of the Negro (1949 ed . ) and in many general American anthologi es of poetry and l iterat ur e . Hel pful a n]@§# Ken t ' s "The Poe try ,,,e,S of Gwendolyn Brooks" (Black:Aand t he Advent ure of West e r n ·cul t ur e , 19 72); t he critical entries in ~ ck Writers 5:.f America Barks dale and Ki nnamo 1 ; ,. f 7 I Davis 'fl From the Dark Tower; . . ...., J a ckson's essay in Bl a ck Poe try in America (1974); essays ir - - 1od ern aGili> Gi bson's a) Bl a ck Poe ts ;AReport from Part One , ..... t1'-i ~de,"fi t,·•1111 ( Owen Dodson's first volume of poetry, Powerful LonJ Ladder (1946), was one ~ of the casualties of the diQ!nterest in/ lack poetry during the post~ enaissanc e and war years. The book did not go entirely unnoticed, however, for Time magazine described it as standing " peer to Frost and Sandburg and other white American poets who are constantly recited in our schools." Powerful Long Ladder appeared in the mids t of Dodson's busy (and successful) career as dramatist and tea cher . His interest i n wr iting and dr ama began in his you t h in Br ookl yn , New York, where he was born and a ttended publ i c s chool s . He wen t t o Ba t es College, obtaining a B. A., and Yal:., wher e he was awarded the M. A. in dr ama . student at Yal~ t wo of his plays~ Divine Co~ Whil e a and Garden of Time~ ~ere produced . Since t hose year ~ Dodson's work in drama anclAwriting has been prodi ~ us. He taught drama at Spelman Col lege i n Atlanta and was commissioned to writ e a pl ay on the Amistad mutiny for Tallad ega College. He directed summer t heat{(e) a t Hampton I ns titute, the Theatre Lobby \vashing ton, and at Lincoln University. Dodson finally settled at Howard University--------as drama instructor, later becomi ng head of the department and remaining the{until 1969 • . �In 1949, he took t he Howard University Players on a successful State Department= sponsored tour of Scandinavia and Ge rmany . His novell Boy at the Hind owl was published in 1950, an<l his short storyt "The Summer Fire} ' won a Paris Review prize (1961) and appeared in the Best Short Sto r ies f~om that publication . received many other awards and forms of recognition : I,., He a Rosenwald -fellowship, a General Education Board Fellowship~ a Guggenheim grant to study and travel in . ct Italy (1953), and a Naxwell Anderson Prize for,.,verse play. - libretto for Hark Fax's opera. and prose He has comple t ed a number of manuscripts in poetry have never been pub lished. One of his most rec ent exciting works was The Dream Awake (1969), a cultural history of f by Spoken Arts He also wrote the ack Americans ) released and consisting of color f ilms, records , textbooks, illustrations, and other .aaterials rr;:;- ~ show the r ange of Dodson ' s talen t s and i nt e rest. In 197 0, his second volume of verse, The Confession Stone: ._)long Cycles, was publishe~ but the poems were written before 1960 . About his work as a poe t, Dodson reports with some d i spirit in Intervi ews r7ith Bl ackpHritets: jI have ~·i* written three books of poetry . The f irst was-/4 1 would say-1-somewhat propa ganda , but the third was fill ed with stories , ✓ M di a r ies , a nd remembranc es of Jesus. They are r ea l l y frame d i n diaries by Ma r y , Martha, Joseph, Judas, Jesus, even God . This, I believe, is my most d edica ted work(, ... I have written and fou ght somehow in my writing , but I know now that the courage and forthl ri ghtness of writers and poets will change something a little in ~ r dilapidation . 1.-P f:eri,,e_ dfo That "first" voiJmeN-s obviou sly J:_Q.werful Long Ladde~ but Dodson does not have �"' to <leprec#ate the wor1) since it will hold him in good stead as a poet . not one poem in the book "poetry." ~ 1 cannot be aesthetically or stylistically called And this is not a claim that many poets can make. influences can There is Dodson's st yl istic be traced to t he American modernist s. And there is no doubt that , in his recurring despair , he shares sentiments wi th Eliot , Pound, Auden and Yeats . Yet, in his lilt and his language , he also pays his debts to Hughes , Dunbar , Cullen (whom he eulogizes) , James Wel don Johnson and t he whole web of/ lack folk and spiritual life . Dodson's note of despair , which pervades the book, is sounded in the opening f;J /4 poem ("Lanent"} w~te JJ he lynched boy is addressed: Wake up , boy, and t e ll me how yo u died : What sense was alert las Re lying heavily on h is exp eriences and interests in drama, Dodson carefully underscores the repulsive act and the guilt . In an italicized sectio~ he giv es details that recall other poems on the theme: f the Mississippi drank itself one night, t he b ridge from which you hung thr ew i t{ arms up , folded into mud like an old obscene accordion, the crowd dispersed count ed on its finge rs one by one •..• The invisible/ lack viewer of the lynching , going beyond the actual act to the nat ure of dea t h i t self , ge ts curious about the last moments and questions the dead boy : (V Tell me wha t road you took, Hha t hour in the da y is luckiest? The nar r ato r wants a si8n ("the acrostic , the cross , t he crown or the fire") , �something tom ; e his own way easier, bearable : 0, ,,ake up, wake! ~ We said several strains of f lack and modern poetry can be seen in Dodson ' s work , not the least among them being t he folk idiom . Sterling Brown . In "Guitar" he reminds us of The six-string guitar has a " lonesome" wail and cannot "hold its own" against the howl of a Georgia hound . ii) Ain ' t And the guitarist-singer had nobody To call me home From the ele ctric cities Where I roam . An adaptation of the blues mo tif in styl e and t heme , i t employs incr emental refrain &:,-~~•- -~- and the aflb ivalent drive-sulk oft e bl ues troubador . ~ -........ ,,., ( nr, C ~-::'·~ ,. •~...,,...,.-..,,..,.. -· - ~-- ,,J, ✓. 4,f,<· T 1is somber tone of Dodson ' s persis t s i 1}\ poems~ "Sorrow is the only ;:: ' Faithful One" ("I am l es s , unmagic , black" ), " Bl ack dot her Praying" ( "black a nd ,Py burnin in these burnin times " ), /\ 'The Signifying Dar kness, " and there are tinges of it even in celebratory poems such as "Pear l Pr imus" and " Poem f or Pearl ' s Dancers. " But t he grand s t atemen t of poetry is a l ways lurking or l e ading ("Pearl Primus") : "the sun is like a shawl on their backs," and " pistoning her feet in "' the air . " In " Someday We ' re Gonna Tear Them Pillars Down" a woman comp lains: Cf) They took ma strong- muscle John and cut his O manhood off •..• The Bl acks in " Rag Doll a nd SuI!llller Birds" sit in their cabin (like "The Bean Eaters") "wai ting fo r God." The fire in t he stove goes out ; the newspapered walls ·, " telling of crimes ," curl u? and (!) In ~ the Blackness stars are not enough ! Includ ed in Powerful Long Ladder are three verse choruses from Divine Comedy . �Dodson was t he first / 1ack dra:-aa tist to ex ploit t he meaning of t he Fa t her Dt•vine ~ t~ n verse draPJa . ~'hen a cult leader is gone , the dr ama contends, the people are fo rced i nwa rd to find a replacement. Divine Comedy is bizarre , with shifting uncertain t ies , horror, violence , religious extremism and r a cial intensity . The first chorus a s ks (in a r efr a in): Cancel us . Let doomsday come down Like t he fo ot of God on us . A charact.e r called " One " not es: ~ I A A We ar e cl ear and confused on many issue se ••· " Girl" says ; I dance wit hout legs . "One" remind s us ; -M'ra't! l·;ar , war will bomb you r eyes open. a "Blind I[an" beseeches the o t hers: 1 Don ' t l eave the b lind t o wander Hhe r e the wind is a wall ! one of Dodson ' s heroes, had suggested t hat Blacks we r e not made " e ternally to weep " (" From the Dark Tower" ~ and Dodson has a "Yo ung Man" say ✓ Thi s shall not be fo r ever. In t he sect ion called Poems f or :ry Bro ther Kenneth, Dodson delicately recalls remembranc es of his dead brother . The somber tone and weightiness return as the poet , addres sing his brother, asks for some answer to the "long tanks" that " creep" and the " dark body of the ruined da r k boy ." .f) But \ There was no reply : .. �You gave me a smile and returned to the grave . In Interviews with 1:nack Wri ter s Dod son claims that Cullen did not <lie f rom disease but "was pushed into death" by "us because we <lid not rec ognize the universal quality of what he wanted to say." ·"··------Revie ,, section) In his eulogyl "Countee Cullent ' Dodson bids farewell to his friend_J who died in 1946} by likening his plight to that of Socrate~~ ...._, : t We hear all mankind yearning For a new year without hemlock in our glasses . ,t,,r. stagnant hour." Later)-. "Drunken Lover;• we find tha t this is "the interest i n ~ f And Dod son's tu,~ ti A.is seen in "Jonathan ' s Song": ~SS'1€S 11 Jew i s ndt a r ace Any longer j -but a condition. /V' Finally Dod son closes t he vo lum 7 appropriatel~ wi th "Open Lette1/ wher e i n he asks for toler ance and understanding in a time of wa r, ha tred , domestic violen ce JJ. -r'1 ,t poe:/ ~ 11jonathan 's Song" l& alignedl\l · and racism. ff with the j ews being ma s s ac r ed '-' in Germany : ~ I am~part of t hi .. . . So"Open I\. Letter" calls on the universal brotherhood : f Bro thers, let us discover our hearts a gain, Permitting the regular strong beat of humanity there To propel the likelihood of other terror to an exit. 0-A. The war is almost over, he says,/\'planes stab over us . " The word "hallelujah" can be understood in the language of f All the mourning children~ and The torn souls and broken bodies will be restored ____ - .._ - - �when war has ceased forever . Signaling his non-black 11 brot1;=,:s," a tone and posture quickly fading fron1/1ack poet r y, Dodson challenges t heml: ..... Brothers, let us enter that portal fo r good I' q_, When peace surrounds us like a credible universe. Bury that agony, bury this hate, take our black CJ hands in yours . It was the "We Shall Overcome" call) t would die in the mid-sixties, though a few (Hayden, Hughes and ot hers ) would continue to walk the difficult tigh r ope o f unive r s al brotherhood . poetry . There ar e f ine rhythms and keen per ceptions i n Dodson ' s o. 1-.e bette:.- t<vi~w'1 • I'.is t echnical skill surpass es many / l ack and whi t e poets whoK3 iibi ·:a '\ - wor k done i n the f orties and fi f ties. , ' ti lii:1111,1111.,.,111,.,.,•-••••■..;-c■•iililr111111 1 ,.., I thoue h published in 1970, contains The Conf ession Stone : .. , •· "I D1 1111 l!!!la"s",-sa"a"dl-!zl!"cl!!!!t"'al!!!lc,_J,.•111■11■1111101110..,.,_...,5..,..3..,._,..,,_, sd it ■ b ohf§ " fjJlr:■-ft It is a strange "cycle," which moves among "The land of t he living and the land of t he r i s en dead. " The groupings (many wr it t en t o be s ung) are "The Confession Stone, " "Ma r y Passed this Ho rning," "Journals of the Hagd ~ene," "Your Servant: _, Judas , " " Fa t her , I Know You' re Lonely ," "Dear, 1y Son," and "Oh 11y Boy , Jesus . " The cycles recast /iblical stories surrounding Jesus Christ and the crucifixion, updating them by adding contemporary language y/lack idion at times) and technology, In poem@ of "Confession Stone," J esus is quieted with the words , r,/ shushhh, you need the rest. f"lJl'll\:){V' J lacnc, -ask\lJ ~ la I ~ if he knows "Lazarus is bacl~ " In to save him from the cold and icy Jerusalem ground: Let me rock him aga in in my trembling arms. .,.I L -- -- - - - -- - - - - - Jesus',-mother vows ....., e �"Mary Passed fhis Horning" contains "letters from Joseph to Martha ." Number ~ is a poetic telegram : C\ V Hartha Mary passed this morning funeral this evening D stop Near six o'clock tell the others stop Raising bus fare for you stop signed Joseph 1/:rt Dodson is reliving the life and times of Jesus is clear after a while t hat dlso t he old search' fo r t he ·Promised : La nd moti f through/ lack cha r a cters; he~ses ~ Q:Jright, Ellison , Baldwin , Brown) . In number I of "Journals of the l1agd~ ene" /Ttj efap~<m /s't li:l\tco••AMllliillla(\vows even to "crucif y mys elf " in order ( to be with him. Amen . Writing a letter t o Je sus in number t9 of "Your Ser vant: . .__,J udas," J udas s aysJ / _,, Dear J e sus, I killed myself last nigh t. The "cycle" is completed as Dodson ends t he small volume with t he opening poem: "Oh My Boy: ,__,Jesus" .... and the mother saying , in the manner of t he preacher in Johnson's "Creation": '--' "rest on my breast." Of Dodson's fr equently anthologized poems, "Yardbird's Skull" (a tribute to saxophone player4 Charles "Yardbird" Parker) is one of the most enduring and p PLe powerful. Parker (1920 1 ...., 55) is also saluted by other poets and _.,,, writers: ._J:uney and John A. Williams, to name just two. He is a major fi gure in the development of jazz, American music and contemporary jazz literature. In statement and style, "Yardbird's Skull" ele~!cally captures the psychic and �rhythmic layerings and wanderings of "Bird' s " horn. When "the Eird" died, Dodson thinks, s o did "all the musi ~ ' and "whole .sunsets" were deprived of this great mus ician ' s v oice. A s kull becomes the me taphor for the historical t~;-a tftt~ ~ , 6 corridor s o f musis a nd Dodson's f ingering of the skull , like allows h i m to retra c e Bird 's j our n ey to grea tness: ~ to air; to brotherhoo') whic~ sired t he musi c ; t o soaring b i rds ; to Atlantis, even ; and to .i Pla c es of dr eami ng , s wi muing lemmings. There has be en only slight criticism of Dodson's poetry · __,Barksdale and Kinnamon write briefly of him . /(,;e i s in most a nthologies of/ lack poetry beginning wit h Kerlin's Negr o Po et s and Their Poems . s Gwendo lyn Brooks' f winning of t he Pulitzer/ r ize for poetry in 1950 momentarily br ought new a ttent ion to the poetic ac tivities of Afro- Americans. ~ Bu"-f_, though a;; her name hung like antic ipat ion ove(.'.; Oecade of the fifties , the period in fact was dominated by f iction writers .....,',i> pecially t he articulate expatriat e Richa r d Wrigh t, Ral ph Ellison!, and James Ba],dwin. Wr i ght had e ~ tablished a tradition, and many we re a ttempting to follow in his foot steps/\'\ ---, including John Oliv e r Killens, William Attaway• and Chester Himes" t (Barksdale ..::,_,; and Kinnamon The wo r ks of the fic tion wr i ters and their a ccompanying dialo gue with ,ila ck and whi t e cri t ics and ea ch othe rt helped develop "a national, almost globa l ccnc ~r for the identi t problems of Ame rican Blacks ,lt•IFiction writers also wrote in a diversity of style s , from "Wright ts" school to Demby Is "consciousness'" However ~ e t s were wr .,_ ting d"ilu l:'u ulis i1ing in var i ou s pl a cesi during the b.f>lt>~~ fifties, but mo st of their activit i e s wer e part of t he g round swell that would reach a c rescendo in the sixties and sev enties. Ha ny of ,{t:~ pr ••s can be found in such an t ho l ogi e s as ~egro Ca r avan (1941), The Poetry of the Neg ro (1949) , America n Lit erature by Neg r o Aut ho rs (1950) , Lincoln Universit y Poets (1954), Beyond the Blues (1962), Si xes a nd Sevens (1962), Burning Spear: v An Anthology <C.,J I .,. �of Af ro-Saxon Poetr y ( 1963 ) , a nd Soon One ~lorni ng : , ,New Wri t i ng by Ame r ican r:egroes , 1 1940.f ,. 1962 (19GJ) . As i ndiv i duals and 3roups , t he ' po e ts continued t o make t hei r work available eithe r t o eac:1 o t her o r t o the s mall ~ poctry "'-r ead i ng audiences of the period (colleges, schools, c hurc hes) . Hughes , Ha yden , Gwendoly n Bro oks and others , who had establish ed r e putations in the f orties, continued writin~ It g'w~biiah .\ And --■ -. v dl:h h1?oi:t; lf u I tr 1 a I Ji the younge r o r l e sser :: known po e ts of a • . -:iiii/19 µ i-:e.= this /\transit ional s t age (Wright , ~ Danner, O' Higg ins, Allen/!Ye s ey , Randall, Dureft: Ho l man, Jeffers , Pa tt eron, Atkins , Evans , and othe rs) ~ publishe d .~et\ littl e maga zines M" / :,,/ won v a r i ous reg iona l and nat ional wr iting conte stsM p rimar ily through s chool s a n d coll e g e s. Opportuni ty , The Crisis , The Negro Story , TTecro l! istory Bulle tin , Phylon and nume r ous c o lleg e pe rio dicals continued t o provide forums. Some of the po e ts who a pp ear ed in The Cris i s during the thirties and forties, for example , vA/U n•VW[lliiP' Grace E . Barr, Edna Ba r re tt, Hilton Brighte , Sophy Hae Br y son , - Cla r i ssa Buc k l in , Lillian Byrnes, Po l ly .Iae Hall, Al ice 1:fard Snith, Paul A. Wren , Wa l t e r Ad ams, Ethel Collins , Edit h }! . Durham , and Max Reyno lds . ..__,., Ot he rs Ill!> pub l ished in r e g ional ma gazines o r b rou r,ht out col l ection s of t he ir own works ~ : Noy Joseph Dickerson (A Scra p Boo k , 1931) , Th omas At k ins (The Ea g l e , 19 36), Leslie M. Collins (Exil e , / Book o f Vers e, 1938 ), Hi lliam Wa l ke r (who published @ volumes 7 between 1936 and 1943), Olive Lewis Handy, Claude T . Eastman, Nick Aaron Ford (Songs ,l'r om t h e Dark, 1940) , !Iaurice Fields (The Collect ed Poems o f I ~urice Fields , 1940), RiF. Boyd (lioliday Stanzas, 1940), fol k lorist J . ~1ason Brewer ( 'four books of poems), William Holmes Border,< (Thunderbolts , 1942), Anita Tur peau Anderson (Pinpoints: , p roup of Poems and Prose Wr i tings, 1943), Alo ise Barbour Epperson (The Hills of Ye s~erday and Other Poems, 19114), Nary Albert �Bacon (Poems of Color, 1948), Harrison Edward Lee (Poems for the Day, 1954), Willie Ennis (Poetically Speakins, 1957) , Paul Vesey (Ivory Tu s ks, 1956)i and Arthur Wesley Rea son (Poems of Inspiration for Better Living, 1959). (and SdmP_& c.K) -Hle., 11 Among white~poet"s: t he fifties were aglow with the fe rvor o fJJ:J..:!at 1; ovemen)~ Kenneth Rexroth, and ~ Kaufm9 E.F. Cummings, Lawrence Fifrlinghetti and Gin~berg . Hughes \ especially} played a great part in introducing the/ ea ts to t he poetic lyrics of jazz and the jagged-lined interpre tation of post$ 1ar blues of the "lost generation . 11 Ano t her influence on the beats was Russell AtkinsJ who, with Helen Johnson Coll ins, founded Fr ee Lance in Cl eve land - . . . a ( l 95g). -------- An avant-earde "l i t tle " maga zine, it played an uns ~ng par t i n t he dev elopment of ideas and t echniques of t he_}(ew America1;./oe try . the "style" @ At the dawn of the sixties, of f1- a c4·~ils o f i gur ed pr or.1inen tly/1s ~ always / ~ in t he fte pacing of ~ lit er ary and cul tur al concerns . The op poet Babs Conzales, a/ Y!. ..n t-e/1dlt>1'i along wit i\jazz- poe try narrators Htt:e Kin3 Pleasure, influenced t ~~ of"" 1' f m] ] t ihlilj Pof~n a s e , ~ s ~ gnaled a call for r e-examination of the "ear" traditionally used in t he silent writing of a poer.1 . As t he fifties closed, t he prec i s e passion of Gwendolyn Br ooks and the troubador's gai t rlfl ~idl.w /4u unified, of Hughes hurled a dual , -:J!ir,t cha llenge a~ a ck poets . /; 4 ~ � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Eugene B. Redmond Digital Collection Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context EBRWritings_09_10to12 Title A name given to the resource Editors proof, Drumvoices: The Mission of Afro-American Poetry: A Critical History, Chapter V. A Long Ways from Home, typed with handwritten edits, p. 208-405 Description An account of the resource Editors proof, Drumvoices: The Mission of Afro-American Poetry: A Critical History, Chapter V. A Long Ways from Home, typed with handwritten edits, p. 208-405. Includes the backside of p. 290, numbered 290(a). Relation A related resource Eugene B. Redmond Digital Collection Language A language of the resource English Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource For digital rights and permissions, see <a href="https://www.siue.edu/lovejoy-library/about/policies.shtml">https://www.siue.edu/lovejoy-library/about/policies.shtml</a> or contact <a href="mailto:library@siue.edu">library@siue.edu</a> for direct inquiries. In copyright. <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Redmond, Eugene B. https://digitallis.isg.siue.edu/files/original/1d4a331448565a899ce6b7925f7a2028.pdf 9a93d5c659d2e3cea1b73c96fb1d45b9 PDF Text Text CHAPTER VI FESTIVALS © FUNERALS: ....,BLAC' POETRY OF THE 1960s CB They winged his spirit ® ~ 1970s & uoun<le<l his tongue but dea t h was slow coming .... ~ */ wno killed Lumumba What killed Halcolm .......... festivals & f unerals fes tivals & funerals ....-festivals & funerals & fes tivals & fun erals •.. - MI - Jayne Cortez G -e. Overviewl The space be tween festivals and funerals can be infinite or it can be deathl: short. her poem . So ffayne Corte%ay;uthrough the twistings and turnings in Bu t whatever the space, or the pace, we all slip , slide , soar, and tr i ? as we make our way between the polarities (assigned each a t birth) 1. -1-h ,, fex; li~fl,.t··e 11.·ve and the k ind of dea th we die. J Black poe~ of the 1960s and 1970s ofte~ face! life and death "straight up": ...._,t hough, as ue have seen, /1a ck poets in other times did not cringe from the breach~ of racial nightt mare!" , violence , sexuality , unbeautiful lan8uage , wicked or rcliGious folkisnf , and the demandt, of music:-~~R- each of them seemed to hear/0-albeit from , different. drummers ~1• ., Gt, To attempt a discussion of contemporary / 1ack poetry is to turn others' tongues into flae1es : "!laspher.iy! ! " "I was the first !" t' ✓ �"We started it! " "That antholo?,y w.:t s i ncomplete since it didn ' t include me !f " "It al ] Jf~7,-9.~ ~ii in this place G, r that plac ~ ! " "His /her poe try is not J lack enough ! " and so on . Nevertheless , the "smoke" from the s i xties is be~inning to clear and, while more hin~ sight is needed, there are import.:tnt observations that should be made . Henc'? in this chapter , the format will follow preceding ones i neliii. e s ■i.1-e wi t h a -------- poets. de- emphasis in biogr aph ica l-critical J,.n not: es- on bv1 indivi dua l Most serious poets who began writing in the late fifties,11xties ~ e()tllf . a nd ,{> e~enties+ still have much g rowin g and threshing t o do . volume s really contain earlier poetry . Als 91 many r ecent So it is not easy to evaluate (or ev en list) / lack poe try produced over this period . Yet, historically speaking , c e rta i n undeniable trends have occurred, and t hey look roughly like this: r;;:-ack/o etry since t he Harlem Rena issance ( sec Brown, Redding , Henderson, Jackson) has had cycling curr en t s of "ragJ'( and '' fire " thou gh not t he sustained gu sh witnessed in the mid and late i[) sixties; )(l ack poet ry a ft e r 1945 expressed a bel ief (see Ray Dur em ) t ha t white libe rals were not reall y i nte r ested in mounting the ( o,-. qain~1tJ.lL 1he wc,y 1 1 " final " chariots of f ireAon behal f of Blacks (desp it e Communist= Socia lis t pronouncemen t s ) ; i::~es ,)6.ack poetry of the ~ s; )(~ f.,S _/ and early ,t9Ub provided a ytvil:. ond jcL~TitaL ¢ l;rn aT-e. , i ghts gr ound~wellAfor the volcani c bur s 1 of the later sixties; fn/.1ack a po et r y of t he ea r ly sixties t he r e was planted the anvil shaped t he s t yli stic, at ti tudina l and l i nguistic cha r acte r - - - - - - - - - -- - - - -- - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - �of what i s known a s t hc,1/ew / l a c k / oe tr-y'; pu rr e nt / lack po e try , desp it e " ev o lution s " a n d "chang e s," h as not a,, r adically alt e r ed or l a i d to rest t h e be s t ~w r k of Hu ghes , So. r.,e~ ~ - ~C21l ;""' ~ Davis, Toor.ier, h'alke r, Hayden, Br ooks, To l s on Johnso) and Dodson; ~ xc ep t fo r what S t ep hen Hen de rson ca l l s " t en ta tiv e " a nswe r s , (~ ·9'•; ,,il.'.lc k p o et r y d e fi e s a l l d e f i n it ions ~ Hari Eva ns ' f " Bl a ck . J., - -.._,/ a.. Woman") '\-s plinter i n g o f f int o f nnuni er/\b le directi ons, s t yles , ~ tl orms , themes, con sid erations and idea s . +l"l4f. . Thi s chapt e r, all abov e c o nsi dered ( ! )) wi ll briefly sketch th e J..Z h::sa-s of poe t ry f rom the fift ie s int o the mid1 s i x ties . Again+ c hronology will he --,t;;7t, vialA"tld /(n& tel s i n~ ; m~ny of the poe t s lis t ed were wr itin;:--; in the for ti es and fiftieE, 1 ~ /4hffanlld I . most d id not rec e 1.ve~a tt en t1. on until th e six tie s. The ske t ch wi ll include a g eneral look a t t ransi ti onal poe t s ( olde r and youn ge r) as their wo r k appears ) in abou t a half dozen an t ho l ogies ( f r om I Saw How Black I Was , 1958 , f e to Ka leidoscope , 1967 ) and what feu vol umes we r e bein g b rou gh t ou t a t the time . Ila. s n Jut> =::.. 1Mn . f oe exanina t ion ( see Lo ck e ' s and Bont emp s' • di visio'lS '3 . of t he/\Ilenai s sancej ';t akes up the poe t s who c ame to r ecogni t i on unde r the banner of the> ~ a c k/ o et r y . 1 /3 a c k ,4 r ts /'I\J · (ment a nd who loo ~ y fall into t h e catego r y of , /ew Ol d er poet st , :1yd e n, Br ooks , Randa ll, Walker , a nd o t he r s i will be briefly reµ is ited to see if t he "new" mood wro u ght any sign if ica nt c h a ng es in t hei r views and /or th e i r poetry . we Touch IJP, an Criitc.. t'.~rn , Tho ug~.al.Be s tt uwi,e aJ H0 te e,, this boo k is primarily a h istorical g u i d e,ffd esigne d t o a i d a. dcnES, EeaEff@ISj • !Im! Jm; ~ a de rs in t heir e xplo r a t ion of,Ji ack poe t r y . I Onl y a na l ve person �would attempt, a t t his stage, a full critique of the poe try of the 1960s and 1970s. However, there are stylistic patterns, similarities, and t hematic clusters whi ch will be pinpointed and as sessed from time to tirae . Some of the most provocative of recent studies of contemporary / lack poetry a re Henderson's The llilitant Black Wri t e r in Africa and t he United States, i (r,,q with Mercer ~ . too~, Joy Flasch ' s !-Ielvin To lson (1972) -c,r.,.,."""",,,_ the ~ew Bl a ck Poetry (1 973); Sh~rley Williams '~ Give Birth to Ilri[;h tness (1972); Gibson' s . . . Modern Black Poets (1973 ) and Jackson~ '-------- and Rubin's Black -......, Poetry in America (1974) . ft] S9 ms ] "l ] I !l b$ _$/ Literary and Social Landscape• - LeveL C--- Assassinations, highl\political corruption, upheaval , violence, change , ClAS .. A' ol:J , l±)t ideolog~es, flamin g rhe t or ic • conteml\Jlrary period. ~_o.;L n a:;ta a I -...._ describe the Revolutions (of all k inds) mock and mold the wo rld. From Cuba to Vietnam, Harlem to Chile, Pakistan to Watts, Nige r ia to Indonesia, Kenya to Berkeley, Jackson State to Kent Statej -the facts and I \ A~~ not ,,,n symbols of change have been dr ama tic and violent.f s-{N(,A ovev-cast, .h (Jw€1/efi') 1hwar-1ed moj o.- tJevtl<Jp me110 wher~ ll 1 EAJtin the iJ-ac k spher~ L£tdo p was declinin__ef(by t he mid\fif t ies) ' 1 ' and vocalist: t~ ,; \1 ~::- a nd / azz ' s greatest · · B~,:.l(LLH,l.. interpreter, Charlie Parker, was dead . Al tf;icians co~ n11ed /(St pr obing new forms under t he leadership of Ii l es Davis, John Coltrane, the Modern Jazz Quart e t, Wes Mont gomery, ~ a EJ:l-;i,,agt~ Charles,~ Ornette Coleman, Bill y Eckstine, Sat;lah..ll a\ Fitz ge r ald and Billie Holiday ~ ho died in 195J1 Ray Ella g,Llie ,.._J\!loliday ' s name and - fame a8ain reached a worl'){-1ide audience wh en , i n 19 72, Di ana Ross, formerly of the Supremes, starred in t he controversial moviel Lady Sings the Blues . Saxophonist Coltrane, a major influence on the current generation of musicians and poets , di e d in 196 7. An i nnovator, he sparked new int e res t.$ in mu sic witr 7 �of sound~' - .:.~;~f!ll"'SNl•ttt~-t.ti-08-fiflllll.is~;liiiltlic,gt;~~'.!.t'!t~tfE'l.Js.-u111@6111'flllli••!li!!J)!.lllllJl}l•IM••■□ El511JllliCr.iei!J~iiai 0 hi ■ ei,J ~ The / i ftiesAa lso witnessed the ma tura tion of ,-ihythm ~and •4'lue s, popularized •rn ., weaving by/ lack radio di s c jockeys . ~ - - et:!_ J. D:!5 1; it social _ ::, Int er4 commentaries with the news, they ~ "1er ! Re.sv!t'.-ii . anticipa t ed t he new oral poetry of t he~ 1xt1es . ftp±n ur cr from these broad+ I). ~ (J..J ~ cast ing styles were/\ programs ~ ~ndstan (started in the late iifties) . Yo ung white America wa tched } lacks dance , listened t o Little Richard and Chubby Checker , and trie<l to i mitate it all on TV and in their homes . 1 This 1 period gave birth to the fi rst whi t e s uperst a ~ 'joul fartis: JElvis Presley . fl · r· jg] 'J istsr" s iid!E bl t 'fhe new f'-J.1ack social mus ic, r . and the dances accompanyi ns it, freed white American youngst e rs from the prudish and self-righ t e ous inhibitions of their fo r epar ents . )1tl(>t~tot«c." echoc, ffrtom"'ft<i-e -t.1e;ii1es . &ut-fh-ell'-t t--em6\ ml Gene rally , Americans ience and industry developed more rapidly than 1A : «' U.~ '") in previous periods • ..JMeia:,ia launched Sputni~k , a feat whien ,.r.as fo llowed ~ v ~ by/\.Afne ican- Russian scienc e and space - explor ation r a c e ~ ~ continue s. " ,,.---. iaYne.w..s !!d,\coverag e Te l t star paved the way for i ■ ? \!,. bio chemical warfare and a tomic n~v~ researchA,b ecame of ~loba l 2.ctivitie5J while the nin ht mares people live• daily . The American literary scene was swamped with political novels , sa tire , writings on t he war and experimental/J ournalistic pros e . The " under ground" newspaper emerged as a majo r vehic l e f or this new writing . The symbolisr.1 and ~~ f'.'tey,fut-t di ,,1still present . Hm1eve r , t he psychology~_employed in ~ a r lie ~ w: it· § ii~ i nfluence of the writ ers fror.i t he Depression and wa r years is r, ivin~ wa y to gad3e try and a new wave of existential concern . Black , Jewish, Chicano, aYr~'r- I nd i an and Asian writers are grabbing more of t he liter a r y s t a ge - ~ IS..r.een in H-.e n.e.w ethoit. StltJr-n a..l.1 O.l'ld fuJc. l i~h•ttj c.om fllJ\(tS lts we. l..1.- <U n,w inTe,,ett ~rom estt:bl,'thed fu bUd , h·5 . �(~) 5~A Jfo n tempora r y -.?- ' ,k111111iia~ N. Scott Nomaday , Ra l pl . -2 Isa11: r orltl~ vriter s o f i nf l uenc e inc l u de : • Saul Be l l mv~ , - -----.... Ellison , ~iddt el Hai :d 9 Fr ank Chin , ~~-~ -;;.hhr U.td li Hali;;! , Ch ~ a Ac hebe , Er nes t Ga ine s , J a mes Ba ldwi n , Paul Chan , f liatma y 8 ' 8s m:sz;z Albe rt i!u rray , I s hmael Re e d , Tinlli&M ii!) Lh,. James Ngug i , William De mby, Sh awn Hsu h'ong ..,_; 1 Kelley¼&ffd liC±:~ 7all&d!'. ~ 1\ rih; -lilliam Helvin Black writ e r s a re inc l u ded i n the g ene r a l l is t i ng b ecaus e:, d u r i n g the cont empora r p e):-iod , many of t hem ach i ev~d r ec o gni tion on , c. v sr6J.. Mi.(.Lion cop•~ ~ . par with the b e s t wr iters ever)7vlhere . " Reed @_ C UH• d wa s n omi na t ed i n ~U►'1 6se.C1.eAv .. w-'.S ~ L.S!,!1 t!ld1wt.J Scl.d. t wo categ or¼es f o r i he Na tio n a l Book Awa r d i n 1 9 7~. /i Am et-1CAI'\ tempor a r y/\po et s ~ l 4 ' " ~mpo rt a n t con{, · Stanl ey Ku 7 . z, Cyn Za r c o , Rob e rt Hayden, Richar d Eb e r h ar t, Rob e rt P e nn lfar ren, J O's t l·:ont oya , Gue nd olyn Br ooks, Laws on I nada , Kar 1 Shap iro , Rob er t 1ar ga s,1,ftr,.,H1i11111il~••T iiiililcli1asi.sws-.. Jo h n Ber ryna n , enry Duma s, ,, 1 / -Mkl,atL._HQ)"~e,. t or Hernan de z Cr u z , ~ f obE!r t l:owe l l, Dan i el Ha l pe r n , Rich ard Am iT\l Wilbur , Paul Ve s ey , J ames Di ckey , I mamu~ araka , Sy lv i a Plath , Willia m Bell an~ J ar:ie s . Wri ght. IIay den rec eif:fih a N: tional Book Awa r d nomi na t i on i n 19 72 , , _ , o ~ - .± "tio~~.~•A.o• 0-c.-o.,, ..... ~J) ~ ~"ir..... Many of t he / l ack fic s@t wr iten, ~nd poets ( s ome 1 r, f ror:i the p re - a n d r ost-J.wa r ~f,,10'1 s chools) died during t h e con t emporary pe riod (Tolson , Bo n t emp s,~ Hugh J s , Uright, Dur em, Dumas, Di Bois , Ho rn e , Ri vers, To ome r , Halcolm X, e t c . ). Inde ed death , i n one way or a not he r, not only p r e o ccup ied write r s (wh it e and f 1ack ), b ut wa s often r oman t i call y IJ Ursu ed . Bea t poet Ke nne t h Rexr oth asked> " i,n 1y hav e 30 Amer ican po ets c ommit t ed s uicide sinc e 1900?" Those p o e t s n ot conc e rned >elF-d~uw\te.eL.ttnenn with death we r e inves t i :-;ating de cade nc e o r t h e • • •• • ~ £ socie t y . The dev e lopme nt of c on te~p o r ary poet r y c ann o t be v iewed p r o p erly with out unde rstanding t he ' f e at " p e r i od . - -/ As a p art ia l p roduct of th e / e] op er e a t po e ts emuln t ed tlte ~ (drop- out) ~ age 7 a. mann e r isms and ap ed t he "man a l on e " a ssociated with mus i cians . BeJ{op ua s one way t he u sed to f i gh t th e c omr:ie r c i a lization of his arf-. f 1a ci\na n He also used i t i n pla y ing �" Someth i ng , " in the word s of Thelonious Honk , "t hey can ' t pl a y " meani ng whit es) . I mport ant t::.5'¾ f (ihev \ eat poe ts wer e Lawr ence Fer i lir.;hetti, Rex rot h , All6 n Ginsbe r 0 , and Gr egory Corso, amo ng the whi t e s f..> and Bob ✓ o...... .,ao ~ I ~ . Kaufma n, Le f o i Jones/ ~ t • jj ' C L 2lts a I ,/Sp~An ed Joan, . among ~he n~ h:222 1u id!i I i alz a:rs ytrab JOE''L ( The 11 I f P?t d D no] J Daw !Ill&§ @ cat f•~ovemen t , which nur tu r ed occultism, rejection of the Estab lishment and an exi stential view o f l ife , was c ent e red in New Yor k ' s Greenwich Vil lage and t he San Francis co Bay a r ea . :rt ~ died i n t he ear ly / ixties . 'Na Kau fman is viewed by many a s the unsung pa tria r ch of t he ~ er a . $QM ... ~t,.__c ritics say maj or whit e po et s of t he movemen t enthusias t ica l ly t ook ,,,,.---:- 7111d~ . ,,l their cues from Kaufinan' s i nnova tions , bu t were no t s o w;.; ~ i n r "4' d I irtl I w •11. n Edi (3 Q..&) G?R(J)s As a k ind of s piritua l hei r t o Toome r , Kaufman is a c omplex , sometimes f ragment ed , but brilli an tly original poet. His wo r k , like t ha t of many of his c ontemporari e s , i s i nf luence1 by Eas t e rn relig iou s thought a nd t he occult . Stylis ticall y , Ya ufman ha s t he ~ s weep~ of Whitman coup l ed with t he bes t techniques o f mode r n poe t ry . lie pa ssionately exper iments with j az z rhy t hms in poet r y a nd ofte n invoke s j a zz t hemes , moods a nd mu s i cians . Han0 f at poets a nd ent hu s i a sts l at er joined or we r e spawned by the vil :.fi -:;,h ts strur;g le1 wh i ch was intensified by several thin3s : Hartin ! Luther King ' s Mo.n t gomery bu s boycott in 19554 56; sit- ins and o t he r dr ama.{_, t i zation r of s egregation a nd discriminatio n ; the cha ll enr; es travel in 1961 (CORE ); t he widening ac t i vitie s March on Washington (1963). - - - - -- - - - ------------- i Jim Crow in SNCC (196¼ 64) a nd t he . Ot her s i gnifi ca nt ac t ivities : n flamed and �inspired the hearts and imagination of fa ac k American yo uth especially. ~ 13 The Huslims ' (tfation of Islanx growth to~ O_g; members by 1963 and t he Congressional action on j(ivil / i ghts _jegislation \ ere t wo seemingl y u~ related but stra tegically i mport a nt events . The growing inf luenc e of ✓ the }~slims sugg ested that many Blacks no longer believed America was ~ h'):1a n at.s. , f\ , 'nHJr< u"l G'\ sincere in its pledges to implement/\.e~n when they became law. r t t • g ...,,. L ~,t~ ot='violente;.J their distrust were the continued/\.~!L Hn s , nightf ridings in the ~ outl1; 0 and hatrassment of Blacl:!, in public places and their homes • .1 ' .,,_,Cl\~ Jt i11't\y ofl~""''"'~ bj lt z $757 ~ mm~t t · Till ' s murder I' uit J/1:!""""Y of« '"""'""'- !H a cks reeled ,,,} under the killings of Chaney, Goodman and Schwerner , Halcolm X, Hed gar 1 Evers, King, the Kennedy brothers, and the three Black Panthers £ t ~:\.t.t4 ~~fi bY police @ § y in a Chicago apartment]: . #ay 1966 , however , hd I ~ lack7'ower signs and slogansAbegeln to replace the "He shall overcomei'\i\ w_ee,...,,'(\fi' / lack and )'hite 7Dgether" exclamations. Young p ack America, NePui:l'f!, Afro ha irdos and African jewelry , attended cultural festivals , back-to-=- A~,·~ c,we ► ConFt~nte; Africa rallies, poetr y r ::,., I - 1n~s, a nd ~ in revolutionary broadsides and tabloids . read Clfll community news published :._::.,; Rhetorical forays by H. Rap Brown and Stoke l y Ca r micha el, young SNCC officers, set off a flurry of state and national l aws a gainst i nciting to r iot and of weapons across state boundaries. . J ?TBA and,, cw -artrl ~ 1,ilt ~ setAf he stage for gun battles between police and the often imagined ,, ,,snipers." - These conflagrations were repeated in scores of cities after Dr . King was as sassinated in 1968. Watts poe t Quincy Troure cap tured the shock and horror, and chronicled the official reaction, in his poem "White -leekend ": �The deployed military troops surrounded the ~fuite Ho use and on t he st eps of the Senate build ing a soldier behind a na chine gun 32,00 in Washington & Chicago 1 , 900 in Baltimore }aryland 76 cities in fla me s on t he landscape and the bearer of peace still lying in Atlanta• •• • Int e last stanza, Troupe ~oted with curdling irony : f, a en tations ! Lamentations ! Lamen t ations ! Worldwide ! Ru t in lew York , on Wall Street the stock n a r ket went up 18 po i nt .... -1 riting , fallout from t he / l a cl·/ evolution reverber ates a round the globe . Black jou r nalist Tho as Johns!'on reports Irish revolutionar ies sinz "We Shall Overcome . " Posters and emblems commer cialize everything J from Af rican hai 1s t yles to the raise d clenched f isti the initial symbol of ' lack unity and defiance . beg innin~ with ~ A ,.vave of } ~a c.: mov ies f c alle1 /::;rloita tiont&, experiment al ~ ul tiJ million~dollar ~f~ Putney Swope (1969) is t hea ter patronage . Black movies retrieved t he crippled movie indust ry fror:1. the brink of disas t e r . leanwhile , the murder, incarceration an~ political hai rassment of / 1ack men and women ma«e rZ:l·ac.~ · · t h cm h croes an d l 1.ero1nes in 1 • / ye t • • a 11 y symb o 1 1.ze . ' con1.IT1un1• tiesM ironic t he torment and of Ame rica (see Samuel Ye tte ' s The Choic e ) . " genocidal s chemes " �-I - Criss} crossed by paradoxes , poli t ical contra<lictions , social revolts -.. and reli~ious . - . ambivalences , t'.1c . /lac ;~ co;,11i1unity is nevertheless ~ene rated by its s i nger s nn ~ pe r :ormc rs . re4 Black popular music !1as not only r eached unpr e cedent ed a ud iences , but unprecedented money-making c apabilities . .I, -~ ,l/ii{~~ 7-J . ~ ,1hythm:: and )'-'.Lues , ~ ~~~"'fflWll!r.Adicd abou t 1965 , ;;ave way to ', ;ioul " ~ "I ' m a Soul ~fan, " Sam an d Da ve announ c e cl in · th e 1 a t e/~' ix - t ies · . . ---- uA. .( The I mp ress i ons told lovers that you " gotta 1ave s oul" and Bobby Hornack reminded listeners .J t ha t the "Woman ' s Gotta Ha v e l.t ",;j\- presunably " Soul." are W>ittJL1devtto, i".11; ~. . J:'1\·::\ o . ,., ~ J ....__,, 1 '-'-' Tilack recording coapanies n , .1'o/own ( Detro 1 t) , ._...,'""''"""'"i:Nioal:iiaali11io-• 0 Hayfield I s soundtrack a lo u 1 ~- -----_ Superfly (1972) sold mo r e t 1an 22 ,-OGG ' O()(r _..,, copie7 and :Iarv J ,-, ~ay ' s W1at ' s Going On (1971) set records ,for album sales. ,. c . tly , however, Stevie Wonder has surpassed them all . Literally dozens of singing groups/ modeled on the q uartets and ensembles of the / ifties~ a r e releasin g a l bums re gularl y . These folk or " s oul " poets have be c ome dv-o.ti-e.. r:io re "conscious " in recent year o/ and many now ~-L1 i!. the i r song s with political nessages and exaltations of j iackness . :-::uch of this new wave came o n t he heels of severe criticism by Ilarak(t,_)who a<lmonish e <l the s inf! e r s for doting on unrequited love. he sAioJ ~ -rl,c,mN ~ ~ \;';\ Too n any)~ r e p reoccupiet'i"witht\ my baby ' s gone , gone\' e; Black: consciousne ss activi t ~, and creativity in i enera3:.,-jnow fl o urish~ . Related involvement includes : .._.d evelopment of j iack acting ensemb l e s; op ening of fre e sc hools and / lack un iver.sities; es t a blis hmen t of J1-a c k j atio nal i s t/ jG1tural commune s ; i n c r ease in the number of / 1ac k books tores a nd African bouti ques ; establish1:1ent of / 1ackJ t udie s pro g r am s o n whit e a n d/ ia c k -----'------ - -- - - - - -- - - /5 Lf - - - -- - ~ ~ �campuses and, in some cases, quota systens for enrolling / lack students; the escalation of / lack <ler.1and~ for "cream o f the crop" jobs such as }¥ announcing and the hosting of variety shows; expansion and creation of new roles for/ lack newspapers, magazines and radio st.:itions; formation of c,i!--.ea. -th e.. ack Congressional caucus • and similar units in.....i:a:=t ano - ,~·\..4M'E: bo<l ltS professional~~•~~~~ and, finally and impo rtantly, new engagement with In<leed, future trips to AfricaJ - Africa and her problems and possibilities. M to the yo ther country" or J oraeland" i-' are <lis cuss ed at all age and social levels. Mu c of this renewed interest is understandable in li ghi of the emergence durin~ the contemporary period of several African nation=states and the increased fraternization among Africans and Afro-Americans. '"::', carionized today by great numbers of z: ■ sn,Je"T~ Clod. P I ____s;l,,t'lack Rn tellectuals , did much to foster this curr ent interest in Africa . expelled from th _ Jation of Islam Shot to death at a and had formed a splinter grou p known.as the nr ~anization of Afro- American Vait y . His Autob iography of Malcolm X (with Ale.~ Haley, 1965), whic:1 (.:is he pre icted) he <lid not . . 1alcolm X, .f;;, to see in Jit hu b.et print, chronicles )1is odvsse . as !!alcolm Li ttl e, hustler " De troit Red. 11 t1 Ha lcolm X, and El-Haj j t1a lik El Shaba zz. 1 i £ ;\lionized b)' (~,:rmichael , IL Rap Brown , Ossie Davis, Dar aka an<l vario us other {l\jolars, activi sts and artists . Black poets , especially, have fo und !'i.:i lcolm (and Coltrane) ...-- . · t1.ess sourc 1 irni bf · · t· . I 11sp1ra·1on c.:in be seen in For :.'alcolr.i: Mf~ s impac t · 1 intlic.:i · · · t ion · ,\ part1a o j) ~,..,, on poe t s Poe111s on t 1e Life anJ Deat h of Ma lcolm X (1967), edited by Dud ley P-andall .:ind Viarga ret G. Burrour;hs . Shabazz;° Robe rt Hayden noted ; ~ In "El-Hajj lalik El �f He X' d his name, be ~me his people ' s anger, I q_ exhortetl ther.1 to vengence for their past; rebuked , admonished them , Their scourger who would sha:ne them, drive t hem from t he lush ice ga r dens of t he ir servitule . First World Fe stival of Negro Arts , held in Dakar , Senegal, in 1966 , Hayden was awarded the Grand Prize fo r Poe try . A maj or even t, t he fest ival was attended by experts , scholars , artists and enthusiasts of ~ / lack / rts whq ga the red for @ days to hear papers and Jiscus sions , view art exhibits) ;;;;;, cultural performances , and give pr elimi na r y dire ction to the Black Arts Hovement. Presiding over t he festival was one of the archite cts (with 1 I - i>)'e$ &de nf r ~ < f Jt I I Senghor,1..,.Senega ~ "'1/1 ct sair~ ~ Damas) ~£ .;::::::::;; a Phi losonhy of ) lack_;fumanism. ~l'*llllli·• ....- •...lilli?lililSiil@@ilii§- 4iDWiEiiiid._2iliiiF■t•Jil . ss.t.. s-■ ?iiEiild•PlliJ1is•l1111-■11111!11!11!!11&•1•-.1• • • · • • - - A rican- ori en t ed publica tions such as Pr~sence Af ric aine and Black Orn heus have renewed t he ir inte r ests in/J.a c k American write rs . magazines (Blac Likewise , ,/1- ack American journals a nd popular Wo rld, Jou rnal of Black Poetry, The Bla ck Scho lar, Essence, Encore , Ebony, Jet , etc .) hav e bezun to publish r.1ore nate rials by and a bout Africans . - The revolution in ~ fil.:ick / rts was signaled by n any events including the Fi rst Conference of ~eg ro 'dr iters in 7·1arch of 1959 . Langs ton Hughes was J an i mportant fi gure there4'"as he wa s .:i t the Daka r ea thering seven yea rs l a t er . The First Ane rican Festiv.:il of t!eg r o Art was held in 1965 an<l t he Second AFNA - - - -- - - - - - ) - - - - - �took place in ~fovenber of 1969 in Buffalo , ; , Y. Interlacing these and ot 1er conferences, sympos ia and conventions) were excit ing developments and expe rit T11ents in lieW York , C1icago , ,Jatts , Phi ladelphia, Atl an ta, Baton Rouge, St . Louis , Cleveland, Det roi t and 'iJash ingt on , . C. Durin" t1ese periods of social turnoil and artis t ic upsur g 7 writers and poet s often al i zned themse ves with ideological positions and regional movements . Consequently , , l a c t / rts communes and regi onal brands of/ c ons ciousness grew concurrently . an<l;(lac·/ationalists lack Splits betveen older r-vil finhts workers were paralleled by splits between older writers and it younger pracw oners of ~ l ac / rt The splits wer e not always clear-cut, however, for many older activists and poets joined the new mood in spirit, thenatic concern and per sonal lifenstyle, while sor.1e of the younger write r s ..., retained the influence of the earlier mood s. Corn _licating things even more t were the variants on t e done.nant themes of each camp . Gwendolyn Brooks , !J 6 ill ; r:.andall , ~:ar za ret Danner , l~a r ~aret \Jal ~er and John Oliver 'illens are amo ng the older ~rouv of writ ers the new nood . Youn~er urite rs whose who vi8orously took u p the banner of '(' wor,·s i(? . f,Le , • /f'ome "tradition" include Henry Dunas (Poe try /or :-~y People , 19 70 and Pl;:iv [bonv Play Ivory, 1974) , Conrad "ent Rivers (The Still Voice of llarlen, 1963 , etc . ) , J ulia Fields (Poems, 19 63) , Al §i_n ~ oun;; (D:i cin" , 1969 , etc . ) , and Jay 1;ri ~h t (T :1C Homecoming , 1972J to name just a fe\ . ~ he crea tive pronise o f this period was dealt a severe blow by t he unti;1.cly dea t hs of ,umas and Rivers in 1963 ) These poe t s are deeply influenced by the noods and preoccupations of the I" period (self-love, racial injustice , violence, war ,t{"l ac · ¢onsc i ousness ::md ;{istory) but they work along tested lines and experiment with i n caref ul .... and thou ~ t-out frames of reference, . Host of the writer s of the per iod ,, �( their styl es and id eolos ies notwiths t and i ng ) lave found themselves engulfed a t one tir.1e o r a nother i n heated debates ov e r '1 ue stions related to t h e _:;r.i..a c k/ esthetic," the relationship of writer to reader, vt.~ 11> I lad,"• white audiences, a nd t he pa r t politics should play in their life and work . this writing , these discussions continu e in most sections of the At lack fo r ld . The flurr y of i deo logical and a e s t hetical debate among the poets (and o t her writers) has of t en been precipitated or attended by c rit ical writings, historica l Jif¥ies , social essays a nd pub lic political statements . Some of t he individua l s asso ciated with i n itiating the plethora of rhetoric on the question of a ~ l a ck aes t he tic (and related issues) are Ron Karenga , Gwend o l yn Brooks , s :aka , ~ ttd«,-Jp r:dua r d Sprigg s, .ill 2 i:t\,{e, ..,.., • •Jt,.ttller (Black World) , Redd i ng , ~ ~lis on, La rry nea l, Ernest ' ' ais e r, ~lel Wat kins, Ron I elburn , P11tlL•,: 11\ l".mda ll, Lerone Bennett , Jr . , ~a t h an Scott, James Emanuel , Ton i Cade- Bambara, John Henrik Clarke , Don L . Lee, Ed Bullinst a nd cultu ral, by/ a nd Stanley Crouch . A number of important stud ies , literar y lack and wh ite wr iter s , a i ded in whetting or prolonging the critical t h ir sts . -rne~t. Some of WIIRAimportant and/or controve r sial wr i t i n gs ' in Africa and the United States (1969) ~ ,lacL r'.xp r ession ( 1969 ) and The Bla c k Aesthetic (19 71)~ Xhe New Africar Culture (1961) and Nee -African Lit e rat ur e : ------- of Blac~- ~fr itin?: (19 68 ) ; J a hn,~ Langston Hughe ~ Blacl:~enius (1971 ) ; O' Daniel , c ~ l ack Poets of the United St a t es : Paul Lawr ence Dunbar to Langston llu~hcs (1 963 , French edition ; 1973 English trans . Douglas) ; p lagner) Befor e the r!ayfl:::. ( 1962) ; Bennett (196 ~ ,~ Shadow a nd,... A-c ~ Ellison, ~Unde r st anc.ling the New Black Poetry (19 73) •, f ttende r son\ f ~ f~ Colloquim on Neg(ro Art : - Fir s t l·!orld- Festival of Ne gro Ar t s, 1966 ( 1968) • - , ( 7··/ ~· �/ I .: Ed itions f r e se11ct! Artie~ The .1 .n;r o i\ov c l in America (1965) Hother is Gold: ._ ~ Bone, Study in West African Literatur e (1971) ~ Ro sco e, The Crisis of the Negro I ntellectual (1967); ative Sonl: v/. Crit ical Study of Twentieth- Century Negro American Aut hors Dynamite Voice s: Black Poets of the 1960 1 s, ~ol . People (1963) , Black Nusic (196 7), Home : Social Essays (1966), an<l f!.a ise Race Ra ys R.a ze (1971); Bara ka, and Give Birth to Brightness (1972)© WilliamsJ 1 numbe r of / lack cri tics , artists, and activists heatedly d e.4.-, nounce whites who research or criticize/ l ack literatur e , saying tha t only t.10se who have lived the ; hack j xpe rience can wri t e about it . Another group holds t ha t whit e s ca n r eport on~ l a ck wr itin;; if t hey a r e sinc ere and sy□pa t hetic. The ulack Arts ~lovenent, as t 1e contempo r a r y pe riod is some t imes cal l ed , t ook place in the sh.:1dows of ~vha t many/ "second Reconst ruc t ion . " -Yerm!d l a c · social cr i tics have ~'"'1-..l\t he ;renc e , muc h of t he wr iting is a r evolt again s t pol i t ical hypo cr isy a nd soc i a l a l i ena t i on . I n the angr iest poe try , autho r s - shower;.f di s dain aml obs cen ities on t he "s ys tem" and whites in general. Re fusin g "integra tion" even if offered, younge r poets derid ef Ame rican values """' and at ti tudes . "L'nlike t he Ha r lem group," Hayden no t ed, "they re jected entry into t he mains tream of Americ an lite r ature a s a desi ra ble goal . " Of course , rJo r e than a few of the older poe ts were wr itin~ in the / ix ties and a re wr iting today . Hany of them , howev er , we re sometimes laid aside by young readers who were unable to separate " poe try " f rom the fi ery dec l ama,i tions of Ca r r.i ichael, Drown an<l i nnume rable locals okesmen a n<l versifiers. Of t en the poets exchanged superficia l indictments , indulged in name-calling a nd, as groups or individuals, began rating each other on their "levels of r7-laclmes /s" even thou gh no criteria existed t hen an<l none exist f today for . ~ ,- �such judg ing . t he ~ f3f a c . A· ts Huch of the dis pute cent ered around the question of who " start ed " If or~New Black Poetry ~ ovement J . While it is true that there ·leading ligp.t_s of the new movements, it is misleading and false to .say tha.t -one geographical region of the country or one group of persons is solely responsible for either the main (or ma jor) writing output or for kicking off any tradition of Blacks writing about themselve • Such a stand would d:ismiss the Afro-American musical· pa.-st, · on the one hand, and distort the historical develop 1 ment of he creative writ·ing and thought; on the other~ Anyway , the - .- question of who started what is not · that significant. During t he sixti e s and intu the seventies , literally hund r eds of/ lack poets star ted writ inG and pu lishing M in tabloids , magazines, broa dside s, anthologies and i n iv "J ua l colle ctions . Also showcasing the n ew poe t rv were the new public a tions: ....... umbr a , Black Di a l ogue , ~ d The Journal ~o~f~H~l~a~c~k~P~o~e~t_r~ y. regions. Si~nificant clu~ters of poe ts developed in ~eographical And t he atmosph~r e ~as enhanc ed by a number of Afr i can thinkers, a rtist s , poe ts and novelists who arrived ~f\_America to t each, lecture, pe r forr.1 and travel. The importance of t his interac tion among Blacks from various pa rts of the globe c:mnot be overemphasiz ed . Black write rs and students now read Afr ican, Hes t India n a nd Afro- Latin writers. l!l1■ 0•a•- 1 �Hughes acr1uainted American audiences with ,\frican literature i n h is ant holo ;::; ies: An African Treasury : Es s ays , Storie s, Poems by Black Af ricans (1960 ) an \... Poems from Dlack Africa (1 96 3) . Whisoers from a Continent: In 1969 , Trinida dian l!ilfred Car tey edit ed he Lite rature of Contem orarv Black Africa . Ma rie Collins compiled Bl ack Poets in French (1972) and Keor Apetse Kgositsile edit ed The Wo r d Is fl ere (1973). Other scholars a nd writers also wrot e critical studies or edited a ntholo gies of African and Caribbean litera tar e . Black writing received a significant boost whe:} in 1971 Senghor and Af ro - Cuban I "' / / poet Nicl olas Guillen were nominated for the Nobel rize for literaturei thus fulfilling James I eldon Johnson ' s 1922 prophecy that the first J lack writer I?, I, I to a c hieve substantia l international fame \muld not come from ~ · Hei ghten ing the feeling of the period was Charles Gordone ' s winning of t lw ~ 1- F'orf.(I ,;m ~1')-:-wrn '[ I _ nn 0 Pul itzer / 'r ize for dr ama (:lo Place to Be Somebody , 1970) . / l a ck writers now pub lishing or l i vin~ in the U. S . are d i ge rian novelist-poe t Achebe, exiled South African poet Kgos i ts ile , :Jigerian poe t- playwrig 1t \lole ,,,,,-- 1 I Soyinka , G 1anaian poe t ,__ Kwesi Brew Sou t h African critic Ezekiel Hphahlele , iger ian poe t- playurir;ht I~ Ia rtini ~ ce'sair~Guianese poe t- scholar ~ Damas . poe t- playwri ght ;111/i The write rs f rat ernize, ext change ideas and compar e s t y l es . I~hahlele , for example , has written critical 6'~nd rf...yt'I studies of / 1ack L\me rican wri ting (Voices in the lfu irlwind , 1972) while~ *I 1\ Brooks has praised African writinr, (I n troduction , Kgositsile ' s Hy Naae is A.TT1e r i c a during the current pe rio d fo r either tempo r ary or perma nen t residenc . illff, ~ Added to /~\piill·-•f•111&1:::;ij~?;~.,...-. activities and - - -- -- -- - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - WOA he establishment . of changes ~ (i) �J1ack publishing houses (Broadsid e Press, Third 1!orld Press, The Third Press, etc . ) and hundreds of i - . news organs and literary journals . ·- ~~ ~ ~ ~ _/. . _______ ,....... A . ...,,...,~ ..."": ........~-1.11-.....-"""';-a;-tq,N,JI!(,. ....,._.__. G Btenjqg ,1 11 iliiht Ml l&s:e,sic. have also been published . Blues, 8 Bontemps, Anumber of important antho lo gies Some of the more notable o~ c~ Beyond :jne 1962; f Sixes and Sevens, [!reman J 1962; {American Neg ro Poe~ -,- ----------- - - 963; Soon One Horning: .... New t riting by Ane rican !legroes, 1940 pJ..)962, Hill, 1963; fNew Neg ro Poet Q_Hughes ~ 1964; fi<al eidos cope ,I Hayde1:_J 1967; Blac < Voices, E 3 1968; fl! Iack Fir e;) Jones and Neal , ) 1968 ; The New Black Poetry, Major ,{ 1969;LSoulscript, (J ~ dan, 1970f000Y ears of Black Poetr"9 ~ Lomax, ; ,( ew Black Voices, t ~raham~ ( Bl ack Spirits, ~ "-and 1972; The Blac k Poets, Randall, 1971; 1972; \ andc ~oe try of Black America, (Ado: , 1973. In addition to these and oth e r nationally distributed a nt holog ies, man, collections of/ 'lack/ iterature were compiled and published in various re g ions • &El §, A �\ "t ~ :J i h a;:-& J et //,· I}!!./ L '1• !... e ~ ,od t ]q mi.., lft;ome\ o 11\_J r--me ou,ert\nd youn~er nan, l/' 1rh,.e.111 1., '" e 4fi" I t j pj pp · · · (Embryo) , Sterlin~ Pl al ~ , JI ur Own Hear t be.::i t /' Half ; . 95 rs] Rt Good News Ab out ...__., "":...3 ~ •••- -•••-.•-••- ■b 3 Colt rane , Ilis torv is ... 5 §, Lucille Cl ifton (Goo<l Ti1;1es , \ ~ the Carth..S____!, and An Or dina ~v Homa, - 11.------. 5. c<.,t-N~h i...- Ji pJ-g] I -- I E Cd iI Eill p@L±Ul (Dear John, Dear • •~ Cu ey, ..___.., lack II.::ilf Jil:1cke r) , Jayne rou~e ned ,., ..;;a kki Giov anni (n ack Jud g fment, Black Feeling , Blac k ✓ I Though t, Re : Creation) , Reed (¢ a t e chism of I d. neoarnerican David Henderson ( De ~ayor of Har lem ), ~r thur Pfister (Bullets, Beer Cans & Things) , Baraka (Black Ha g ie ), John Ec1'41- s ( Home is Whe r e th e Soul Is), . . _ Bontemps (P e rs onals) , .::iyde, (S elec te d Poems , Wo rds in the �Time ), Lee (Th ink Bl a c k , Dlack Prid'"' ~ ) , ~onia Sanci ez ,/"""'\ (~H~o~m~e~c~o~m~i~nygi ■•••D, Randal l ( Ci t ies Burning anJ }Iore to Remember) , - - - - - - ' L - - -~ - Crouch (Ain ' t No Amb ul ance s for No Nig 8Ahs Tonight) , Hug!y.,.s (The Panthe r and t he Lasr ; -~m ) , Norma.n J-okilln'f.D · At k ins (Heretofore) :,,,Hay 11iller h lli'H s e~, ( Into the Clearing , -- / Aus t in Black (The To rnad o in 1y lfouth) , Tolson (llarlem Ga lle r y) , ~ ":r::m,es (Ivory Tusks), r!a ri Evans (I Am - A , Emanuel (Pan t h e r .Ian), e s ey Bl ack Woman ), Julia Fields ~ I___. Stephany (~loving Deep ), Et e ri dge Knigh t (Poems from Prison), Gwendoly n Brooks (In the fecca, Rio t , Family Picture~ s Dur em (Take No Pri §2uet.,s ). . fictio represent ative o f theA_g r e a ~ c c_ .J 1 ), Roy Hil l (49 Poems, etc .) , Ra y Far from being exhaustive, t his list is mere ly p4r1 od J X ~ ~3 ~ \::Sf/?t :ti:tb@ §]lFT · " also writ e ehildr~n's'•· storie·s (Evans, JGrdan,Clifton)., cs.n ~L~o <U 4t,ti*CJU7.iKTMUpe.1 t<lAtld •L&H)f """'~ w,,.·,t• 111••• eed, ' Young) A. •Cri ti~is, (Neal) . ,lhe li d t g rows and c~ ang es c on _.,.....,...S: . Hany of t h e po~ts t.1twl (. stantly, e spe c ially in view o f the ffitll'iftt unfoldin g of sur rises . it t o say that the con t emporary mood of Jrlack poetry is multi complex . Suf f ice and Th ere a re g ene raliti e s; one is that most of the poets unr e serve d l saturate their wo r l· with obviou ~ lack references and cultural mo ti f s. There is also an an t i-in t elle ct ua l flavo r_; a s many p oets turn t he ir backs on academic or Western f orms . l ite r a r 1~ rtveellet ,-h This ~ a ~eneral disre gard fo r t h e esot e r ic, c~scure and s omet i me s a c t,\ allu sions,,. emp l oyed in mu ch 'rj'--·-- - -. whit e poetry . "'f'l ~_;rSL tt."' 1 t The r e a r e e x cep tions, of cours e,;{- notably inAspecialf\.symbo lism o f Mus l i. ,1 po~ts (Harvin X, As kia Tour:!, Bar.:ika , Sonia Sanchez , and other s) . These excep t ions can als o be s een in works of poe ts who e xplore Af rican ncestor / u lts, Voodoo , mystic is1:1 a nd Af ric a n langua r:; es Q t eed , K. Curtis Ly l e , wi ~ Tou r / , Kau f mnn) •.:w.et ~ !!!:.!' Dumas, Noman Jordan , Sun Ra , Gene rally , t h ough , / 1ack poe ts are I �ta-"" allusions , i mages and s ymb ols i n t he mo r e c oncr e t e cultural ifs , a s indic a t ed in a li ne f r om c e ':,• fPSP 1 j Si if m .... ~ ] j ■ ti 2 11 '·'/ Redmo n d I s " Tune for a Teena~e spiced as po t-liq uo r . " --:,.....,...n:. TOTE,1S e i - r 1, Horning : ,, Threshl old of t e lrew Black Poe try ._§ ' Hy Blackness i s t he beauty of t h i s land . '-- . I -fj-- ?)Wrigh t called -r/,eM~ ~ " tJ., c:1..,...lbv- {p._r,,. .tiz_ -0 c,L.. Bl a c k s " Am e ri ca 's me t apho i;" and La nc e Jeffers re f erred to~ 11 t he beaut y of t h is land . 11 "1f\Q. were taken well in advance of . Lanc e Je ffe rs II -1 B oth · ~ 1 Q :S-- II f s t ances -....,' .. lacyride 11 poetry of the sixties and seventies . 1argaret Walker's discussion of her playmates in the Alabama "dust" (1 937) is \ not sel f -d epr ecating ; and Gwendolyn Brooks ' ~ po rtrait~fatin Legs Smit h (19 4 5) is fa r from being unhappy. These are only fou r r andomly sel e c ted poe t{{ affidavits of Blacks viewing themselves "po 3itively" before the advent of the )l'ew) Ha« J'oe try ~ We could , of cou r s e ~ t he poetry of Phi ll is Whea t l e y t hrou gh ,~ :~ \e:::ed s of examples1 fro m Atiiiil Hu ghe s . But the p oin t, a lr eady made , i s s i mply that o ne is s eriou sly r emis s in loo k ing a t r e cent/ l a c k p oetry wit h ou t co n s i de rin g its h istory . 1he poets who wrot e and publishe d b etween 1 94 5 a nd 1965 , fo r example , d i d not wo r k i n s ea l e d chambers of tunneled vision . o f c on c e r n , evolved .F f Cm~vhat h a d ~..-te Ca c h g r ou p , e ac h cluster been written or said b efore . Some of thes e p oet s were heavily i nfluenced by whi t e wri te rs, t e ache rs~ a nd cr itic s . However , .:,_; t h e best of t hem a ppl i e d their knowled ge and t ools to t he servic e o f t h e J lack li te r a r y tr a di t ion. Oth e rs we r e unde r t h e dire ct tut elage o f Slack s (Pau l "'•ts w~u,,, Vesey s t udied with .-,I\ Johns on , Ro,,_T - J oyc e Ye lde ll with~ Iayden) a nd b ecame part �of a continuing line of / 1ac' tau ght Arthur P fist er ) . A?t::.:JS111i thour,ht and writin g (Ves ey in turn Wha tever t heir make-up+ or their mission, t he poets as a g roup show g rea t facility wit h languar;e , dep t ,1 o f insi ght and passionate concern f f or their coll ec tiv e a nd individual hu r ts l - and a s humans . as Blacks .._y ~ itlt~"""' The wor~ of thes ~ poets , and ths-t of the ir older pen- fellows , can be found in several antholo g ies : ...... Poetry of the Negro (19 49 , 19 70); the bil i ngual Ik zag hoe Zwart I k Was (I Saw How Black I Wa s , 195 8 ) ; Beyond the tlues (196 2) ; American Neg ro Poetry (1963); Burning Spear (1963); Sixes and Sevens (196 3 ) ; I Neg r o Vers e (196 4 ) ; .'ew Neg r o Poets: / l:SA ( 1 96 4 , 1966); Poets o f Today (1 964); Jfe the bilingual I !<:: Ben ~:ie m-re ,Ie g;er (I Am t he :Jew ::eg ro, 1965) ; and Kaleido j ~ q--, s c ope ( 196 7). Bont emp s a nd Hu ghe s e d it ed Poe trv o f t he Ne 0 r o in 19 4 9,l first majo r co lle ct io n s ' n e e Cul len ' s Car-oJ.in g ~us: , ft J 1e was r ev i s ed by Mow Ile.ck ~was .I pick the best fror.1 the pas t as well as the present -~tt..W 1, •..,/, ~ ' - ~ S were published in I olLm<l and En gla~f and{ ed f ed by nosey Pool , wi~h \?ey•cl~ t he assistance of Pa ul Bremen . "' vaaft~ oF ft;J7/i;tki t1, ~ Q.f\Q , Dr. Po ol (19 O5J . 73) , a lffl-H~~.._ came acros s ,• .,/ I\ Cu llen when she was p reparin ~ a paper on ,\rier ican poe t ry in 1925 . This disL /, covery l ed t o a llfe - long interest in / lack culture a nd po etry . During 1959ft 6O she tour ed th e United Stat es on a Fulbr i ght travel g r ant , spending several months visiting and lecturing ac @ j lack colleg es and uni versities . work in / lac k poetry h a s drawn mixed reactions fro 11 c autious/ and critics . J;!ei; I 7 ix l ack wr iters But her importance in helping to br ing a tt en tio n to filac k poets , <ff) �despite c ri es o f " e x p l o it a t ion ," is und eniah l e . Ev en more controv ers i al is nr er:ien, who a pp ears t o fancy himse l f a s n n Eng l i sh Jea n- Paul Sa rt:~ ; l e o r i g ina t ed t h e lleritar,e Ser i esM " d evoted e ntir e l y to t he wor ks o f Af r o - Ameri c a n au t hors " /4with IIa yd e n ' s A Ballad of Ren cmb r a nce in 1 963 . Sinc e t ha t tira 7 Br emen , wh o e d it e d Si xes and Sev e ns and You uetter Be li e ve I t : ~ Bl a c k Verse in Eng li s h (197 3 ), ha s re lea s ed mo r e tha n @ of Afro - Americ a n p oetry . vo l ume s r..anda l l ' s Broadside Pr e ss serv:We s as the Amer ic an V d istribut or of the s l i m book~ wh ich have included the ae st he t ical and hi stor ical ra n ge of / l a ck po e t r y : .:::::__,; Horne (IIavers traw , 1 96 3) , no nt emps , Ri v e rs (The St ill Voice o f Har lem, 1968 ; Th e Hri ght Poeras, 1972 ), e, Evans the ~fo sic? J 19 68 bu t wi t hdram " at t h e a ut h or ' s r e q ues t"), (\-:here is a ll ~!!!!£J ALdn s (Heretofore, 1968), Llo yd Addison (The Au ra & the Umbra, 1970), ~ud r e La r de (Cables to Ra ~e, 1970), @Y Rand2. ll, (Love You , 1970), R!!S!£D J Reed, whom Bre!llen calls "the h est Bl a c ~~ poet .;riting today" ,~ e c i sm of : neo ame rican hoodoo church, 197:J), Ja!'.1.es W. Th on pson (First fire: PoeMs 1957,¢:1960, 1970), ,, Jods o n, Harolc.l Ca rrin ;': to n (Drive Suite, 1972), Clarenc e . !ajor (Private Line, C, 19 71 ) , t he " first no n - .AI:le r i c an c ont r ib u to r ' '..!..Mukh tarr Nu st a pha (Thorn s and 1"\ T 1istle s, 1 971) , Du r e m (Tal:e :-Jo Pri s one r s, 19 71) , and Hny den (The ,a g ht - Bl oomi n s Ce r e us, 19 72) . Br emen no t es tha t b o t h Har i Evans and Ra ymo nd Pa tterson orde r ed t h e i r boo k s withd r awn be cau se t ~1ey " we r e s u sp ic ious of the con t r a ct t e rms . " In addit i on t o suc :1 " sus n i cion , " fe lt a l so by o t h e r J lack p oet s , t he r e i s ~r ea t r e s en t ment of u r emen ' s f as t- d r a w cr i tical eva luat ions of the po e t r y i which -li b~o"'der Conc.e~n.s a r e o fte n cau stic , r idi cu l ous _ ..,_ a nd na r row, and r e fl ec t a l a c k oF,\U . .__,,c ;-- ----- 7 2 : He calls Dur em , fo r e x amp l e, o ne o f t h e f irs t J '1a c k " I s s tat emen t a bout Re ed, c omin~ as it di d in 19 70 , d i es v iolenc e t o ---- the autho r a nd the cri t i c a l a t ~ osphere in which p ack poe t s g rapple Dumas wa s bo r n i n th e " incredib l y na med t ot1n" of Swee t �Home , Arkansas . ?:eve r t.1eless (alas!), one wo nders where these.J31.acl~ poe ts j ';.~ 'l1~~ess. --'I 15g ~diseases" "fiC as Breuen di<l not e:dst . ~ Xegro Verse , edited by Anselr 1:o llo, has no introduction or for . rd , · · have gotten publis 1ed if such 't butAdoes include a dozen blues and/ ospel song, poems . fJNT"6 New Neg ro Po ets was ·,ntheiltLe '{1l"OG~~ edited by Hughes wi th a For• rd by Gwendoly~. Use of the word "new" A.exemplif i e s the kind of spirit that was in ascension a t t he tine . .?fe:~se a. r'd Gwendc,lyn cW,'A Broo ks & &2 is also her usual/\.definitive se l f : to be t;egroes fA t the present t ir.1e , poets who happen also (£) are twd.ce-tried. They hav e to write poetry , and they have to remember tha t t hey are Negroes . Of t en t hey wish t hat t hey could solve the Negro question once and f or all , and go on from such success to the composition of textured sonne t s or bi ant villanelles about the trans; ience of a raindrop , or t he gold-stuff of the sun . They are likely to find sign~ f icances in those subjects not instantly obvious to their fairer fellows . The raindrop may seem to them to rep r esent racial tea rs~ and t hose might seem, indeed , other than t ransient. a. Jl]1e golden sun mi ght remind them t hjf they are burning . There is an attitude in this statement that the Gwendolyn Ilrooks of 1968 will reject: - "poets i ho happ en also to be 1egroes . " Eut she refl ects Cullen in the " dar k tower" nnd his ruminatins on t he "curious t hing " of the f 1ack poe t. ..s She also presages the twistings and t urnings in Jayne Cortez 'I " Festivals & Funerals. 11 ~, in introducing the " New r;e~ro Poe ts," she informs the reade) ~ '~1ere a re some of t he pr evailing s-t ars of an early tomorrow . " Ha lter Lowenfel s'ff decision to include "20 Negroes" in Poets of Today ....:.,/ wa s spurred in part by 1is recoinition (along wit h Shapiro) that " most gen e ral �ant hologies of Amer i can poetry exclude rlegroes . " Lowenfels shared an award with E .f. An au t ho r ity on Whitman, Cummings in the thirties+ ;i nd has he l ped a number of/ l a ck poe t s make it into print : .._Dumas , Tr oupe , Pa tte r son , Redmond , Car ringt on , .1ajor, Reed , Ha r per , Hayden , a nd many others . Lowenf el s ' was t he f irst new whit e- edited ant ho logy t o i nclude such a of Blacks . There were @ poets i n a ll. One of t he most i mpor t ant anthologies is Burn i ng Sp ea r which contains t he work of the Howar d f oe t s : e~".. Walter DeLe~all (1 936t Govan(_< v ) ,;F-ffe r s (lq/qif Qg , Percy Johnston (1 93 l LeRoy Stone (193~f )I ) , Al Fraser ) , Na tha ~ J) , 6 -~ Oswald Ri cha r d s ~ ~ and J os e ph White ., Durni ng Spear , subti tl~fe_, Ant hology of Afro- Saxon Poetry , was an out gr owth of the Dase i n Litera r y ec;To.bl..,'siieJ .✓ Society , .cl--.::.:.::}• at llowar u Unive r sity , whi ch 1(1 j i1 1 1 Ill Da sein : --;L "' ,n Quart er ly Journa l of the Arts Al9 61• ~ Johns t on , i t s founder , served a s publishe5 while DeLegall was edi t or . Their connec tion with the older group of poets a nd scho lar s is ev iJ~n c in the advisory boa r d ~ A. Brown , Arthur P . Davis , Ov:en Dodson and Eu~ene C. Hol raes . ~ J effer s , St one and White \Ne.r-e.. )(• !\contribu ting edito r s . : Sterlin; Fraser, Govan , Po e t s in t he i na ugur a .:. issue of Da sein , whi ch doub l ed as a memoria l to Richar d Wri::;ht , were Delores Kendric k , Clyd e IL Taylor , J effe rs, Will ian Jackson, Ve rnon A. Bu tler, Rober t Sl au ~ht er , Laur a A. Wa t·ins, Govan , Fr aser , De l or es F . Henr y , R. Orland o Jackson , DeLega l l , Johnston and St one . Ther e i s no sin~l e uni fy i ng t hr ead r unni ng through e ither Das ein or Burning Spea r but/ 1 l a ck influences and subjects are clearly imbe*d . Burnins Spear, fo r examp l e , is published by J up it e r Hamm0~ Pr ess, another connection- [ M in namei to t he tradition of/ lack poe try . I n a back- cov er no t e, t he e i gh t contributor s are ca lled "a new breed of young poets who are to Ame r ican poetry wha t Cha rlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Honk a nd . lile s Dgv is - - - - - - - - -- -- - - - -- - -- - - -- - - - - �are to American jazz ." Afte r t hi s important analogy , the s t a t eraen t cont i nues : fT hese e i ght Afro- Saxon poet s are not members of a l i t e r a r y movement i n t he trad itional sens e of the wor<l , becaus e t hey do no t hav e i n common any mon is t vi ew a bout creativity or aesthe tics. Col l ective l y , however , t hey a r e i nd iff e r ent to most critics and reviewersMl.. since criti c ism in Al:ierica i s . co{ L.:rolled and written in the main . by Euro- Americans . ( fi il ti 1 IJi:? •7-·-••t•s• IFS?? Poems by DeLega ll , Jef fer s, Johnston and Stone a l s o a ppear i n Beyond t he Bl ues .'1n d.. and in numerous " little" magaz i nes . -- ~A.all ~ t he poets participa t ed in rea ding- lectu r e pr o~r ams lead ing up to t he wi der inter e st f in poe t ry in the V l ater six t ie s and s ev entie s . DeLega l l (Philadel phi a ) 1 a mathema t i cian and electronic da t a;;::p r ocessing s pecialist k ~blished in many ant hologies and ~y quar t erlies, a nd e I\ read h is poetry a nd lectured a t va rious ea stern an<l southe rn col l eges . Fr ase r (Charleston ) i s a pol i tica l scient_ 5.,.,itlt a specia liza.-E-'t,-e,R- in Af ri can/ f f a i r s . Along wi t h DeLe ga ll , Stone, Gova n, Johnston and Richards , he ha s been r e corded r e adin~ his poe try at the Libra r y of Congress. Frase1 cultivated a coffee- shop a ud i enc e fo r his r ead i ngs and )~ I\ a ppeare d before co l l ege gro up s . He i s a philosopher- mathematician . One of t he older members of the gr oup , J effe r s (San Francisco ) i s cr ed i ted wi th having " i nfl uenc e " on the Howard / oets . He has taught Eng lish and writing at ha lf a dozen Amer ican co l l e ges and unive rsit i es. His fi rst volume of Wa. poetry was Ny Blac kness is the Beaut y of This Land (19 70~ and~sec ond , ~en I '-4nA 6....,119Ii'i Know the Powe r of ?-Iy Bl a ck Hand, 1111••18'/\out in 1975. Broads ide Pr ess . ~ - -- - - -- Both a r e published by- Jeffe r s has al s o written nove l s , short stories and criticism. - - -- -- - - - - - - �Johnston (Ne w York) currently t eaches at a college in New Jersey and with - - - . . I // Stone "co-a uthored the revolutionary verse pamphlet Continental Streamlets . 5 Also o. playwright, J ohnston published a pamphlet of his poetry, Concerto for Girl and Convertibl e in 1960~ and was considered the leader of the Howard / oets . 1 White is a native Philadelphian whose wo rk appeared in Liberator , Poets of Today, and other places . He is a technician for FAA and has uritten short as well as successful pr_l'~e+~ As a group, the Howard / oe{ ~ ~resent one of the toughest intellectual in contemporary / lack poetry . Haybe the fact of their having such interests, ba ckgrounds, a nd training aided in their vitality, virtuosity and power. To be s ur e , t hes e ar e " conscious" poets; bu!: l.1voiding slogans and sent i ment al he ro-wors hip~ t hey present pr ecis e analys e s and int e r pr e tations of thei r world . .!ost of t hem gr ew up in t he Je- op e r a and s o t heir s ubjects quite natur ally include Hiles Davis, Le st er Yo ung , Charl e s " Yardbird" Parker , Cliffo r d Brown, Sonny Rol lins, Thelonious Honk , and other makers and contr ' butors i1'f·t hat 't!-e struggle ~ . per iod . !!:" ,\if11 ,a,(oFtl'\C.el"r\F f:'ol" . . I.· . I ,.1.e"!, _1v1l J{ights and ~ 1 j lack merges with ~ Arwareness of the " bomb ," middle:: class pretensions, history, mythology , r eligion, and the various trends in poetry: ,_,modernity, / eat poetry, jazz·• • - . and folk l yrics.tlneLegall celebrates t he / lack pres ence (" 1y Browns kin Business") and satirizes a pretentious Howard coed ('\,equiem f or / Howard Lady") who is "cultured " and performs every social ameni t y pe rfectl , . She wears "Hi gh-heeled t ennis shoes ' 1; but he hopes , near the poem 's end, that the presid ent of The Unive rsal Institute of Eugenic s will send a q, New sp e cies of female who will be r obed in clothes of "sincerity" and who can be called "A Woman ." - - - - - -- - -- - -- - -- - - -- - - - -- -- 1 �In " Psalm f or So nny Rollins" he announcef t1at he i s Absorbed i nt o the womb of t he s ound . I am in the sound \ The sound is in me . \ram t he sound. Rollins, the Harlen pied pi~e~, will l e ad his list.en, to "truth," "Zen," r~ - "'-Y,SJ " Poe try ," a nd " God . " t f ter "The Bl a st" (nuclear bomb-± g;.,/4the re will be ... no I, no world , no you. /) also wr i tes convincin3l y as in " The Lynching": I f He was soaked i n oil and the match t hrown . 1:e scr e aned, he cried , he moaned, he crackled in his f i e r y i nhuman danc e . Gavan's interests span the turbulence in "Hungary," spac e explorn t ion ("The ,\ngr y Skies _\r e Call i ng"), and "Prayer_;" wherein he asks "Chris t " f or a new dawn's light! Jeff ers is a livin~ example of the ~ wri t er . 11 hel pless plight of many a j,1ack t)me..-.ic« n \ltl1o ugh he had been writing for s eve ral decades, h i s work was whit e'~lis t ed by anthologis ts a nd his poetry did not appear in book form until the sev ent ies . "Hy Blackness i s the Deaut y of this Land" s t ands as -:. ::: a rebu ff t o t hose who s a y ~ l a ck!,. po: try was("invcnted" ~ecentlyJ Jeffers ' f poem, writt en in t he fift i es, is at once defiant --1 proud ~v-bvle.nT : )- (V ;ry bla ckne s s i s t he beauty of t h is land, my blackness, tender and s t rong , wounded and wis The narrator , after t he fashion of Margaret Walker, chronicles the hur ts, t he happines ses , a nd t he hungers of Blacks . These he sta nds against his �"whiteness" and t h e perversions of lar ger America. " Black Soul of t he La nd" mines the same vein: ..., rich reliance on t he well-d e ep streng t h of t h0 past. ack The "old black man" in Georgia is "leathered, lean, a nd strong ." And these are secrets that "cracke rs could not kill": SJ a secret spine unbent wit hin a spine , a secret source of steel , a secret sturdy rugged love, a secret crouchin~ hate , a secret knife uithin his hand , a secre t bullet in his eye . The poe t asks t e old man to pass on his source of strength so that he , and h i s fe l lows, wi ll be able to "turn black" the soul of the nation 1 ? and America shall cease to be its name. J ef fer s ga t her s up a fu r y of love , anguish and commitment in other @Ills "Her Black and African Face I Love , " "The Han wi t h _.< "ll egro Fre •dom Rider," " Ile r :)ar k Body I Clust r, 11 Fur nace in His ..., "_ nlack Han Day, " and "Prophecy . " Johnston echoes Jeffers, though in a different voice and style, in many ~ rilll,h\l of his poens . But Johnston ' s/\.conce rn is with / lack music and musicians. " To Paul Robeson, Opus No . ~" celeb rates t he r.mltiJ}acetecl talents of t he man whose song "stood Dr ooklyn on its fee t. " " In .[emoriam : Prez" is a ma gni fi cen t t ribute to the/ r esident of jazz : ....,Lester Yo un;whose music cot tinue s to " ignite the heart ." n "Fitchett ' s Basement Blues , Opu wonde r s why everytime ~ I want Coltrane or Sonny all I ge t is l! rubed-0 ... " ohns t on �" Dewey Square," with its ::feat" repe rtoire and interes ts in contemporary everyman, is a poetic summary of the collective history of Johnston ' s genera tion . \ords for " unki nking hair ," recollections of radio shows, / reminders of,,..r(elief and HPA , ancl Duke I:llington, all leave Johnston with the knowledge that nothing V Has changed but my postal zone . In other pieceo/ he surveys the current and past/ lack musical scene : '" Round ' Dout .- idni3ht , Opus 17 ," "Variation on a Theme by Johnston, " and " To Bobby Timmons." c//. "Black J s Hy Rewarcf Richards says , no tin~ -ttrcrt Sorr ow came , and I left the wor l de , • . J Anf experimentalist, his " o }1o t Forget to Pemember" includes a " prelude" -.:..,/ and an " interlude . " Like the ot er poets, he writes primarily i ~ (almost no rhyme} and int. e foreGoing poe ,co~sq.ni l'I r..e/\Eepeat~ II e verse petal falls . " The Howa~d/octs all touch grief and an~uish, as does Richards in " God Bless This Chi d and Ot ..er C il ren\· • • "?.equiem . " ~ 9Pfll' es ,,,-- I s_ ntax and vocabulary, it '-' sely - re senblf\_-=e ~:p:rn:iaJJy t.~ t he beats ancl At kins·. Wo rds and p rases i e "matron ic diva ," "sepiacenic mar t yr," " alburnen 'c ha-1k, " "womb-::-,rize," and "b ack ae~ is" convey the mys tic al and eerie sense i pliea_J/' t he repet ition of "sleep " and graphy of the poem':{f-Also experimental and or i g inal tJ! innovative t 1 iijf.Yone. llis study of " Flamenco Ske tches " is separated into five part s : and bill. ouvert, seliM, i'ew Yo r k is "red in weeping " and Chicago is "Illac ,:=· =--/ draped" as Niles utters in "nutes . " ~ ~ The musi c captures the Dissonant no·stalGia of one k iss of a Spanish lady as it weaves in and ou t of trans continental exper iences .ttt>J~~ and locatiot ; . r~ avis I ii' use - and knowledge of wo rld musi & ii 11@ ,•oifiirl Finally , �the 1:1usic i s .:i ske u to Comment on a cloud of oriental ninths comment! In " ?-;otes from the Cubicle o f / %isgruntled Jazzman" Stone becomes a ve r bal . ma es t r9 ripping in " changes ,'' rattling up " thirteenths , " stormin~ the "m_inor . t ones " - '- a 11 " wit1 · l impuni · ·t y. " mode ," and whi ppin~ up " passing M ~s f Soul" repeats " <lown" as th~ sorio/ drops into " dep t hs ," " the abyss , " and t he " infinit~" ~-: here black- eyed peas & greens are stored .... po i gnant reve lation is raade in the e nd : r' I r a ise my d mm f ~ \ bent k i nl~y h ead t o charlie ___,,, t---&shou t I ' n blac k . I ' n bl ack I ' N · rom Look § a c k . ~ J & ~ / · e t hink imme <l ia t e l y o i:/\ titles Hoke T, in<. Blac , (Lee ) a nd " Say It LoudM I ' m Black and I 1 '"1 r>ro 1d 11 (J;:u:ies Drown) even thou:,h this poem preceded Liem by several years 'f\. t o say not1in~ of Josep1 Cotter , Jr. ' s " Is ~ t Because I ' m 1 Bl ck ! " But 1., .ite c a n a lso <lo lig ht and touching · things1 as in " Picni c " and '--' ~ s DoneJ ' which places "music in the air" a s he prepares for bed and " Day h is " woman" sets her hai r. the r an~c of these poets . His i r oni c, s a tiri ca l "Inq uis itive " d is p l ays The narra t or wkncle r s where " Gods " and " buddhas " h i de if the earth and sky are both vi s ib l e to man . ~ -- - -- - - - - -- - -- - - - - - �0,011{" Little c rit i cal a t tention has b een niven the , Howard(~ Wt'>;·hh~ ft c the other poets .v44Wl . up ; weU~Known ,. Anders on (1 9 38 • 1 / , ), Julian Bond (1940~ 6' ' ) ) , }1argar et Dann~ .i4 1 Naol"li Mad geL ~ James Randall (193 8J / ) ....:...:.:,.._ Durcm, !lari ) , Gordon Heat '? ~;lOp) ~ mcs C. Ho rri f ) , Peter T. Ro ge s Horne, Ted 1, V O' Higgins, / atterson, John Sherman Seo tj Car cl I James H. Thompson (1935~ Simmo , I , . ) , Vesey, Sar ah Wright (1929,:7 ), Robe rt Earl Fit zgerald (1935 ~ Joyce Yeldell ·(194 !W L,1l,~"" ) , Lula Lowe '..'eeclen (1913,½ Fernton (l'J 32/V Lero ne ten:-ie tt, Jr . (192 8- ) ' ), Calvin e.c..-i.~c✓ ) , ~ loria C . Odeh t [osc .,j'. ft\, GA.tis; ) ,ti:!..•me5 Emanuel (192 ¼ ), Alfred Duckett (1 9laj- Ca r l l!ol:-:ian ( 919J ' " Ioria Davis, Evans, . ficki Gr ant, Julia Fi e lds (1938~ ) , .1 arles ), Le slie H. Collins (1914- John Henrik Clarke (19151 Joans (192 8 1 ,. uut _they a r e leg i on, Johnson Acke r son, ), Eugene Redmond (1937 i Cuestas (1944,7 ~ pet,IOd u;; durin ~ t t1 1.s ,._~. including • ~as well as \Jf'l~dv,,'1L1a.._ names : or any of ) , Sarah Webster r..:ib io (1923£ ), ) , Eo:•t 1 Fuller (1927,j ) , Carl Ga r dener (1CJ3 1fo) Zac1~ Gilbe rt_ (192.Ji :Ii{., ), Fr ank ·crby (191 G/4 ------) San Cornish (1938- ), ~;anlf · 1 son , J r . :. 1. ) , E·r:-ies t J . rr P • \'auryb 'nn (1 °291 J a -e~ •.• 0 ✓ N Alba (191511! '68) , Fr ank Lontlon ), Catherine Car t er ) , :-1ar y Carter Smith (192 (lO?Q ,_ ;;I ), Robert J . Abrams (1924i ) , i:i lliam Browne (1930;- ), Yvonne Gr e ~ory / . Br own (1927J~62 ), I sab ella :iar.:.a Br own (1917,6 ( 1917,:; "' . ) , Roy Pauli •. ir ray (1910 ~ ), l!e r beri Cla r k Johnso n (1911..! ), Oliver La Crone (1915/4 La time r ( 1927! (1919;1 , ) , Oss i e Davis (1 922 ), Roscoe Lee ), Oliver Pi tcher (1 923~ ) ·fJ ) , r o,ne , I Ishmael Re e<l (1 930N (1 942~ ) ), Don Johnson (19 42~ Mance 1.lilliar.i Tom Den t LeRoi Jones (1934 - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - 1 -- - , �Ed Robe ..!:on1 .:lorgan Brooks , Solar.ion Edwar ds (1932tJ Gorge Lo e ) ,J'Vilma Howar: Htlt-t Leroi 13 bs I \llen I ) , Lloyd Addison (1 93 I Polite (1932t ) ,~ ourwood Coll ins (193 7 1 ) , Bobb Hamilton, ~!ay Hille , 1 Stanlcy Horr is , J r . (1944 fi d nA~L>91es '-- ~ i s -non- ~xhaus ti ve lis t was o f t en int ermingled with early poets (as e ~ far ba ck as Phf llis Wheat l ey ).,.-. tH der one s (Johnson , McKay , Dunbar) r '-' 1/~1 ~ and spiced wi t h a good offeri ng of pos t- Rena i ssance poets (Walker , Broo ks , ~ '\ ao,, Tolson , Hayden) . , tame s ~ Ful ler, Bennet t , J r. , Holman , Yer by , Davis , and Clarke fall in t he ca t egory of ~!a;E;a~" poe ts-Lmost of whom under took M full-time dut ies as novelist s , ed i tors , lawye rs or t eache r s . Ot her impor tant movements para l l el· t o this phase were t he emer gence of lit era r y ma gazines ~ (Free Lance , Phvl on • ~ ), es pecia lly on } l ac k c ollege campu ses ; / l a ck "---" newspapers ' r enewed intere st i n versv esla:liC,sl..,,n..ef\1[ of poets\ i n resi dence ~ CCBliliill•llllflJP•®"'Aslt! a t sou t he r n.)1-ack colleges ; the f l owering o f regi ona l "movement s " or writing collectivesM such as those i n New York ' s Greenwich Village (Y* en , ~ . etc . ), Cleve l a ndf' s Ka r amu House a nd ~D:ef I:aoce JI (ca s pe r Leroy Jordan , ~ Atkins) , Howar d ' s DaseinJ rmip , the De tro i t poe ts , a nd Geor gia Douglas!, Johns on's home- based workshops _. - - . . _ _ in ifas hingt on , D. C..1 ~;'o t ✓ eiclvs1~~l+' A~ vall ~ t hese devel opmen t s occu rred """" among j 1ack poets , however, l\t nere also were r a ci a lly mixed writing communes and edi to rial staf f s . / J ul ia Fields , A,i.,e,1N" for examp l e , was in r esidence at t he Bread Loaf h r i te r s Confe r ence inl\I:n:;l and and studied for a while i n Scotl and . Redmond, who won ·writing awa r ds and publ ished in l it tle magaz i nes be t ween 1960 a nd 196 5, worked with t he st affs of the Three Penny Broadside (Southe r n Illinois Univ ersity) and Fr ee Lanc e (Washington Univers i ty) . Ot her poets and thei r outl et s were Dumas (Tra ce , ~J Jones An tho l ogist ), Patte rson k (Fl oa ting Bear ,r~ n _ gen) , Gloria C. Oden (Ur banit e , The Poe try Di gest , The Ha l f ,loon), Rivers (Kenyon Review , Antioch Review , ~ evelopment of:;(~~fi ening audienc e s J :27 1 was a c entral oc...im i.n mos t of these activitie59 For example , on June 16, 1957 , poets Calvin He rnton • d R,:ymond Patterson read t o gethe r at I 41:..:I' . : ' . - - - - - - - - - - - _ _ _ ______ _ _ _ _-.::.:, ..___,:__ .:___ - �i Ohio Po e tr :t in (Kulchur , Met r onome, Umb r a ), Hance Williams / (Blue and Gold), and Au re Lorde (Venture ). largaret Da nner published a AS (e1 1,.\ )l'A$ series of poems in Poetry ma gazine illr~l ~5 2:J and i n 1956 became an assistant editor . Of thes e pa r a llel move ents a nd deve lopnents , one ot he r de served special notice . Cl Though not on{\ pa r wi th the Howard / oets, the Umbra W> rkshop pa r t · cipants a ided i n t he production and <l i s tribution of) lack poe try in the early s i xtie s. Cent ered in New York ' s Greenwich Villa ~e, t he Umbra poets we r e fo unded by Tom Dent (New Henderson (New Yo r k) . rleans), Calvin Hernton (Cha ttanooga) and David The workshop , which also i nvolve<l a r tists and fiction wr i t e r s , pub lished t he fi r st issue of it s u~br a quar t erly in 1963. Other issues came out in 196.'.. , 196 7p 68 (an antholo:::y) , 197 0/4 71 (tabloid a nt hol ogy ) ,, i ssue) . and 1974# 75 ~ who now Dent first served as ed ito) and 11ender son , 1i1i!j~the __publica _ t ion froo Ber l·eley , attracted to t he U.:1bra uorkshop were - took over i:1. 1967 . Other s Reed , Rolland Snellinr,s (now l~orman Pritcha r d , singer Len Chandler, dancer Asaman Byron , t he Pa t ter son bro t hers (Char l es and Hil l i am ), paint e r s Ger ald J a cks on a ni Joe Over s tree t, Lennox Raphael , Dumas, James Thompson , J ulian Bond , Sun~R 1 Durem, Steve Cannon, and Joe Johnson . ..._., damaged by two event s . , The pr omise of the Umbra group was One was a failure t o pr inf an in t e r v iew (conduc t ed by Raphael an<l o t hers) with Ralph El l i son. The second, r esulting in a s e rious -=: ttifl l- split among members, was a controversia l anti-l'ennedy poem~by Durern . President rennedy ha d just been a ssassina ted when t he Durem pi e ce ~as approved by the edit ors . tas t e . Her nt on, Dent and Hende rso n decided I 1---;-==r=== l~ a s . i n bad Other s , acco r din~ to Hender son , want ed t he poem printed a nd subs equently w.:is treasurer , thr ea t en i ng h i m wi t h bodil y harm , " _.,. 316 ~ast 6th Street in New York Git. A fa vfi\g):i. te Hew York gathering place for readings was the Market Pl a ce Gal lery~2305 ~eventh Aven~e t where Ro s coe Lee Browne was featured in the late fiftie S(;, In July and ~~ Augus ~ ~f 1960 a numb ~?? .,of )'lack poets ·'r'-'€Lt.d . r. ·. -✓there: Lloyd _ _ _ _ ___ _ _ _s_o_n !_ _ ~ ~ .!'~ _J ~ _!lbrams,.Al.l!t,;>'wne, Phil Petrie, Allen Polite , Sarah , · �The inci-.:en t is viewed a s one of the near- fatal bows to the Umbra s roup . Later Snellings, t he Patt rsons, and others wen t /ptown to work with _ , s Jones ' ' newly fon1ed Dlack Arts Rep ertory and Schoo l . 9- 1 T ,e work of Umbra contributo ~ ngesjfro,., the occasional and humorou_:'.;) ~ Bond to the serious a F Durem . 1 and T:1ompson1 also appea r~ i n t he early anthologies Henderson , He r nton , Den~ {c. Oden , along with wor.~ of ot 1er " Village" poet , s uch as G (Newark) and Joans (Cairo, Illinois) . ater ant .. olog i es : Poems by Durem , Spe il.man , Jones Some are also represented in two "Clac· Fire (196 8 ) and The Poetry of Black Araerica (1973) . Though racial consciousness is not blatantly evident in t hese poets, t he Henderson, and Hernton . protest is t here, e specia lly the works by Durem, ·r:ibra na<le clear its twofol I ·obra exists . '1re. ~inau~ur a 1 aim in issue: 1 to provide a vehicle for t 10se outspoken and you t1ful Jrit ers wl~ pr e sent aspects of social and racial t) r e a lity whi ch may be called 1' 1 unconmercia 1 ' but cannot with any honest y be c onsidered non- essential to a whole and healthy societ)(:;l · ·· A- ~ t He will not p rint trash, no matter how relevantly eals ui t h r ;i ce, social issues, or any t hing else . (l)ent views " Love" as a " b lue tom" lurking "icily " in t he dar kness . Hende r son sees a " Do -m town-Boy Uptm-m " and asl·s : tun I in the wrong slum? (~ Pis " Ske tches of Ilarlem" include the " GRE T 1.!JHT[ boy confusing t 1e @, was bar oon an . . . t:1e sun . in Seattle . ~ AY " and a sma l l / lack Dur em, who ran away f r om home a t age Whi e still in his Mid-teens he joi ned t he Uavy ffe and became a membe r of t1e International Bri7,ades during the Spani sh Civil '\ Uar. llu~1es t r i ed to find a publisher for his works as ear l y a s 1954 . himself Duren said : w. " fuen I was ten yea rs old used my fists . 'tho.. <:>peu~L . Of lfuen I was /1, right , Hilton Hosannah, M. D., and BroW?;eAreading"fthe works of Hernton• Others associated with~ O.Y\d \.0-r.~Ton Hvo.hes, <J · 440 ~ ~ - -- - - included J~hn Henrik - �t irt y- five, I used the pen . I ho pe to live to use the machine ~· un .... The white ilo rt h- Anerican has been drun > for four hundred yea r s . " Hi s work does not have the finish of a Hay en or Broo ks, but he pr ovides an exciting shot in t he arm f or "fi · s period of j lack poetry (thou; h Br emen ' s t black,tpoet 1 is unwarran ted) . Take ~~o Prisoners (1971 ) contains many of Du r em ' s memorable poems a n<l a "Posthumo us f e f acet ' signed in 1962 a lthough he d ie<l in 963 . "White People iot Tr ouble , Too " surveys the plight of whit e s followin g the Depression, r ecession and war, and notes t ha t such an intrus ion in t he affairs of whites does note ual slavery . After all, lif e (or history ) ca ls f or ,J; One toot h for one tooth . 1!ost of Durem ' s TJoems ar e short, satirical, ironi cal and mus ical; a s in " Br oadmi nded ": r Some of 1y best fri ends are whi t e boy s . Hhen I meet ' em I t reat ' em just the same as if t hey wa s people . lac~ 1istory , slaver y , ·social inequities , prison li fe , a d "pal e f'O~ poe t s " to whom he confesses his~s no t " ufficient l y o scurc" to mee t ,:h ite Ile writes of/ . . 1 s t an d ar d s . critica S tranze 1 y , T a ·e ".. o P risoners · <l oes not inc • 1 u d e " ,\ wan1. . ,j ~ "A Gold Ha tch to t l1e FBI ~-:an (who has fo llowed me 25 IA ears~ wh ich traces t he agen t' s surveillance of the na rr ato r th ro-ugh t he " b lind alleys" of ~[exico , the hi gh Sierras, t he Phil armonic, L. A., ~lississi ppi , and ot her place s of violence an<l mayhem . But i t is not all over , th~ agent is told , for in the end y I ::1ay be follmrin ;; you! �The wor L of Village poe ts was ,.i ~h l i ~h t ed by t:1e v e r sa t ile anJ pr o l if ic L~~t,j J ones (J ~ Ima:au "'g Am i ri Bar aka) , Sp a n<l Ted Joans . ~ ..._,/ Def or e h is new 1 ~ lacl~" s tanc e of t he r.li<l a nd l a t e six t i es , J o ne s pub l ished in l i ttl e ava nt= gar d e ma ga zi n e s (ed it i ng seve r al hi1aself) and was ide nti f i ed as t he no s t ta l en t ed Il l a c k among t he; (ea t s . Eis t wo v o l umes Suicide No t e (1961 ) and The Dea<l Lecture r i Pref ace t o a Twent v Vo lune + (1964 ) tou ~h in t e l l i g ence . show him as a hip , arro gan t , ll is infl u ences at t h e time , \li llians , Poun ~ a nd Charles Olson . advent urer in s t yle wi th an el lipt ic a l and sometime s sacrilj :; i ou s 1') - po s ture . °\ 4t:i'.eh. a.u. aest he tic~ philosophy was shared by t he Illad~ Iloun t a i n po ets : ~ r,eo r ge Oppen, Ro be r t Cr e~ · y , Rob ert Duncan , Denise Levert ov , Pa ul Bl ackburn , Edwc.lr<l :Jorn , Gin~ b e r :; , Corso , ._; ry Snyder and ?!i chael ::cLlure . A r:msic critic f or such nagazines as Dmmbeat , Jazz and r!e tronor:1e, wi h an 11 · · · • J ones nurtur e d a c.J.retu ~ 1(,, intense in t erest in ri;'iLac 1.: r.:usic, \ ear ~ - - - . .. •=•llii• h is verse. Hence , the belief i• n ha t Jones "suddenly b ecame / 1ack" is inJei Censib l e . orce " ~ t 1c 0 tca : _saaa,oh ~ s e ction o f a " lJegro Sp iritu al" a s a n in scri p t ion . ~e. uses a The p o em is t yp ical o f Jones ' s ab ility to r.1er ~c nur1erous ideas , symbo l s a nd i nag es in o n e poem . Lorc a ' s deat h is lamen t ed as Jon e s us e s exc e r p t s f rom t h e Ca t h o l ic ; ass , r eflects on h is c h ildhood , explores my t h o l og y , gat 1ers b its of poet i c con-t., fe tt i fro m na tur e a nd h ea r s Lorca " l a u ghing , laug hing "/4-mayb e mock i n g h i s k ille r s M ~) Li ke a Span i sh guit a r . I n " Epis tro phe " he f i n d s p eer ing ou t t h e window " s uch a s t a tic r ef e r e n c e . " So h e wishes " some we king a nima l " wo ~ come by . In t h e ti tl e poem fr om his fi r s t volume-LPrefa c e - !., he a dj us ts t o th e way " g r ound op ens up " r1 ,., ' - - - - - -- - - - -- J �anJ t akes him in whenever ~ he goes out to "wal<. the dog ." Life is as monotonous as the " sta tic reference " of window::.watching : I) i;obody sing _, .. 1 • • ano t her Vllla,;e poe t closely identified with the h ats , pub lished ar,d oThe.,. voL/me s Ted Joans (1%1) , ~ T~e Hipst e rs (1961)!, His most widely known ~ poem fron this period is "The ,3f ledged ) , Whitman and the/4a ts. ~ B~a\"7~ rL~ wit h its deb ts to Hughes ~ he acknow4-,- Beg i nning every line with the phrase "I h ear, " and lover by her husband: Joans na r r a tes the murder of an unfaithful wife ""\ I hear it coraing fas t e r than sound the . 38 0 t he .33 I hear it con in8 closer to my sweaty fo rehead I hea r it s weird whistle the .33 I 1ear i t gi ve of f a st ea::1lik e noise wh en it cuts ,-j t hrough riy s weat th e • 38 I hea r it si71 ~e :ny s .·in as it ent ers r.iv 1e ad t he . 38 I hear dea t h sayin g , He llo , I ' rn he r e ! As a group , J oa ns, Jo nes a nd Spe tf nan can b e car eful y compared to t he Ho -1ar d J6ets . T t ~e same a ~e ra nz~ an 1 li1<e ' s i milar . disc jocl ey ~ F:·! ones) studied a t Hm ard Tniv~i t y and has A.~eo?J r adio stations . His book r eviews l\_articles on jazz ~ I'\ i cpublic}~ncl T. e Nation . I n 1964 his first w> - have appear ed in Kulchu r , their themes and i nter ests a re volume of poems, The Beau t iful au ays, was published . He ha s a ls o published a book- leng th study of_r- ack Music (Four Lives i n the Bdop Dusiness, 1 , 66) . so.vs In "Zapa t a & the Larnllor<l./' t e " thief," the speake)f is running in " circles ." 1 T~1e poer:1 I count ry . is a humo rous treatment of revolutionary strug3le in a Latin Anerican I n "m1at _is It," Spe if}-n applies a similar technique . This t imc s tran r;e a ca t " h ide s in 1our face ," ln t'.1e corners of the mou t h and in " that \ c::myon" behind t '.-1e eyes . " A T~1eft of Hishes " is experiment<.11 ln its use �oS" ja::;~:,e<l l ines and shifts between t!tc tan~ible and s ur r eal \•JOrl<ls . In the end we a r c t old that hon e q Ljo \fa'~ l~;g~ ~ el our no i se . Anot h e r poe:..L who Joins . . . " 1.rrevRnt . er ,, Generation . 1.s . -. . t ,,11.s _,../ ,/4eat innovator Kau fman of th e San Fr ancisco Bay area . sides Cr oe, fer lia ghe t ti ' s City Lights Soaks : Els first works cane o ut as brooul '~ and " Does the Secret Hind Hhisp1er . bo . inis t ''.anifes to , " 1 ·a u fman ' s poetry , co{ , through unde r statemen t and i r ony , i s marked by unusual and s urrea l i nagcs . Ilis boo ks are Soli t u des Crowded wi t h Loneliness (1965) and Golden Sa r d ine ( 196 7) . 2 c'.1ievin 6 11 So l itudes was pub lished i n fre nc:1 , " lrnmediatel y 11 a not oriet, rare a.::.10ns b ooks of roetry by forei 3 n poets 11 (j :ic:cet , -../ Sardine). Lead ing French :na::;azines reviewed the book , publishers noted, - adding ttnrt " Todav in ) ranee :(aufman is considered anow~ the r: reatest - , - :Jegro-American poets alive in s:ii te of h is continuinz. exclus ion from Anerican anthologies , both .1ip & ac ader.1ic ." 11 ( :aufnan ' s themes are racial mer.10ry ,\fri c a n Dr ean"), jaz z (' 'i alkin; Pa r ,· e r Home , 11 " ~:e st Coa st So u nds ~ l 9 561 ' '), ot !1e r poets a nd wr ite r s ( " la r i ... Cr ane , 11 " Gins ber ~ , 11 " Camus : _,I want to Know" ), inca rc c r a t ion (a se r ies of @ In " The Eye( ioo/ i n J a i1 Poems). h istory , my t hology and r eligion . :1e say5_; . ~ eye s t oo hav e s ouls tha t r ag e . ••• L\ 11 Ci n c ophr e n i c po e t 11 :ne e ts wit h " a ll five " of himsel f a-.~Pa ~ vote is t aken to " expel " t he 1 \1eake s t 11 o n ~ who r esent s it and soar s over all limit s ,_} to cross , spira l, and wh irl . I Somewha t t yp ic a l of Kaufman ' s e l li p tic a l cons tru.c t ions and ua c ky i mag er y i s " Heav y ':la t e r Bl ue s ": @ �The r ad i o is t eachi ng 1;i.y gol df isl I am in love wit .1 :1 skindive r who sleeps unde r wa t e r , lfy ne ighbors ar e drunken linguists , & I s peak butt e r f l y , Consolida t ed Edison is t hr ea t ening t o cut off I my brain , The pos tman keeps put ting s ex in my mailbo x , I put my eyes on a diet, my tears are gaining Ll 1l too much weight . In this f orm and styl e , Kauf ma n i s no t only rela t ed to th0 Joans , Spe Atkins, and the ! l~~ed a t s but to Jones , young Los Angeles poet K. Cur tis Lyl e . Amo ng the olJe r poets who did not come into ro"inence until the 1960s Vesey (Columbus, Ohio), llolnan (Hinter City , (Princeton, J ew Je rs ey), O' liggins (Chicago), (Cleveland), I:manuel 0 7brask::i)~ 1 ucl-ett (Brooklyn), At;dns andall (Washing ton, n .C . ) . The se poet s, nnd othe r s of t heir generntion, ~re not s imilar enough to be l nbeled a "school" CJ_ or "mover:ient" but t hey came of nge dur ing t he integr ation push when words t;ke 1 ) J I j " identity" and " huma nity" engende r e d more philo s ophical discussion than t c y do t oday . The se a r e t he men who went t o World Var II a ttended nortt1ern white gr a duat e s chools . a ca de!'lic or pro f essional ca reers . i ~ os cc l ynchi ng OJ'1 4 ~ 4-,;_.e, Hos t we re k oaeignttt poe t sJ pursu i ng i e se1; as t poet and pro fes sional, brid ges\tlQ mi ddl e pa ssage between Afric a_! and \ fro- A1:1c r i c a . At Fisk Univ er si t y he studie d c r ea tive wr itin;: under J ames WelJ on J ohnson , t hen went on t o law school at ~a r vard . iJh& r 'dying a t the s irbonn 7 in Pa ri 7 some of his poems wer e published, thro u~h t he i n t ercession of Richard Wr i ~h t , in the Fr ench magazine ~ I sence Af r ica ine . Ve sey has he l ped ~r eatly in t he i n te r pr etat ion and �~ . d 1ssem1nat . . · · de . 1on o f· 1-r .. c' gritu Paul Vesey (bir th name Samue l Allen ) i s the name under which he publi shed h is bilingual volume o f poems Zahne (Ivor y Tusks , 1956 , Germany) . Elfenbein Ves ey wor ks with skill and precision . " The Staircase" i s a poem on which , ~ he"says, "I ,w uld r es t my case , I think , and t hat of t he Ne gro i n t h is lan{ i/°-~(Blues ),lf1 e poem s t udies the ~ ac k predicament t h ro ush t he plight of a man for whom the "stairs mo unt to his e t erni t y . " Perha ps , like Si syphus, t he st a ir is purposef ul ly "unending" s i nce t he ro tt en f l oor , t he "d r ipping fau cet" and t he " cracked c eiling" also remain . The nan is joined by a "twin" .., who later 3oes "exalted to his wo r ms ." Vesey also wr it es a n e l egy for Dy l an Thoma s ("Dy lan , Who j s Dead" ) , a pr aisf o ~ fo r ~ baseba ll legend Sa tc hel Pa i g (" American Got h i c" ) , and a power f ul <!.'A Moment I Please !> piece ~i n t e r weav i ng t wo different id ea s and t hemes : 1 I\ ' ~e.rie..r4J. c. 1r c..u m.STo..i'\Ct'S ~1 and th~ Ul,DJ t 3 · •'i of uan , the othe r ff{ e.w 1n~ 1 lhg 1 called "nigge r " by t ,-10 adol~ent s ir l s . tribute to Lo uis Arms tron3 . ~ one viewing t he uni verse spec. ;t ,'c. n ;<, t he N eali t y of beino/'_lack and " To Sa t c:1 11 is remi niscent of Tolson ' s Speaking in t he poem , Satc~el Pai3e says one norning he i s goin3 t o g rab a "handf ulla sta rs ," thr ow three st r i~es t o bur n down t he " ,1e avens , " !) .Cb,W'L '1} AA ~ And look over at God an<l say How ab ou t that ! - Ho lman ' s wor k i s among the few ent ries f or poe try in Soon , On e Horning . But he is also ~ r-epresen1td- n ot i1er a nt hologies. He has led an active li fe as a /ivi l =fi ght s fi gh ter JL-i.format ion_/ fr f i cer of t he Un it ed Sta t es Commission on Civil Ri 3htsj edit or (~ Inq uire r), writ e r~and teac her. Hhile a stud ent e a t Chicago Un iversityJ he won s eve r al awa r ds f or writing A Holman , whose poetic s ubj e cts r ange f r om complex ps ych ic medi t a t i ons to racia l pride, is very good indeed bu t much overlooked. · The leisure clas s finds clocks "intrude too I , �ea rly" in 11 \ nd on This Shor e ." f. The genera l indif fer ence is also cap tured : c ros s th e cu ps we yawn at private murders. wh1c~ "Picnic: ..__The Liberat ed " examines the shifting unc e rtainities withf\leisured ~outherners r.1.ust live . The tension of everyday southern life li ~ erneath the merriment of the picnic ground s, where men rotate the liquor in "di cups" and "absently" discuss "civil rights , money and goods . " e Yet as the '{... "country dark" comes in and they return to spri, ered yards and "mortgaged houses" t hey do not know they are J ~' Privil eged prisoners in a haunt ed land. Ye t this s ame poe t can hear "Three Brm•m Girls Singing" through t he "ribs o an ugl y school building . " hc1Y ~ Celebr a t i ng t he,l'l a ck musical pas t , Holman (\them ) Fuse on pure sound in as af t of Ap ril light . . . . Idl. ~·righ t, nm-1 a/ ede ral.Jistrict / ud ge in New York , was a Lincoln I University poet a nd/-1ith Hughes and Cune'l edited Lincoln University Poets (1954) . He served overseas in World \· ar II , later r eceivinz law training a t Fordham. Hhile he wa s in t1e Army in Wale s , he published a volume of 1i s poetry , Fr om the Sha ken Tm e r (1944) . " The Afric a n Affair" find s ·1d-1. '; !right on a safar i t o f i nd out what " Black is . " He d iscovers it in "prisons," in the " devi l s dance ," where " des erts burn," th0 'iddle / as sage, and a r eas ,, whM•e. i !Pr " conscienc e cannot ::;o." His search carries hin deep into Africa1 wher e " tra 'e--c s sha ed T'.lY fa t he r ' s pain ." . In " Four Odd Bodkins for Ny ooms" t here are "never bloor.ling petals" and " never burnin~ suns . " ) -u c.lt.ed ~, a••~,.. O' Hig;_;ins~ a member of the " tribe of wandering poets ." �After studyi ng wit;1 ~ g Bravm at llowarJ , O' Higgins won Lucy Ho t en .::ind J uliu s Rosenwa1tt j e11owships in ~-,ritin;-i; . I e l ate r served i n Ho rld War II , after which he cof authored, with Hayden, The Lion and /J1e Ar cher (19 43 ). O' lliggins 'j style is l ess formal than e ithe r Holman ' s or HcM . Hright ' s . ~ He dJY is closer to Vesey, especially in poems J.il.e "Young Poet" and "Two Lean I\ Cats; ' in which the rain fell like "ragGed jets" and made a " grave along" the street. The lean cats , running in "checkered terror" into a poolroom, find that a "purple b illia r d ball" makes t he color scheme explode . The much anthologized "Va t i cide' f " For !lohandas c! andhi") sees Gandhi "murdered upright in t he day" and le f t with his f lesh " opened and dis pl ayed ." likening Gandhi ' s death to ~ But , Chr ist ' s , the narrator says s uch a person who created the " act of l ove" knows the guilty carry h i s " death to their ro rn:is ." Gandhi ' s "marvelous wounds " contain the sun and t he seas .</l'nifferent, yet similar, t hese poets sought t 1rough their ind i v i dua l voices to deal with 1:1an ' s curren t and past hu r t s . At kins, for example , saw t he " s,mllen deep" rise h i gher as he "uent walking" in sect ion t wo of "Fantasie . " '.) A " restles s , ifA(.ke.t H~t:;..a.:.:1.L:1_) experinent alist with a very high regard for craftnanship , A.At kins uas a Cot, ~U k'M1' founder of .;..F.=r.;;:ec=e-= L.,. a=n.:::.c. ,.e. (1950 1 whichj\Uve rs called the " ol dest black- bo s s ed n agazine a r ound ." Between 194 7 and 1 62, Atkins'-, poetry appeared in nul'le rous '--' journals and other outlets . A few a re View , Deloi t Poetrv Journal, !1innesota I Quarterly, naked Ear, Ga ll ey Sai l Review . His volumes of poe try are Phenomena (1961), Psychovisual Perspective for Husi cal Composition (195 8), Two by Two Poetic Dramas set to .1usic, 1963 ), Atkins (The Abortionist and Objects (1 96 3), and Heretofore (1968). as complex as t , e ~ e_'._ry / said in Sixes and Sevens, i~f.tf Atkins 'I a e stheticM" ideas are often early trai: n~ n mus: and literatur ~ h1 , e was trying for " egocentrical phenomenalism: an objective const ruct of properties to substa ntiat e effect as object. " _ _ _ _ _ _ _c......__ _ __ _ __ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ ' _ _ He �sea rc h e s af t er the " J e si i~n..:!<l i na:~ i natio n ." -- In " Ni gh t a n J a Distant C~wrcl~ ' he moves " Forwa r J a b ru p t" t hen "up" t h rough n serie s of interming li.n~ " ~ a n d " e lls" wi tll won.ls l i e " wind" a n d " r a i n ." I ?) ' There is more than ~ hint f Tol s on ' s ab i li t y t o meand er among Gr i.e co-Romanf a nd Af r o- Ame rica n tr a di t i on; v in At kins 't poetry . But he is unique . " At War" informs t he reader that bey nd t h e "turning s e a ' s fa r fo am" the " e pheme ra" of a "momen t's daWD " . 6 I su<lden ' d its a ppear .... v La t e r{ i n t he s ame poe,:, , af t e r a llusions to llef ngway , t h e silence spl its : ' I y j ! Sh ! Li s t e n a monentfl,\ j ! Listen ~ ini t ha t h u r r . ~a s of a s h ore o f f u gitives . / Once .\t.·ins ' s technique i s under stood , however , his poe try can be e n j o ed for its witty , wacky , ~ G ! l lphiloso phical musin,,s , In " Ir r i t able Sono " h e "') inve r ts , reve r ses and convolu t es re~ula r sy nt ax : Orsa: upon retu r n !_; Coronary farewell Le aves ne lie. Dare , s ir? ~ ~h! De nay ' J Torao rrou , t ocorrow O in t o day? Atk i n s writes o f t h e f ine a rts, John Brown ' s raid on llarpe r+ s Fer ry, f lack and f ~1e ro e s (" Christo phe"), t he " Tr n inyar d at !U ght_;' ~ the Clev eland lake front 11 J ) ( ~ :;~ 'l!fflbjee~~~W"~· At -.'Ml.O t he r end of t he s t y Us t ic a nd t h ematic pole i s Randal l, a libraria n by tra ining and tra de who , as we shall see in our discussion of poets of the late s i xties , f i g ures p rominently in t he development of an a udienc e for the S �_/ew l a ck/ o e try. Randall also served in World h a r II and writes poems about the war, love, violence, a rt and the, tlack presence . His well~ known " Booker T • and W. E • B • , " <l i ge sting t !,e Was hinif o is controversy, was seen by D1 Bo isJ and this pleased Randall . The poem first appeared in Midwest Journal, 1952. Randall has also written abou t and translated Russian poetry . With ,1argaret Danner he co~ authored Poem Counterpoem (1966)1 and his Cities Burning appeared in 1968 . }fore to Remember (1971) pulls together Randall's poems from "four decades ." His work has been pub lished in Umbra, Beloit Poetry Journal, and other places . He initiated the Broadside Series (poster~) in 1965 with h i s own "Ballad of Di rmin gham. " The series grew quickly, laying the foun ~ <lation for h i s Broa dside Press, the mos t signi ficant,/i-a ck press in Amer ica . Tta dall ' s , or of t h is perio d has the stamp of formality . lle, /Vrites in fr" ,,... ,, if in ballad~ and free: verse fon'1s1 but he ha # a t i ghtness t ha t ,rl'!'l be relaxed L the l a te sixties . ------ mental, of a land "Lit t!1is cla II " Le gac " chronicles the hur t , phys i cal and a b·oody moon ." But the one who is "moulded from vo s : ~ ( .1y tea rs re deeI!l " er s pect ives" reca sts t ~ t I 1 Al ' le Y.lV tears . ti,Je- ir.nnemorial theme of , •.,e onlv pass this wa:i7 -• T e r e is no need to cor.1plain about dis comfort, the poem says, because ...... even the moun tains;f ·n their huzsnessf are dissolved " m1ay andall ' s Pacific E ita?hs e r e recollections of the war . are e i ~rammatic and haiku-like. 'J) 11 by the seas. The short pieces Here is a poignant one ("Iwo Jima"): Like oil of Texas My blood gushed here . Prominent in a g roup of De troit poe ts (.targaret Danner, Oliver La Crone , ·laomi Lon g Nadgett, Ja::ies Thompson and others), ~andall often enmeshes himself �in a sense of personal injury over his people ' s 1istory. This tendency , and a deb t t o the/ lack poe t i c tradition (especially Sterlin~ Brown) , can be s een in " The Southern Roa<l~' .w~~~ h e "black river " serves as a " bo unda r y to hell . " The country is " haugh t y as a s tarj " tJ) And I se t f orth upon t he sou the r n r oad . The variet y of sty les and themes f ound in these poets is found a l so i n younger poets of their generation: 1 '-' , Br owne , Re dmond , Pa tt e r s on Jay Fright, Ander son , Eernton._ and Pol it e come r ead i ly to mi nd . 'v poets, Patterson is par ticular ly i n t e r est inz . Of t hese His " Black ~11 Day" yi elded = from its second l ine the t i t le f or I Saw How Black I Was . .,J /J.~o (J._ Jt5Z /( •· piIW-sor1 l7 ~l Lincoln Univers i t y poe t , ~won a n awa r d f or h is poe try wh ile s ti ll an unde i.q, graduate. A nat ive New Yorker, he s tudi ed pol it ical ;;;-enc e and English ( and has worked as a counselor fo r delinquent boy s an<l /1..a n Engli sh /nst ruc t or . Patterson said i n Sixes and Sevens t hat h is f i r s t poem was writt en during World 'i ar I I a s t he " out gr owt h of a Ca i n- a nd- Ab e 1 conflict wi t ho ut t he d ir e consequences. 11 11 T:1ree .,/ iews of Dm•m 11 includ e s t hL " · h t, " s i lken shaw 1 o f n1g the disappeara nc e of " co rner spect e r s " and t he " s plittin~" o f " s tillness . " The musical " Tla Tl a" presents fre e verse spiced with a lliterative language ~ of landscap e , sea s on and na ture . 911!!!9311•1~j " Alone, " t he protagonist ~ " keeps poems warm1 ' as h e watcne s over t he sleeping l ove rs a s well as (R ~ who wak e and weep . Patterson did not publish a book until 1969; and its tit le , 26 Ways of Looking at J( Black Man, s hows the influence of Lnag ists and modernists 7 (see ~ Stevens '! 13 Ways of Looking at / Black_Jir<l) . much about thef It also reveals ack poe t' s ability to for ge and merge his academic training 45/ ~ - -- - -- - - - - - - - -- - - - - -- - �with h i s own i n<l i geni s ~ - The speake r i n " Bl a ck a ll Day" i s " looke<l " in t o - "rage a nd s hame" by a whi t e passerby ; but he vows t hat " tomo rrow" I ' ll do as mu ch for h im . Patterson construct s a solid poetic foun dation, "stone on st one ," a s he paints precise portraits o f "the br " ("You Are the Brave "), or t he In the work o f Pa tt e rson e who do not bre ak" when pr ovoked e " tirel ess and r a~ i nG s ou.i..,' ("Envoi") . a nd t he yo un ger group o f the period one finds ange r or protest, though the genera l t endenc1 is toward experiment a l verse As j lacl< poe ts, t heir sub pinpoints the surest and richest human feelings. -+he.y do n ot Shv'1 j ects more o f t en t han not ref l ect t!1i s f a ct. Butf\varie t y. iis•••••·ailiitrilllli?l!jQ._tiilta ( 0 Phf llis Tfheatley I .,A.: ha.d 6ee11 ~A the knm-m female poe t un til the mi' ~ c entur 'l when Franc es Har per t ook up t h e E , ·ra;;;;-~h n ~f s k i An elina Gri . ~l , . A 13 new mood ~ ~deuc ed "n}!:,J,..wor k of Geor gia Dougl a s , Johns on (th e mos t f mous poe t after Frances ..,, Harper), Gwendolyn Bennett, An I. "!'II .J - l . . /1 Spencer, Al i ce\ .:elson't,Dunb!9', He l ene Jo hns on //~.br 1 Gwendolyn Brooks . (a young s par k i n t he ~Fenaissance) , . !ar garet Wall-er~ ....., an<l Between the forti )t~nrr1cll,O, L women poets increasei and sixties, t he nu,eer of pu~lishing ~ 'fk1try :;J!~rf}"'~.is in s~eri!isrnrt .,._o f wh i. t es (r:ien) ; and since r emained unde r the women in general have not had the range of opp ortunities open to men, cert a i n l y the ack woman went t h e wars way of that flesh! r.s poets of the period 1 still __,;.:&ias- irapressive: I\, ---.__, But the li s t o0 lack women Gloria C. Oden (Yonke rs, New ..., York), !fanina Alba ( font gomery), Margaret Danner (Pryorsburg , Kentuc ky ), Mari Evans (Tol edo), Ju lia Fie l ds (Uniontown, Alabama), Vivian Ayers - - - -- - - -- -- - - - - - - - - -- - �(Chester, South Ca r olina), Audr e La rde (?leH Yo rk) , Naomi Lon~ ).Iad ;;ett (Norfolk ), Pauli Murray (Baltimore), Sarah Wrigh t :tar y l and ), D. C. ), and Yvonne Gre 0 or y (Na shv ille) , a;non 0 t :1e ~fay ~tiller • do zens • .,al names .%-n 1952r/,_ two years af t e r Gwendolyn Br601 s won the Pulitzer , /ri z el\ c .\ . Oden , who uses her initia ls "as a way of being anonymous , " received a John liay Whitney Opportunit y Fe llowshi p f or The Naked Frame: = / Love Poem .:ind Sonnets . She has worked as a s enior editor of a raaj or publishing house an<l current1y teaches English in Baltimore. In t he fifties , she joined the Village poets in Mew Yor~ where s he re a d her poetry in coff ee sho p s, reviewed book s and worked on a novel. Her poetry has also appeared in The Saturday Review and The Poe try Diges t . ~oting t hat she appeals "primarily to the intellect ," Hayden (1':aleidoscone) c m:ipared her to Cullen , adding t ha t she ''is concerned with poe try as an a rt expressing what is meani ngful to everyo ne , not just a vehi cle fo r protest and special Al t hough G C. Oden us es a variety of forms, her poems are usually pleading . " crisp and ~~ l l c ctaa.l:.f; tart . CV "The Carousel" in an empty park rid e s me round and round, and the dark drops for her as she ~~~ " her surroundings with explicit / word-choices : \ "sight foouss s shadow . " In "Review from St aten Island" an item in the view is "spewed up from waterc:;j 1 Late; we are tol<l : ~ ' One 3ets used to dying living;' and " even t he rose disposes of summer ." He hea r t he dislocated w01!lan in " .. ·r\s when emotion too far exceeds its cause" (phrase q_ from Eliz. be th Bishop) . Retreating from he artbreak , she admits that she t oo .,,,. knew "love ' s celestial v enturingitt": _, 0 1/ I, t oo , once trust ed air that plunged me down . Yes , I! I �; anina Alb a is similarly ters e and poi gnant . The Parchments (196 3) and The Parchments II were published before her death in 1968 . English , f6sic and French in public schools an<l was for a long time a member of the English Department at Tuskegee Iustitute. use of Greek ,Jtytholo gy to draw a subtle "unwi se" actions . ~ She t a ught " Be Daedalus" make s £iji' analogy between Blacks and Icarus,. Death comes as a "tax" fo ------- "parching" the sun: , Suns can be brutal things . " For Malcolm X" recalls "History ' s stonin~ ." Iargaret Danner is r ic.h L r·, sensitive . Born in Detro i t, s he has spent t he gre a t e r par t of her l i f e in Chicago.., where s he was o Poet ry . - e~ editor of Her poems in that pub l icat ion in 1952 pr omp t ed t he J ohn Hay Whitney Fellowships Committee to offer he r a t ri p t o Africa . And in 1962 t he literary group with which she identified in Detroit was the subject of a special issue of the Bulle t in of ,·e3ro History . She has published four volumes : Impressions of African Art Forras in Poet r y (1962), To Flower (1962 ) , Poem Counterpoem form er poet - ln residence (with Dudley Randall, 1966) and I r on Lace (1963). a t Hayne State Univ ers ity , s he f ounde d Boone House , a l i ve ly c en t e r fo r the arts i n Detroit, and a sioila r cultural program in Ch icago: y ologonya ' s . s She emp loys Afric an t erminology and theme,.,; but s h e can a lso writ e delight fully in other ve i ns/ a s in "The El ev a to r ~~an Adhe r e s t o Forn . " wings" t h e eleva tor r eminds her of " Rococo art ." , T e " tan man who Struck by his ele gance~ and 1 ~ foe-i ' Godspeedings" -the ijaQ-~-1onders why so intelligent an<l a rtful a "tan" man has ,.., to run elevators . I t i s a meticulous poem, subtl• y exposing the lie that education qualifi es you . She fin a lly wishes the elevator man ' s services could be employed i ,I toward l ifting them above their cripp ling storm . �Fa r Fr om Af r ic a : ~ Four Poens is a shee t of sights, sounds and s ugg es tions carry ing t he r e ade r ac r oss "mou l ting days " in "t he i r t wi l i ghti " ( " Ga rnishinG t he Av i ary" ) , "lines" of "classic tutu~' ("Dance of the Abakwe t a "), " eyes '-' lowered" f rora " despai r4 " ("The Visi t of t he Pr ofes sor of Aesthe t i c s ") and t) a bed of gr een mos s , s parklins a s a bee tl ee . •. Ma r i Evans is ano t her ~ind of t r ansitionalis t M shiftinz vf r om / ivil ~ j ights poe try of t he ear l y phase to , f i nally , a more obvious )t'1 ack" s t ance of t he l a ter per iod :) " ~ ~ wo r ked as a c ivil service emp l oy; t~l!f-V.::show hostess and pro ducer , and i ns tructor of writ i ng . Sometimes refe rred t o a s a spiri t ual , if t echn i cal , he ir t o Gwendo l yn Il r ooks , ,Ia r i Evans empl oy s i rony , s us ens· and rich folk i dioms in ,! ( fret death and funera l , wonders if ' ers 'i@ ~ " The Rebe l, " pond ering Ther e ~ hun or an d sa t ire in 11 : -, •• II r--' 11 Trouble . ...,,. a ck mai d) '\1aff i e .;_;,,,-' en in I'-.ome " a s t he poe t int e r l a ces (in t h e ma nner of Ves ey ' s "A Homent , ::>leas e" ) two di ffe r ent conver sations . ~ ~ h,,,_ ""'" Cv ~•os'~/,/feeke:_.s:_;; t o know whethe r she ha s rea_ly di.ed or just want s to cause a e clear , " i s al lowed to eat "wha t ev e r " she like s . The Alternating 1"0 ,,,, t he maid ' s s ilen t resnonses with t he recit a t i on of a menu 97tt he mi dd l e--=-class environment (" Rome" ) , the po en inci dentally r e cords t he tr ac.l itiona l s oulf ood it ems ~..____.., t he ma i d c r av es . " The Emancipa tion of George- Hector" (" t he co l or e d t urtle" ) s hows a growing i mpat ience wi th one- st e p-at- a- time social~ change polic y . ✓ The turtle us ed to s t ay in h i s " shell" but now he peeks out , ex tends his arms and l eg s , and talks . and sentimental. But t his same poet can wax phi l osophi ca l " If the r e be So rr ow" it should be for the things not yet dreamed , realized or done . . :J Add to t hese t he withholding of love , love �" restrained ." In " Shrine to what s oul d De" an audience is ask ed to " s ing" .) songs to " nobili t y," and "Ri gh t ousness. " The chi ldr en should bring " Tru st," t he women " Dreams, " the old men " cons tancy ." I ron ica lly the a ud i ence is told to ignore t ears that fall l i ke a " c r e scendo , " and c onstantly as " a sof t bla ck r a i n ." Her t r ib ut e to_/o spel s ingers is telling in " • • And the Old Women Gather ed." One cannot (despite " Rome" ) escape one ' s s e l f , the poet says , a s she notices that the " f i er ce " and 'not melodic " music linge r ed on even as "we ran. " . F1.e . ld s ,-ll.1:ru 1 y J u 1 1.a 1 1• II ( Tenne ssee) ,-in England any ~ YB"' 4 u~"'1,n . . 'I d . cl at r1\.nox Co 11 ege -tse~ nr I w:f1sp1.r1. t •, stu 1.e .._ co t land , and ha s t aught 6, h igh sch oo l and co lle ge . He r work a ppear ed in l:r,1br a , Hassachuse tts Review a nd othe r journals . with Ha r gare t Halker, Tor.1 Dent, Alice Ealker, Pinkie Gord on Lane~and . an) she is among t he few good / lack poets who now volunta rily live in the South. He r first book, Poems , was brou~ht out by Poets Press in 1963, the same year she received a National Council on the Arts grant . She i s substantially represented in R. Baird Shuman ' s Nine Black Poe t s (1968 ~ and her Ea s t of ~1oonlight was published in 1973 . Sh e also wr ites short s t ories and pl ays . Iler ma i n poetic subjects a r e r ac ism, death , l ov e, vio l ence and history . " The Gener ations " come and g<:,, and in between t he r e ar e "The wars ." And i n between them are the sea s ons, f l owers, "lavende r skies," dm•ms , " Sombre sea s, " a nd the " embr yoni c calm ." ,, 0- "A}\rdva rk" has achieved " fame " since "Malcolm die ~ and the poe t muses : .ip; Looks like }1alc olm he l ped Br i ng a t tention to a l o t of t h ings We neve r th ought a bout befo r e. She a ga i n salut es t his mart yr i n " Fo r Malcolm X" whose " eyes we re mirrors of J our a gony ." In " No Ti me fo r Poe tr'l" t he r eade r i s a dvised t ha t midnight is �p,t not A.time to be s eec 1 one ' s muse : too 1:iuch ' calm." " t he "spirit" is "too la gging" and the r e i s Bu t t he mo rning is idea ~ since it carries "vibrations of laughter" and ha s no "oran~e-whi te mi s t s ." "broken-hinged doo;;'' ,o 4A...a As a "woma~' listening,)~ e ar the man talk of war ("I Heard/ the narrator "somehow planned on livin;; ." Young }fan Saying"), And the "bris ht g lare of the neon worl d" s ends " ~as-words bursting f r e e " in "Hadness One :Monday Ev en ing . " ul i Murray a nd Sarah Wright a re ..:~ f ~ H, oets ~ also writeA.other Pau li Murr ay pursued training f or l aw while s he won academi c awards and fellowsh i ps for her wri t i ng . A r;{..vi1::/ights pi oneer, she publi s hed one 0.. volume of v e rse (Dar k Te stAn ent, 1969 ) and a fam i ly hi s t or y (Proud Shoes, 1956). In "Wi t ho ut :~ame ," s h e is revea l ed a s a fo rmal but excel lent craftsman . There a r e no names fo r true f e e l ing :caa, l et t he " f l e s h sing an t hems t o its a r r ival." ..__,,,, Sarah ilrigh t, known as a novelist (This Ch i ld ' s Gonna Live ), co~ ut hored Give ~1e,,£ childj in 1955) with Lucy Smith . Abo ut/ lack wr i ter s s he s a id(~ 196 1).J "~'.y mott o is tell it li (e it damn sure is ." "black outlines in l ivinG fl esh . " a nd tra ffic lights. In "Wind ow Pictures" she sees · -the e 1 at1ons11p · 1 · b etween d rivers . " Ur genc y" viewsAr " God" i s "t hank ed " tha t t he ca r stops s o t he passenge r can " glory" a while in t he " time-bit ten punctua tion}"?f t he "pause." Vivian Ayer s , t he daugh ter of a blacks mith , att ended Ba r ber-Scotia 7l,,7JC !..t • .-,C,. College (Conc or 1 ) and Denne tt Colleg e (Greens bo r o1 where h er major int erests we re dr ama, music and dance. She published a vo l ume of poems (S pice of Dawns) g::;J~ and an a l legor i ca l dr ama of f r eedom and the s pac e a ge (Hawk) pe r formed at the Unive rsit y of Houston' s Educati onal Television St a tion. Currentl yt s he lives in Housto1J whe r e she ed i t s a quarterly journal, Adept. '' I ns t an taneous " features a man being "s tunned" by t he bolt of "cross-firing energi e s" and grab be d u p in u blaze f) resonan t as a mi l lion ha lle lujas-l 0 ~ ;v\ 4 57 �ilt10 /AQ. r.1an i nhab it s ano t her man who , dy i ng , ~;asp s faintl y : - -- - - - - ~~ 1== '{y ' t • • r, ¾9 II • rty r, o <l -·-t ,1is i s fl' jom-s➔a.!aJ Virginia i \ , O ~ • ••• II 'In MO OO. diffe r ent/\.i s Naon i Lon3 :iadgett, who moved t o Detroit from 1946 to teach at a high schoo l. from Wa yne 3 tate University . She holds a/ aster ' s de gree Associa t ed wi th the De troit group of poets , Songs to a Phantom Nightingale (1941), she has published f our volumes : '- One in the ?funy (1956) , Star by St ar (1965 , 1970), and Pink Ladies in t he Afternoon (197 2) . Currently she teaches English at [ as t ern : Iichigan Univer s ity an <l runs t he newly established Lotus Press . projects was Deep Rivers : A<. Por t folio : One of its first 20 Contemporary Black American Poets . .__,- , - - - - - - - ~ -N-:-~---iM ,. . ,. .o--..dJ.~-=-a, ~. - (197 4), which i nclude s a teachers' guide prepared by lil I p ~ Editors for Deen Ri vers inc l ude Leonard P. Andrews , Eunice L . Howard, and Gladys _..,"t ludd. C;;--. ..l.kiat... Roge rs . Tie ~ ~ :-1. poets K r e Pa ulette Childress White, Jill Witherspoon, ...- l!llliam Shelley , G'f . Oden, tfaomi . !a dgett , ratterson, La Crone, Pamela Cobb, Pi nk ie Gordon Lane, Et he rid::;e l'night, Randall, Hayden, Thompson , :Margaret Wa l ke r, June J or da n, Ge r a l d W. Ba rr a x, Audre Lorde, Red1'1ond, 11 Har ri er a nd 1:a ufman . Ma01'1 i :1a<lge tt ' s " Sir:J.ple" ("For Lang ston Hughe7f is r ealistica lly humorous . Si n pl e si ts i n a bar , wan t ing to talk to someone , when 1e i s app r oached by a hand- s.,u-t- .:1'C e ke r who needs to change h is clothes " bu t ..iy ~ t he ba r ~ I ( B11t wJthing, l ad y-.\-, bo l ted t he doo r: ." AJ oy ce 1{,ill ta) "irapatiently " anJ leave 1 i n p l e wonderin -; uha t "h e wan ted to say ." In lea r n t ha t of " a l l t he dea t hs " this one is t he " sur es t." 11 11ortality" we Some d ea t hs are merely " pea ce " but vu l t ures " r ec ogn ize" t he "sin:~ le ::iort al thi n::;" t ha t ,~. old s on to l i f 7 and t :1ey wa i t :mn:;-r il _ for the time When ho pe starts staggering . ~ an mus t come t o grips wit 1 t he t hings of t his world, we are told in - �"The Reckoning": y And ,. h y and ho ·l and wh a t, and some time s ev en if . Po ems from Tr i ni t v : / Dr eaM Scnuence c onv ey uncert a i n ties a nd fe ars of '-'' woMen a nd humans. On e chara ct e r ha s been bes~ed by " dream and dream a gain" ("4") a nd a naked day "corrodes the silver dream" but the music will not ----(" 13"). " cease t o shiver" J "Af t e r" is a lament a tio n fo r "mortals " withou t "win3s " to fly away f ror.1 t he " purple sadne ss " of ni ght . And "Poor Renaldo " is " aead and gone Hhereve r people go" ,-, hen t hey " never l oved a s ong . " even "hell" r:iust have "rausic of a so rt." "7'l M ~ " But Final \ y s culpted, lik e t he ot hers, the poem tur ns to more sorrow near t he end . Re naldo , t ho ugh dead , i s " st ill unrestinr; . " qre~i e~rl'( Au--:re Lorde ' s /\•.-10 ,. k r ef c ct s ~ kill anci control. In t he early six ties s:.e wrot e : \ I am a ,.,. ~ ::e6 r o ,:on a n an<l a poet f all t hree thin;;s stand outside my rea lm of c~oice . :~ eye s have a part in ray see ing , my b reath in by breat'1ing , all that I am in wlio I am. love a r e of my people . Al l who I was no t born on a fa r m o r i n a f o rest , but in t he c en t re o f the lar gest c ity in t he wor ld~ a :--:iember 0 £ t :1.e 1 u;1an race :1er.m1e<l in by s t one , away fro m e ar t h a nd s un l i 3l1t. ,}u t uha t is in 1ay blood and s ki n of richne s s , coraes the roundabout journey from Af rica t hrough sun islands to a stony coast , and t ~ese are t he gifts t h rough vh ich I sing , t h r oug~ whic h I see . This is the knowled ge of the sun , and of hm: to love even wher e t he r e is no sunlight . This is t he knowl edge a nd t he ric hness I shall :::; ive my chi .:.J ren proudly , as a s tren~t h a~a ins t t he less obvious forms of narrm-mess ~ d ni gh t. (Lett~ r o.cw,npo.ny ;"j poems $ubm';1ted To ~i'tes pnd reven.s} �,...---..._ t hu s gives a balanc ed a cc ount of he\._3elf a s dirnenr.io'r "' And all these a ml po et . 1\--- ,! i-1oman, [3 lack she handles quite well in her poetry,~' Sh e ha s publi shed three volumes: The First Ci ties \,., (1968) , Cables to Ra ge (1970) and From a Land whe re othe r People Live (1973) , - _;;, which was nomina ted f or a :fational Book Award . In her early poetry she r e flects on " Oaxac a " (in l·1exico) where the " land moves slowly" under the 1 " carving dra g of wood ." The drud ging field work goes on while the hills are " Lr ewinr, t hunde;" a nd on e can observe All a man ' s strength in his sons ' young arms Q ... 'J " To a Girl who knew wha t s i de Her Bread was Bu t tered on" describes the gi rl as a "ca tch of b r ight thunder" apparently guarded by (a nd guardian of) bone s. Ordered to leave the bones, she watches as they ris e like " an ocean of straw" lid: an d trar.1 1 cl(, l-Je.-. ovel"seev• 11 ~ ,J I FB 1.nto th e eart h • II ..L1 ~ II • " forth in the raoonpit of a virgin ." ✓uHor r~ The " N_ymph " is brou;sht In " How can I Love You" the , . <l '' 1 ~l;kctd - · f·icent Ph oenix · 1· 1.·e ohF t e magni "comes like a thin b 1.r -- I later to become " ~;r eat a s h." 42 i M d ts,:1! ~ ~C.ot-ned 'o wonder , the s peaker confirms, (\, / The " I that you r s un went dm-m . " ~~u\"-e$ :roon- n"nded t he Sunf •. Kczcee that T 1e li<:> ht tl1at !'la ~es us f ertile shall ma ke us sane . And we hear t hat t he " year i,as fallen " in "Father , the Year<9 •• . work cuts sharp paths of '.'5?,••'l,lil a:1<l C.on.f\,~; 0 V'I ;.1i ii.-.-,- !!!t_light across the Audre Lorde's i gnorance ~ I~ sit in Judgment " "-examine s love, Fall shall J df'his i'5Trve of 1 around her • t(' An-: c onclud ing that " in al l seasons" it is false , but the same . _., whom A much- ne~lec t ed poet is May Hi ller, of Washington, D. C., aai Gwendolyn Brooks acknowl e<l iied as " excel l ent and long-celeb rated" (Introduction? - -- - - -- - - - -- - - - - - �The ~o r try pf f:)ocl · O·"e tjc ij). :.ma @Las se ll Into the Clearing (1959) J J• 0,. »Poems jp Hi ll If :tU 3!1 li&Ult& ABE l 'g Her work can be found in three volunes : (1962), and she is one of three poets represented i n Lyrics of Three Women (196 4) . Currently a memb e r of the Commission t;°n the Arts of the Dist r ict of Co lumb ia, s h e has been a tea cher , /:t-1 { lecturer, Adramatist and has published her poetry i n a number of magazines : - Comnon Ground, The Antioch Review, The Cri s i s , Phylon ~ a n d The Nat ion . "Calvary Way" shows a Christian influence wi th a t wist of i r ony a nd gore·. Mary is as ed how she felt, " womb - heavy wi th Chr ist Child, " as she tasted Re c all i n g the crucifix i on, the poem t h e "dust" of an "unc e rt a in journer . " " "Her e you af r a i d? " finally a s k s "Mar The "roac he s a r e winn in";" i n " The "st hrehouse" wher e h umans seek to " abne gate survival l aws " a n d k i l l 1 .) roaches unti l t h ey a r e " saturated with t h eir de crease . " 11 The characters in T11e wron3 siJe of :-:o r ning" we re shaken f rom a "nig:1t mare o f -1ings" a nd assembles ",:-,u,;:irooTJs of h u ge <lea th 11 as t1,e: roet power ful ly a He:~ inages and layered ~1eanin ~s. " Pro cess ion" cr.1;')loys the ramatic t e c hnique (made famous by ll rown a nd o t he r s) of i n t er l a cinz t i,e fo rmal Eng lish of t h e poem \Jith it alicized : I •iiik exp letive s a nd refrains s u ch as " Ring , hammer , ring!,; It is t h e p roces sion of C.1ris S but t i1e reader easily unJerstands ~ noting - · i- a t • • aL ro/ ' 1 ack. p ro c ession · . .,r t 1,1e pfl ac k 1.· d ioms , t.1 Lt 1.s~a t h roug h t h e 1 a b yr1.ntn" s of r ~ slavery and r a c isn . The r e is a s erie s o )' juxtaposed contradictions ~ ttV' "Time is to day , ye s t e r day , anc t i :'1e to come," " moving and rJotionless," and ''infinite take s f ami li.:ir fo r n , " :.:;a while 11 " we seek conv ic t io n. Christian mytholo r,y pervades ! lay . tiller ' s work (though she j lack=-bases it)0 In "Tally" the subjects "lay there drained of time" and empty like the ) " bul ge u f h our 8las s 11 while "Lucifer streaked to reality . " �- The deaths of Dunas an<l Rivers left voiJs an<l created still more anxieties , c oming as t hey diJ (1963 ) in the ~idst of racial turbul enc e . Howev er , by the mid-sixties both poets had written a g r eat and a great deal about themselves . wha t has been called an "impulsi 2 Rivers died an unnecessary death in 11 act . whit e policeman in a New York su u ay . other . eal of poetry Dumas was shot to dea t h by a w;i\n,n Both dea t hs occu{ ed/' EJ.onths of eac Ri vers was born in Atlantic City , schools in Pennsylvania , Georgia and Ohio . Iew Jersey , and attended public His college days were spent a t Wilber fo r ce University , Chicar; o State Teac!1ers College and Indiana Uni versity . I n high s chool (19 51 ) he won the Savannah St a t e poetry prize . Rivers was greatly influenced by I Ut;hes , 1v'right and his uncle Ray Hc i ver . His five books, tuo of them published posthumously, ar ~ Perchance to Dream, Othello (1959), These Black Do<lies and This Sunburnt Face (1962), Dusk at Selma (1%5 ), T!1e Still Voice of }:arlem (1 963 \ • and The .'rfoh t Poems (1972, ...__,, with an Introduction by friend -novelis t Ronal<l Fair ). Ohio Po etry Review, Kenyon Review, and An tioch Ileview were only a few nagazines in which his wo r k appeared . r Responding to a request (1962) to comment on himself as ack man a nd poet, Rivers said , auo ng other things : V I write about the Negro because I am a Negro , and I am not at peace with myself or t1e world . I canno t divorce my though t s f rom t he abs olut e CJ injustice of 1ate . I canno t !'eckon wi t h ny colo r. ---------- -- I am ob s e s sed by t he ludicrous ( and psychologi c a l ,:J behavior of hated men . - And I shall con tinue to wri te abou t r ace- Lin spi t e M LJ - -- - - of 1:i.any warnings~ �until I discover nyself , 1t1y f uture , my real r a ce . I do not wish to cap i talize on race, nor do I wi sh [J to begin a Crimean \far : I am only interested in recording the truth squeezed from my observations and experiences . I am tired of being misr ep resented . Adding to the statement, Rive rs saicl.> "beauty and joy, which was in the world I\ before and has been buried so long , has got to come back ." ,~•rr-Ot1~h eye. But River s saw l i ttle " beauty and joy" • ~his own mi nd ' s His po e ti c l a nds c ap e is o f t en b leak and f i ll ed wi t h deep psyc 1i c yearnings and wanderings t h rough the ambiva lences of / lack- \ hite re l a t ion s . a .,Jt- ...;i,.s also torment nnd brooding . Th e r e ~, In th'N> , _ he b e ars sane k i ns h i p to Duma s . '-../ for both d elve de epl y into ps y cholo ~;•l ut a re a t t he same t ime a cc e ssi , ivers spent much time researc1i 3 his ast and reading from t h e great volumes of world literature . e. During the mid1 sixties in Chicago he partii,, cipa t e d in d iscussion ~roup s J in·o lving Fair, David Llorens a nd Gerald lcWorter~ outt ,hich i:t• ' grew t he now wel l-known Or ga n iza t ion of Black --------- G\. .,...-- vehj/,t t or ~ l C11] 10 ~prominent • [ tr :ill 1 ~ ack L\me r ican Culture ( OBAC :J l it_:,, t . )(r ts pro ~rpa mst •s n,c fr __ poe!!ls. 05 '!J:, P.i'ip.. t:lk hs a ~out hhis ownb deathb1.· ~shev<le ~al The is a poem tot 11c:T s ou 1 ct not ave een pu 1 is e . narra t or says he was " living ancl in Harlem . And , t oy ing wit h h is dy ing and dreaming " all at the same time .--the. of Wright ' s "sudd en <lea t h , " own fa te 1.n~-1ake he recalls the elder writer ' s " p roph ecy" ~ t hat he too "soon would be dead ." The theme o f death can be found i~ eces 1ffe often moral , spiritual or physical/ as in aayde i "T 1e Death of a ,·egro Poet, " " Prelude for Dixie," (\ "Four Sheets to t l1e i ind , " "T'!1r ce Sons ," " Asylum " and all of The \1right Poems. I t - - - - - - - -- - �I n "Watt s ," iµtth ~ d1i e.s~ he ,z«!IS . of fea r , h orro r, hist o r y and a n gui s i ~enera t ions J~ epig r amma tic fury ~ f, a de c ep tively a pp arent e ase: .Iust I shoot t l1e .:,/ whit e man dead to free t he nigger ~ i n h i s head ? ~ l ~~-,eal~ ass e ssne nt of P.ive rs 't poetry , Haki )1a dhubuti (Lee) said tl1is :,oer.i. " asks a rev olut iona r y question" (Dynamit e Voices , Vo l. I) . . -w, Su ch a II ,son e l ~ 11 question , .__ of cou r se , t,f o n tin ~ turns or revolves . own semanti c s aside , t he corunent is blind to ~ i vers ' •~ co. vs;<! \"(l.C.I~ fears and sores/{¥@ L I by America ' SA_,"1i gh tmare . ~LApg-r::;· woula na '<e answe r s ~nDt4 verbal · t ut , ~1tl.e w1th Q &111 · At he I -ff1~1 I- e kn ew . <leep nei1ht "' , .-J\5imp1e~r"l'\.1n::,ed these h ur ts disappe ar . AF, · , suc h criticisn violates the poer.i. , robbin~ t he poe t of his many - l aye r ed conce rns and analytical po ve r s . River~ is not a l l sombe r antJ b l eak , h owev e r; in ro ic e of llarlem 1 1 he annou ces : 1 " The Sti l l ~ I o.m t he hope a nd t omo r r ow of you r unbo r n . t:ven a1:1icl M -., t h e contradictions and unce rt a i n ti e s of r a cia l/ p olitical p ing-pan~ ( " I n De f ens e of Bl a c k Poets") ! q A b lac· p oe t mu s t r eMember the horrors . Especially since Some black kid is bound to read you. ~~1 " Note on Black \ omen" asks (\t: liey teach the poet "honor ," "humor ," and " how to die, " p resumably t he r ebo rning death . s 1ee t . ( The Wright Poems is an cle~ " To Ilichard :{ri gh t " excla i r;,. s/ alnost with defeat ; -ttrn1:- c �P To . e born unno tic ed is t o be born b lack , and l e ft out of the gr and adventure. A n o t h e r " ~ Wri2;ht " ~ refers to t he novelist as f young J esus of the black noun and verb . Other poems find the poet wandering or searching through the "spirits" or " bones " of Yvright . In "A Hourning Letter from Parisj ' Rivers recalls knowing and feeli n 5 ~eve~o.L O ( . h,,. g1--aeu,~ui~u~eu~L;sl.-.ct pl"iti~d ,~~" ~•pTe,.,b•"' ,,1s~_,-1sse1~ l1lockhl!I • .. Of.r.,_, sinilar in feelin g ancl the~• ~t,ialmost neve r in voice and £,. · I\ f-let111f se 1 "Harlem's hone~ed voice." y'l,L~ r: roe... , f orm, is t11e work o f ~ ur:ia ~ whoA 11 ·, e,.,r tude ranges acro ss ti::rre and space ." "Oum~ &mer mui fe rn in Sweet T!onc , .\rkansas ,1'.move<l t o ~iew Yo r k when he was @ year s ~ old and completed publi c schools in that city . He attende~ ity College of New York and Rutgers between stints in the Air Force and other activities . Active on the little'=' maga z i n e circui t , he won a number of m,ards and helped establish several publications. At the time of is death, he was teaching at Southern Illinois Unive rsit y ' s Experiment in Hi gher Educa tion in East St . Louis . In 1970, SI ' Press pub l i shed two pos t humous l y collected volur:ies: Poetry for My Pe ople and Chatfield and Redmond. II eiti"~t\ ~ the nev ,rt; ± . (.ot1ctrt'\S l @ uistic :L....c~~ --~----t:::- fr "t· I I ·· qr Play Ebony Play Ivory ,' Though there hav e c:::'\<> <> <> -r• - t . > - • 3'5ttWB!e ) and Wr i ght ' s Introduction is retained in -H1AA i~c.nTI t',es ir\the Wri ght, hi111self a major poet of '-t era , ; 31\ and ca musical range of Dumas : of history. - - - - - - - -- -- -- - - - - - It is indicative In "Emoyeni, Place of the Winds," ~ <> - - poet r y, Jay Wright and Baraka f None of this is perverse, intellectual play . of Duma r; ~ ~ lledmond. •o ~ been no full-length critical studies of Dumas 'i assess ed him in the SIU • "'°"ts h,"7~tltt. ,-elitt r'~ 1fltd Random House ref} ssuectN1•A o·t 1 l · .!¥'4 "'""" •: ( Ark of Bon ' 1 and Other Stories, edited ~ Hale �he writes "I sec wi th n skin and hear with my tonf, uc." . . . The line , I sug~e st, as s e rt s some elementary truth about 1 ' 1 an d not a 1 one Dumas ~ ' Dumas A!. is grounded in that line . · . poetic tee h n1ques . Th 1s . b oo ~( . • What Dumas means i ~ t hat t here are racial and social determinants of per cept ion, ideas that he was j us t be ginning t o develop . The mind a rticula tes wha t the senses have selec ted from t he field, and t his articu- tion is, in part, determined by wha t the perceiver has learnc (?: f a I l. Id &S 68ilfa§ to did , Cii&E IE &JS& I 11 s In ' lI] hea r with my to ngue," Dumas asserts t ha t t he language you sp eak i s a way of defi ning your s e lf within a ::;roup . The language of the Blad· community , as uith that of any ~roup , t akes i t s fo r m, it s image r y , its vocabula r y , bec ause Black people wan t t:1em tha t .-1ay . Language can prot e ct, exclude, expr e s s va ue , as we ll as asse rt i den t i t y . is why Dumas ' language is the way it is. Tha t In t he r hy t hm of it, is t he act , the unique manner of perc ep tion of a Blact JI L1~n. ~}I.<_ rr- iJritinz with the r emoved passion of t he friend t ha t he was , Wright makes vital statements not only abou t Dumas but about t he~ • of f 1a c k creativity , perception and s tance in the wo r ld . Indeed Dumas jutted al l t hese a ntennae r from his poe t r ~ which he wrote to ma intain "oul\ precious tradition . " guistically , Dumas i Lin base is formal English, a blend of / lack African languages, Arabic , and Gullah from the islands off the Carolinas and Georgia . His cosmos �is shape<l by th e ric h t extures o[/ lacl· religious and spiritual life , expecially ol<l ": tir.1e church services a1~::V= ot. Hri g.1t notes : and gospel music, part icular ly , wer e his lif e breath . "The blues Only Langs ton Hughes knew more , ~ rat least as much , about gospel and gospel singers ..•. fi usic seemed to Dumas to be able to carry the burden of d irect participation in t he act of l iving , as no poem, t ha t was not musically structured, could • •.. " And o "Dumas was searching for an anal, gous structure fo r poetry . " ~ s a poet , \,\, iama8 combines t he past, pres ent and future , often ins epar ab l y , as in "Play Ebony Play I vory": (t, fo r t he songless , the dead who rot t he earth all these dea<l whose sour uted tongues speak broken chords, all t hese aging people poison t he heart of earci1 . Curses and curdles , mys ticism, bles sings and warnings -....,_---:.-------- (_t_, aboun~(,?;te'_?: / Vodu ) r een clinchi ng h is wais t , obi purple ringing his neck, Shango , God of the sp iri t s , whispering in his ear, thunderlight s t abbing the islan,1 of blood ris i ng f rom h is skull . ~ Later in t h is s ame poem r~ ~,~ , ~~ c.$,, precedenf over al l; what nust the wo rrf -"- ake s come , mus t come: .... �~ u No power can stay the mo j o when the obi is pur ple and the vodu is green and Shango is whi sper in~ , Tiathe me i n bloo d . I am not clean. l&\\C.~ " ·~ His int e rcontinental, int r gal~ ~exp lor es command . •~ JIIJi!ll,,a. plw" ny ,,,soa1k5 a and all devices at his t h e dens e rhythms ( " of per cef t i on" ) as in " Ngoma; ' he compares the belly of a pregnan t woman to t he d r um head . NV-... JJ;,I A hvJ/;x,. ruJ/ Thel\••Os r /" listens t o the baby ' s heart; the drummer lis tens to the v oi ce~~-t the ancestors :~r>t'IJ aiwa a iwa it is the ch est-sound same t hat booms my ches t a s tron g sound runnine l i ke fee t of gazelle I the 3oa t - s k in sin~s the boom- s ound l oude r _/ 0 louder sings t he goa t - s k in l ouder ~ t he ~oa t-skin sings the -boom- s ound l oude r (J s ings the goat-skin loude r l oude r l ouder boom the goa t-sk i n b:,om-s ound louder Ll louder louder ;f.,uc:"t!NIC ~ Th e rich, cxpe ri~c nt a iwJ.anguage , couched i n severa l " tradi tion s , " i s seen �e TQ-C"H lere in this r1a_io r voi. e ( " from Jackhm;meJ""): The j nck_' ack ,ackin;-\ back .::md s t ad:in~ stone city- stone i to crac1:ed hydraulic echoes of dust0 ()c (" P,oot Son~"): r Once lhen I was tr ee flesh c ame and worsh p e d at my root s . Son<:; of Flesh ") love) ~ naddened :!!~➔ h and need : Uhen I awoke) I took the s l e e p inG Mountains of your breasts t e n de rly tenderly hctrve e:-t m' ~uive r i ~ ips and I nuillotiaed the stallion s, drm-me d the ea ~les , anJ r ove t . e t i ge r f is h back into the sea o f our h eart . There are also "-.1cmy" ? Oets in Dumas . \Ja l ke r , coupled with t h e best of t h e rir'ling p oets of the s i x t ies) ~ pr oduces - - sanguine and hul:lorous / 1.:ick tr u t h ( " I Laugh Talk Joke " ): @) i lau ~h taF: joke s;;ioke <lope sk i p r op e, r;1ay tak e a coke jum? up and down , ua l k around dr i:1L nash and t a ;z tras 1 't)OY \Jith a bricl: tno c k a no-le~~e<l man to 11is ben<le<l knees _ _ _____________ - ..._ - -- - -ri.,~ �cause I ' ~ a movinl [ool nev 3r teen to school ~oJ raiseJ □e an tie devil pra i se<l 1i1e ( catch a :ireac her in a hoat anu slit his t;1roat pass a c:1urc , but 1 on ' t fuck wi th me c a use I uon ' t p l ay6 T, e r e are e;,ic poens r I ,. ~ "::osaic Earlem" and " r.enesis on an Endless !-!osaic ," a b~ues se ries, experi;1ents in African forms (us ins s pontaneity and ri t ual) , (•.,; anJ ,. ys ti cal/ explorator:· rioer.1s ~ 1 1./ .i i0v '') <lnd J ,, ~------ - - - - j) hou?"hts/Ima c; es ;' D:!_, '1 -:efs and Sab . MV$1C4.L po,,,. ~:-tw" ,s on'.) " '.:;aba"tfuma s u se _, bizarre iuage r yA to render ~hard to des cribe : s trc.:i;:is st r i::ins .:tor t a I 1vi., raphones sx vein i n~s I :nyr iads of fl a ~ella flu c .· sin~ r it e 0 Duma s possessed a ~ und less love fo r tr,e a coustic al lea p a n d the <l r ama ti c " i:nplo s ion" ( as :1e i_mt it ) of ideas in poe t r y . have on f.t ack poe t ry r e~a i ns t o he seen . 01 · ~ •"f.~,,~,..~ J.l/;.'lis uo r k , ~ lu - - - ---- \· 1at inf l u e nc e h i s i dea\ wi l l \ll.f,5~,I/Pk1~!eu!li;ft;;J $';'", ""'f A iJ- r.1uc'.1 0f it writ t en in t ~ie e arly and , i d t i x ti es , hacl K' ee n �o.. ,.;-. i"ct\a.L ..&...,,r i7T77iiil7J\of ~ ,,., Li the/e; ,- lack available inAcollcct ~ - wh e n the ~ ~:, C:,(.LV~r e(i -~ / oetryl\crs ];gjpg xws;rt The America n t e mperament (disfavoring tellin g their truths) kept Duma s and Rivers running . f lack writers Dumas sought his p eace in t ,1e deep well of his own fo l k culture and in occ a sio n a l e xcursions into r:1ysticism , Africa~ an<l Vo odoo . Ri v ers buried himsel f in the "identity" '-" i ssues and b ro oded ove r his plig1t as a b rilliant Black in a country where Ja -&it...., /i) ,:A~ess,,..,,..,. of buwn'f'~ OIM•y t he t wo adjectives to ge ther are ne ithe r b elievab l + or leg itimate both left~ e na cies .fo~ ..c.c,, .....,. QAl.4-~•·,,, (l,.. ad.it'.,.,;;~ ._ C1¥~eU.,lo"1 ''lffN-r l)u...S: 1.e,aoi .~.. 1..., ~ siK9e.-"tiJl<l.lA#~ 1 B. ' Griefs of Joy~ (t, The Poetr of Win° s & The Black Arts Hovement ® P • ~ No1 not":lin~ remains the same . And my spirit reach es out to y ou ny love without apol o g ies ui t ho ut embarra ssment uith only t he t h oueh t t h at this is ri:--,ht for us t~at novin 0 towar d s you is lik e touch ing leav e s i n a utumti ..... .... o ur minds and spirits Lnterlocked like death . I - ~ - ~ nkie Gord on Lane , " g riefs of joy" ) - One major difference between t he cultural /p ol i tical upsurg es of t h e twe n t i es and the six ties/ seventies wa s location : ._ the / enaissance was alwa y s e eog raphically , in Harlem; but its ..UN~ ~ . . , . f.e-.o.J.; ~ ~ p p 1 I~~ ti; �recent successors can be found in every North American community with a substantial ;(l a ck population Another difference was in degree of artistic-political consciousnes. To be sure, the cultural and po litical arms of the _)(enaissance were, on occasion, interlocke. But such marriages never reached the current state of "wholeness" and "continui t-kfJflr.n the "stars" of the / ewr i vi ties "outside" early days of this period there were (are) ack / oetry1' but the glitter often attended ac '!!!!' the poetry@ Or, put differently, the stars some time s put "outside" topical stimu li 11 inside 11 what is no longer defensi.,l ble a "poetr ." This oft en meant that the star poets h a d no connecti on whatever with a/ lack l i t erary or folk poetry ~radit i on as such Int stead, theirs was a "tradition" of i Jm11e* ~ ~ca l urgency , and n ewspaper headlines , combined with high-school type punch-linin ~ it is " This ed. is not to say good '- poetry (ef eda:te:,t; e,.e'!l."f\defin:.i;ier) was (is) not being written or that charlatans were al ways t ~n the take~ " There i s much evi dence to suppo r t the beli ef that do zen s of these soothsayers were sincere and honest itand had chosen what appea red to be the "simplest " and "fas t est" vehicle for expressing t h ough.ts about i evolution~ and j 1ack f ogethe:r_:: ness" or raising the 11 / ollecti ve J nsciousnes 0 • " Such a situation was not helped by t he learned poet-activists who sometimes advised young writers to give up "Western" influenees and a "white" languag e. These advis f rs usually stopped short of suggesting ways in which young poets and write rs mi ght assimi late another language into their work. Yet this need to identify and institute an alternative language is a pressing one. In the meantime, impressive contributions toward such a realization have ~ been made by SillaP beacons .-t(ames Weldon Johnson, Melvin Tolson, Mart garet Walker, Henry Duma s, Ishmael Reed, Jayne Cortez and others. However, the insincere versifiers usually fell by the wayside in a short t ime, paving the way, like th e Phoenix bird, for still more so ap ~ '--' box_moun..ters At tha same. t.imeJ !:l numb e ,.. o f' poets ~ <-f-7Z )IOSG. w-\ t s and er fts w -re �not about the1:1 in t'.ie ea rly p iase~ ~<l t o become much better handlers of t'.1e word . a'/;f;:n;;;;t. h vio l ence ." 1 this o ccurred, La rry ~ea l notes , a~ainst In e::, by over ..\1,re-ris a had been tu r ned U?v::ide of t he_l1acy Charles oen , the late six tie s,, f lack conuaunities a ll own by po lic e and spokesmen/suppo rters ~~ evo lut ion . " ~ung ;hock troopers " " Carmichael , ,.µr own, on Karenga , Huey Newton , and El 1.-f Cleaver had already )t1.~ forced t. e " ol :: time" Jrrack leadership to ta e a s a t. ~· Jiow , wit ~ father estroyed son ( n lliams , Baldwin) , the poe ts were free to decl a im , ...J er4.. l, tradi tion,~ 'T is t rend a lone ~ s'1oc ~ theJ p oetic p ocla.:i!:J.. .an-<l ....___.,,,, ., /{. having a.en since it cr eated a flood of polemicists and pamphl e teers who c ou ld / wo u l d ;n not discuss p oetry int,l_listorical cont ext s. It caused fu rt her s ho ck b y abelin:--- itse f "f lack" a c rene ~otiating its own " roo t s ." h s a pear ed th rou l':hout the his tor i was not use<l as Ilene ~ much of t he categorical ye .; p ack oet r ('fhe wo r d '1 lack" of f lack poe t ry, but before the sixties "-*tf.nc.e1o ( ■ poet r y written by Afro - Ar:lericans.) h as been vie ,ed as non- poe try or anti-po et ry d11~ (in a t radit i o na l lite r a r _ context ~ u ecaus ~ araon g other things , i t tiftttf.not d epend prir:larily on sub t le t y a !ld recond ~te r e fer e nces . ~t r eNains to be ~A~uLl)rieJu.-e t1 f' seen wha t impact this i!l :.f ro-A':!erica . Rt · • ..___..,, 2 is~ ..__,. ~ (o.-La~~ ac:~ poetry will have on t 11e lite r a~ rencls Jackson (~lac ~ Poe try in A!'1erica), for example , begins his o·m <l iscusslon of t l1e/ ew _/lack / oet r by bui lcli g a convincing -Nie. riew an<1lo;;y be t ueen t he rise in / lac · lit e racy and the popularit y of"-poetry . 1 Hen erson (lJn<lerstant.l i nr; t he ~~ew Black Poet ry) .::issures his reade rs that f .::ic k rec1de rs o r liste.ers clearly " unde rst a nd" what t he ir poets a re sayinz and are rnrticipatin~ r.!ore and more .:is judges of qualities in the poe try and t he poe ts ' deliv e ries. ~ ~ ~ aes t he t ic* t while t '.1is cha pte r will conclut.l e with a f ew broad cri tical observa t ions , t he i;;unediate aim is to �ca r::::=--... c1ue the sketcl1 of th e poetry ' s devel opment, interpolating : ro.i time to - t i::-. .: -..__-- -pertinent critica and illuninat i ng data . 1 here a r e dozens of ways t o a pproach t hy ewr fo r ~ a ck_/oet ry . ~xample , exanine its theme , s tructure and saturat ion (Henderson), or it s - - - - several t ypes (Carolyn Podgers; see biblio gr aphy) . i mp~ Starting with rt ant nar:es is another \.Ja y ; the / lack -jesth etic (Gayle, Fuller ) approach is - _ .:mot· er \Jay . .,..-----....., 1• One coulJ , e a ;:::.:_____...l , Dumas) . 4!SIP','\usic is a l s o a favorite 0.f p_t-00..l ~ ( !t!2!-J---- Crouch , &ei1&21 One c ould go on and o > but the poetry has been Har ~ e r, Jayne Cortez) . wr~ ten and one place to start is wi t h its emer gence . - j New York certainly pl ayed a key role in the new movement, but it did n ae-;:::::::::-,. ,tJ.,tY"e said earlier, p lay t h e k ey or only role, Ar eas of the Eas t _ _....:..;."':.ohia, Bos to<:, Baltimore , ; a s\d ng ton , D.C.) enhanced .....the boo,;-, ce~ Ree:lJ Then there is t he mag ic of } lack ~oe try ( araJr.j, Taunt (Phil'lt, ,!idwes t .cers were Cleveland , Chicago , Detroit, East St . Louis-St . Louis.__/ , and Rela ted events also took place in the South1 to name some . wh~ ~ re t, ere was anothe r "rising" in Atlan t a, }!ashville , Jackson, Baton ~cC-_ __-_. ~ ~e, Tuske~ee , :ou stonl a n! Toogaloo. The Hest added richl>; from Los ;i.,, :.~ -= · e les, San Francisco Bay a rea ~ amento • and Seatt::_::..:) ~ -t t 1nc.hJie -·--=.,;;,~ ,-- - - -~ e.. (connected ...:~ ,elopments r elated to~poe t r y ..-ie~numerous f1 ack / rts activities settlement houses, conn:iun ity t ______... cultural or nat i onalist programs) fo r the dissemination of ideolo gies, anti- poverty ~ - - - c2n t ers, nuseums, centers . . . i ns titutions . - -- - p ~oj ects, and educational Svr,v.or"t:lfcl~i]O.L~o\ fn #re /:oi,, wJo la l '-.: lack-oriented plethora o ~t,.,.. :: lyers, pos ters, books, p::imphlets t and re cords . '--" c:,e ne~ ~ L d journals, ~f great ---importance were lack books tores , Af rican curio shops , i-, alls of "respect (Cl eveland, :.kron, Chicago, St . Louis , :ilcw York, Newarl9 ) . . . . art exhibits, weekly ....___.., f es tivals and jubilees, 1 1 ri t e rs ' con ferences, writing workshops, the flood �'1V of liber a ti o n fl ag s (blac k- g r een - r e d ) ,/ .l a ck-orien t ed tal k and va ri ety O "c vl1v"6..L;r,boi.~ /,1/tliy . ~ shows, and oth er phys ical,\1p(:rnn:>---o .gneftaitai handshakes_!,-eer-~u&a i ~African (:pt.C.;tll.... clothes , h aird o s and j ewelry) . New York was an imp o r tant showj place for the It had t h e r esid u e of t he pos1 fenaissance years ( the new consc iousness . t omburg Library and . fic heaux ' s Bo okstore ) in Har lem as well as numerous 1fL~d<- s u rround i ~ ltommun i ti es . r1 ew · o r ganizations "the. s uch a s ta-. Barb ara Ann Teer ' s Na tional Black Theater , f\New Lafayette Theater, V"-""'w'shew ~ :lro..tec.T5 a n d .a.rNiarlem fultural-1; l · 1 f l owered i n t h e amazed light of~ older insti y a t u t ions ttke Freedomwa y s ma azine (Clarke and ::::,St - Kaiser )) which has published many of the n ew poets : J a u r e ._ ( Sne lling s ); Hadhubuti (Lee), Henderson, {n. Wrig ht, Clarence Reed, ~lel ton Smith, Llp yd T . Delaney, W fa r i Evans and oth e rs. Joanne Gonzales, Freedomwa rs a l so offers liv ely revi ews and commentaries on poetry , lit e rature and the/ l a c k j r t s scene . From t he variegated atmos ph e r e of New York g ushed forth a tid e of l a c k poe t s, s ome z!r / (1 937 ' 1n olnero.\"'eO.S hwi'nei JI 11'rr!a d e t . e i r T:Jarl~ earlie, r Henderson , Larry - ) , Peed, Pa t te r son, Su~t Ra , • • • June Jo r dan (193 6~ ) , S ·\C. Ande r son (19L,Jf ( 193 6J ), Jo.mes Ay-Uri5ron :to r1e s Lennox Ra phael (19404 _ _.,...___ K~li Cla renc e ' :ajor ( 1 J6l ~ - ) Ray Johns , ("J Odaro (Ilarbara Ronald Ston~.). ) Ba r bara Simno s, ) , Spell . a n , Edward Spr i j \)out,4h»'Y ) ',\Lorenzo Thomas (19441. 1 ) (1934/4, ), LOY'(} (I Cf4 .7 ), ) ,~fi chard Thomas ) , Teel Uils~ ~"floyd Addison ( 1931,6 Q'Ufi' ) r( ~ G.-csverio~6ct'1oN ':> ) , Jay Wr i ght (1935~ r:attic :!. Cumb~ Pritchard (1939,¢ ~ ) , Clarenc e I'. e e , f(us ef Rahman Le f t y Sin s , Helt on ~-nit h ( 1940 (19J 9L i'dH. 3bf Q-f · Hand{Yusef I na / sho..,,~n"&r;;Jri Jone s, 1 '.J .'.;. 6/2 Ai , Lebert Bethune (1 93717 ) '/\John A. iJillia Bobb Hamilt { , ), ) , Albe rt Haynes (fl.u ren ce A~ln~ ( 1Q47 ) ," Howa r d Jones (r94 ~ ) , Hernton , Ouint in llil _ (19 50} Ba r a k a , Aud r e Lor e , John .fajo r (19 ~ 1 eal I • anes Arlin;;ton J ones (193 47 O"lt1-5f ) ), ) , Jayne Cortez (via Watt s?J o.- _ _ , . . . - - ~ I::1anu e l, Ca lvin Fo r be j, Alexis Deve,tux (195 ~ , ) , Ni <ki Giovanni �Djangatolum (Lloyll ~l. Corb i n) Q.9lf9~ (19 40 1 Julius Lester (19 39 ~ ), ~q44 ') Simmons~ (194 7/; .@!!Ill ), Ron We lburn (1 944 ) , Tom \ eatherly (1942~ (via Fisk , 1943,f / elipe Luciano (19 47~ ) , Rhonda K.rl. Pr e stwid" ) , Ha e Jackson (1946;] Lof t i n (1950~7 ) , Elo'tt,s Gy lr.un ~<l r( ) , At:harles· Lynch (1943 <l'fro~ ;1i ll~, ~od i ·81tO.VOfl , ?.'- w 1 ) ' ), Joe Johnson ), Judy ), L-V· Hack arry Thompson (1950,J ) , I' The New Yor k pack/ rts scene (poe tr y specifically) was a 11f a- whir with the excitement of pub lishing and reading poet r y a loud at the infinite number of ~a t herings . olde r , often revived, ones . his death in 196 7 . ~ poetry1 which ;,as i1{!!!;1-T/ Joini n8 these younger uri t ers were Hugh es over saw much of t he proceeding s until .And there were ol<l , a s wel l as new , out lets fo r t 1e beint.'b:~,i ~!~~/~ollo , Carnegie Hall, .;ew Lafayette Theater , Sl u ~ a s t , ,\'"a" t : .acia Polok, a nd in count l ess c omraun it y cent er s and churches . Host of these poe t s were no t native even were not pcrpllll ew Yo r ker s ; and a great numb e r 1 lly t he re during t he height of the Bl ack Arts .tovement /~ o~ i~.,✓e ------1 in · \ out 1 yi· ng area.sf\ b ut u ~ R,r i· age ' port , (Yout h, Il,ri. d s e ) Ya 1 e , F c e d onia . , 1 Brockport , Rutgers, Brooklyn , Bost on (El ma Lewis's Center for Afro- American Alll Blc,,(. KAc.o.demy of ~~T.i o.nd Le.'ttei,-.s Culture;f !.., e d 30:,_t'errs• 3 1 csam,::; But while they had s epar a te / iack / rts programs, mos t loo ed t o t he movement in New Yo r k . Wo r kshop ther e were In addition to t he Umbra /µ_ Harlem Hriters Guild (Clarke , 'illens) , Frederick (\ Douglass Creative Arts Center♦ Poetry Workshop , the Af ro-Hispanic Workshop, Workshop for Young 1/rit e rs , the Columbia Writinr,,;o gram (Killens );:frack Qv~·-t..ttbLe to-ffie poet~ Arts Repertory and Thea tre /School (Baraka , Snell twe Amo ng the new journals/\ Umbra (1 963) , Soulb ook (1964) , Bl ack Dialo½ue (1965), Journal of Bla ck Poetry (196 6) (iron ic ally , the last three we r e begun on the f e st ~oast), Prid~ Black Theitre (1969), Cric·et (1969), Bla ck Crea tion (1969), Af r oAme rican : - -- - -- - - - �/ T:1lrd ~·h.Jr } ._ : LiLerar:,' J ou r na l (1 9 73 , Sy rncuse ), BOP (Bla cks on Paper, Brown L'nive r s it y , 19'rj4 ), Con tinu ities : !ords f r om t he ConlI'l.unities of Pa n - Afr i ca j ( Cit y Colle?,e ~~ew York, l9 7 l~, I mpressions (197l•), Cosmic Co lon,1 ~l.,tf~ ' ~ /\ -~ bS I'dl @ ' -/\( •r e doni a , 1975). urin g a spee c h a t Howa rd Univers it y ' s Fir st Tational Conf erence of fr o ~ e rican .Jriters (November + 19 74), Tour /, recountinb the tumu l tuo us y ears a n<l developments, sai d those res ponsible for t .1e :fl ack a rts a nd a e s th e ti c mo v ement " ,,ere " a ctivists as well as artists ." It seemed \...e~' :!ones so, f or this partic ula r patt e r n wa s mos t obvious a s 11:ai tthlf,\ returned to Newark (r e nal"lin ~ it ff, 11 1 e r.; • r k " ) and c h ange d h is name l i mamu Amiri Barak't , reflect i n g "n h il'Yl .1. _ - . ~ olor ," he UJeAT"n L JJl to t h e g r eat inf l uence of the Na t ion of I slaliY\and MSl{'h~S~ in Af rican ovn~1v l3Lo.d:. A-,_-fl eepe►tory-!t,eaf;e ct~ felt"°"'/.. cultur e . Hav i ng AL '/\'to re - edu cate the near l y ha lf a million Harlem 1:e:; roe s t o f ind a ( ~ewark ) ~ and ~~ .me s.,...... Free Sc~10ol (with i t s t(awai<la a Un ified :;ewar k , ar. ventio ns . ~:e ,-,a establish Sp irit House Spi rit liouse Playe r s and ~-lover s , the Af rican oc t"!'.'ine) , J ihad Publications , Committee fo r to ;ielp l a unch several na tio nal / a LOun,ler (1?7')) of lack political c ori, the~c.er,1}K.g, stri fe -r i J. <len Cong ress of African Peo p l es . Du r ln~ t he 1;G7 riots (insurre ctions) in Newark , na rak a was arr es t ed uith severa l cor:1:),.nions nev e r " ; 11 u:-ic. ch.:ir,;eci wit h p ossession o f two handguns and :1e owes you a nyt:i.in~ . o u ~,ant , e ven h i s life"; " Up against the wall n o t berfuc '. ;cr t:iis is :.i s tick up ! ·•; " Snas 1 the win<low at ni3ht 11 ; " Le t ' s ge t t ogether a nu kill ',iin r.1y n an": I • ·" �r) ... 8t 1 s z et t o ~e t ~e r t he f ruit of th e sun , l e t ' s make award we want b l ack f l c!1iLl r e n t ~row 311d l earn in do no t l e t your chil ·ren when t hey g row look f J i n yo ur face and curse yo u by p ity inz your tarnish ways . 1r k C4.U It was the k ind of,.__. . . . . ar~ . a ge tha t ch_aracterized Bara a I s ve....se.. ( p oets ')" lso..v-t11.\~o.. wo.s l4fi-' ~<jwT!d, bv1' 1; .- betwee n 1965Al969 . ~,imig tl:is pui~,"-.@h;c:clJIJ ! £2 t dev e lo pment~ occur red. wkom h.e me-t 1(.hile tea chin;; ~ tr»nll. . aui,\ other / 1ack· 7l / I a number of /\ett-Go ~o.T~ I mp res s ed by the Up, ~{~~~i , ~o f Ron Karenga ~-.i g at San Francis c o St ate Coll ege in 196 7 ) , l!! 1a ~~ ~ t).J --------- returned t o ;lewark and organ i zed t he Bl a c k Conununit y Devel o pment a nd De f e nse Organiz.:ition ( BCD) . /1-ac ~ !iis e ffo rts e ventu a ll y a i de d in t he e lection of a c\evelo pm ~ f:S nay o r { Kenneth r:ibson) . Ti1ese 'ii11i: 20 " sl\.were hav ing z r ea t i mpa c t on r e?, ional and natio na1/1a c;c po l::.tica l/ poetry scenes . Bar aka ' s p icture•pasfei,,. f (wit h bandages from t h ~ 196 7 s cuffle with Newark po l i c e) bega n app earing o n ~ al l s of cultural centers, do r i t o rie s and homes . ~~::Uy ob servers were sonew'1at ~ : ::-:· o " ~arakq , '.1nving seen h i m go t :1rou~:1 the " ch ang es" k!tl!:::::::__1_·_t___ f r o11 / e a t poe t ·__03ssz _r: to Ha rlem and / lack / rts , into Newark an<l p olitic a l u ork , l( f o r ~reat insight into all t h is, see Theodore Huds o n ' s F rom Le Roi Jones t o .-1.rrriri Tia raka , 1973~ ♦ in most c en t ers o f t he /ew)'(lac ·/ . ~ Ye t Daraka ' s influenc e, ~ fe lt -.....,/ oe try -and even in p laces wher e h i s poetry had no t ac tual l y been read; or, if r ea<l, no t fully unde r stood a nd d i ges t ed . It was ·not unusual to b.ear a f lack y outh quo te a few lines from a poster \ poem or from a l i ve re a d ing , bu t who , when questioned ab ou t Ba r a .·a ' s works , di d not know the name of a sing l e on e . - - - -- - - - - - - - Af ter The Dead Lecturer, Bar aka (also p laywright) published Black ,. [agic : -- -- - - - �Poetrv ,19Glk l967 (1 ;69 ), In ~ur Ter ribleness (1970), Sp irit, Reach (1 972) , . j as well as nu171e rous e_,says an sto ries . Hitli Hea l :1e codJdi te<l Blac'- Fi re (1 963 )) which , along wit ~1 Hajor's The -;-rew I', lack Poetry (1969) show!,cased the new poetry). In the Fo ~ rd to Black Fire , Baraka called ~ founding Fathers and ~-lathers , of our nation . ack artists "the lJe rise , as we rise (agin) the power of our beliefs , by the purity and s_t;rengt 1 0 f our actions . 11 ~~-t.. htw ~V'\Cl.lYI ma ~ a.ind s11n i~, he. v ,•e......,e.d in, poCI. o.n6 w,.iti~s: o.s :. J ~ . The black artist . The black man . The holy man. The nan you seek. ma ker of peace . you seek . speal~er. T~1e °lover . Look in. --- Find yr self . ..----------, Is you . on . Us1n_g his The We ar e t he y whom Find t he being , t he } 1over in yo ur soft Is the c reator. or r.1inus , you ve1icle ! co The wa w or . The voice , t he back d_~ eyec losings . selv e s. The climber t he striver. By Is no t i ng . Ue a r e presen t ing . Plus Your va rious We ar-e presenting , from God , a t one , yo ur own . Now . Ee t hus s e t • t he "tone"~ for poet..:,/philosophers , r e iterating at the same time ._,,. I ~ ~ b~n~ ouc· of what b Ii ' 11 ■■ iC \ J · ) -- ~ in other writings ao·O~!i the nD--u.60 • [Ieal, a percep tive cr i tic and balanced the or e t i cian, volunes: ..... ~ published t wo nlack Boogaloo: ...,,.:ate s on Black Libera tion (1969 , Journal of Black )V.I' Poe try Press , Fo nMJ rd by Jones) and Hootloo Hollerin' BeBop Ghosts (1975) . 1 Eis Afterwo r d t o Bl ack Fire is tantamo, nt to Hughes 'sfamou~\\ieclaration ~ £ t he twentie s . P esenting " artistic and ;-iolitical work" =A~~~ be "called a radical pe rspectiv,;' Black Fire s ho uld be read "as if it were a critical re-examination of He stern po lit ica l, social and artistic values ." and exhorting other writers, Neal continued: fr:re have been, for t he most par t, talking about contemporary Challenging �r eal iti es . {e have no t been t a l king about a re t ur n t o some glorious Af r ican pas t . t o tal past . , Bu t we recognize t he pas t --the ~1any of us r efu se t o acc ep t a trunc a t ed 1 'egro his t ory which cuts us off comp letely f rom our Afr ican "' ance s t!,ry. To do so is to acce pt t l1e very r a cist assump tions which we abhor . Rather , we wan t to comp r ehend h i s tory t otall y , a nd unders t and t he mani folc.l ways i n which cont,, L.::_emporary pr oblems a r e a ff e cted by i t. Speak ing aga i ns t t he hindsi~h t of ps ycho l ogy an<l turb u l enc e , ~cal added : / Ther e i s a t ens i on within Bl a ck Ame r ic a . its r oots i n t he gener al his t or y of rac e . And it has The manner in which we see th is h istory <le t ermines ;1ow ~,re act . shoul d we see t is h istory ? \ / it? How tfua t s hould we Eeel a out T is i s important to lrnm1 , b ecause t , e sense of how tha t his t or y s hould b e f e lt i s wha t e it!er unit es C separ a t e s us . Finally , he sums up wli.at can be cal le / lack/aet r y and t he I -:;1e B ;ick A~ts the cre<lo o r modus ooer anc.li of t i1yfew /V\,vement : artist and the po l itical a ½tiv ist a re one . both shapers of t ~e f uture r eality . They a r e Both unde r s tand and nanipula t e the co ll e c t iv e my t hs of t he race . war r i or s , pri ests , l ove r s and dest roye rs . Both a r e For the first v i o lenc e wil l be i nt ernal - the de st r uct i on of a weak ' sp ir i t ua l se lf fo r a more perfect sel f . be a ne ces s a r y vio l ence . nut i t will I t is the only t i ng that will de stroy the doub le- conscious ness/\'\ t he t en sion t ha t l2;;!. in t he souls of black fol k . - - - -- - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - �It w~s the ind of cha llen r; e t 1at sent man· a n ewly f ac~ened poet or a ctiv ist ·nto th e l on?; ni ~ht of the soul t o :rmr !;e h i 111s elf o f rea l or ima i; ined enemies of his peo p le . Poetically s peaking , however , it was Baraka 's " Black Art " tha t set much of the pace, form and violent tone in the/ ew J1- ack/ oetry ! Poems are bul lshit unless they are t ee th or trees o r lemons piled on a step . Or black l adies dying of me n leaving nic k e l h earts ea t in~ t hem dam . a nc.l t hey arc useful c ome at -·ou , Fuck poe1s w_v t h e y shoo t love what you are , rea t 11e li e wr estlers , or s m<lder s tr::m::;ely after pis sing . \.J e want live •o rd s or t he hip worlc.l live flesh & co urs i:1, , loocl . ::ea rts ~ r a ins So ul s sp 1 · nt e ri n;; like ~is t s be:itin ire . "' 0 ':.'e wan t 9oe as ni"•.:,v ·•e r s o ut o f J-to ' ck s o r cia:;:;e r poen s i:1 t h e sli my bell.:.es of o,mer- j ews . J l a c k poems t o sracar o n ~ir lena~_a nula tto bitches ,~ o s e br a ins a re red jelly stuck b etween ' lizabeth t a ylor ' s toes . \:-hares ! S tink ing \{ e want " ? oems t.1at k il l ." Assassin po~as, Poems tha t shoot Luns . Poems t ha t wr estle cops into a lleys - - -- - -- - - - - -- - -- - - �anc, ta1:/ . h ir \,eapo,1s leavh.;-: tlwm Jead 0 wit!1 t i ~ pulled ou t nnJ sen t t o IrclnnJ . l'.noc::off poems fo r Jap e s el l i n~ \vop s or slic -: l1.:1lfwh i te politicians Air p lane poems) rrrr r rrrrr r rrrrr ' rr rrr rrrrrrrrrr •.. t uhtuh t uh tuh t uh tuh tuhtuh t u 1 • •• rrrrrrr r rr r rrrr t · · · Se t t i ni fir e s and dea t h to wh i ties a s s . . .. He wan t a black po er:1 . / ,\ nd r. l a c .~ ~Jorld. et t!1e uorld . e a D acl~ Poem And let All Blac . Peep e Speak This Peen Silent y ~ --- o r LO 11 7) 0 . _ ~nack Art " · m s often cited as t . e sanguine embodi1:1ent o / est. e tic n d a rejection o f w1 ite cul ture and life( st y l e . t he J1 acl~ oems , llaraka s t at es , mus t not onl~ , a ve ~u t s am, ea rt h i ness (lil e Blac k s )) bu t t!1ey mus t a lso be we apo n s a nd shield s ag ains t raci s m, pol ice , me r c han t s , 1ustlers , . ,,.... croo k e d poli t icia ns a nd s t a t us - c i nb inr f l a c k bou r g e o~ ~ - )Ove a ll , they s houl d e xal1/1- a c knes s ( " sons ," " l o ver s , " " warr iors ," " po e t s , " a nd " a ll the loveline s s he r e in t h i s world ." ) The s ej then/ are t he domi nant t h e mes in much ....., o f t he_}(e~ et r y and t he ph ilosoph i e s stat e d (with radical d ivergenc• e s) -~ f r om coa s t t o co ast . >a raka ' s pu r :;e e xt e nds t h r o u gh/\ poems ~ tft- v " Poem for Ha l fl lhite Co ll ege Stu dent s ," " T1 e Ra cis t ," "L i t tl e Brown J u ~" ( " T,TE ARE GODS" ) , 11 1 .1. W. " (a t ta ck on wi3-wea rin; /Omen ), " CIVIL RI GHTS POE~l" ( " Ro ywi lkins i s an e t erna l fa ggo t " ), " Ka ' Ba ," and f i nal l y , in " l e r oy , " h i s l as t wi ll a nd test ament : �t~1en I di e , t he consciousness I ca rry I will t o bla c people . Nay t hey pick me apart and t ake t he useful part s , the s wee t meat of my feelings. And leave th e bitter bullshit r ott en ~ ite parts alone . But there ar e also sensitive love poems in t!1e lat er pe riod , poems caught up in tl1e stressed life of / lackness ("Sterling Street Sep tembe r"): "the beautiful black man, and you, girl, child nigh tlove, ••• : \.....,, We are s t range in a wa y because we know who we are . Black beings passing thr oug:1 a to rtur ed passa e of flesh . ,-.rd' In h is Fo~ r d to Black Boo~aloo , Baraka says of the world: €/h""if1 /]11 ~o..~Q W4S p11obo..GLy rt~ ;"e.,,~,ni n, -hil,,,set I..)~ poets will change i(f,"A What " t he so l die r Teal ' s volume c iange d has not ye t been ascertained but it c e rta inly contains ambitious a nd successful poetrv. - His debt t o t ,1e ~~ /4 older generatio n of poets, artist s am.I thinke rsi can be seen in" po ems Mle~ ✓ " ueen .. la t her ' s e rmon, " " The ~1id le assahe and After ," " Love Song in t he lliddle Passage," " Garvey ' s Ghost,"" ady Day, " " Harl em Gall e r y : J rom t he ~ Inside,i" ,( "~!alc ol m x- '-//.n Au tobio gr aphy .". P.aking u s e of my sticism, chan t and musicographic int er polations >J .. eal ( Dumas) i s ef fe ct i v e~ moving ,r ens i n~\ and feelin g : f Olorum Olorum Olorum. . . . a,,v,{ The horror of "The ! idJle Passagel\Af t e r " is seen in the " Decked, stac ked , pillaged" slave s . "Lung Song in }!iddle Passage " views th e t ' Red ~l ow of sea-death mornings. �Other poems ( " on~ , " " Ji had , " " Kunt u," " Or i s h a s") r ev e a l t eal ' s in t e r e s ts i n su pernaturalism , Af r i c an philoso phy a n d t h i n th e " word ." allusiv e, my sti cal powe r s i nh e r en t He seeks p oe ti cally t o i mp l ement t he i dea s he s t ated in Black Fir e and a s pecial.,J1ack i s sue of .111E- (~ D..t.™,. Revi e,,1) in s unne r of 196 8 . The issue , e dit e d by J:,12.B.'s c on t r ib ut i n g e ditor ul i ns, comp ile d i de as and p l ay s roo t ed in wha t wa s then c al l e d t he "new" consciousnessj a l s o featur ed -.N'0-4. work by Sonia Sanche z a n d Adam Dav id liiller . f was a b luifprin t for/ nlack fi re , 1::. c k/ :c a l ' s 11 Tl1 e ::3lacl: :.rt s : :overaen t " rt s a :1c po l itic a . change . l·:c ho i n 6 s t a t e:::ients i n 1e a r :;uec: .:?.i;a i nst " any c or~cep t o f the art i s t t ia t ali e na t es h i :i1 fron his c om;;J.uni ty ," and note<l: f ii1ac k t Art is the aesthetic and spi ritual sister of the Dlac k Po ,1e r concept . : s suc;1, it envisions an art tb.at speaks directl y to the needs and asryira t io s of Blac~ fuae rica. In orc.ler t o pe rfori'l this task, the Bl ack Art s . ~veme n t p r o?o ses a radical reorJerin1 of t h e ves t e r n cultu r a l acsth e t ·c . It pro;:,oses a sepa ~a te s_ . b olis n , v n y t h olo 3y , cr itiqu e , anc.l icono l o r,y . The Bl c '· .\ r t s a nd Bl a c k Pm-, er c oncept both relate b roadly t o the Af r o~ Ame rica n' s d esi r e fo r self - J ete m ina t ion a n d na t ionhood . Bo t h conc ep ts arc na t ·onalis ti c . On e i s co n c e r n ed with t ic r elation b et~een ar t and poli ti cs ; t he o t ~e r with L:-h c a rt of poli t ics . Bu t his i<le a of a " s epar ate" aesthe t i c , as no t emb raced by a ll J lack poe t s , ar t i st s , or in te llectuals . - :'eit h er ,.a s there • c omplet e a'.3r eement (o r unJ erstan<l i n3 ) amon:~ i t s own p ro pone n ts . Fo r e xamp le , Spr iE ~S , a versa t il e �artist and thin !~e r, led a 'uoyco tt of Hajor ' s The ::ew f,lack n oetrv on the gro unJs that i t ~as beinG b rou~ tout by a white publishe r (International Publishers) . Dut Spriggs had not objecteJ earlie) to use of h is wo rk in 1 1Hack Fir , also published by whites (~·torrow) . appea r ed in The Journal of Black Poetry ( Fall '.'.is po sition statement 196 3) : in t he hell are the black publ i shers ever going to ~e t into it if no t by the assistance of the writer, ! } ow 0 are distributors 1ip s ever 2;oing to mature with the publis 1ers if the highly 1-:ia r ·etable works of wm kelly , j . killens , j a \-ms , 1 1eal , e bullins , leroi j , o r t he lik e never come s t h e i r way? does t he conc ep t o f black powe r and b lack a rts _ , e x tend t hat fa r? _, i say yea , i s a y yea , . ea . rt Sp ri ggs joi e<l a lar 6 e n umb 2r o f crit i c s and pract ~oners of the / 1;ick f u U,,e.r- ) Le~ > / 1 y(- :, eal , Crouch , "-uuilins , f\Gon~ves~ i n the co n t roversy over / ' lack ~ / wr i t e r s ' roles and re sponsibiliti e s. Desp it e t he c on trov e rsy , however, Majo r ' s a n tho log: aprear d as a k.ileic.oscopic offerin:; of t he/ e11J'-lad/ ~ aj o r i n cluded a pe rc eptive and fitting In tr oduc tion : GI[ L,:r:R crisis of J l .:tc ~'- r e ality i s of t e n studded in these poems by the swift , vividl y crucial fac t s of social reality; which consist s in pa rt , anyway , of a 1 the i mp lications and forces of mass media , the social patterns , t~ bureaucratic and oechanical med iums of huma n p ercep tio n s , even of the qu i ckl y evolving natur e of the :1unan p s y c h e in t his hiihl y homogenized culture , in all o f its elec tric p r o c e sses and specia list fra gmentation . Dl ac1~ rea ity , i n othe r words , is l i ke a ny q other r eality p r ofo undly t! ffec t e d by tech n o l o;3y . The oetry. �c ri s i s a n <l d r a ma o f t he l a t e 1 96 0s ove r whelms an<l t h r eatens eve r y c r evice of ;1Uman life on earth . T'1es e poe:ns are bo rn l...::::!..t of t his t ens ion . /.l.v rve:f !. In his own poet ry , }1a j or, t t1cs s r 10e Vi e tr,am, a l i eno tion , impendi n~ wo rl d destruction ,j dreams . l a ck h is t ory , mu s ic, nytholo gy , a nd per son a l exc urs i ons into He published The Dictionarv of Afro - Ame ric an Sl an ('; ( 19 70) , Swallo ·T the La ~e (197 0 ), Symptoms and I!adnes s ( 197 1 ), Priva t e Linc (1 9 71 ), Th e Cotton Club ( 19 72 ) a n d The Svn cona t ed Cakewal!· (197 4 ) , as we ll a s novels a nd essays . He h as a l so d i rec t e d t he Ha r l em Writ e r s 1ork s h op . In t he ackno rl I" ledg~ .., cnt s to Poetry, ~!ajo r indebts th e a ntholo ~y to Many i nflu e n c s: Lowenfels, r.\ I-.!__J: Nat Hen,i5o ff, Recd, Raphael, . rt Ber g e r, J£.!!!s; Tt:::::Y Sr.ii th, Randall, D ec:bl At ins, Breme n, ~ ~ Ful ler, 'oun ~ , and David Hende r son . Ha j or's " Down Wind Aga i n st t 'he Hi ghest Peaks" i s typical of J ~ ( his style: { shd a ;i"\ angledJ twisted langua3e, spacings that r e pla ce unctua t i on , tidbit s of wo r ld knowl ed__, e a pp lied to t . e racial s t a tcMent (sa t ire or ex:1orl ta t i on) , and ex peri::1e'1t a l t y?o ~r.:1 1):1y . II ~ecalling hi s " p as s a i:: ) ' he s ees 'o nt o Sm'lJ O '.d ll..:. ~ •u 10 tin~ t ::.1 t e•, e n ~1exicof " a n a SSi(. ss i n3 na ti un" M "'lOW ;1as t he " s upe r-b l on d e " o n it s " ,; il l boa r ds." In t~ e mi ds t o f all t h es e events , t ~e poet s vi go rou s l y promoted ~ e x t e n ded t hei r c onc ep ts a n u v.:.sions . p r oz r a□~ Sp ri 6 g s and ;Jmed .\l~a .. i si ,.e r e c o r respondin3 ed ito r s of t he Journal ; Da ra k n , :·;aj o r , !'-;azzam Al Sudan (now El : ~haji r) a nd ~e al became con t r i b uting ed itors . was late r joined b y Tou r ~ Ed itor- a t - lar ge Bullins In t h e seventiesJ Er nie Hkalimoto wa s .:1dde d as a con t ributin g e dito ) witl1 :.ajo r ' s n a:ne c i.sappear ing . Sp ri ~g s , Dullins , 3a r aka , a nd ~lha□ i s i !!aj ar , Rand all , ~;eal , h ave a l l s e r v ed as 3 uest specia l e ditors . An importan t influ enc e o n ( .:in d o ut le t f or) t:1c n ew po e t r y , t he J ourn al was ,1) 0 �" in many ways born of Soulbook and Dia orue " (Co~ editor) . lvcs , now Dingane , Journal The magaz ine continues to prin t t he ne~~~c poe tr y , zeroin~ in on ~ other areas ~ ~ the West Indies ( umr.1er} 1973) , announcemen ts+ as well as revi ews and criticism . .pri ~i. ng live l y news and 1 It: ~pringl 19631 issue , for examp l e , was dedicated to Joseph T. Johnson, Los Angel es poet who had @1 recently been killed. and Co~ Abdul Karim editeJ Dlad: Dialoc ue with Spriggs , To~ lves serving as associate ed it ors . , Re l oca ting in :N'ew York in the l ate sixties , Di alogue ' s new editorial board was represented by Spriggs , Ni kk i Giovanni , J a ci Early, Ela i n e J ones, S .f . And er son a nd J ames l!inton . I Alhamisi / and Ca rolyn Rodger s became .{i dwest ed itors; Spelldan, Julia Fi e l ds and Akinshiju became ed it or s for the Sou t h ; and Joans and Kg os it si le took over a s Afric a and a t-la r ge editors . ff} Soul oo~ ' s ed itorial boar d now includ es \ Hamil t on , Alhamisi, Carol Hornes , Baba Lamumba , Zolili, Shango Umoja . gqond i ~1asimini and A.~ ons t he admi nistra tive staff is Dona ld St one (Rahman ~ whose work aup ears i n Black Fire ancl a l l t.1e journals . f u ong with Sp rig:;s , To ur9 and Larry : li l ler ( 'atibu), Rahnan ai eJ '>ar.::i ·a at Spirit Ho us e . /4 His "Tr ansc e: ~ Bl ues," full o f c '1ant / song a nd line1 e x perimen t a tion , fuses the wor ld of / f lac · ;___/ music (a nd musicians) with t he " s trife r-:· ddl e d c onc r e te bottoms o f sky s cr aper seas ." ahman ' s influences, obvious in 1is name , are seen in his statement I that a " rif f " so high and grand "Could be llah ." Finall)j. winding the poemf L into a tri~ute to the J'l-ack woman ("Bitter bit her b i tternes s humming" ), he rejects Chr i stians and whites and warns that d {f) ffThe Islam Hy s pears shall rain •..• influence is also seen in ot her poe ts of t he period : v Sp ri ggs , Tou r¥, Ila r aka, Iman, ~leal, Al ha mis i, Dumas, Harvin :·~, Sonia Sanchez, who ,.,_ro.e~~t"'""-·· poets . Ost ,.·-- • along with Ni kki Giovanni emer ged a s one of the m ) of the �era . I Th ese uor:1cn ;, octs a n<l oth er sM .'\u<l r e Larde, J une Jordan, Ka tt i e ~f. Cunbo , Jayn e Cort e z, .\le x is Deve a ux , ~ ~ Jones) l j S - vi eo.lt \ty slor M }I\Of a c tive 8 (U;f.. h e y, ---._ "- worn f exci t ement , ~etry b Adding to this ~ cJ/;I i!t.!!!!!0 a ma e o.zines ~ ~ . kIn · c· ■~ n womt.r)ipoetr II t A. s r 1. 1.ovann1.· , ~ int e rest are ~ new )'l a c k p rofound thinker and p rovocative s peake r J>.'(~tld \ f'l to ~ heL(>Cd Th e mo st f amous "' an d l-:§§©Dkl~· Loftin , Odc1ro (Barbara ■■11--lilili;. cr ea tet, a new wa a bout the poss ibilities and potentials ii Iae Jacks on, poet r y . ,>G ,t4;th:.~~l~ills Encore a and insights d o not Her rout e to New York was b y way of Tenne s see a nd Fi s k Un i v e r sitv wher e s h e wa s a member o f Ki l len s ' Writ e r s Horksho p . -J Fa me came i n t he lat e six tie) aft e r she pe n ned a se ri es o f v o l atile p r ose-like s t at ements WA~~ ~ ere star tlingj ~ eve n mo r e s o , c omin g f r om a woma n . t½e s i x t i e ' s he p r iva te ly p ub l i s hed B oa <ls ide ~ress and In e r p oe try a nd was l ater brough t out by a r ~e r . u lishe rs . He r v olumes inc lude Black Feelin 0 , Bl a c k Ta l · , Blac1: J 1<l,e ent (19 70), Ile- Creation ljpcai .iii:'- (1970), Hy House l/ (1972) \a nd a booi< of po ens fo r c h ilJren , Spin a Soft Bl a c k So ng ( 19 71 ) . I:er an t ho l oey of/ 1~ lace ,,;on c n noe t s , 1H r:h t Coues So ftl v , wa s ~~tUeJ. ,f"M i J I in / and s h e l o.s r ecor~ e d alhu~s , wri t t e n an a u t ob i og r aphy , and p ubl i shed a se ries o f "co!lve r sa ti ons " with :1ar '-'a r e t Walke r . ~ G\. nvmew,os t h e new po ets, s :1e h a s been a cc o r ded /\accolades : sub.Te(:toP Ei ghly controv e r sial among - - •"wo1aan o f the ~ o.n<.(S ice l "lta Ebony t and 1.:. ssen c e; appea r . .A on t he 'iea r J ,m r d ; #\f ea tur eS in Jisg · andMi~ Do~w a.mvc.h ~ ✓, J o:m ny C<.1 .:so~ fi lim* a sought - af ter ~ speake r on t he college ,;4-ec.lv,- (!? _ A.ec_i p ,'en t b f Qt'\ ..,,--- f.-oM v circuit; Hrx ad J •·'/\honorary do ct orate ~ - ~ lilbe rf orce University and ' =•A l abe l ed _,jf t }1 c " rincess o f 1Hack Poe try 11 by ~ Ida Lewis , Encore editor . enounc e <l as a n "individualist" by :!adhubuti (Lee) and praised by Ha r garct lfDHalker o.nd Ad dison Ga y le , ho.s re.Jeired :-:ikki Gio:1anni 1,J si il +.±£§di"'~ ';,(evolut ionary . " ~ '1°' H8££ ii a it st d ' ,.., , · 1 Iler s ing ing of " God Illess America" on e , as related reading, Andrea Benton Rushing , s "Images of Black Women i n Afro-American Poet ry" ~Black World, September £ff! 1975}. �! natio nal t el.ev ision , :if te r r ecciv ini; t he ~ llor.1an of the Yea r .,/4-1ar<l , pror.1p t ed .Som e So.w tol\i n"dlwons '1nih'£' µ., om dl\ w ho1 l e tt e r s t o Jrtacl: publ ica t ions q ues t ioni n 0 her s i n c er it y . A 7furin3 t ;1e sixt ie) ~ wr o t e " Of Libera tion" : ~ Dykes o f t he wo r ld are un i t ed Fa ggots go t t h eir t hing t o get h er (Eve r yone is o r g anized ) Blac k people ci1ese ar e f ac t s Whe r e ' s your power .. • . Honk ies r u le t he wo r ld fMllt The mos t vi tal co1'11!lo dity in faerica Is Blac· people Ask any circul"lcized hankie ... • The final s tanza o f thi 4~"po em'f varns: rur choice now is iar or dea th Our op tion is survival Listen to you r own Black h e a rt s 0 "Concerni ng gne I~es ponsible :~egro :::zith too guch Power'' echoes ot h er t.1emes i :1 h e_/ew_/1.a c~/ oe try . Th e " r e s pon:i ble""' neg;~ " a r e " sca r ed" a nd on t he run . t e lls t her.1 t'.a t (? your t on ;:; u e mu s t be r er.iove d s i nc e yo u have no b r a in t o k e ep i t i n c hec~ In " Ref l e ctions on April 4, 1968 , " she c a ll s Dr . Ki ng ' s assas s i na t ion " an a ct Th e pa nt s �'.(i'tf.) ~orat<>' of " Beautiful Bl a c.· ;tery'~'h ug! wha t i like t o hu~ . " The re is the chara cterist i c ....-. True r epetition an<l er.1o tion-freigh te d lan gua gJ as in " ·~ Import of t he Pr e~~en t Dialogue , Dl a c k v s J e gro": f ~igger Ca n you kill Can yo u kill Can a nigger kill Can a nigg er kill a 10n zie Ca n a nigger k ill t he ~Ian ... Can you s tab-a- jew •.. e Can you run a pro t es t ant down with your ' 68 I:l do r ado • •• Can you p is s on a bl ond h ead . .. . Th e poem continues , reciting name s o µ., the " enemy" and catalo gi ng crimes and wrong-doing s vis ited on Tilacks , finally a s· ing : (~ " Lear n to kill ni;:;ger s Le arn to be Bl ack ne1t9 4/4uch of wha t .. .. • l i • ,1 11(1( 1 Gi ova nni wa s s a • ·in"l , in the sixties mov ed...,.iiack youthM it was not ahmys sa fe o r c 1ic to disa '3 ree even if you wan ted to ~ an<l some of it was admi r able . But t1ese t hings do no t nake her uo r k defensible as poetry . "Hy Poem" ,: md "Poem for Aretha" are ce rt a inly worthy, even noble, subjects i--. 91t:1Kd -._,I fa 1 le i s ur e l y <lown t he pa ge, ani:;ling he re and the re but revealing nothin:; o f the insight i nto hur.ian be i nc s or poe ti \--\e\-- po,e.T~J(tld~.$)'piGIS.m <.\l'\d imo.<j t~ 4nd he power that one finds in a poem by ..-n....omesshow he .. AS~ vka.-.,o Hel ene J oim son , ~-!ar ga ret Walker , Gwendo l yn Brooks , or Jayne Cortez . /\" Nikki- Ro at) ft'I. C. t. otr6 f\ fo -H, ~ V'V f,e her 11os t oft en quo t Qd poem from t :ie ea rly e riod, is I( hi !ifa p Lr at ·• • I l1f :e nira: I t has a believ:::b le_, ~iiu .:.l'i_:!.hx: conversa ti n-like lan;;ua ge (cha racteristic o f �l t.s hone.sliv 1at) . her poetry ~ and -.Nletail ~ ~ the inner reach e s of the col ec tiv e jiackf a pe ri enc~ as she unfolds t e story of fa::iily un a nd r.iisfo rtu e : 't,) your bio:;r aphe rs neve r und erstand your fa t her ' s pain a s he sells hi s stock and a nother drean goes And t h ough you ' r e poo r it isn ' t poverty t ha t conce rns y oug .•• ~fy House is a n ewe r ••t ~ f Giovanni . The venom h as l e ssened, tho u ~h so . e of t h e r ampage i s e v i den t i n a..:..!,6 e::r li!ss: " On Se e ing Back Jour nal and Ha tchin1; Nine Ne g ro Leaders ' cave Ai ~-11P1°h.ere 41'-,J'echn"b~ and Comfort to the Ene!11.y 1 to . .· " 1mp._~"em.et1T wn sty l f £) ~ Qrig..,o.&e ~ l~t')O.iSWf'.i~,~.. . a ttf! l'! IH@ uot e Ri c hard ,rixon • ., The poems deal wit h love, t h e c i t y , chi l dhoo d (alway s her rite s o f woman-passage), Africa and Af ro-Anerican culturc .Yf.,r p r onise and ?Otential c an be glimpsed in 11 .'\frica I": on t he bit e of a kola nut i wa s s o hig h t!1 e c l ouds blanket in::; CJ O a fric a in t ;;.e n i , orniE::; f ; ~;ht , 'ere pushe d m..my in a n an:.; r, A fl lc :er of the sun ' s tongue . . .. ,., .,inlsce3 Fr>O.rloel '1(:akki Giovanni's i1,1 por t anc eJl\,ies 1-1....,e,.'J_, in her personal influence (especially her great drama on al u1us and i n pub lic).> wh ich ha s inspired many youn3 /-:;,k women to write about t:ienselves ano their world. Jack so:7 who won Blnck Uorld s Conrad n ut some of the m, e nt Rivers Award, ~ : Iae ave ye t to show t he Mu $Cl~tsor,~ "stuff " of poe t ry in the ir writing s . 1969 by Bl nck Dfalo~ue :!:ub lis:i.crs . Can I poe t wit :1 You ,ms pub lis hed in " -:::;; :al·.ki Giova mi wrote the I n tro d uct io ~ a n d �lla e J a ckso n, i n turn , l.! e ic:i t e<l tl.c book to lie r . ro e t is f ul l of t!lll " c or.1p l aint s " t hat quickl y becar,e n onotonous in t 1, c oc t r y o f t ~1e s i x ti es . In themes an<l usa ~es , tlw poems r ese1a8le ::i ·l:i Gi ovaQn i ' s worL "To React ionary , " " To the lle g ro I nt e llec tu al , " \rl t heAcon Som ei,'mQ.S fused are fam ilia r • aml rl istur oe<l anna l s o: the new po etry . Sonia Sa nche z, c lo s e l y i · enti fied uith t he new poe tr y a nJ t he new cons ciousness , a lte r na t es be t we en t e r s e , exp l i c it ver se a nd t he spr m1l i n3 , - pr osaic meande rings t hat often serv e f t he auditory denands of t he new auJi en ces . Fornerly marr ied t o te poet EtheriJ~e Znight , she has ac t iv ely wa r ted a s - ~ ler playwright , poet ancl teac:1er. People (1 970) , It ' s a ~fou Day: V - ooks are Homeco~ing ( .6 9), \Ca Iladdddd Poems for Youn 0 Brothas and Sistus (1971), Love Poems (19 73) and an a ntho lo3y from her £ oun; Writers 1fork shop a t the Count ee Cullen Librar • i n 1~ew •or ~, T 1ree Hundred and Si x t v De~rees of Blackness Cominl at You (19 72) . G "Ha lcolm" is a lament and a night - filled memory fo r Yet t his n t h is dre u1.e r, t h i ck- li p,e~ with uo r ds will neve r s peak a ga i n a nJ i n each w~t e r when the col<l air cracks u i th frost, I ' ll br eathe his br eath and mourn my ~un- f i lle d ni ~ht s . He r " f or unborn ma lcolms ," howev e ~ is ano t her app ro a ch . Constric ting words i ~ structure , anJ -.,: t emp ting to achiev e aj iack str e e t sp e ech, she t ells Bl acks �to " ~it the word out" to t!w " man/boy " ~urdcrc. r , ho is tal:in•; a " 1oliday ." IHacks are " hip to his shit " and \·: hen " blk/princes• cie a8ain white " fc1 6 gots" oeuUtn 1'ttue " will die t oo ." , n experimentalist, Son · a Sanchez ad<leu he r ~voice to the derisive langua ge in the new vers e. (" d~: ition for flood of angry , c yn ical an blk/children"): 0 ~ a po lic eman L, is a pig in \a z oo 1aninals . and until he s t ops killing blk/peo le c r ackin~ open their heads re enber . l t~1e ~ pol iceman is a pi • (oink/ [ ... oi k . ) She also joined the poe tr, of~ ac~~ l o•;e and man- woman unity , seeking throu ::;h her part icular s t yle a nd voice to hea l wounds of doubt, ~ i s tru s t and loneliness . In "to all sister 7" she says " :1urt" is ot t he "bag"f~!"en " shd be i n ." a re advised to love t.1e / l a c k man who ma. e s them "tu rn in/ side out." journey ha·s carr i ed her fro;;i t.he ~ 11:ed dtclo.m<A.i'ihls ..,,.id£ t h e They Her revolutionary to the be~vTv ' I\ -----quie t.ti••l'{Urbulenc e ~of Love Poems -b eing , maybe, amon '.; the fi rst of the new poets to fu\!fill Ran all 's pr ediction tha t / 1act poet r y would " move from t 11e - - - - - -- - -- - -- - - - -- - - �declama t or v t o t he sub j e ctive mod e ." P· June Jordan ;>ublished Hho Lo ok a t :ie (1969), Some Chan~e s (1971) , -trrr a n tholo gy Soulscr i p t (1970), and a volume of poetry b y stud en ts in h e r Br oo;~1:.£reativ e wr iting workshop , The Voices of the Children (19 70) . ,4,,le.ol\ l>oe~ ~ !.f ~~ ~ ~e'Mi.t.'l H e r ~ volume of poetry i s ~~ w Day$~ 1974 ). Concise, analy tical , and ~ based, her poetry is ~ a f r ee: verse / tyl e characteristic of p ractically all t h e recent / l a c k ~ t r y . " Un c l e Bul l - of a nan whose eye s " were rink with a lcohol." .~H Jn y" re la t es t h e Jea th l:u,nq Tl'fe"-b rot her (uncle) ren i n i s c cs , t h e mann e r of / l ad~ men , abou t their s na r ing of s tr ee t l t al;: , e xp e nsive ~ s h o es , and a l cohol . ; n<l finally : deacl fron d rin!~in 6 drank to c lear h is t h ink i n g s aw the roach insi<le the riddle . Soon t h e bubbles from his g l ass we r e t he onl y b its of c h arm whic ov e rcame his foldc<l arns . udr e Lo r e' s "f'..i t es of Pas sag e" ( fo r ,, t Liz Jr ) e u log iz e s Dr . Kin~ : J ; ~1 ow rock t he boa t to f a r e- t ~ e l l. r er:1er2b e r s lii~1 t h is way : Quick c h ild r en k is s us we a r e g rowin::; through dr ean . Huch of Au d r e Lorde ' s recent wor k conc e rns young peop l e; even t h e title o f h er latest book , 1 ::-on a L~ 1Jher e -~ ther People Live (1973) , carrie s the a we and d r eam of t h e c h ild ' s world . !:{ S:1e writes now about teachers , mj n-wom n ,... relations, seaso ns, ,l rea:as : "As I Grow llP A6 ain,.'._' anJ ._ ---"=-- - - -- - - - - - 11 :S lad~ l!other Womar;; ' �who t hinks of her mm mo t he r' s s t ren g t h when '' s t ranger s cone t o cooplir.1ent " he r : I l earned f rom you to deny r.1ys el f t hrough yo ur denials . Among t he yo unge r New Yor k women poet s , J udy Sir.mans , Alex is Deveaux and Elo~ 1 ~ of tin sing ou t. Jud ith ' s Bl ues (Br oadside ) was p,: li s hed in 19 7J . The poe!!ls s ubmerge themsel ves i n t he t r oub l ed hunan psyc hE! ("S chi zophr cni ~ i a nd explore the "Youth Cult ," "Hon en , " and " Daff odils "i althou ~h the titles do no t reveal t he poet ' s pi t hy sea rchings . Reflecting J udy Si mmons ' s t udy of psycholo gy , t h e poe try yiel ds i t s meaning a s t he multiple layers of tensions a nd ins ights a r e uncovered . In "Schizophrenia " the "animal squat 5 ' next to the " piano " in a " co r n e s" with an abno rma l number of l egs , arms , and a mou t h t hat stre tc.1es from " or ehead to abdomen ." ... ~ei,15 But the poet ~ssu~ ~,_.,., he rsel f that i f she does no t l ose control it uon ' t come back inside of me(;) ';- a,J-~~ Lof tin ' s poe try (J umb ish , 1972 , n e r so~ Hal ~ -the eo.se o i ma ge r y , indica t ive per haps o ff,...t hese new t echnic.:.ans ha s yout h fu l , zes t y K.th~tt9Cl4~ 8 t. " Ra i n Sp r ead " informs : ~ f Las t night t hrew her leg s open to me .. • . --the, She has the new woman s ens i bili ty , a good knowledge o f /\so c ial land scape , and the cynicis m of t en fo und among t oday ' s young , gift ed and / lack . " z ett in .:::. ca ugh t" dis plays he r humor and wi t: - - -- - - - - { i f t h ~y ca tc h you �uith you r p:m t s down f~ yo ur cuar <l o r peeing f or fr e e i f t hey catch you do i ng s omething c razy with quotes a round it and t ry to mate you feel like yo u been catched you raust be <laing sone # Spirits int e Street s (197J) ls A e:~is Deveaux ' s s t ran~e but fas cinating e prose- poetry accoun t of 3rowi ng up in Harlem. • A We st I ndian mot her , dj s paid ~- ov e r a hus band ' s mi s use of h i s wife and ch i l dr en, compla i ns : / l . lor<l uhy he bea t that ~mr.,an s o? and them c;.1i ldren r, od only l:now wha t ' s gonna happen t o t.1em. . e a t i n po ison . jesus hav e mercy . c:iildrcn . has l _ e . ea t you up inside you can ' t be too car eful with you :::;ot t o wa tch t hem every sec ond . T ic world is s o ev il ho ney you know wha t i 11ean? ne rcif u l jesus s hane t hem wi th t he l ast word . T es e e~ ~amples rep r e s ent only a fract ion of the new poetry be i ng wri t t en by youn~e r (and olJe r) new York=area poets . P~illip oloDon , Ca y l e ~)• Ot her s are Cathe rine Cue stas , Joner ~:le,w~ ~wartler,~e~:~l~w.ff ~M.\~i;~· - �!.OM e_ an<l Glen Th oTI 1 son , t o :1; ~ r.ie I' !'lrlmdfal. oc ts we."~ L11.1.11,<..h e d Wl!OA•z ti . in "'--' the earl ie r pe ri od a l s o pub lished n ew it er.i.s . ~ ha) Hende rs on ' s Fe lix of th e Sile nt , For e st (1967) was introduced by Jonesfi... Jlill n ffn e o p:raphcd The Poetry o ~ Soul Jie also pub lished De Haye r of Ha rlem in 1970, t he s ame year bea rs no date . he •® tnv•ctd m11 t:a~to Berkeley . r:s sentially a Harlem poe t , Hen e rson sur v e ys every thing fron the " Harlem Rebellion, Summer 1964" to "Ha rl em Anthropolo g · ." 1(;.he t ransitions a nd outreac hing s of these poe ts are also evid ent in ., r,oet I . ~ Tour~ who in 1968 went t o t e ach ..)"'fa c kfa udie s at San rrancisco Sta t e Co llege . l.• . wor.~s are Juj u (1 9 70 , Th i rd Wor ld Press ) a n d Songha i ! ( ,11.s the l atter puJl i she<l b · Songhai Press and intro uc 2J by (illens . " Soul-bifts" are anpl' sp ic ed ui t :1 ph ilos ophy , / 1 c:. h istory ,j (1972) , ~ Tour l ' s lc:.c'.z :-1usic, Islaraic influ ences , anc: " Juju; ' w',.ic:1 says Coltra,e ' s ho rn is "cas cad i:1;; fountains of l oad and bone s . " Son" ha . a n[:;es fro r.1 satir e ' o f Di a na :'.oss ...__,, Pp..fTiqql,m_$oF .;,rnionne Uarwi d:. 1:d"/'--i n!hnc e re a ctiv is ts j _!~e ;-1.igica l powe r o f wor e.ls .---...i- • s tructurf J dea l _J'J. a c.: socie t y . :P"!.,::.,~ tS V!.€crtb Tour ¥ ' s ~l ist of inf luenc e s (see ' sm;;e of . t~1e / ✓ ' l, acl: poetry er.1anc2 t in~ f r om t 1e ,' ew York area : __;;eal , Dur.1:1s , Tiaraka , r;o 9a l ves , Coltrane, ?;,aro~ h. Sanders , Ce c il ,.., ~ :1cBeeM a ll ~ ~\,~• s.,.,.;r-:•roets _,e l a te of ::1 ::ation- i - Fo rma t ion ." deve l op::1e n t s o f t he ~-lew Yo r k n ovenent c a n J e s een i n suc;1 projects as t~1e r'~J.:'!' ,g ' r., + ( Sol Write rs in liarle:n ; T;;,1-~ra , 3 B~ tt le ) an t~1olo._;y o f the 1.'o r- k s hop fo r Youn;; net) Bo s ton- ased. journal devo t ed to the exam~ nation " o f e vents , t h e arts, i deas " ; Betch A.i:i ' t (1974 ) , Celes Tisd.'..l l e ' s anthology ~ o f " I'oems from Attica"; a new an t ho l o:3y o f " Oun,-; poets , He Be oe tin ' (1974) ,' 1 i sd ale; and T!r iters 1·:orkshop Antho l ogy . /\ L;o unifyin3 thread runs through t he wor.· of ~Icw York.::: area poets.!-,exce.p t that of a relentless accept a nce an<l pu r s uit of -the ir j 1~1ckness . - - - - - - - -- - - - -- -- - - - -- - --- - One notes, howeve r, �t llnt L.;s t i c i sm , e :~::rni n.:i t i on of t: ic o c c u t, cosmi c - mus i c;i l f o r ms an<l s u bjec t s , o.nJ t he inf l uen ce of I s lo.11 ;ir e ~ i ,ore ~vi<l e nt 4lilllae t h a n i n the poe try of o t he r ~ Du t t hes e a r e , of co ur se , gen e r a lit·i e s rc~i o n s . await mor e h i n<ls i 3h t a n d r es earc h befo r e t hey c an ~e f i n nli z ed a nd p r es e nted a s sign i f i c a n t phe nonena in the l a r g e r t ape s t r y oi' t)1e po etry . Fina l ly , fo r the Hew Yo r k a r ea , . ~,r y ( <l rurnt h e f i r e of th e oral t r .:td it io n uas i :3nite d lJY t h e d r a mati. <:; 1.ncant;{? a c companied ) <l e c l ana t ions of " t he Las t Poets " a n d " the Or i g i na l Las t Poe ts." ack masse s ~ Along with Gi l Sc o tt- lleron , t h eir ir.1pa c t o n t h e "triem h~s ~lHIS I NJ e e n Aobo .:. . ~u.-+ w;11,11t~ exceflliirt ot 6, l· Scoff-lltro1t(IAll.o h~, '" J0111y-t••~lt\,tse. "'•..,•-..;oti• h"'-vt ;f'em-,;oro.ry s1i.. ••~- ScotF-He,,.01t C,.omb1r,!S 1:>t·cr~iJ"°J3 And ft't-•~reonue,,.1«71~ ,'7~ 4 "' ,!,,2;.:i1':':&6~,,ei~~¾;,;c Uf!z~,,~of ;~dt;~c~dlt•~,:~;.}r~':22 ill ,iilJ f Hf s r , § il B L l @ ff i i t ] p- 11 i. ~ &Etdti J IHtU 4 p L Ii iii I I g@§LCf b§§ Llj§ I iii r ~II :ms L SL&) 3 SC 7 1 lQ?!: ast 9 lti± ! CL 5-2 }, 2d El .&?E t 1 t§E pt6 0 £5 s l g hi &125![J!l!C, 15 & El.!H&dslplt!lmti JI I Qi: ti l Lk ts b f dd 21!!1 ts srd ts nl q . u ~se , th d 1 llfllll!i 1111 111!11!1 g. :.JUrin g t h e New York r es urg enc e a n un b er of t n i ng s we r e ga in;; we l l lo 0 ac1 / o etry in Pennsy lvsnia . Linc oln f ~ ~ c, .,.ovp o P .'r.iv,~r si'" ~ , hi c h p r od uce d T Jl on~ Il u8h e s ~ j.~ delivcr e d a not he rN1 iver se -ef. p e ts dur i n-.; t h is p e r iod : '----" , ndcrs o n , ~ on<l othe r s . H Ca rl Gre e n e , :fa r y- Lo uis e Ho r ton , Eve r e tt Hoa 6 land , Benjamin, C:il '.:: c o f Hcro n , lle r n a dinc Tinne r, r,it a '\lhit ehead \ ~l a n d i s a Br o ad s i de ry o e t ( Bl a ck Velve t, 19 70 ~ a nd Scott- Her o n ( Pr e e ~ ill, Pi e c es of a !~n , e tc . ) i s a r e co r d ing poe t- s in g er . ', o i n _, li::e t he ~luntu / 1:ick a r~i s :: :-: r o u ? ~ foun de <l b :'l e al, Conve r g ing at c.\H. Pul l e r , t he oi reti cian Ji;;lr.ly St e ua r t{ and ~·ar be ll e ~fo ore AI\Philadel phia poe ts fo und various Co.~ I Ot h e r Philadc l ph i~ p oets are,.c r eene (1945F ), Lucy ~r• Ma. t--k TI--o. 11\oh Smit h fr on t'~ c o l ,l.::r schoo l, -;Br ya n; I\ (1943J ) , ~ l a r ence Ma l one y (1940J kinds o f n ss i s tance . ·lT. -J ), �Pat For ( /' , Joseph Bevans Busl\_, . , net _!. Brool:s , i& t,.rtd ·'=' Carol Je:iifer /\ Don ~!iz l ell. (]@( J I ) 1-.o r 1-:s b y s me of these y outhful poets are in \;/ Black Poets I rit e On : A,n ntholo 5y of Black Phi l adelphia Poets (197 0), published by t 1e Black History '1useum Committee. Har o l d Franklin ' s Intro~ duct ion states : 11 " A BLi\CK rOET IND OF WA~ OR - Lthus linkin g Philadelphia M ~<lvltv.,Cl.f t..QnT?ii'oJ s ent iment s to those in ~Tew Yo r -: and Bo ston . The Black Butter fly, Inc . ,"-was o ne of the several cross} oads for various cultural / pol i tical ac tivities in Ph ilad e l phi a . 1]2.r nin~ Its foun d er wa s : :aloney (now Chaka Ta)., who se Di mensions of s published in 1964 h ~ celebrates a " sul try brown Girl1' l na , Spain . 1-7:10 " Good Fri ay: "s eems a s uperio r a nina l. " "sepia siren" also holcls t:.e '';:;e:·1t:en' of a "vi vid passion ." poe ts explore c ity l i f i .\frica, and exal tf a ck n ess . 2 '.::::· " T' is P:1i ladel?hia There is, too , the rage and vehemence often f ound in New Yo r k a nd Chica2;0 poetry . 111-••••J1 12• •• "Co o 1 ~·~"' ~lat chfdd o.9Q •~ <iraylow also captures '1f blacl: ~-: i ;;:1ts " driving street rhy t hms an<l~'hy..es: Cool b l acl: cl· oes an t hem fine -lookin~ 0 fine - walkin~ fl --ie- t all:in; \ fine-lovi:1g them fine soul siste rs .. .. 1 wll.S ~In Pit ts burgh t here ~bor:1 die s:1ort - lived Black Lines : .•j (. Journal of iHack S tu J L!s (197 0 ) . ~ It publishe<ll'P ittsburgh::: area poets J ~ EJ l~ob rson , August �~ a)J?,o_~I\, 8,u10tl1 l~ilsont\ Inan "s d.J'/ t 22 / \ s ,,d l .J3/\ poets fro m th e ~-'. i<lwcs t ~ .\l Crover Armstrong and l{cdr.1ond . Tile University of Pittsliur:-; :1 Press o p ened u p t o p..ack poets t hat s.:.1.r:ie yea r, pub li shinli • Coltrane, 1970; Song : /\ ~ .. ~Wi ,,11,:___ ( Dear John , Dear Can I get a ·, it ness , 19 73) , I;.obcrson (,Then Thy I:in3 '5 V ____y_, 197 'C3 l·lar:1 er and Gc rnld Barrax (Another ~ind of Rain , 1970) . m~es. 11,e o~ -t-ed.~1%ue.s poetry ~ / \the gamut of spacinr.;s and slashes . I Roberson ' s - ¥ 1\and st y les ~ fror.i ne.:it Jr.:1m.:1 t o slant ed In " :nayday " t her e is an "underside of :waven" ,:rnd t he warning from one misunderstood t hat he is " armed" to fi, h1: the final kindlin g of you r dreaning . " Ot hello Jones Dresses fo r Dinner" is a satirical look at the "Guess L"ho ' s f Oming t o Dinner " t ~1eme . -= After datin;; a whi t e wcm.:1n , t he n arra t o r ass ur es her paren t s that he is " well 1::~nne r ed . " group of Pit t sbur g poe ts E Ro erson adds his voice to a 3 rowing includes Kirk Hall (194!~ hM'l~w(>,.;'~ be~ 'fe,th~~utlt · • ~ i r ed .\.n t ' p l in Poe t ic talent •• ). L'ashing ton, ~Ly ~even1ies Sterling Brown continued to teach into the 1('5te iaiut ~ u . . C.> uhere I!oua r d , by nm.; leading all/ lack unive rsities i:1 t;1e neu consciousness, was the scene of a number of significant distu r banc es ~ •!'! . r()'l~t\e toward Aile new~Ii ~'· ] - ,\-h GA ,,._nud ged t he school Hhile Howa r d ' s poe t ic history can b e traced thro u~:1 t h e early days of S terlin:; Brown (and in t o t 1e Eo m r d / oe ts) , the school has produced a nuraber of youn~er writ e rs : ..,Clay Goss , Ethelbert 1!i lle r ,ichard i!esley , r: . (Androniec'i1, 197 1+) , and Paula C:i dings . 1m0-.,"l. ~ / ( . • Jntibew was deep ened and b ro adened b y the appoin t men ts o f the r.u i anese poe t D.:.u:ia s a nd tephen lientlerson (Cnzlish _,P1airman at Morehouse ~ who heads the I n stitute for t ~e Arts and Humanit ies . was~Z1t..o ,., ra t However i ward dram.:i against a series of <levelopnents in t he surro und i ng communiti e s : Federal City College ( Scott- Heron) , Center for Black Education (Garrett) , 500 �School of \fro-,\Jrlcrican Thou::,ht (Gaston ::cal), - --~"' ~ ~ni anJ Press) A.. t.1c D. C. IHac · :lepertcry ~ Drum & Spear ::'.oak.store ._,,, In add ition to Da:nas and Henderson, t h e / nstitut c has a<lc.:eJ . '.::.J: ubuti (Lee ) , Kil lens , Goss, Grown, • rt rnr P . Davis and .\ mos t,e progra:a ' s service to poe ts has been invaluable . have f ton . Ctl\..l Selected for#\nonori11111 een Baraka, G·.-,enclolyn Brooks , Joans , and Dotlson . .Zn tf.te~ Al rea<l :/ ~ A nun er of -..;, poe ts were a l so featured i n t hel\.t i rst . nnual Synposiu~.1 : .... Lucille Cl fton, I Goss, Sco tt-H e r on, /1.desanya lakoye, Hiller• ,_, Johnston a nd Kgo sit s ile were gu es ts for a ~ ltural__,,Yr e s et ce in t 11e A-.,ericas . . read and be recorded or t : e and llar Evans . Toure, r o;:;raM e:rnminin;:; th " ,- fricnn Several po e ts have b e e n ' nv it ed t o ermanen t audio/video librar y : J aye Cort ez , Crouch, Davis, Sa r nh Web s ter Fabio, Harper, Jeffers, Joans, Redmond, Sonia Sanchez, Scot t-Heron, Br u c e St . J ohn , }!ar gar e t 1·,a l ~~er , a nd J2.y ': ri gh t. L 1 963 Ga s t on :·cal s.:iit: .1is " 11hilo so phy" was " to pur ge myself of t 1e whiteness wit hin n e a n ' l in\, c r-::1 l :2 t ely t:it h ~ay / t o d e stroy t '.!2 e,,e:-1.1 anJ r :::'Ju il .:i jl , lC 1K / a~ _r o t h er s in t . 2 str1gJle .2 t.1on ." • a t tl1a t tas c fo r a \::1::.lc ue:o r e t':2 Af r o- __cric a :i s cho o' clos c J. . o. " ; r ,_.,~ 1:1inglcd" In " TmLty " w't 1i. . 1 e :; w.u , . c,1 , 1,1au, •oe • an cl h e 1_:i:'l.ente cl t'.1e Jun;; en JI (/) I r <le f ~ouerell b:· no.pal . ... • 't{;;_a rl Cart er , anotl1e r D. C. poet , appears in l.:r1( er : -, ncl-inG the Xew '.Hae:~ oe try. lie evokes the s, irits of t 11e " :ier ocs' ' of Orangeb ur g , Jackson , }1e□phis, :lew Yo r k , anJ ~7ashville , r e c alling t h:.it Jurin;; a riot in ::.ishvil e he \:as f) lUJ. in:3 s0':ler.:l~ere in uy n ind •.1i th ElJ ridge Cleaver ... • 5 D/ - - - - - -- -- -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - \ �" noo t s " i s an u :1succ..:ssful at - e.1 , i t lnngua::;e wit h a fonaa l En:::lis 1 o f\l SC the d r ama of coll oquial ,J'i- ack narra tive about his grandmothe r. #ot!1cr poe t s liv ing o r pub li shin~ i n tl e D. C. a rea during the sixti e s anJ seve nti e s ,,.~ Atlcl Ccu-· ..-·, e o l'ld l<a erTA. tfo ir'\ ~ were Bernadet t e Go lden (1 949J ) , le! len Quigless (1945,ij )"ca Beatrice Ifarphy (19C8j of p ) , w10 ov e r t he years has contributed greatly to t1e g rowt h hA) ~..edit ed ack poe tr~ thr ee i m ortant anthologies: Ebony Rhy t hn (194 7) a nJ Today ' s r:eg ro Voices (197 0 ) . He r o,m volu1aes o f poetry ar e Love i s a Ter r i b l e Tl i n1_3 (1945) and , with I~an1 Crv Out (F~ D~oad s id ~ . in the new phaset with tensions caused by ove r emph a s izing " white " a nd '/ l ack, " anJ war . te~perament. h r to g ~ someo n e i\rnez, The Rocks Ee r own p oe try has moved from a trad itional meter to a t r a ditio n a l free vers 7 d ealinei a nd s i x c1.1ilcl r en . r1e~ r o Voic es (193 0 ), She is currently Even her ti t l e s sug:;es t something about lie r spirit and In t he swamp o f d e p r e ss i on an<l b i eakness, it is indeed warming ,rJ.o "\& 11,os p r oclaim Go o ci ;-:ews ! ~ " Eld rid ge"A.i s compared to a mea t " cleaver" will not " r ust o r b r e a k ." And the r e ~ ur.10 r , irony and truth in �,~ " a tel~" I ~ h e;.Q. t l1c " always c!run.·" de ivery nan says : , {)) ~ 11 I ' m 25 years olt! and a ll t he whit e boys are younger t 1an ne . ~~ t II hile some sine good tir.1es in the kitchen, t:ie r e a r e a l s o o t her acknow{ led iiraents : " falcolm," " Eldrid-~ e , " " Bobby Seale ," and -•,. s t udent1par ticipan ts\in dernol\ ~4tt'- V\S /\f t Jac,,su n and Kent / tates . t er.i.porary set tinl~ to f Good :1e\ s i lie al st ories . bout the I:arth ::;i ves a } lack ~ d -t~e ve;.x womo.»Lf on ~ . 'Y Mo st arc unique, l ike f\ Mar y ": t his kiss qS !\.s of t a s cotton ve r . y bre ast all sh · ny ri i:; t so et i s is in this g t o e Lor .1avc ,. ere' on i f ee a c;a r c.en in my out bet .;reen my l eg s i see a tree . n Or dinary .Joman is consciou s l y mma1:; and t'he ,roeTTls , like those in o t her vol ume s, dea l with eve r day ¥7■4fl- "or ,aJ-ta. ,Hf~ become more of the r.1 _ (' l p LutiLle cL\ for1 _inar y~ I\ hin" s . Howeve r, .,._,:,,'1as sti~ , usin~ surreal an d al uso r y ima ge r y, a s i n " Ka li," t,ho.L';Y, -th ere ,s " The Coming of TZali, " " Her Love Poem~ ' a nd " Sa l t ."A'Cod 's Hood " : • �(() .:e is tire j o [ cone , 1• V it breaks . lle is tire<l of eve ' s fan cy an<l a<lam ' s whining ways . ,. ill\i <@ntr OCl Cornish is a poe t , teac 1er and editor . / (~ A,..dt,...._J (19 63 ) , -=-=..:;.__,al!ll~...=-:-..:;.:.;=-l~ ~ 9 70)~ th ..t.r.ie Wi bo oks inclu rf:\ 'en ~ r a tions ·d th i·i . Lucian , he edited Chicory: ....,,Younc Voices ,9!) which developed into a series still be in::; pub l i shed by the Enoch Pratt Fre e Library (Community Action Program) . ed it or o f Ch i corv i s :•:elvi n E· wa r d Br own . Current Co rn i sh ha s n uch s t y listi c ar.n:11{, nit ion and is a preci se navigator of l an~ uage . Ee tells 'n u~:-'. CLASS G I'..LS F I T I Cl.I PPLEu FL~GEl!S ,;AITD,G FO~ , IT: TO LI GHT TffCIR C GXR •,'l'iS " \ yo ur finger s '--' fol ed in your lap con tr ol the serpent i n your eye s your face never s tarin;; with a ST'lile in yo ur ruffled your eyes po:,ulate the 1ric.· wi t h re s t less s tares . The influen ce of Cornish and othe rs c an be seen in Zxpress You rsel ~(l973), an 11 antholo gy of student writin g s 11 from ~Qmondson Hi gh ~choo ~ and I Speak (1973), poems by students at Copp i n ~tate Colleae-'-" the c OPPin Poets . F, "" II �~ (1Iew Orleans ), t~w Ex - Umbra poets C- ortl1 Carolina Central University)., c_norih Carc,Linct ~~re Vtvi'~tTy) Gates Wile s College , Alabar.ia ), Gera l d Barrax (1933J aY\o Powell), Leo J . . :ason (_\tlanta) I\. .o .. en zo T e tty ) , Ladele X (Leslie , . T~onas . The 're,tnl ~ receive ,$ an<l s give1 new blood to po etry t irou ~ . Co~ltr'\ U 8A!l ,•: c, : Sor.1e we J ef f e r teachers co and frorc. the So uth . ~known o ] <ler n a::1es arc , ohns o~1':(James ), Bra i thwa it e , To l so n , Jla7dc:i, a 1 cse ,. ---'••vt~...,.a.t 1·,pt(t.11 yu,.s. ,;, #te _A~;..4 ~ ~un ~er p oe ts ~ ou t a re 1 udr e Lor e (T Ot!al oo ), Redmo nd (Southern ) , ~fr i ;"ht (Tooga o o a n d Ta llad e ,,a), Spe /i , an (' lo r e house) , and K~ ositsi l e (. or th Ca r o l ina ~ • ment . 1iJ: --~ 1 EL IA.cl r anat ic C an" e & T). s a re s ult , bols are everywher e : 0 ti, {3- ac, w nsc ou ness T 1e Free Souther et and t~e Das iki theat e rs '--" in Jew Orleans, SUDAN Sou th /Hes t poetry-rausic theater g ro 11p i n i.i.ous ton, t he Theater of .\f r o- Arts i . !iar1i, a;;c. .\l an.ta ' s i",. a c ": Im.1"e . o r ;;ani z e·: t h e Cen t e r fo r l, ac:.: .·.r:/ f1ic' In At l an t d., SpcJ/i a n pub l ishes ~:w t :.": (1 9 70) . S t one bcr...11 e e<l it o r, :J.,0n (S ize:-1on 1 e 1: 1a rlos ~~i·-::'.ce::1 i ) poe try e d it o -::- and Spellman e J it o r of e ssays a '.1d f 2atures . The s-1:~:1e r to fional cl L . Gra:10.r.1 (l l;/, 'i ,... ( l S: 71; issue 7".... , :'net-th eore tici un ~-;.10 succccdeJ l~ille:1s us Ji r cctor of tl e 1::ri.ters Worl-.slwp a t risl~ . ~wcl ~mb l · 3.1e t:1rce coo <.s : Grah:m , who was a lso o. nusician, B ::.c\ Son~ , Soul .._,; ro tion w and Soul ,!otion I I ....., Rhytim sai<l he '\.,as runnin'._', o:ie of t~e b:idclest ,10 r kshops in t'.1e Sou t h " and " te':ch ing a t t he Revolutionary Peop le ' s coller; e in ,:o.s. vill e ." 11,~ ,..-.fu.,enT,o.l :t"sm\)te ,f 'the ~o..~~ World, AL.so In "-\L~Vl\O... \~ - :1ar :3aret .Ja lker , a lo, z.;.:- tine teache r a t J:.ickson Sta te Colle~e ia :iis sis si?P i, '.10s t eJ i.n 19 73 tlle b it c c nt ennfal cele r a tion of th e pu lication ~ - -- - - - - - - -- - - - - �. .(. of Phf l lis l. .1e.:1tley ' s PoeP1s . He r m:n r,oetry , :1mjev0.r , h.1.s ch.::in 6 c,J sm:i.e~,ha ~ T'ro :)hets f ron t he stanc e s;,c too:z i n for ~'.y Peo 1)l2 . an<l Octob e r Jo urne~ (197 3 ) a r e tl i f:icu lt t o ju<l:;e a ~ j11e st her o t :1er ,.rn r lj ~ turned to t l1e n ov e l in t he fi ft i e s a nd sb;tie s ~ were p ub l i shed i n jou rnals iJetween 193 0 and 19 60 . t he / ivil,,f-ght s {ovement , about 11 c:::::'..' s eve ral poens i n Oc t ober Al I D !!!" She .-rit e s Birr:1in8han, 11 " Street De mo ns t ra tio n, 11 " J a e s on , :-tissis s i ppi , 11 hibL,.c.o.L on Ha s h ing ton , and t he ~ J}u-f/!,Ji,w~ rophet s ~ • Prouhe t s i s a ch roni cle of ~ ant: IJC lid for a ':e\-; Day (197') ) ro phe t s : v " J e r er.i i nh ," " I sa i ah ," " A..-:1 os; 11 ~ the ;Iarc:1 and " Joe . " ( :alcolcr , :ledgar Ever s , Andy Goodman , Michael Schwcrne,J) - J a mes Chane).) . - . __, ought " opp r ession" in Louisiana, l:iss issi::,pi a nd Ceor;;ia . ,(AA Oc t ober isAa quieter noo<l , e~ployi~~ a v ar iet y of verse forns inclu<lin 6 the ,\;\. bal lad in " Harrie t Tu .>uan ." I 1 "1'r9tl v-e. t wd Li<• ... s J I 1- !\own uni9ue , ·' sonnet · is IJ,,d. Hc Leod Ile t hune" and " :or Paul Lm-Jrenc e Dun bar ." seen in " For ;-:ary ,('ne ear l i e r p o e t i s su g.; sted i n " I want t o Hrite" ! · (i,, I m mt t o u r i te s on '.i s o_ All· ce nI', a l : e r , nave i' s~ t a11 • poetuni st'tarl !Jlltll e , ~ wit h n ::ir'."; o.ret Hal k er . and Revolutiona r v C:::.S, a re Once (1968) / ~ J ~ - - - a pun . Her poems ,11c.LvJe A'mjf(\her ovt~own g eneral e x J criences, and f\.some sa tire. Once relates t he stor y of the you n e / beach in AlabamaA\ in the " nuJe ." "' st a te of '-.' 1.' ss1·c::s1. · pp1.· ( :JAc · ,:,.,.,·,) ~ e tunias (1973) t '!-le ti tl e of wh ich, judg i n~ from ot her riz hts a ctivitie ~ to Pe tunias: ~ d i e r volumes s t a temen ts she has .na de , is p rob ·1b v civi people . 1:iy l ac <. A peen in man who wanted to i ntegrate a wh it e She announc es 1er deb ts in the dedication Ge o Y." ~e Jackson, " heroes and heroines, and f ri end s of early S~JCC," B~b Moses, an<l Fanni e Lou Hame r . These poems (written in p ersonal t o nes) deal �fol:<l with historY; ~ 11 r ona n ce " t h at " s tr en;; t h a nc t he stuff thej -a ck South is made of : 0 ssome<l " in pc, s a t fune ral s ; wo:::en wi t 1 fi sts t 1'1t 11 " b a tt e r ed" doo r c: ( ''S unda y Sc .1001, Ci rca 1950'')j a " ba ckwoods wo::1a n ,,1h o kill s her husband ' s n urd e r c r, t h en r emind s her exe cutor s to wa t e r t , e II pe t unias . And she also wr ites of a different kin ij of a ,.,e " : The sil ence b e tween y ou r wor ds rams i n to n e like a sword . f Yet an~the r Hi ssissif,,1-an and poe t is Julius Eri c TOompson, a histor y te ache r at Too ga l oo . Hop e s t ied u p in Pr om i s e s was p u lished in 197 0 and aims a t :;.. l i ft i n g t he new c onsciousnes s above me r e " hopes . bei n g a p " Black 11 nck I!lan . in Hiss is si?P i, "Delta C. il r en , ower . 11 Th ere i s also a ser ie I n Lo uisiana., nuch n e ' ? oe t r ha s neiadui p oets ali.:_e ._ re s s, in ow (\in er. eWe 1 i dd e r, San Fra . cis c ~ a T, ompson i1rit es about 11 .1artin Luther Kin:3 .._, ; nnd of poems on Af r'c a . een flTfl,1~ from the pens o you ; a nd «,LL . C. , /\edits Hoodoo ma ~a zine throu~h Ener ~: le forner 1.y c o edit e d T ; e .eva, "ew Ye r . Cr> 1) V ok i e/ h n s ed in l oodoo I, dedica ted t o t wo f l ack st uden ts killed b y po licemen on t h e campus of Southern u nivers i t y i n November of E',2 , co nr: a i ne<l uor.. b:r Lorenz o · 1on.:1 s, ~·ay ::ille r, P inki ~ Lane , . 1 amu Ya S a 1 nam, J e rr, " arJ, an-,➔ ot.,e ' ,,-.. .ba se <l poe t s . '-a r sout.h @oli@..__,; - 1[00<100 2 & ::i, ~ a doub l e is sue :>ublis r,ed in 1975 , con t a i ns u orl~ of r.iore s out hern poe t s : Ar t:1enia Bate s ,~il lican , ,\li c e 1!aU~er , a n d Charl e s Rowe l l , as well as s e l e c tionS frora t he b r ander worl d of;'1-.:ic l. wr i tin~ . Ener g Bl a c k South Press wi ll a lso pub lish A l i .,ger e d M,e n , Zu-Jo_ t on ' s first vo l ume o f poeras .1 /~nder t he guidanc e v11ive rsi'v of t he la t e [ ng lish c ha i rna n , !!elvin A. But le r , So uth ern1'est ab lshed the sho r t - lived Black [ xp e ri e ncc , t.1e f irs t iss u e o f which con taine d s everal �po c .1s edits b y ,\lvin Aul; ert, a Sout:1e r n al bsidian: 1, nus ,,ho now resides in ::eu York a nJ Black Literature in 1;.eview . Aubert ' s A'"' ainst t he l', lucs \,- (197 l) surveys blues , love an<l :1is Louisiana herita6c . i1inkic Lane, nt:!\, Englis h Departnent h ead at South ern , publi s 1ed lin<l Thoushts (1 9 72) a s well as severa( /r-::;;;;~d'!s: , Two Poems (1972) , Poems to , Cy father (1972), and Songs to t h e Dialysis Machine (1972), all lHou 6 ht out by South a nd '.lest, Inc . , of Ar,,ansas . South and Hest is also t ~1 e publisher of t l1e annual Poens b y Blacks (197 0 , 1971, 1972~ for which Pink ie Lane has beco1:1e p e r n anent ed itor. ilutl e r inau~u r a te<l t ~e annu al Bl acl Poe try Fes tiv a l in 197~. In t he pr og r am o f t h e fi r s t f e s t i v al, he stat e d : r The Black roe t r y Festival prov i des a rare opportuni t y t o b r ing t oge t h er p r ofe ss ional an apprent i ce poe t s in an effort to d e fine a n d le3 it imi:3e all for.i.s of rnac:: poetic talent as a ~relu<le emu pos t l ude to tlefining a~d lc iti~i2in~ t he reality of Dl ack people . 0 Eo?efu lly , t he r es u l t s of our effo rt s wi ll be a bet t er under¼-, s t anding a nd a ~ r cate r a~prec·a t ion of t~c lives , asp ira t i on s ~ d a chievenen ts o f Dlacl~ !1e o p l e . t<--~ inc.tvc!,hq -a..-1:he festivals ,fk A) !ta a ttracted a nur.:b er of poets/\ ::~ ~ ~ &.k'J ~ hy0f t~, ~ p,.i111 ~ Si,tcl."'J Sonia Sanchez , f\i-,andall, Re<l:uon<l (writer - in-residence , s umr.1er s , 197 l ~ 7 2) ' I\Zu-13ol ton, .lb.'i"'t Cotrt•JJ. M11tlf'll.tts1 1;eu,•J Knight , Aubert , ~Luc1.lle Cliftt i::i-:,r a l m:m Salaam, :;eal ,,/\u<lre 41.or<let a n .kLaurin . B proql'4IYISJ The ~ •• rl ll!t+- whic Irr.ia -..:.,, include d student poe t s and musicians , h ave i nspired a Poetry !fritinc \forrnhop under the supervision 0~ well , an English i n s tr uctor .</("The first~ ~oluri1es o f Poems by Blacks c o n t ain a rich l o de of southern poets : Leon E . ~:iles (Phi antler Smit1 ColleEe) , Elijah Saab (Litt e ~ ... /tff."Y (i;hso"Cfallo~ .. Cotte,a~ Roe;·) , Booker T . Jncl<.son (LittlcJ oc ~) ~t\y B~c«.C.l.e"'avnc Owt11 C0Uf9 (i'.Ier:iphis) , t(\ r thur Pf i ster 'J , A Eddie ~~,tA Wil.r(l~,_,,,-~) Scott Gfet:!phis) •A.O tis ,Toodar<l ,, (Tuskegee Ins t itu t e , Beer Cans Bu llets Things & iec e s, �L, nd4,. HtNind; 1972) ,/\.r!pto':l P earson ( ad:son, :'.ississip_ i), k T.:lcquel ,n ~ryn.n t benv,\ s H- o.. ~~tU.. ('fo.UMA~see); C'criJin. n , ~ oi.s 1t,.t. fe.dd___ Hi l ler ( Baton ~.ou ~e ), K ar ara Jean ;(ni3 .. t ("emphj s ):11\ ~2.ml 1:a t l l~ccn n.eed • voL:al ) (sJ.tdii~,\ ot edit th e fi rst two i.ssues of Poerr.s /\ ") ( Shrevepor t) . SC i s s .e a cteLl as advi_ s e. , r and 1 er own uorl: was sn stantially r ep r esented . . ee1i\. 1 a £i iftec~ wo r dl1:1anip ulnto ~ with ~onl unna t e skill a nd ~ assion . !orth of Ea ton "Q.ou;.> e/ in :·i ew Orleans, the fre e Sou t hern T' .e t ~r burned out 1t out o y th ~ l u t e sixties, it s .,orksho;.is c a111e n ~o. b oJ which Tom Dent, one of t he found e rs of car ri e s t e wor· of BLK, RTSOUTH writers . Some BLl-(Aln s ouT:l poe t s are 9al.o.arv1 t i on . FST, and tMl m •f\nou ~o i ntly ed it t h e publica / I (Bar bara ' ln..l c olri ), r\.ayr.1onJ ;'cnt , Saln..an , ?,e nalclo Fer nar e z, :·ayo n ov e'.cle n t a r c o fte n ex? r esseJ ih:: tt ~r outsi<l e or- ,__ ...:.._...,- ?oet r ·:::::_:::y ., ,....,.. Q L1 l_..,,J .., :ash in:; t on rv 1· ·1.ons . , . ,.,. ,0t t o ) . .J'✓ro'.:1 t.1e ,_., ✓ Afro - .\."'TI.e rican s alvati on . ,:e a dv i se s ula c l:s to spend l es s t i r.1e r appin;; drink.in~ a a<l nore tiI'le ,-;o r::in;; for S tat 1• lJecit /ul _'/ :1e c2.··se . ,.1.1u In " -:'-ay Ci1a rl es at :tissi..;sipµi s ay's : I bear pe ople wa it i..:; for t:. ·. rio t t o '.Jc,;i:.. in 0 • I.1ea rt s .• .. t .. eir /' Of " The P. lues ," . alaa1:1 says : --~ { , IP> ,\ ".' - . (/ ·-- - ~~b ·· · · I"', i t is not su mission . ~ .... ;~ut t:oe. nuch of his wa r :-. is speect t . 11 Sal.::ia::i h as also ,>uhlis:1e J Eofu ::i ·wenu : ~Iy Fear Is / or You (1'?73)') \-1h ich receive<l a 1-ri ixcd rcvi cu f r o:n n.owell in t h e , �is . ae of 01::?c:: '.·'orlJ . ~J~ h.:ls ~ an ~ Vtl Lvo.ble ::c,-1 J\ Gr cans - ascJ 1:ilac:.~ Colle',;; i.:r··.1) editor pubLt,Ji•n, ell ow ,LK.'\RTSOUT :e r ner iiayo urites a " edtir.:e S tory": ._an c:.;:ch::mGe betwe en r.1o ther and son about " revolution ." .\nswering t :1e son ' s question , "~hen we go nna have t he revolution? " the mother " But , says " ~ oon1 son . If The other poe t s cas t igate ~ hitey an' praise Blacks . ironicallY, they write very l itt l e abo ut southern life . Den t curr ently leads ") the Con~o Square lritin3 ~orkshop . Dillar an Julia ~1oonl i 9 T1ere are also writing workshops at ,~avicr _;{i1iversities . . cu~l\tr\ i~lds , ~ ~ i v1.ng in North Carolinn, brou 0 h t out East of tly 1t i n 1973 , u t one of h er mos t e loqu ent t est i non ies is " Hi gh on the I I o J" \ hich cs t ab i s h es .1er ri ::;: t 6 " r ut" or " 0 -11 . 11 to hav e "caviar " or " Sh rimp scuffle" over ~e nenus an po litical stances are over exoticizeJ by revolutionari es, she says, ,:1..<l she has " earned " t 1e ri ght to do w~rn t she li · es . "' c :c::s even hear :~as pai er due st clo.►t "· ;n tf) ·:.'.lus " sc rear1ing and " oma tici zing pa in . " and irn<l eno •~;h p ressures f r om 1e su t le~ ., le,e , Dut irect ~ ( s•,...e•• ~~im:n;shtw_.tll@ ~e"tt-r. Ai1.1i1Y" ~""1":'""""'s•f ...... ~l'Jll!fl!lli ht111Y".~.\.,L11: e=:Wts · aiill.:- 1e1) of Julia ot.1 sides of the color line . "h'~'lfo~..e F .. .,. iel s suggests ~ ca~~~~~ ~~v e r Ilut she Jna c k poetry. -- v.'- 1.· 1 e ns / • __1 ry st1MJ21. ct TT .. r 1.' t e rs /) f Conferences at Fi sk l' ive rsi ty, t 11e mos t ir.1portant one taking plac e ia p r ing I\ of 967 . Hayden, who had been a t Fisk since the fo rties) left in 1968 after a seri es of brus hes wi th pro ;-,onents of the .Jfiac <'. _}(es t h etic . fcrence (::,robabl_ b t.e s trm that soT'le ,:,.s a l'"!aj or · unctur c in t!-"le T;i_e 1967 co ttl, rake the came l ' s back for Hayden) is seen /ew/ lack writinG. Gwendolyn Broo ,s tall:ed .:lbou t it in h e r :1utob • t o 6 raphy , : :ar~are t i:alkcr dis cussed it wi t~ ilikki Gi ov a n ni i:1 their pub li s h ed " con ~r sa!:ions , " and Hoy t Full e r wrote ~lowing l y of i t in !Hae._ 1-:0 rl . l-!rit c r s ~ ttE.mlins t:1e conference ~vere David Llo ren s · ull~r , �Ron llilner, Cln r "-e, Bennett, Hargaret Danne r, t-: i kki Giova nni , Randal l , Lee, ar ga r et Walker, Sonia Sanc!1ez , Jones.,., and H.:ir 6 aret Burrou r;hs . ~ Probabl; held in the South fo r s ymb ol i c reasons, t~.e conference provided the first real n ationa l d r ama t i c arena fo r old and y oung wr i ter s . Gwendolyn Brook s (a " Ne g r o " t hen, she ha s said ) recalls b ein g " coldl y res pe ct ed " after just having flown t o Nas hville f r om " white white South Dako t a ." However, s he was among the f i rst (wi th Randall and Fuller) to take up the banner of t he j 'lack ./esthetic and the causes of t he y oung wr i ters . Such a c tion, of c our se, was dis p l e asin g t o a numb e r of white a n d _}(lac k poets, not the l eas t anong them Ilaydcry i,ho r efuses to a cknowled g e the existenc e o f a "s e parate" a est he tic for Blacks (Kale idoscop , ~ J anuary.., 1968 Bl a c k Wo rl<l po ll) . Alt h our,h the Fis k I -e~QMOLt ML fu k L ' has b een fo llowe d b y dozens o f r l a ck college s all over the South, Mi dwest a nd Ea st, ther e i s s ti l l n o mo n ol i t hic s tan d on • II b . rs 1,zeep tr •in;; • . di L a 1.re c t1.ono/ u t s ane ~- rite t o g • ve t 'nen a n yway . ~~d ~ ne in 'Y II ' . cation of t he heal t hy diversity anon~ / l a ck writers_ is the jour n al ~oa ts , published a t Te xa s Southern univer sity . I: itors arc Tor.my Guy , Jef free J,me s , Lot"tn301homa~ is tl.LS~ Assoc.lo.Ted wi't"i thE J>ubUc4,rt,n 7 urne r ~faorton , a nd r'.a:ice \.'il l ",:1. s . " Vo lume I , n mb e 1 ~~ con ta i ns e s says, a r t a nd t he works o f several poe t s , no st of t h en sou t hern e rs . ': The f poet r y , d e v oid ...., of monotonous theme or style, represen ts a broad range of interes t s in linl t ~uis tic s , subjects and f orn s . ~ gaz ed forever backwards." In ~ ' lo., n "a love suprem~ says1 "all my eyes 1' she ' 11 never kno~ " 7[ickey Leland writ es of vario us aspects of t he social and physical landscape, including the "Kink/ ) h ,:iire<l boys" who b ui ld "a rsenals of str.:iw . " Clarence \la rd notes in "Hanging • On" t hat t h e rent has gone u p, eviction i s ir:unt nen t, t he r e is no food fo r t h e baby , and (!!} a anging on aint easy ... . ,... r. �1 j. ahr.al j .' s tit l e " i'.a r ~l l'ea(: : 1a!,cs a Sof t Ass " i rap lie s the poer.1 s statc:ne11t . Tour.iy And fantasy eternaliz cs , " liLc - [1:e ·• k E t !1e T:1es of unity , self - es t eem , the : frican " raot:1e rland , " and i anger rer.1ain in t i1c n ew poetry as t. e :riJwest and ~.'est contr· i bute ~ ;nrilliance i mmensely to ~ and th e controve rsey . .i Ohio , for example , r ep re'-\-' sented a unique gat]1ering of diverse views on t he new cons c iousness , a ttr acting a number of poe ts to aid t :1e wa r. of ~;orman Jordan ( Kili:;o re ~ ( all f ~ Cleveland ) and Lern t on . ')JoJ ) , At\ins , Ja::1es ;Tow at Oberlin , Hernt on suc ~eeded Q,,-4 ~ P.eclrnonrl ~ . i , . & 6 uriter-in-residenc e there..... -cvv d@"el ,.,y Trou C began a resiclency c:t Oilio Unive rsit y . during lle rnton ' s leavetofjabs e nce . / Sara·-~-~~;:::J~~a~ also t a u; !1t : t Ob e rlin -:;..6./l,IJAy Howev e r , Cleve lan~ activity was s purr ed bllk~G.~J by a lon;:;; t r a ditio n o f, /l a c <. wri ter s i nclu i ng~ ~u ::; ies , t found er s of Ka r n u .:ouse) a nd At ~i :is . host o f y o u ze r ooc t s : . "' , n t hony 1esnutt (one o _ t:w T:1is c ont inuun n roduc cd Jord.:m a !1d ~ u<l g e , La rry Howar d , Larry \• ade , :\ ft ;; i xon, Clin t Nel son, !\obert F l enin"' (;,u \:a i s ma~azine) , Alan Bell , Ro land Fo rte, Ted l..ft\l~ Hayes, E 1\J uf o r d a nJ Di ~l Russ e ll o f t;w 'fontu acts . Ot her partici µatin:; "ritcri: ar tist s , ;er e Clyde S 1y, , -iee r ~ashid ancl Anett.:1 J e fferson . Suppo rt for poets and their activities c ace f rom va rious p laces : and Pos t, AL r o- Set lllac~ Arts p r oject , Vnited Blacz Ar tists , Free La.ce and ~ j.u ,iC:t- Karamu Ho us e whe L , un. . .:ia ' s p ays ',ere p roducecl ~ ~ ()I)~-~-~~ . writ es out of a stronr tradi tion of fl a ck hur.1anism nur t ured in r~fG~; relig i ous howes . His volu1~es arc :1,1.e Big uffalo and 0Sher fgem§ MiJnight Hast (19 70 ) a nd A Tirne of Black Devotion (1971 . ( 1969), The poerns cx_os c t c contradictions in Ame rica n ,/euo cracy and surv ey the " Hi gh Rise Dr eams " of ct I 119 Blacks caur;h t i n the urban:renewa l scrabble . Devotion, ded i i catcd to Co retta Sco tt Ki n/j , vibrates with conc e rn!,, for / 1.:ick studen t s , T}iirJ - - - - -- -- -- - - - - - - - - �\!or d survival, an<l a fo ci ati n with Fra;{.. Fanon .~ poet , Jo rdan is sorncti:::ies angr y , cynical and violen ~ and mys tical. He has r, ublished t h ree volumes : 1971), Above ?,aya (19 71)-f nn<l ,\·:ith :!arc. a Ga ge , different kin<l of o t her Destination : ti□e s .._, pr ophetic Ashes (196 7 , Two & &ts ( 19 7Li ). Ded icated to the " Cor.ununity , " Destination contains Jordan ' s best and nost memorable poems . In Cleveland he ener ged as a maj or fo r ce in the new. flack poe t r y, uniting the older tradition, symbolized by Free Lance, and the !·!un t u joets . Destination, first pub lished pr ivately by J or dan , was l a ter brought out by Third World Press (Chicago) with an Introduction by Lee , who sa i d he " l earned" t hat Hu;;hes had no need to " r e -writ e and revise! " ( ! ) Anyway , Destina tion chr onic les J or dan ' s ovm dev e lopment f r om t he per iod of civil ri 0 hts t hrough; (lac / ower. na r rative ma k~n;:,- amp l e use l "fe . ~ T:1e r e es s . r r anin ,. , f o r "I 11 alco b ve Jlis po e t ry is a ll free v e rse, f d ra1:1a ti s persona f r om ev e r y walk o0 -ack li s . , violence, poverty, een '11ira c le s . " and dancing , " but no"":, at Ci,- 'tltt t.Uey) onel i nes s and exal t ation of . c " de scr ibes t hose on r e lie f, hunr; r y a nd c ol d) 1\ e l i e Reed us ed t o be a ' i rl ab nu t town , "L;m ghing 6 s he is <lead and her zho st "trc .bl es'\_in a ~ _i:;i 3 J u · nc bo tt l e, 'need i ns · fix . " (~ usually~=~li!.\ ---- Jordan also spoo fs " Eiz:-i. Art and Al l t;a t Jazz ": ~ T'uck you an<l your <la·,m ver'"'s le t rne tell it li;~e i.t is ,..,. pas t fy ",:,2 Ji!1z - am~ fo;1key. t. e Lions '' (1966) is 111s r:J OSt an t holo gized poe The " a rmy" of brief -case-ca rr yin~ social ,,mrkers invade s / l a ck neighborhood s each no rnin:3 , pas!l out checks , raov~ quickly f r oP.1 one Joor to another, an<l , af t er f illing ,- ;,, �~ quot{ , leav i "before Jark . " The r e are ~ lso poems about r:rystici::;:1, reli3 i on , mytholo~y+ and ka r r.ia , incluJing drawings of eyes , trian:;lcs .:1.td c ircles~ all r eflectin~ the nwny influences on JorJan ' s work a nJ t he approachin _, ..., new Mood (Above Hava ). Du t De st ina tion, with it s short , e• pizrammatic ve r ses ...., and para bles , sees t hrough allusory , romantic " un ity" near the encl and n ount s an attack on revolutionary charlatans , backt liders of t he ri1ovement and t hose who view violence as t he only soluti on to racism. Yet " Cosnic ;.1i tchdoc t ors" reaf firms his faith in . flack writers work ing far into a " liquid nigh t' 1' the' prov ide the f ounda t io n U fo r t omo r row ' s l ibe r a t ion . Jor dan ' s b eli ef in t he r.iy st i cal , mag ical p mve rs of t h e wo r d c a n b e s een i n t he name Vi bra tion , a Clev e land na 0 a z i ne wit h wh ich '1e wa s closel y associ a t ed . It is " De d ica t ed t o t he Re s u rrect ion o f t h e .!e nt a l ly and Sp ir itually Dead . " . . Ohi o poe t s fou n d o u tl e t s fo r t h e i r wo r k i n Vi ra t ion a:1d o t '.1e r journ als ; Dlack As c en s i ons (Cuyaho ~a Co1rin un i t (Ohio Sta t e Cnive rsit y) ar.d Li. el ine : Co l l e g e ) , Pr oud Black I r:1a3es ~- 1en Ane r ic a . in z s Sh e Cr oaks C :Je r lin ) . Obe rlin s tuden t s a l s o pr oduc e d a sp ec i al f lac k issue o f t h e co ll ege ' s Ac t ivis t raaeazine; it c on t ainer! po ems b y b oth s t ud e nt s an d well: m own poe t s . Fudge , a staff member of Blac k Ascens ions, publis , ed Eig ration in 1972 . · .t;{Lmer 8v~on5, Jt11nOJ11 Clevel1nd poe t I\ D. , Fel ton (1934~ ) , brou~h t out Conclusions ) with an Iutroi duct::..on by Atkins) who praised the young poet for n ' t conscious ly engagin3 in the " d isfigur ement of percep tions" to pole1:1icize '' constricted kin d of ~ \If.Y'S~ ' relevance . ' " 1 j In " An Elegy to i~ ternit y ," Felton , a vibrant ~ oet , says : Tear- ducts s,ell , b ursting in a 0 ':i de ligh t of flood and fury . Garfield J ackson , a young prize- winning poet , is one of the editors of �Proud Blac k I mages . } any yo ung a nd older Oh i o poe t s are included among i ts pages: ~Forre st r.ay , Di anne Go uiJ , Jacki e Toone , Ibrahim Aslam (Chris J enkins ), I3a ttut a Lu.·amba :Oar ca , Linda Ca l lender, Beverly Cheeks , Antar Sudan Hberi, Le atrice Emeruwa, Roslyn Perry Ford , Ray riont gomery , Ki l gore , ()... Jordan ♦ ...., and other s • Alt hough t he journa l ' s ti tle s e t s ~,._conc e ptua l pace and places it in t he st ream of the new conscious ne s s , t he r e i s no un ify i ng t heme or idea in the po e try . John Hhittaker call s " Singe rs, Dancers " t he " doer s of initial deeds" and P1 1mp l emen t e r s of t he i nevit a ble Hla ck lif e . <;,\,- He rnto n , who a t tenclecl Ohi o sch oo s, became wri t er - i n- r e sidence a t Centra l State Unive r s i t yi Ee published Tl1e Co□ in~ of Ch rones to the i n the sixties . House of Nightson 0 in 196~ and ince then he .-!as writt en man. on i\merica ' s social/ se1:ua l !1an ups . in t1e first issue o shovs Hernton playfu 1 t h i ngs . t hi 0 e of lis mos t po verful poens appear ed on front a tion: (summer4 19 70)/ founr1er a d c<li e oaks and articl e s J ournal of Third ~or d Literature bv Troupe a t Ohio niversit, . " Street Scene" o ·n ~ at the identit _ question along wi th other When he '.!leets and s -r-eak s t o h i s " dr e an " on t l-ie " stree t, " he r ece i ve s an si:Jer: "Go t o hell, s onofabi tc ." Confrontation a l s o ublishes other Ohio poets; y eti its conce rns are broac_y as seen in the names of contributing e dit or s : v Damas , Ser gio Mondragon, Fernando Alegr {a, r•;ea l , Redmo ncl, Tam Fiori , David lend ers on, :.'·!el vi n E<luar ds 1 d Wi lfre d ALSI llaowe-1 ,~ictlll,i,,,,o,11,c n~C.IOOMS~ • Ca rt ey . ~0the r Oh i o conmuni l e sA: ci II · l(l t OST r '. Ci ncinaf t i ' s first s: . '" ";.J.' _ /lac~ t , 0s t ival was o r ganized by Nikki Giovanni i n 1 963 and ou t of t. is e ffo rt g re,.i The ~fow Thea ter . i;er ~e rt Martin (19JJJ ) , ~rew "ark t h e Nine ) '/ �::111 io:, u:i.J ( ther 'oc'''S (l)G'.?), 11:.1dc an i :11:1easurably valuab e contr ' but i vn to t:1c underst::m<lin~ cii j-ac:, puc try \Jh('.11 • c or'-'anizcd the P ul Laurence lJun ar Ccntennl.'.ll lu l':.)7 _ at t!1e l'niv2rsity of Day ton . Indiana heaved for t!1 precious words fror.i. Gar y , Indianapolis , PurJue , Terre Huute and otjer areas . ::ari Evans organized ar ts and c onsciousness pro~; r ams in In<li.:1;1.n )Olis and :Hooming -on . I An a Black Wor.i.an, ~ ontainL O poer.i.s written ove_ several years , unfortunately <lid not find a publisher until 1970. However , tie book deservedly received the Black Academy of Art s and Letters Second Annual Po e try , u arcl . Sh e has been closely identified with activities v'. in Chi c ag ~ where Thir J ~ o r ld Press publ i shes h er c 1i l<lren _"'s wri t L.-1gs t i tle po er.1 is :cnar:; .;:1 .1 spiritual , 11s, c 10 lo~ic.'.ll a n J his t orical j o ur ney of t !1e;{l a c k /' • s e " tri ,:;et ~-r c /J fincers " nou seek t'.1e softness of ny w rrior ' s ,\ 1aajor . o er.)1 • ~ ; ~~ . it co..1b i nc sv the ~~ -~~ -=s~ so s in::;ing or acl~ un it y an<l :\f r i ca . In bet of the ~od ernists a s t o ~ive the imp r es sio n of someo ne ~ar i _vnn s s c a n s other fie l d s iur.1.r.1ing .:1lon::; witl of ,,.Zl ac ~ life , ,;ri i ng auout eard .•. • J _:2,:'..::.!$h & techniques ,,it 1 a sw> :: s ~ Her one l y and JejecteJ wo::1en , sel f - pri de , v i olence, " T- _10 c.:m be Do rn Bl a ck " s 1e j o yousl; anJ Je fiant l y asks : can h:: Lorn and not e::ult ! - ~ -d Also closely associ.:1 t ed with the Chicago an<l De troit movements is r. t I\ 1. ge Knight (1933R ) , who ,J.:;.s serving u @:.year tcru i n Indiana State Prison when Poems fron Prison (1~68) _appeareu 1 -£2!!9 wit}\ @ a Preface by Gwend olyn .... �Brooks . She called h is poetry Vital. Vital. This poe try is a majo r announcement .•• • And t he re is blackness, inclusive, possess e<l and given; freed and terrible and beautiful. Her ovm version of t :-ie,)flacl:/esthetic was expressed in th e same stat ement: ''Since Etheridge : night is not your stifled artiste, t here is air in these po ems." Kni gh t roams the deep crevices of/ lack s piritual and psychic experi ence s a s he comb i nes the language of the pr ison subt culture with the He bounc e s or drives hard- a poet r y M of " har d bop" ~ looking at pr i s on life , love an<l ancestry. Exceptional pieces r hy thms of/ lack Americ.::i n street speech . a re the folks y " Hard Rock Re turns to Prison fror1 t he Hosp i tal for t he Crimin~l " Insane, " the 11 T:1e Idea of y s t i cal and m, t hica l "He Sees thr ough Stone, " t h e genei l ogica l 1. ncestr · , " the innov.::itiveAaiku sections, and " On U i v e r s a l i s~' . ~ lru.k.$' wh ich wa r ns against applying " unive r sal lai-, s" toA" pa ins " and "chains " in Ame r i c.::i . d, - ab i l ities a r e poi gnantly displayed in haiku "9": Hi s technica Hak ing j a zz S\:i ng in Sevent e en sy l a blc s AIN ' T ~!o s qua:-e :1oet ' s job . l~ni;;ht , w 10 was l .::i t e r r eleas e d f r om prison, also edited Black Voices / ram J Prison (1970) and i n 1973 Broadside Press published Belly Song and Other Poems . J He l oses his r each when he tri0s te- ove r --h ntellec tunl iz his poet ry. /{ ~~ ds \:» ~.01:' s'-'~Pt~ed, v IS Wi L )32& J ± 1 slips into polemics. & ~ p ;=-;-:-:---;;--. , , , • ·- C"@ri T:H?. ..,..,. boo '!!!'! B i1 e y s ong •3 t '1as some fine monentsJ but it sometimes However, Kni ght i s still stretching out as a poet, currently doing r esearch into oral lite r ature wi h the aid of a Curygenheim gr ant . 5.f? - - - - - -- - -- - -- - - -- - - - - -- - - - -- �Bell·, shows hi!!l pur s u in ~ tl1i s trad it ion in "Th e Bo n es of My Fathe5 " which smile a t the n o on i n " !issi ss i p] i from th e bottom !) of the Talla hatch i e. Fina l l y , a numb e r o f po e ts f r om t h is i ene ral r e g ion of the fidwest and South ar e include d in a s pec i a l ,Jl ac k j oet r y issue of Ner,ro American Lite ra tu r e 19 72) e di t ed by Redmo n d . For um (springj The Forum is published by Indiana St a t e Gniversity School of Educa ion and ed ited by John Bayliss , an Englishfilan . I t regul a rly reviews,/J-ack litera ture . Chicago is a ~Ii ,'west heart an · has a long tradition of/ lack/ rts, going bac k t o , and befo re , Coun t Bas i e ' s opening at t he Sunset Clu~ i n 1927 . l~wever, some of t he 1:1or e recen t forces h e l p i n g t o shape the new poetry movement there -theArm , da.b L.e a rel Sout h W or- K!,,lu, ta wtd . \ Bvrri v,J,J} 1 i d e Conraunitj1 Arts Cen t e r , ~J ohnson Publications , :<um3:: s~ JA.~•.,.~• Thea t er ( Franc· s antl V 1 Ha r d), the DuSable !!useum of Af rican Ame ric~ eu.c.(c. ~~ Cutlti~J , /i ns t i tut e of Po si t ive Edu c a t ion and ory,\) 0"'94tliJttic'M OC, Third 1-:'orld Press (Hadhubi ti~ Free . - - - .; 1alc ol::i. X ~ Sp eaks , Ell i s Books t o r es , Ens enbl e ) • Def end er g e , ~scar Brown, Jr . , Philip liJlan 1uhammad ( Artist ic Heritage 3 ;:uch of the new poetry scene g ene r at e s e Ful l er, Bl a c k Wo rl d mana g inc editor , is also advis6r ,OJto OBAC ' s Vriter' s 'Jorl(shop . I n " l9 69 (fall) issue o f :fommo , the wo r k shop ' s a n d Gwendolyn Br o o k s . jo urnal , Ful ler said : [l B ac k L, a ,my o f lookinz a t the world . The poets of OGAC, in revealin3 t ~eir vis i o n , celeb r a te t heir b lackness . I n t !1 i s r.1or:1ent in iis t o r y , what mi gh t under lif f erent circui I �stances be sinply a ssumed must necessarily be asserted . And the OBAC poets know-/4if others do not ~ that pale men out of the West do no t def ine for mankind the perime ters of a rt. This L.!!!.ey want all black people to know. In the /ournal ' s winter issue of the s ame year , Full er said OBAC mei'lbers were " seeking" to be "both sinple and profound." They display an "imag inat ive re4-, presentation of their e;~periences, " but they also seek "to be revolutionary . 11 In the first quote , Fu l ler ' s tone , carrying the ba ttl e - baiticg p1rase i f o t hers do not ," s eemed to cows , as Lee ave been a signal f or , anong others , Don L . . .own Lee ( 1 9421V ) , to cont inue ~is~t tacki on all fronts. s•e~it , " even o..w-t. There .......no s acred a nd since "others do not" know what t he youthf ul Ch i cago Blacks presuma bl y did know , Lee ' s a s signmen t was t o teach t hem . Gwendolyn Brooks concurr ed wi t h nos t of t his feel i ng , embrac ing a s it i;ere a "new" _)D-ackness and (un f ortunat el y) y> ::::::=- !_ enEag i ng in @ 1 I SJ? sel f - depreca tion: ''It f righ tens me to real iz e t ha t, if I had died befo r e the age of fi fty , I would have died a ' ~re1~ro ' f r a c t ion ." Lee/ f ollm, l n8 t he exar.1p l es of RanJ all and Baraka , be gan T, ird \· or l d Press,!a valuable vehicle fo r the new poets~and changed his name in t he early seventies to Haki R . ,'.adhubuti. He also e st abt lished the Institute fo r Positive · ducatioJ which publishes I3lac c. Boo .c.s o.w-e Other poets ,_,i ncluded in the editorial staf [fi Dulletin(<.with himself as j Sterling Plump p (19 40~ ), Johari Amini (Jewel Latimo re) (1935J ,..,.. ), Emanuel, r, Sarah Webs t er Fabio, the lateALlorens ( who launched Lee ' s national career in ~le,.. _, Ebony , Harch h 969) - and~Ran% 11 . OBAC was founded in 1967j ~ poets of varying t ~ ,t;; temperaments were a ttrac t ed to it and Gwendolyn Brook s '~ \workshops : 3 arolyn Rodge r s (1943 1 1 ) , Ualte r Bradford (1937J ) , Ca rl Clar~ (19324 ), �I ), Ronda Davis (1 940~ Cool: (193 ~.; ) ' ), ), Peggy Kenner (193 7; ) , :...../ Sigemonde Winberli (Ebon) Other Chicago= · rea /" Lucille Patterso, ) , Ruwa Chir /). - Th e wo rk of many Chica go ~a r e a p o e ts can be found in ommo, Black Expressions, BL c k Wo r l d, Blad~ Wr it e rs ' News , Huh ammad Speaks, and in the antholo gies A f. New Chicago An t h olo gy (1 971 ), both Broadsid e Tr easu p , (1971) and Jump Ba d: .J edited by (;wendolyn :C r ooks . T:1ey c an als o b e found in - nationall·,t .:istrilmted ant·10 o~ic s a:1d jo urna ls . 1_ as n c1::iG numerous other 1iil!.: Black h'orld , 0.. . n won b y c h i· cago- a rea artists . .. an-!. concept , was f'.concc. sio an d act ivists Ut1'11 l •,-t "11,,-t.•11. .tohnSOr1 Li~s'1~~~~ ,,,': _::;.:e<l aea~ s t ~:;~;;;;J\'<egro igestJ n e late six ies. Fuller , ~ gui<le,._ 111 11 c rgn a · ac s n e w i ma g e through the ~ - • • • ua ters of 1 ) c on t rove r s y a nd chans e, Eu t □any rea der s have been critical of ·11 Som e. _.. :Glac 1' ~:o r lJ ' .., - :_' :1rticulariz"2.J s tan 's , ~lac k of " open" forura on 4ts i ss ·es , .::m<l ~ t2:1uer jo· r na beeY\ c: to circ u::1scribe individuals and g roups . '- 'S ft1 n -f.n,fisp nsa!)lc a.i.c.! t o ~ NetJe.,r 11.eLeu I\,_. t he J lack poets and writers , pri. ting nu11be r o f accoL.1 <lcs anJ t l~c cor:r.1 erc i a l a ttentio n he and his poetry :1ave received . A sA~ pl i n3 of c ritics , poet s a nd scholars who feel he is one of the great est o f t he .e.: po e t ., u oul d h:.i ve to in clude Stephen Eenderson, Fuller, Gwendolyn Erook s/ ia r ga r e t h'a l ke r, Paul a Gidding s, Daraka , Ha ri Evans , Randall and Gay lL. �Gwendolyn Brooks he as s.:.1iJ :i& !11t1lL@j\ r ::-se~·-:nles Jesus Chris ~ .:mcl h e r Int ro i 1 <l ucti o n t o J ur.ip nae 1;:iils 1in a s " th e r.1os t sign ifican t, inventive , ar.J influent ial bla c k poet i n t :1e c o untry ." Ove r l o o k i ns , fo r t he nonent , the P\J.e. ~ qoi.sife,. ·be 1 !ila'.,·l\of r e a<ling " a ll " the poe try in t he "count ry" be f ore maki ng such P4rA.d-t1Y.1c ~ L J a statement , it ~ is . IIP • ~ln view of t 1e " collective" polic y ~ a::-id ?~$1l um,s, I · ~ t he an t i - ind iviclu al i s t w, 1; 1§£ ~ ~~ - .:illegedly forr.r'. t he cornerstone of 4 t he Chic ago po e try s c ene . 9 '~ ~ ~ 1~~1! ubl ished five volumes o f poetry : Pride (1 968), Don ' t Cr v , Screan (19 6 9), (197 0) , Directionscorc : (197 3) . 8 • tc :U 4 of t h~ Jlac:~ (1967) , Black fo '\ a l k the Way of t he :-iew World Selec ted a n d new Poems (1971) and The nook of Life Hi s Dynamit e Voices , Vol . I a study of @ Think IHack! (Broads i d e) , publ i shed i n 1971, is I -- - - - - -- ~ :t.:-r,---._ p o e t s of t 1e s i:<tie s ; b ut it r ev eals y like his other c,.a,t11IC I Sm) \~ tha t he1'a h a z y t ½i nl·e r ' t who l a c k s discr e tion a n ~ irm under stand i n g He spe nd s an entire p a g e , f o r e xamp l e , l a c k po e t r y t r a d itio n . illumi natin z and a pparen tl y a dvo catin 0 t he use o f t he wo r d " mothe r fuc(e r." And any boo k a bout ...,the s i x ti e s s hou ld no t cone of f t he press wit h out exami l ning t h e poe t r y o f LeRoi Jon e s / mamu Jara.~a . of the / few ,t'1 ac·~ )Oe t r y to th e .na n ' s po e tr y . .:tr k i ~fadh ubuti a ttr ibu t es t . e fa t hersh i p ut ~ : i@ it11 R ; ~ m ~ rscuss 11·_.._ There a r c oL e r , incredible flaws i n the boo: , for • ;1ich this y ounz p oet ' s ~...___.., nen t o r s ~ us t s ha r e some bla~e . As a c r itic, h e did not (could not ! ) cul t iv.:it c t!\e " d istance " of a J oh nson , Er e .• , Redding or I ,,---..., . I Henders on , a nd conseque ntly M a-1FetH1¥ la c king d i s cip l ine and tr ainin gM c ould not ____.., - r eal l y see the po et r y0 The boo.kl Is redeeming values, I such as t hey a re·; i-T.S . pos s i bly reside ~n~incidental ·i nfonnS:t :ion ·and tllll biblio graphy. @I �, . poL1i:r.:~ l 1 1-111a ~~c l"'~"'et'il i!l l'ill!'1MI il ••f•n• (Plura n, Cunnil ~lwm, Rod:;e rs , Gil )crt, etc . ) His t:-ie .es 11 ra n:;c fror.1 what 1 r t 1:m P . Davis has c a lled "The ~!ew Poe try of Bla c t Hate , t hr ou ;_;h l ove nnci jlac l-: p r ide, to t 1e he ~ ar_tl pontifica t ion s i n The Boo k o f ,: ,.,.,U .1i. rran ,e s sa: i n ~s a n d parable s stat ed b e tt e r by Aes o~, bush Life wheTrr he r e..y r f ric a ns, Plat o, ~ Daraka♦ and 'i:'o ls on . Li ke _ ik i Giova nni a nd othe r s , h i s -...;_; ea r l y work ret infor ced t h e s elf- love co11c ep t , c as t i::;a te . flac! ~ unity. ~hi t ey and enco ur aged \c\eQ~ wer~ :ros of hi s t ire a, IM!IIR"sur,nc<l up in the titles Thin~ I3lac · ! and nlack Pride; ~ :11s devices arc everyd ay conv ersation\t often not wellt '--" r ~n.r:,1'c.o.1ion 1 uroug1.1t bu t _,oi:1.e tir:ies quite s t.:irtl ins ~ .d rr{us i cal rhy t :ms ("T: e .:all" ) . T.1ese h e a<l justs in .:in often effec tive t yp oeraphy w·li c h raoves in parallel colur:ms v;rtically or ho rizo n t:illy on t ·1e pa~cs . Loo:~s an{~r:.ticaJ! 1 article ) ~:a :m'.mti ~ . , , , . . f \il.s wri t ersJ - as ,le oes .1:1 rmcn o · -..e poe try . "'1 Injntro<luctions to l is ivcs "directions" to / lac:t ~ .,.,.,r irst . _lr.p ressions . -~n Aa a~,1-ov-1~n~/ h ... c,l"IIC.iU <1.'1 Poe t's L-e:ith , '' . . .A le::;y for Co7.r.'.lt'. Ken t f.iv e r s ,,._ un- tall:ed- about 4£!£S3i oP caus l>vf r1uch 11 sex aml cirinl~, he sn:·s , ~ ,f!, 1' rer.1a t u r ~ i _a jl!!3 At:1e often ~otne fR4Jf d,e l a c k <leat:1s . Sr- sl:dwt Aof " t oo " I) oc t s who poe t' seldom die fron ove r e ;~pos ure . I,u t '.1e can unknowin 6 ly dabble ui t L "'lhe Self- ~iatred of ;.;on L . learns t o love t '.1e out er . 11 1 the most c omplex aspects o f / l a c k. l if :, a s 12e_;• w::ere , af t e r s tud y i n~ j-ackh i s t ory , inne_ 11 :JC r so . a ,1d 1,a tc (l1ith vehenenc e ) he �Certainly a profound ,H d tragic dilemma i s stated here$' since hating one 's color will not c hang e itt and since one has to live with it fo r the rest of one's life . It is a :soo<l poem for s tudyin g the so-called "solution" that ·, some Xlacl· writers claim to have "found" to the identity proble1:1 . r :· WI, ~CZ " ] , ' - 3 6£ CS!il&Zl of his l'ilOS t far.10us poems is " Doa' t Cry , Sc ream." 31 ]) ·: SHJ. 1/o One Praised highly by Stephen Henderson , t h e poem paraphrases t1e her { tical rantings of Ron Kar en8-, who encoura ged Blacks to renounce the~ues . . --------I ] ( 11, e..-.c~ yph\c...~ r) ,'i- ') A tribute to Coltrane, 1,._is largely Eraph ic j\;·Tid1 occasional areas of int elligi bility . t·1ere is this sa/J et>t e l f - c.isgu s t : ~s Then n i c ri ed fo r bil ly hol l iday. v t he blu es . we ain ' t blue ? How C.ovLd C.c,LTrllr\ ~~v -•evot.ved 11 w ithoo-r-#l,e bt..uel . t~e b l ues exh i b i ted i llusions o f manhood . r:ven t h e Ge :ma n Janheinz Ja1m ·new bett e r. (\ And cert a inly, toda y , ~-!a <lhubu ti r.ust fa c e t h e q uestion : _ i it " ? t. e b lues we re de struc tiv e, t h en b ow did !1e "make Ind eed, how d i d a n one " ,. ake it" ui t hout t he t o t em of survivalis n s n eces sar t o " c r o ss ov e r" ? Ha d h ubut i ' s i n f luence on t h e n ew p oetry has b een subs tantial , however , though in most instances the inf l uence has been in the area of politics rat 1er t'."la n poetry. r-.e ho.~ \\e lp e.d t~ \)GP" La. ,,i3c lJJ jth oiheY' ''. tfirJ''o P-tt,e)(rw)1Lo.ll'-folTt-YJ \-t, Carolyn Rodgers ' volumes are Paner Soul (19GB), Songs of a Blac kbird 1r (1969), 2 Love Raps ~ Got GYtl, (1975). o dside )~ (1969), Blues Gittin Up (1972) and How I 1:omanly and convincing , she .,rrites of young wor.1en, love , revolutio naries and music . In" hoen ix" s , e recalls traveling " with the wind" and hearing the many voices screaming blooc.ldrops of " Jazz " describes " t.ire e" at t he bar , 1 1 and the mur ur of t:lick nouths ..•• . �" .ebo l us!lina r ? :-:- '7,u, / e a s t u; ju li c 4/e t c . e tc . etc . " is a satir e o n " in i itan ts ." An ci s h e t el l s us tha t c? hits of r.1e s p i n ter e d irC_to a 1:i irror in " Look at :-1y Face a Co lla;; e. " T e se ideas an<l t hefiles , .: ind many others , can also b e found in th e poet r y o f Jo hari Amini, Plumppl: and Cunningham . Johari Amini ' s books include I mages in Black (1967), A Folk Fable (broadside) (1969), Let ' s r:o Sor:iewhere (1970), and She re ies heavil:1 u :,i on l ac" co lloq u i alisr.1s , usual y ach i e ving succe s s . s h e has other r an°e~ as can i9.9 / lack le , wh e re thev c a e seen in 11 Bro t ;1er " whic!1 ./ on g s for wo .. 1($ he " so il " o f fe e l t he sA or .. e a ble S 1 ( 1969 , Ha lf Bl acl:, Half Black.er (1 9 70 ) a nd t o Br eak t he (" r e e (1975) . fOU t her er wi t ha s stu~ • c a lled Bl a c k Ei >-q;lJ sA ( a s o writt e n a r,r ovo c ativ I But unive rs e shud e ~ ... \ J..,,' T'l u "'D' Hip Tale in De th Style (1972) . a 1~::. teps und in psycholo ::'~ , he C,,13) ) (!, His interests ~ l are seen ·n'\ tit le s -H:k:2 " Fr om , ~an l e ss Sis t c rs to Bi3 Bad Rappers," "B l ac :: ,essa~es" ( " elieve in · s " ), " Livin g, T uth " ( " olac\ ]1is t r ~ .. . a Lanne<l ep i c "), ,.,.l) L ,. ;::~,~- t eyr -I or ~J 1_ac~ u ~ \ _ __ '' II : ." .o t ,1e r 'noouJ , C''7c oF t.1c cios t pe r ce7tive , s:.<.i l lfu l ;::,.nJ i:mov a t ivc poets - l=lewevs;i;,.. is Cunningl1a1:i . Hi s one volu,:1e is T:1e Blue l~a rr :i t g_: _(1 974 ~ a nd h e h as b een p ubt ll.s'1ed ,..;i•..!elv i r:. :1eriod ic als . " ";'Le Clty I.i se s" 4s a ~c1<l s t iff \:oo•ien plac Et:)· .. } II .,t . • • I •...:~ic-n s J'_ve: • 11 $1abbecl 1 • .; " t '11e nar r ci t o r L n ,·:.i r • /' /../_Or _,n ,:~n~l.s urnss II ~ Gl5' • l '/On~• r r1.u11 :,r n i;~es t,1e senses; t he "' 11 II l .;y ,.,.,r;:i,1,:1s , an cl ,_1.., en +-..... 1cre l as a nan s tands won ue ring u 11 ows :; r e. c1 t oe t r y .• �11 wh? do~s t he riv e r fl oa t U? t o t h~ sky~ ··· \ -.A Tolsonian ~ t h r s t , " P-.app inL Alo n:; ,vith TI.o n<l a Davi s " is a de l ight ful comb i na tion of :foon beams & yams a n d shows Cunn in3h..;m ' s ab ility t o r lac e d i spa r a t e o r derin z s i n ;1 is poe t i c v i se. " A S t reet i n Ka u f::i.an - vil l e : _,.o r a n o te tlirm,,n t o c a r o l ::, fro:1 r oC.:;;e r s p l ace" i s a stu d _ of t h e " f r a gment s " of Bob Kau f man in who1:1 t he ,1oe t sees a madne s s unlH:e my m·-'!1$ ••• ~ 1f!.. _drr :1.· v :1.· n::., " "."·' r om the :~a rra t or ' s A r,r ·· :..., :.: Tr.:m ce ," \ a song thum.,Cl .: lmm a c r uise r f or a rid C:?J . .. Cunn i n; ian a l so ~.rites of o::.1e r poets a :i.d artists . t 1"1 com u c ti n:; hi s fasc i na t ing ex?eri ments ,,it h t he language , h e celeb r a t e s the wi de sp2n of t he hybr i d Afr o-.\ne ri can h erit.'.l::;2. ~ cert ainl:r, '1e re i s a ?Oe t t o be c lo sely wa t ch ed . ) Ar:long ot11e r C:1i ca:;o :,ac ts ~,~10 " Gi l e rt , :!v O\.m pub ~1ed v olut:les .'.l re ,,. P.a l lel u.ia s ( 9 7 ) : Ci1 ir.:. , ,\:1 c\:10Tvle'<l r- . ~1en t t o : r'l .\ fro - ,\.T'Je r ican Bro t her ~1968) ; Pe r k ins , r, a c, is Zeau ti ul ( 19 6 ) ; ~n:.1 er ~i ( r:b o n ) ~he tt o Sc e n e s ( 1 9 68 ) a n d ]{ev olution ( 96 8 ) ( " ::i ne:1 Dl a ck v o ice to a l a r m t h e es t ablis hment " ~ Perkins); rfar garet Burrou ;;hs , :1:1a t . al l I Te ll mv Chi l d ren 1;.11 10 are Il l a c:<. (1968); Green l e e, Blue s f or a n Afri c an Pr i n cess (19 71) ; Luci lle P a tt e rson , o.b• o. '"~ dN11tt114~ Hoon in Black (1 9 74) ; Steph a ny , ~-fo v in,, Deep (1970) ; Roy ster / 'AtheBl ack Door s (1971); Kgosit:i.le , Jp ir it s [ nch a ined (196 9) a r:c! For :'e lbn (197()); Butler , . " - Black Visions (19'"3 ); and ff ~ Je,f~~ To Pa int a Black Picture (1969). §) n o t a ll C:iicagoans , have been p ublished in Th ird ~fo rld Pr ess '.s ~ s erie s : ,.. An g ela J a c k s on , 1 oodoo/Lov e ~!a g ic (1974); Damali (De nise Bu rne tt), I J\.'11 t hat Ue l lav Be (1974) ; Fred llord, Aft e r ours (1974) and <f!l};> �Sandra Royster , _i~_o_n_ 1c_n__·a_l_k_· (1974). • wui"l Th e se y oung po e ts deal h'it .1 a ~ ari':.t y of \'\O. II"~ (1\llf j'\ subjects, th ou,;h u ith a n ll1 r, variet y c f forris; r: ostly , ho,·eve r, they ar c concerned with r evolut ion, self-pride, he tero sexua l relation s and/ l ack life in urban Ame rica. Gwendo lyn Brooks who, as we saw i n Chap t er V, 1 p 1as a vays -ee n solid in he r ackness and wonclerfully ma g ic in her poe try . The Brooks of In the Yecca (1968), Riot (1969), Family Picture s ( 1970) a nd Aloneness (1971) is not drastically dif fe r ent f r om h e r f o r me r s e lf . In Repo r t /ram Pa rt One (1 972), h e,;-a ut ob i o g r a ph: , she appa r e n t l y app r oved the use of a }{adhubu t i which t e lls more abou h is own r e adin 6 an,J writi a b out t h is g r e;, ~ woman ' s poetry . ~ Pefac e prob ems t~1an i t does Ma dhubuti c ol'lplains about 11er c omp l e ~ v e rs e; b u t her po etry h as never bee n " e asy " t o r e a d ( pr ob a b ly ev e r wi 11 ) 1 a nd rrio t c on t inue s tha t trad i t i on of tou gh ness , a poet r y v ' clds Meanin;; a ft e r man • reading s . She en ,l o: s nyt h ology , history , sarcasm and dramatic dial og u e t o r ev e a l wh i te middle - c la ss oomposi t y ev en in fa c e o 5n~ ".l a ter ~u'7-1~o~es 'the <l~of A V A• " a " Ri o t "j sv .. vey~ Rin~ Cr osby a d . !elv i n Van ree les, and a [ -~~ love. The "Black ph i l osopbe r" is t h e t hre ad t h at s p in e s t he section called @½d Se rmon on the 1.Jar p ~ . Th ere a r e t races o: her t en:; ~ ea r lie r s t yle, _.,; ? articul a rly 1er uni nu c wortl- sounJ pro g re s sions: - - -, ) a s "i1 er unde r fed haunches jerk jazz . An~ a w~ite liberal , obs ervin g a rio t, asks I, " :3ut \{'c-lY do T11ese .People offend t;1el:',selve s?" a J J in;~ t :1a t it is ti:-:ie t ";1elr . "~ a::lilv Pictures contains t he snapsi10ts of he r new youn~ heroes, t!1e people who helpeJ he r .) ecome " Bl a c k ." 11 ' ~ 1 ,el l-neaning t,....,,R..J.- 1 • ~ f~ radfo r d , and youn::; Af ric ans , t he r e :~.:E.: ~:;;J'~~e~';'/ is pe r fect , ~me she is ap p a r ent i y 2 5 sal ut es to ;',, osit ile , "' is a nonoton y of p r aise . --------- -- - - - -- - -- - - - -- Uut d es pite - - -- " _, 6 �struggling .:i.s lwrd with commitment .:i.s sh e is wi t'.1 the new poetry . In ~pe.edyfo 'the Jrog re~s - To~ i.> ln t t" "Speech to t he Young .'' dedica t ed to,-mm ch i ldren , t :1c sensitive mo ther- poet P Live not fo r The-End-of-t he- Son7, . Live in the along . c(J. vtioa-) Such 111B :t•i\come s at an i r.1p ortant juncturej when t]1e wo rl<l is nov ing ri ~h t . ; along , to use a cliche , and leav ing beh ind tho ~ " self-revelations" to look , listen and l earn . o mired in their mm ~ "one crowning salute to t his grea t l a dy of_)tl acl: letters was an i mp r essive antho l ogy of poe t r y and j( Tribu t e t o Gwendolyn Brooks (197 1) , t es t imonials , To r.wen u it h Love : a s sembled by Na<lhubut i and others . Chicago poets we r e only a skip from p 1 ac ,Hi 1 ~ Ga r y , Ind i a napolis, ~ \ a tl o~td I• De troit , ~ St. Louis , Cleveland~ Kans as City~/ anJ the closenessl\12 j int erchange s ,W■■li••~ on all levels . ~ ~o r i 11o tm-m ' s poet ry out 1:m t, like tha t of o t h er com.• ,mni ties , was _ . in t erwoven wit h rela te d symbols and exp r essions of t 1 / t h e Arts, Rev new cons ciousness : ~ •argaret Danner ' s Boone House for Cleag e ' s Sh rin e of t he Bla c :: ~'.adonna , ~·o town P.e cords , Broadside Pr ess , Vaughn ' s Bookstore, and a r ea/ 1a c 1<~s t udie s p r ojects . · The po etry hub for the late sixties anJ seventies, of course, is nandal l ' s Broadside Press . Randa ll has changed as a poet and perso n , he says , in way s t hat perhaps para llel the changes i n Gwendolyn Brooks . .\ " f a ther" figure among some n ew / flack poets , he publishes dozens of t h em (over ~ at this writing) , releas es new books of his own poetry, serves as distributor of Breman's Heritag e Series , and tra vel s widely as J l e cturer , t eacher , libra rian and tr an slato r of Russian ..;;,, po e try . A formalist b y training and temperament , Randa ll described his new p oetic stance in a statement in t'.o<le rn an,l Con temp orary Afro-American Poetry �(Dell, 1972): ,..-- \ }1y poetics is to try to write poe try as well .:is I c.:in. 1) l think I have sai<l elsewhere that t.w function of the poet is to write poetry . !~ earlier poetry was more formal . Now I am tryin g to write a looser , more irre gu lar, nore colloquial and more i<liom.:itic verse . C'Y I a hor logorrhea , an<l try to make poems as concentrated as possible . Ind eed+ Randall has tried to do just th.:it~ moving from a traditional to a loose, convers a t iona l ver s e . ,A and Aft e r the Kill i n3 (197 3) . 11 o lumes ~ Love You (1 970) Th i s he a tt emp t s i'~ 1n1en .andall is describ ing a g irl in an Afr i can village or t he " ~Ii rac le " of love , ~/ .e y 1ii5ii 'f senuine - and stro ng . r.ut [lt him -- a~'nrt Me'ltLe Afl/l hi s I\~ . po ens ~ "Gr een Ap les" and " Words hards fords " The s e and o t her pieces are n erel y vert ica pr ose, appe ar i ng as ,-_•• a)12d @<II.IP lette r s . to/ . Bu t he i s p ri;:1arily a li rar i an , pu _is her , an l ac k poe t s h as been anc rema i ns i p roduc io c1,c; r of Wit h C1 ' cagoa 1 or 1 , t i"1 ~c alua ble . r~e.Tihe.s A ~ ~ <:\ n cl e d i to r whose servi c _ his is s een n ot on l y in his __ a ya fr 1 rr ' cs ~ c has ed ited . " ar :;::iret Burr ou ~hs , he co edite, Hnl c olm: Poems on t!le Life~ and De a th of ' la co l m 'C ( % 7) , a fore si c,htful and command b c, ah!§ ~ a th L~ i3la ck P . ,-mr•,.~l\.'aJJJ . etr 1 (1%9) and T 1c Rlack Poets (1971) , the '\, atter""l:fflbalanced a nd apparently quickly thrown to gethe5 since it has practically contains no bio-bibliographical ma terial on the poets . In ad<litio.i to r~an<lall and Irar3aret Danner , other poet$ in t !"lis upper.:jidwest area arc James Randall (1933; ;---- ~-:.a Thomas (1930" T;1ylor Atlant ~ (T~ ••■ ) , Ja:;-ies ·~wnpson (193 ~ 1 ,,.. ) , Itichard ) , :; Lllimn T:1i~pen (194Sfi M 71) , iiaor.ii Ha<l ge tt, Hayden , P-ocky f"\1 o~~boni) (i'JL1 ~ , '.!al.:li:<a (,'N-" , ) - ) , Pearl Clea~e Lor.ia\ Wan~a r a (193 9~ ) , Ahmed (now livin::; in _l: ar,lisi (l<JlfO I ), A Ntc.~o~S(_~okcMP1tui ~01-nin~ etttt\,~1"f~ ~~P!!!'y~~l)/ �) ) , Carolyn Thom!Json (1..,4 17 I ) , La J;onn a To lbert (1956; Jill 1. ;i t h e rs poon ( 194 7.!.. N I ) , Darne 11 (195ON ) , Shirley t 'oo<lson (lC..,36/J ) , ;:elba :~oyd (19 50p <l Ba i ~ ' (190CJ Le~ ), ) , Stella Cre\ls ~ "r; a\-1i·in , . s (1 0, -, ,;'lb- , I ) and f renc/{ Hod8CS ( 94 q_j- Son,a orihQ \t" worik.s ) . A 'fl-✓- c an be fo und i n Ten , :\ Broad s ide Trea sury , The Bl ack Poets l and in t he small An 1'm por1' &.h"i lfolufl'le ~r,ol'Y'\ tl,-e. a.t-e o. is~e1= ed\l'o"" AL ho.m\si ~ 13 LAc.k. Ar1'~ A»tlioL 091 af'~'1t&e91'1S(wi#r indivi dual volu,'leS re:;ularly pul5lished b y Br oadside Press . /\For furtl1er del , 'NN ~6"'~~~ t ail s o n Detroit anJ other ~r oaJside oe t s s e e Broadside Authors and , rtists a d Ba i ley , 1974) . Ja::1es Ranclall has publi s11~ d Don ' t As k He Disas t er_/;j (197 3) . Eis poe tr l.,, 10 I Ara and Cities ,:md Other is ir.tc:-1s c , c onnancl in:; an<l dramatic. n " 1{et\:o r k r' ews " we a r e tol d : ~ For years 1e ' cl ~.1atc:1ed t ::e 6 rowing madness of r t.ic S t ate . t:~ T~ere i s irony un<l pa thosJ as in " t e e t Games;" ~ a boy is blacl~ a,., the a n cient cu r se o f A dif f e r en t <.ind of po e try i s written 1 fric ~ ... \ ; 0 o ~b on ~ u 10 intermin~les drum r .•y t hrns , inca~1tatory ne<li t a t ions an..l s l.a rp es tabli shment -d irec ted barbs in Drum So n 0 (1 969), / ·1tro<lu c ed ·y (>.-rendol y n Brooks . The poet is also a .-ft1''f'-i~i;.; who t e l l s us in " l:ntitled " t hat t:1e ni ;:;ht co n ta ins i ndi feren t st a r ~ ·· · / lay<len has been t ea ch i n g a t t since t he l at e s i x t i e s) wh c' 1:ourni 1·_ii me ( 9 70) a nti c I h; lin i v ersi t y of Hie 1i~an, his alma mater, he l eft f islc:!f- cs' er pr@ " Sllf9-. ::is Hords in the ---:..,_____-' s at L'!. t ~.e t:1ene o _ Jayne Cortez ' t overpower in~ \ " Fes tivals & Funer nls ." ir~ secl·s a p l a ce where man will no longer be called ni gger, ~ook , k.l t:.~ o r ,O'l ki e , bu t " nan ." There are fri gh tenin8 poems cmd terrif y i n g i ::-iages in T;o r ds a s Hay de n su rv eys the " Sphinx" (";ny joke and oe " ), " So l eda d" ( " cradleu by d rug s, by ja2z "), " l'odachror.1es of t he Island" �1 (" fin ge rless hands " ) and " El- Ha jj ::ali, El - Shabazz " ( " the ,'.:! .: in~ <lrear:1" ) . ~ € poet~ " Zeus over Rcdeye " r ef l ec t s on 1,.• visit to the Redst one ena l. It i s an intense d r ama , joining other great poens as a major sta ~_ment on ou r times . 4~d il'1~et-lE 0 , man ' s l\my t hic totem , h i s dep r a vit y , h is qu i xo t i c mov ements,ta -.. l,l&,~,v,1,t.,O t he h unan "loom" of tension- Lall a r e staged aga i n st t l1e . (\I' ot'tht backd ro p ~missile arsena ~ where deatht ma ch i nes b ear t he names of ancien t .., Grieco- Roman mytholo g i c a l fi gu r es . my t h olo g i es " t o "c or.:e t o bi r t h ." Such naming all ows " new L\r:io n g terms a s s o cia t e d wi t ;1 Hayden ' s ni ghtnarish wbrld of visible/invisible and antici;?ated violenc e a r e dra gon, hydra, basilisk, tulips, c oro llas, Zeus, Apollo , (a , e nnd Herc ul es . The missiles tower ("stasis") a sacred phallic :; rove!- ... t Appa rently t he g uides at th e a rs e n a l cannot sati s Dct o ril y an s 1e r qu es t ions about the missiles ' destinies an<l dan ge rs: Your partial answers r eassur e me les s t han t' 1e~· apilall . I f e el as t o u8h i nv i sib l e f u ses we r e b u r ning a l l a r ound us bu r ning a l l around us . Heat- quiverin g s t~:itc:i. / dange r ' s hyp e r sensitive s .dn . The v e r y s unli p,h t he r e seems f l af'll:1ab le . An d sha dows s ive us no r e lieving shad e . Dismal a nd fin a l , Ha yd e n's poem a dd s i ts own part i cular tone, style and la ng ua ge t o t he len3 the nin3 tot em of t h e/ ew f lack / oe try . Fo r , de s p it e .i s d is a o; r e eiTlents r,1i th the ) l ack / cs t heticians , t h ere i s no doubt tha t �" Zeus " r caffirns a b elief expr essed hy y un ~e r, s oI'letime s lo u de r , poets : _,t ha t the West e r n m r ld is doomed t o dest ruction a t · t s m-m hand s (will " off · tse l f, " t h eme of an approaching end is qui t e " American " in poe try, s t i ll b e ing preached e ~ b y wh it e poe t s a nd spokesmi.n: from ~obi t Dylan t o Lilly Gr aham . ?ic!1 con t ributions h a ve ..1lso Illinois .an· :'is sour i. diff erent states an ee :-: :nade by poets an<l artists in sout:1ern I::ast St . Lou· s and St. Louis , tho u gh separated by t:~e ; 1iss is si pp \ , have a mu tual history that The se / 1ac k c ommunities , a lt ernately warring a n d loving , uor zeJ clo sely to3 eth er ring the height of the o vement . Poets and ar tists u e r e cl r awn to s u pported by BAG ( Black 01 .\rtis t Group) , ifouse of rmoja , T e Blacl· s ml t h Shop o f BL ~ q/ in t wo goes bacl~ before t he days of the f amous Dr ed Scott / a se . B la ck ;\r ts v1~ -:1:-8-e@.e@@ R\v-&.- Libe r a t o r proj c t, t:1e House of Tru t :1, Imp a c"t House , t h Culture ,f\ Inack Expe r iment in Higher Education at SID , Soph i a House , :Zat e rine Dunham's Performing Ar t s Training Cen t er ( EllE- SIU ), Black River i· r iters , a n d t h e Southen d Ne i gh b orh ood Cen t e r. ~is r::(AJuttt) (1141/,- ) Some o f t: .c poe ts.' ~ area fa.r e Brue Rutli~J 1 1ea Sharl em G.!'r ant Sher man Q4~) Fowl e ~ ia Conley/\(w}10 la t e r joined OBAC) 'AArthur DoziE(S,,' llobb Q<t4J..L ) ) (who went to Lo s Ang eles ) , Fred llorto J ~ -~ °#..-.c llilso J enkinf) "- S,~p~ooLl'IS"'f ' ) ,, , ome ~in:; ;i ; tr • ltl liend~<r;..r l5:r t :::;rHe~,-:.~nn O, v~ f arl R e~~~; tN".n';:;:;.~Q C J~5ii )afke'k Vinaqn;JsrellA. Hayne Loftir/t) ")errick Hri~hrr Crc ~o r ..nt honl' 1'a therine Dunham, a nd oth er s . Wr it in gs b y t h ese poe t s a re incl <led in Si de s o f the r.i ver : / ~1ini-An t 1olo3y of Bla cl· Wr it in?S (~ Proud 1na ga z ine G :1i c ~ , Betty Lee ' s f fer s prizes))@.:J1i ll Cr e'3?> Intell igenc e r , a specia l i s sue o f Sou ' west e r (fallf ) ') A-Ahu Br(J(µf'~4.- , Ellio t ~, i ust ·, i3 lack (19 22'' (iq)i 1 Dwlgh, SaundWJ..Re.tJ'nal$/.!lf.t'f Sl-/r ~-e..V..'tt.\(s;J'e~ Z"'o~:,,\c,..),__ Red1.1ona~ 196G , se lect ed by>i.;t~dmond) , The Blac k Libe r a tor, Th e Cr ea t or ( 1969 ), Tambourine ( 1 9 6 6 , \ lite a n d Schwar t z ), Collec t ion (19 68 ), st. Louis Wr i t ers Wor~shop, guided by Shirley La Flore, includes Marci Howel l, Candalaria si1va, Patricia Williams, Wale '{!J,A new Amusa, Geraldine Col e and Debra Anderson . 53( J �Vo lume l o f Poer.1s J 1- bv B ac §, (1970) . / Dun as, u h o t a u ~ht fo r a year at [ a st - St . Lo is ( ~, 19 67~~ 63), ,.rn<l I~eJmon<l c ot s p onso rL~<l writ in~ prog r ans in the Rap-Hrite ~;ow 1;orkshops a n<l Black River Writers r;rou p . Collection was student-proJ.uce<l under Dumas ~\supervision , with Fowler and Linda Stennis serving as editors. Elliott writes , in " Tie Dream Time , 11 about the " spiroch ete womb " of r. ne mo th er of the univer s e, th e Phoeni:~ , and th e <lea th " fashioned at t h e end" of @ years . Great Phoenix t ha t s he was, t he mothe r o f the univ erse now l eav es t h e dreamer t i t , onl y h e r c r e at mur ky s e xua it~'@· . . \ <(,Elliott is a dreaner and jur r eal i s5 but Bla c is Th e Torna do in ;fy :~u t h (1966). ment wi t h the usi1ers in a d i fferent te. ..1peri He has t h e irreverenc e of ea t s , th e fun·iness a nd a rive of the har d boppers, and the sexuality of one in hot " Asexual Flight " says pursu i t . (V cl! to fh• lo&1.,n•·,,, to11a I fw,4 o # t'a"" i U bG"Ult Y.." le11t. "'l1h1ut • k,u .iLi~ , wm.oll'T'(o~ "..,,n', ,~st w'1ih . { in " P,azor llama Democrac -,.. / the t he lue h aze ~1Urts an<l nowt e hair is turning " int o an ach ing g rey. " g ladiator " i « 11 o.1'.L Coeva 'Yo~ 1':111« .,,~-~;no.y a ._.. of ~ c ~ ~ Druns fo r Lero ~" /\.-.... in the meant i!:1e • " the rine" ; " ov e r t he wlndo,,1 of my and finally " He r pouer in how ling wi nds " brin" s LY cov ers _ ead ar t e r ial insanity" ; " futil i ty L1 j a 0 ged crag s " ; " Kierkegaar d/Sa rtr e "; " li;~e d ri ppins A DI'-~: E T <;;,'-~...) Bl ac'.<. salutes "t .1e ror:. 1::::.01 . e i n...," ; I �OUR :;oc1 !" in " DAi' · r,- ,,.,,.. \C.ol"I OC.ltH m & run,y " is subtitl ed " a " Black is His "( a poen or ; 1ALCOL:! ~0 " ;e~·• •••-• is subtitlec! "the lib e r a t e s i-se • II .1 " Ca rry ing a Stick ," Fowler .'.:sks: f vho cares, t ha t I had yes t e rday ' s s tal e ,o,un for U breakfast? "Th inkin g " a llows various i raa r;e i trea:n and burst forth7 vomiti ,g ti ding s only t h e mind ca 1 h e ar . in t<at f:v..,-/' St udent - no ther ,o . ene t h a Va s h i n:;ton wr it e ~ ou t t . e p re s s u r e s on to y's \U~~ J1ac <. woman ,-_wat c 61 peo le f Scurry in; from sun t o sune , •• t Al s o pulled along, she s a y s I protest but still I r un . uses irony 11'> Loftin, a y oung po e t who wri t e s wit h e c onomy a n d s implicity, A?ummar iz"mg !r igh t · " R~e a 1 i· ty " : a n d I3 a 1 ll~l· n ,,,.... ._ in out o F t h e cott o n fie l d s CJ !-.J anJ burnin:3 suns to overcrowd ed cities 0 L; and shades of slu'.11%, necl::.ond an:.l Fowler founded wh ich ~r o u;;ht out Sid t!!J. Dlad~ River Writ ers pu blishi n3 company) of t~ e ~ iver . Currently under the sup e rvi sion of Cat h erine Younge, t h€.. ,1 ress has publ i s hed r..ed mon<l ' s volu1:1es Tof'ls (broa<lsiclet l A Tale o f Two \ 1963) , A Tale of Time & Toilet Tissue (pamphle1 f196 9 ), Sentry of t he Fo ur Golden Pillar s (1 970) , River of Eones and Flesh and n lood (1 9 71 ) , Son3s --------'-- - - - -- - - /r,m an ~ - - - -- - Afr o/ , hone (1 9 7~), In ;( Ti!:1e of I~a in t, Desire ( 1973) , I �,:rn,i ull L11 , !',loodlinl:s and S·1cr>2cl rL:ces (1973) . Thin,3 s u::ts published in 1973 by Cent~ o St di ~ l Con:.:;icler Loneliness ::is Tiwse Sc::i;-,, i Internazionali i::1 Italy . ) Redsond , a native of East St . Louis , strives f l:f) j lack fai:,ilyhood (inl>:iediate and e~:tended ) in his poetry1' though he a ttempts to do t h is wi t hout forced alleGiances , withou deed - shaping words J disfie;urenent 1 t 0 11 G lownaturally. hu:-:10rous folk port aits f) o~ ~ ~d by of perceptions, " ~ 1 -I · sts# 29 1Jr allowing the His poetry ranges from -----" Invasion of the ~~o s e": Hi s nos e was his rad ar , l:is eye s icy dart s that moved fa s t e r t 1an s peed- of- so und r jet s . e could r ap like a pneumat ic' dr i l Or croon l ike Smo(ey Jill when t he o cc a s i on a ros e to c onsiderations o f l ove un er st rain_, as in " Ins i e ; ry Perir.i.eter " : Inside my perimete r Of fea r s 1 uni t of z ueri las ~t r ikes a t t h 2 ba r Jed- wire Hov e l s t :ia t ~w nn: ou r love : That incarcerate ou r needs , ~ An i nsur 3ent arny Starns t:1e bastil_e of pride 1ells this f @ de of cus t o~ , 1(nells the collapse I Of t 1e straw :::en inside us M Accepts t he sun , Al lows the contorted face o f ~ �Stress to smile an-ain-'- "' N To ~low again! Allows Love to Live . Elsewhe re in the larger ar ea there \Jere/ are o t her go ings t on in poetry : Iowa , Ne ras ka and Kansas Cit ~ w ere Hilb ur Rutled~e (19lf0J • ) and others 1-~ • •t..&.~ (CM"'ttMtfN.•V Pla.ye~ o~ ~w c,Ty, assoc ia ted with the Af ro - Ame r ican Cultu r a l CenterAand the Blac k ~ iters Wo r kshop , t.1l.o4o~ r ec eived as i s tance an 11 ~ ~~ ~ exposure . a..u.trtvaa~...a;.,.y,o,he..kyWCA. Amo n g the~ ets are M ::;,;;;;, Spicer , lraylor , .-:ill e sse Hester and Jac kie Hashington . '\Jin Ant 1010 ° lished Wo rks 10 ~ • f b' Nvtb~J1~ are included (I' i zna, 1970~ andjfi!!!!hiRg@eR has pub4,- om.a I") :60~ a t the Universit y of Den v e r for t he year 1974J ,t} ....., 7~ where he whoTook. ) sub stituted fo r ~i:phahlel~ J uitts:;Aa leave o f absence, Kgosi{ile (1938J em1' odies Pan- •.fricani s n in fa.ct and s ynbo l. He was b orn in Johannesbu1;$, IA'~~ sumM•~_.nus:.K,os'i!fb~w•,..t1i 'lilu4hl¥hbe bl " ~~ daetJMiet-ii,Y o,. Dt,.t- f, fo.l,-o.1t1. ~ ~ · f t h Africa , ani1as been ex · led in t h e Unitet ->t.ates articles , poe!'ls and intervi ews h a ve been published ~le has tau gh t at s everal 11i.s · ---- ~ ~l!.it/1,~~~ .~eric an co lleg es and iversities . / Is oaks a lready mentioned, he has publis__h edited The Uonl is H~re: sinc e 1~ In add ition fri l,i (1971) and - Poe tr, f rom .· o<l e rn Africa (1973) . His own\oest etic stated in h is Introdu ction to the anthology : \Poe try , t he -1ord a t its no st e},r r essiv e , can be a praye r , a a npeal, condemna tion , enco ur a s emen t, affirmationl -the list o f endeavors is e nd l e ss . Andi it is aut hentic, t. as a :;thin :--, else expre ssive of a :,co p le ' s sp irit, it is Thi s c o ccpt he enbraces in his m-m p oems, espec ially in Africa l ~ in t he Int rodu ct io n , G~endol vn Broo s wr i t s t h a t h is r t i s l ife wo r ed wi t !:$ . .. ',# t st •One of the inventive an d Rut lin, has not ~t-\1ished wi dely. Ofa.mo.: Chi l clren of' t e s·u 971 w anted o · S3S- dwestern poets, B ee y original style on s: liver L e an J 1 ;;/ �His Afr o - Al"lerican brothe r s i nc o r :1o rate t:ie i\f ri can i s , s e comb ines h is own indi <; (ln i s:ns wi h a mast e r ed H'e a ssays t he who l e o f o u r t un u ltuou s tim e s (in Af r i ca and Ame r i c a ) , in te rmin ~l inz a n ac riu i r e d f lack st ree t lan g ua g e with a d er:1and i n g and strin~ent One Gf the most able cra fts1:1.c 1 , he Wl! ites excellent poems about childrer-,, form . uomen , violence , Mu sic , lra l col::; :: , Lu,.~un ba , Gwendoly - . Bi l ly llo t!idayi (1 oQJ: 1" "The Ni t ty 1,ritt Brooks, ,\fric.:1n J:::.nces, i n wh i ch the once furious songs are now l (, frozen· on ba ttereJ bl~c:'- lip SQ • ._. \ _ , ~ G>u,,t~ t\l't-otks 4-nd DwLey io.Nt•'<., Bl • t.f:tos,fi,t t ,s Wt-11'115 ~~IY ~ 9"rftl-'" - le. Po•1t-vW..~1iia!:' M_ .• • The poe t s of t:1e East , Sout h , J-:idwest and near \'es t are a bit more t,wn a hop , skip and j uJTtp fr om California , but n e ny of t her:i. were inspired by 'tf_ ap p e a r ances , national nagaz ine cove r a ge , a nd cross-country tours of the Watts po e t s . Born , as it were , between the Calif ornia sun and t he rebellion of l '.)65 , the Wa tts ~Jr ite r s ' ~:or :sho Sch u l er'; . was ini tia l y under t 1,e direction of ] udd La t er, as old e r writers lef t a nd n ewer ones c ane in, t 1e suner4, vis ion of t hO wor k shop was assumed b y lla r r y Dolafl and Herber t Simmons . ,s ,hie';# ~1ed of culture and influence included the Hat ts Happ en ing Coffee House , -,,-. h e s . a r t-l iv e d S.1rew magazine , t:1e ::a t t s /.! .ep ertory Tl1ea t e r, the Al qu t arian llo okstore, t he Sons of '.:at t s , the Lla c :" Pa nthe r s , 1:arenga ' s uS organiz.:ition, 1G am\ FreJericl~ ~\~~-r I tl et\:-i.::t t ts ,,1riters ,>rogran . Do u g lass Writ ers Lous s w:1ich .oused 61-MJ- groups were n ilton :'.cFarlant)_ J\nong those a s s ocia t e d wi t h t ~1is anJ o the r t\ wri t ing I ), Tr o u pe ( 1943 ~ Cl yd e !~ys (194 3! r ( cl .. !orel an ~1a y 1a J "i'..i vi J ) , Si nmo n ( 1930~ --~~a::IIIQ.- 0 jenke (Alvin Saxon , 194 7J ) , ...i'.ili ' Jimmy Sh en:1an (1944 .!. N Janes Th oPw. s Jackso n (192 7!.. '-ee se ~·[ooJy (1933~ Po em of Gratitidek l972) i ' ' ) ~ ) , Leu::nas S i rrah (l'JM3~ Cri. c Pries t ly (1%JlN ) / . .-- d y ( 947N1 ), Vall e jo Ry.:in I.enne K. Curti s Cleveland Si ms (1 9lfl;N ) , Fanit a (1943J ) , r!l'.mer:r Evans (1943} Pame la Donegan (19 4 3/ ) , Ro b er t ) , Stanle y Cro u ch (19 45~ ), John i e Sco t t (19481 ,.. ) ) ' ' ) , Er nest ) , Fannie Carol e Br own (19Li 2,6- ) ' ) , Jayne Cor t ez (19J3J Rutlin is~. a st . Louisan. ) ' �.. ~0.l\'\ClU °t• ~'no.m, ~Q. Blo s som Pm;c ( 19291[ ) ~0.M" 1CI.OtaJ - ---• onora :'.cKeller (1S'l l1J ar-- ~ ) , N arley Ni U.t'\C-.l.J;U,,-"""1 ,,ird2l l Chew (1913,7 nthologi e s : {fror.1t he Troup e (196 8 ) , ~ lh i an.a, a n 1 others . Their works a r e in ~ ), '..) t \:o As hes ( l96, ) 1'.· u mlberg~J and Hatts Poets and ~/riter s Other poems are scattered t hrough s uch per iodicals as Lo s . I -- 'fi. O'- pe s an1hol64)' 1 pu be.:~ he'1. by tht Ht>v1e. of- &spe,T, f\e Hec.T~d o.. Angeles Hagazine, Shr eu , Conf r o nt a tion , and \;est. /\ 1' • D.M en9 Wc:iTt.s u., ..·, Tb.SI /IU VL/lli ~ in lr>O(lpe t\.nci I\ dt,1en 0~ $0 0"1he1,,..s )'ot"M i11.9"the1r- owre ~~ovr. Seen as a movement, t he Wa tts group , in quality and quantity , emer;;es /\'\~Jo ... ~hA I<~- "P as one of t he mos t pouerfu l on t he /ew.)flacl:/oetry scene (roughly resembling the mag nificent Howar d gr ou p) . "-- or excellent, ther e i s Acourage For a lthough the poetry is not uniforml y good .,,..-- of wision j, style• an<l t heme• that one ~ 1+it. l ooks hard to find in NJ t her groups . '-' '-' This may be due in part t o the ::ni 0 r ;:i tory pa t terns of Illac s i:t t he Hest - ~most of these poe t s were not f./\ An°eles0 "-1.Land the r acial kale i do scope o f Californi a . h111atevc orn in Los he reas ons , ther e is a p:::- is:na tic ranbe i n the poetry that moves from the earth- won an ;.,.e, musicality o f J ayne Cor t e z , a cross t he allus ~ and often mystical excur sions of Lyle , to t he s i gni fy i ng blue s int erludes of Crouc~ ~10 some darin g and seni nal cri :::ic i sm in Dlack ~-orld and the oe try . Ai n ' t ~Jo A"'lhnlanc e s for has a l so written our nal of Bla ck o :-!i:,guhs To i ght (1972) is t he title of ~ == both h is book ar.cl,. Lp rcco r din 0 whic' . i :tclt des " rap " as well as poetry, wit:1 liner not e s by L:1 1 Q . Crouch uses fo l k forns and t em~ a nd v a rious dr aT11atic tcclmiri ues . ~ Ji4e intertwined wit:1 7 us i c ~ ~!any of the poems are dedic a t ed to/\1:iusicians a r ke r an u Coltrane ; others n tt enpt the conplicated spontaneit_ of live <la• of t he final r io 5 when there Bu t the poem ' s he r o , ~fonkev Junior, phrases and obscu r e informat"on �~ JI./; .whfctr h e c onstr ic t s into f rig ht e nin~ , s urr eal image s and s t a tes . " Sonetimes I Go t o Camari llo & Si t in the Lounge'' J scribes ho~ the roet stares into 0 ai,minr; of s p irit , " v i ewi n f; t h e u o rld as ye llow trur-ip e t s of s t a rvinr; blues h e a r in:; a \' i e tnan ese 1. ot!H:: r ' s " ultr a - hi'.3h- frequen c y screa!'ils . " '.Te are ''~ told t hat " cobal t b u l e t s " snas '.1 tl, e heart of t l:e "lone ranger " in "L1cr L:1as ) ~ 'I \ t h e re i s a need t o Sere.:::., . " Eor., e v er , Lyle ' s T'lost [anous poe;-:1 is " I Can ~;i;~~~:~;i~~i~~;~t:~;,~;J~~:~~::~~~~;~~~ ~ • Oj e n ke has an un liriited r a n:;e of intellectual and social concerns as he ~ sculp ~s h i s poetry fr om the dive rse inzredients that produced the Afro-American . ..., cc t: i r1:; 1is srea t knouleclr;e of Gr. eco- Ror.1an classics , \/ t l1e da r.. sol i tuc e o f a :ladean wo r 11\U"I !Ie ~ vtC1clers i n t o an cien t r: r e ece a n u !:/i '.:;e r ia in t h same poen . In " Ha t ts " there .::: is a co1.ur,o tion f' l.'.,,u.32J b:; i ~h tn i n ~ a nt l [ani ne , assrss i nat i ~~ tin r eo ple and i~o l e i rass-blatles? La t er o ~ ;) i o:3e .. es , _ e r a t es .:iml t '1 / ra c le of Delp.ii e nt e r t he poem. the s e char a cte s (o .I::\.:_? . e t o ta tts j t o fi nd Eu t eople es caoin" into a " toxicant" • 0 s ane t oo-true trutl • . ·· \ Oj 2n.~e aL,o ,1rot2 an l .1trod uct i o n t o Evans ' Eva ns ' r ead i n ~ al i it v , f'j e nka s-,i d : 11 (, oo:,: 'f1,e Lov e Poe t o '":.oo. chc ., " J c picts n ff.:::.nilia ~ s ~ to some : , ove r t y • ... Aoout " f.nnery L, cry · n'.; slyly into you r ear ." t wo roo. ches d ..mce a cros s th e room t o t he tune 0 (1971). t "c �Scott is one of t :1e r.1ore vell known of the Hatts poets . . n "T:1e fis 1 Party ," he s.'.lys : r The fi s h are eathering again toni::;h t@ ..• And f i sh- wat chers , i ;,;norant of the wo rld ' s problems , ge t their char3es from trying t o guess wha t the fish will do. During the conver sation , Sco t t t a l ·s par ~ t he tica lly about war and poverty , but a l l is exclanatorily inter rupted: i 11 \ ..}1)1:,t Hey , loot-? Goldie has "-eaten Jesus up ! a tt s , 1966" is a poem millions heard on natio,1.'.11 t heme of / lack ra ge and white indifference . 1'/ . It has the familiar nut Sc ott closes it on raemorable l ines : The nan named •ear has i nhe ri ted half an a cr e , <if an<l is angr y . 7f6t her Uatts poets dea ,'it love , v i olence, contemplat i on of fr eedom and r:msic. :-Iany l eft .Jatts after t he l a t e sixtie s . edit ~ Troup: \fCn t to Ohio n i v.e rsity ( to .,.....Ue r '-' j fr ontatipu) a nd~publi s1ed Enbr yo (1 973 ~ As h Doors and J uJ u Gui t a rs (1975 1 , and co edited Giant Tal k~ Third World Vo ices (197~), a f ter moving ..._, In t tor ~e11e..-aL V~ Q to New York. Lyl e , who has not published a volu~, 11 - '1' Washingt on _A.,i! University in St. Louis, and recently returned to Los Angeles. Jayne Cortez "'..,-,,.,, .«: since the late sixties. went to New Yor~ where she has lived and, , • Her three books are Pis ~ _a ined St airs and the Monkev . fan's Wares (1969 ), Festivals and Funerals (1971) and Scarifications (1973). C_g_lebrations # and ~oljtnd~ (1974). ➔ Her themes and styles are broad , but ~d mos tly~e~brace music a s a s pect and fo rm. j She has also recorded an Lp , Af ricai .{ as strugg le and s piri ~ is also a dominant theme in her poe try . Pis~a ined is e sp ec ial l y rich in its interweavin8s of mus i c and struzsle. "The Road" is "where another Hank moans" and is - - - -- -- - - - - -------·--- �J S t on e y Lo ne s om • ... , "Lea d " desc r i b e s t he kind o f hard li f e tha t is "cracklin hot a sunrise." f'. Lead , o f cours e, i s LeaaJe 11 11 whom the "nigguhs" d e s p e r a t e l y want to hear s p it t he b lues o ut. tTn Ow-£ T11t.u'l He r stru r,r~ les a r e _.A.simp l e "contriv anc e s" as they chro nicle the hardship s and i oo t ime s o f Di nah, Bird , Ornet t e, Co ltrane , " Fa ts" Nava rro , Clif f o rd Brown a n d o t her s -/4-a veri f iab l e poet i c t a p e stry o f/ dea t h, f rom one who ,,1 0uld(fivn<)~y Lovc lack e x p ression in de f iance o f 11 ) ~ . • • ea t mu d t o t ouch the r o o t o f y o ue .• • l Amon g o t her Sou t hern Calif orn ia p oe ts are Rob e rt Bowen ( 1936J Bo ze ( 194Si ) , Ki n amo Hodari l l9'1<¾ ), Arthur ) , Dee Dee McNeil ,194~ ), A,.,. lao- w IIQJ c.ou,-Tl'p...t"' 1'• f ..... ~ --K""4 ,,...,..a. oF 111&111, """· l...e ..,., , S•v~~a.C. Bill Thomp son~ a nd La nce~ Will iams . ~ '-Ps: , r t f:Lec.,IS-tt\Q 1.1 <1.-ted l fl Turetn ~ d bo.tk'JrO flr'lC$ I I I I I · . I t 1( I · F <1~~ w.. s Northern California } ~a lso b ,T, ... 0 o~~~:a: :::n:::c~~:;~~~c:n1::~:,:::::::1°:o::;~;~~~~:~~:~:)937! ), (m ~ ~~er (938.7 ) (nowat Bl'own) ,,..,c~s (194~ ), ! Reed ~ o un _ Cl _nl Ta " o)"" ), Ol" V'Wli.ndeZ- I ~ Cr u z ( l'.? 4 9,v )1 , "n3elo Le,:is ( 1 950~ -th\.lL(lr)t NK.o.tu·nc;2fatlq;;) ( 19 4 7 ) , . 'i ller, .,.Laure~1ce ~:c , a ; ~/(194 !.. :C), ~ ,, ~ om\!elc~ <:e,1L Brow~ ) , a. El l1uha j i r - -- ~~ • J oy ce ,, ,,,__,..._ __ kr ), LT . 194 4L ) Ma c !~ N ) , Jos eph 1 ), , ~avid Hende r sie,~ n Ec k e l , Glen ::yle s ( 193 1-7 £~n e~"t Go. it'\ s --..-- - Gc o r ~c Barl ow ( 1 9 81 ) • , ·.e r.:1an r own _ _ _ __, (; ruumb ) , Pa t Pa r ker · • • • • · ;:c Nai ' ~ I\ De Leon Ear ri s on (19 4 l ~ N ~ ~'a a An ~e lou ( 1 92 .!.. ) , f , r .:1'.1 We b s t e r Fa b io ( 192 &,~ ~ _, _____..- ) , William And e r s Alli W ~U,kewto Aru,e~.si (~s "•.,.~K/1.J. t't7f)a ~ -{a J ;;; a rea ac tivit y in t he J.r t s ha s been h e i ~h t ened a :1<l e nh ance<.! b_1 the San "rc:mcis c o Af r o-Ame ric an Hi s t o r i c a l a n d Cu l t ural So c i e t y , b ookstor e s s u c h a s 11cr~:ar\l~.: i~1,t.t~ -\~.~~f.:~; I ac tivit i e s of 04v/u Panthersan<l sfoilar ",roup~~~e'RainbowSigncultural center inBerkeley, I �. oA Na irobi Col l ege , and numerou s ot 11er cul t ur al .::i nll l i t er a r y pr ojec ts . o~'"'eie by many~ bard s a r e i ncluded in ::iE er 's Dlces Poems Bl a ck Bones (1 97 0) , :!_urnn~_ of Bla ck Poetry , Yardbir J Reader (a semiannua l edi ted by P-ee<l, Young , 811• Bro~ and Myl es), Umb r a Blackworks (Hende rs on , all i ssu es , espec'ially f 19704 71), and othe r n~tiona ~l y di stributed anthologie s a nd pe r i odicals . tX s,-r-o.n!te. o..nd o~iq1n&L wt-,te.-, q__ Reed)/,:a s publis hed t hree volumes: ""ca tech i sm of l neoane rican hoodoo church (1971), Conjur e : Sel ec t ed Poems, 1963 1 1970 (197 2) , Chat t anoo a (197 3) , FtHJ" ~...., ,,1J'd,Ji.v &NI_.•,.• •t.fll,. a~Jl••,.,.,~.S. zcls novels .I\ Hi s wo r k has drawn a curious mi)t t ure o: aclJec tive s and s c r itics: fr om " bri llia n t," ' cut e , " " j umbles and pu zzl es , " "important," "baci comi c s " and so on . novel s i nto h i s poems . nc:eedJ Ree d wr i tes his poet r y i nto h i s novels and hi s In t his servic e , he empl oys dia lects, Voodoo , t h2 occult, wh i ms i cality , wit , ys tici c, sa tire, whic:1 he o viously enjoys, all reinfor ced by as sorted librar information and s treet i ns tincts . He v iola tes time bar r i e r s , placin;; an anc ien t Gr e e ~~ fi ~ur e in a c o temporary poem, or vic e v er sa . His ve rse f orP1s are ex pe riMent al, roughly reca lling the i ea ts ~'-Lc,U> ~eadinl\ w,lL ~i,01.11 hil\'\ iri t"e:fw,.,t',tidl\ of l>v" bc,.11'/room lr elr1dT0Lson, nt ~ pas t s t y'i i..,t i c irreve renc ies . /\ The r e .:ir e no s a cred cows (3 vt and o t her ~ e f or Ree~ who s ometime s l amb2 s \ s _/l nck na t i ona lists and whi t e lib e r al s i n t he same poem . Gene r a l ly , h is technique s wa r !<. (some a re a stonish i n~) ; but l1e ofte n s pend t oo 1~uch time a t tacki ~~ r ea l or cr eat ed an ta~onists a nd ~av ·ng f un at t he expens e of reade rs. His ti tles alo ne are enough to keep you slappini~ your t ,i gh or scra t c. i n:; yo ur head : " Repor t o f t 1e Reed Comrais s i on , " "I am a cowbo y i n t he boat of Ra , " " Ther e 's a whale i n my t'h i 6 h, " "T e fe r al pioneers," "The Bl a ck Cock, " " Gr i s Gris ," "And the Devil Sent a Ford Pinto, ~ hich She .:1 lso Ro ut e d ." In 1973 Re ed be can e the f irst / l a ck wr ite r :;; to be nominat e d fo r a National Book Award in two catego r i es . be found in a special "Arts & Literature" is su~ of 'the Black Scho a , June,L l97!i. ., ------ - - - - - �Goin alves (Din~ane ), a n occa si on:i l ;-,oe t , i s unin ue in his i nt el l ectua l-:; t ypogra phi cal Cor\Sf;."<.1c6,t 'i 1 Li _r ~ o f ideas (sec B ac k :?ir e), but .1i s servic e to / lack tvb poe try has been nore obviou s i n h i s work a s f ound er-ed it or of/I J our,al o- iJ Poe try. He a l so s erved as poetry ed i t or of B a c ~ Dia l ogue . st e ady , i nfluence on t he/ ew )fla ck oet r y , he ha s wr i tt en some of t he nost in f or med cr i t i ci sm t o come ou t of the pe rio u . , et Day Bookst or e in Sa n Franc i s co , , he re hcadquartereJ . L Cur ren tly he r uns/ope r a te s 1e Jou r nal and it s pres s are Anong poe t s publ i s heJ b y tl-ie (J,l enetra tiQ~, 1071) , a .\ qui et , bu t r e ss a r e ~ ea l anci Hel t on S,:1it: i r tuo s o J oet uhc ,_ras horn an 1 r 2.i sed .i.n San f rancis~0 " ra l colm" ends discussin b t he ~in s of trnc ·s t ea rs n ~e and tcl linz t ~1e r ea der : thrrtin n hea rt t , er e a re na y unmarked graves . There are also wordf gift s in "the danger zone , " "If I cou ld hold You fo r Light," " f or a sorceress" ("you keep chan~ing me into air" ) a nd " Black Mo ther" ("an odd ecs t as movin " )~ the s e 7oin blues, excursions throuCTh cit streets . and thoughts on Af rica . l M.. 1 -:7, { (; o.~both"i~vsi, oest\-teTc,dLt 14vicl Youn ~ and Ha r pe r bo th teach wr i t i n _ a t St anfo r d and Brown,\ Young has 1 published Dancin~ (1969) and The Son~ Turnin~ Back into I ts el as well as novels and arti cles. (1971) . His ~oetry satirizes militants , salutes ~ h4v11Til white and Third Wo rld poets, and incor~orates legends into a broad~~ase • ...,. There is a consistency of interes s a s seen in the titles o f his books. In "Eroson" he finds himself dancin" "naked" tho u1h All mv shores had been ulled uy, t;;, · .• "Yes , the Secret Hind Whis? ers , " dedicated to Kauf ma n , calls poetry a "tree" forever a t your door , S'1yl,ITt,at.t.y. �ounr, ranges over the whole of the lif e experience , writin~ about s quirrels , ,., c#'H owe11e J i,.,, $tyflsfibt.t.ly j azz musicians, Spain , Stockholm, ni ght..., time and sorrow. _)fis poetry is diff erent f rom that of Harpe; who le f t California in 1970. Harper 's volumes are Dear J ohn, Dear Coltrane (1S7~ ) , History is Your Own Heartbea t (1~71,, Photographs : __, Negatives: V Historv as App le Tree (1972), Song: Want a Witness (1973 ) , Debridement 0. 9 73) (1974). I and ?U~htmare Begins Res onsibility Praise f or his poetry has come from a wide spectrum of e . inent critics a nd poets , primarily a cademicians , i ncluding Gwendolyn Brooks and Ha den. Cri t ic N• . Rosenthal recently singled out Harper and Baraka as iJD& t exampl e s of _/ l ack poet s contribut i ng t o the new American poet r y scene ~ Time s Ma gazine, November 2 , 1974 ). (~ Laurence Lieberman has also . raised Ha r t e i; who received nominations f or the National Book Award as well as the Black Academy o f Arts and Letters First Annual Po etry Award. ~ t, has ke pt a consistency of tone wltt-eh critics pa rticularl his poetr sometimes lacks metaphorical tension Harper ..J' a olft l"'J ea · r,end though funk ? ) to i gnite t he imt ortant stat ements he makes about / lack music , there is a f irm inte lligence at wo r k . Hi s themes a re illusion , pained c reativi t y, war , r a c ism, jazz, nature, history, death , and the my thological evolution of mankind. Much of his poetry is personal , confessional , and he intenveaves a medical vocabu+ lary into some of it. and musicians. He often includes chants , hums, and names o f songs His musico- poetic concerns can be seen in these l i nes f rom "Dear J ohn, Dear Coltrane": ~ Why you so bla ck? cause I am Why you so funky ? cause I am �Why you so black? ca use I am Why you so sweet? cause I am Why you so black? cause I am and adamantly)ilack : _,Fly to w2wana5 Ml l1an '~ C ..u~, 5 Allah (1 969), Bla ck Man List!W; (19(,9), i;-vend (19 73,., ) i£i!SIII. ~ 3 ch book sa lutes Allah and contains some occasionally we ll-turned poet r y intermingl ed with prove r b s , parab les and s ongs . He pra i ses El i j ah !·luhammad Tommy .S mith. and announces ) Thomas Lives !" J;ha,t ---- " Bigger In " The Origins of Blackne s s " he s a ys1 Bl ack is not a c l or but ~ All c o lors c om e f r om B~a C~ B··· '1yles a nd Ee -: el s arc al s o at di ff eren t ends of the poe t ic s pectru~ whi l e !kNair is i n t he n i <l l e. ify les pub l ishe d Down o f h i s drawin ~s anci poems. " Bebop and & Co ntry in 97 4 D.3 a co l l a ge He survey s con t enpora ry l if e , hi s upbringing on l ues in Phoen ix , " an<l h is exper ienc es as an ar t i st and a rt s t uJent. f E~c k e 1 s l1as r.iove d ~r01:1 lflr \'!f:, • II poetry i)Oet r:1 o [ anz er- an d protest t o ..,_, a hu.:1an bein?, for hu:-.1an be in~s . " i;r i• t t en uy t li s books i nclude .,lacl- Dawn, This Time Tomo rrow , Rla ck Ri. ';ht On, !I01:1e i s Whe r e the Soul Is (196 9), Ou r Business ' '- . the Streets ( 19 70), and Fir e Sign ( 1973), wh ich gives its name to his ~in .., pres s. In his e a rlv phas e ~ckel s wro t e about " Bla ck Is," " He ll, Ma r y ," J ., �" In Her::or · of f'.arc s, " "A s.espo n s i b l e :·1ee ~row Lca<le r, " a nd o t h er poems.) a lso c o i ning a n int ercs t in;; ter. : Hes t ern S •phil i zation '0· .. Fire Si g n " f o r t he fr e e ;;.nd will b e ," s hows a t . e m.:it i c and cultu r al breadth 7 a s h e writ e s love po e r.1s and sa lu t es fr e edom in g ene r al . NcNair, a cosmic poet u ho br id ges Af rican s p i r it ua l it y a nd his m-m psych ic revelations , h as p ublishe d Earthbook (19 72) and Ju a Gir l (1973 ). Ce rt a i nly the world will h ear ~o r e fron t hi s g ifted young wr iter . 'tt,e mvLt,'.'fo.lRtil,J AMo ns .;;io rt ½e -n Ca lifornia women po e t s, f1!.1aya Angelou is prim;, r ily a p rose and s c r i p t ~Jr i t er , but has pub lishe d~~ ook. o f p oems : Just Gi v e ' 1e Coo l ,, • ~ . . ~ Qh &:iAy 1W Wthg.s dtte O l? O. €1:t.M.§. Well/R :,fo ie.;1 }2\~ ( 1971 )Nht~was 1;omfn~ t e d for t h e Pul itzer/ rize}J\ rink o f Wa t e ~ 7 tn '""O"'s ,tr MU.Sico...L O-.l'Hi, Pol~Low.1T,, tT"lt'Luences. Pa t Pa rk ers p oetrv c a n be f a u n i n a n~ ce ent lit tle vo lume c a lled Child He.t- Poe~ of i; s e f (1972 ) a ~d Dice\'f1/i)Sh e "ses her own woman- f e e lings t o assess p ls the SI lg; c u rren t u pheava l. "Bro ther " rev eals c ont radictions in a v e -but - hurt app ro a c h s one . /l ack nen t ake t owa rd,! their wonen . The "sy st em" s he has just bee n st r c k u it h, s he s a , s, r o~ her Ot .1cr/\ n o n s a f ist. eal P ith h mar a n J t r.:t '.:; e dy in h usb.:md- wi f e rela tions. In "A fomen t Le f t _g ehind" she a s k sJ j " ron Have you ever tried t o c atch a tea r ? e e p Wit .d n " s ays t he ~;ay f a wona n is t urbulen t wi th ma n y fo rc e s a nd c olo r s o f fe e l i ng s , bu t f A imma n ' s .od ,. us t be tau:=.;ht t o spca <gl, · · · Pat Pa r k er 's wo rk s e a rc h es b ehind t he c o s me t ics and the v ocue to -l'II ,I 17 •- di" stu r l.,anc r.-~,\~ so , "1 00s t •.:e t1o r .-:: o f ,Jo y c e Ca r o 1 r~11oma s, t he ~~~~ wh ose t wo b oo k s I �CD l 13:J..tte r swee t (1973) and Cr •st.--1 1 Dreezes / (19 74) . we re pub lished by Fir e Si gn ~----&.:.tA \3Le~s,~(itfl5}~ JOC.f.l 8 p,Uw4 • . -------..----,r-.-....,._A'U..ruieA Pre s1J\ ""Iler po;;;? are about worn e, s and love. ~ --- o ds, chur ch,/J-a c1~ nu si c, child r en • There i s a nodern feel a nd tex t ure in he r line~ which economize without displaying a br up t nes s or undccipheraLle code . Yet he r s t ren gth is unmi stakabl ~ a s in "I Know a La dy" : f, I know a l ady A caref ul queen ·She bows t o no one Her wi l l is a Fine t hr ead o · s t ee I n t 1es e poems, and t he works of P~t Par -:er and Leona Hel c1, one sees a st r ong heal t h a nd f u t ur e · n Ba: a r ea ,mraen poets . ,-~elch ' s f i r s t book, wa s pub lished i n 19 71. Black Gibral t ar, Leona He r e a nd t h ere, one fi nds subt dued rage and i mpa t ience bef ore r a cism and i gnorance ; bu t her poe t r y a l so exa lts t ~e/ l a ck woma n nnd s r e nks in l ow t ones t o men. f r om ·olk ex re s sions t o forria l e xami nat i ons of s t ud, f a Bl a ck with " c l as s " anc.l c i ~ni t l 1' C.o t ove. Her l angua e range s "St a tus Ouo" i s t he : n y ,1hite r ood l e b y t he lea sh . M" j}.. 1 2 sable than the ot her wo~en , hor po e t r y s alutes a :u~ber of heroines includ i nr; r, T omen i n :1er fam i l :• a:-i d ~a1-:ki Giova nniJ. Finally t he r e is t he much-t rave led Sarah Fabio, instrumental in / l ack= s t ud i es developmen t in ~or t .. e r n Ca l · f ornial but ~ o now live pub i s hed two vo uii1es, A : 'i ror : in Io va. She A Soul (1969) and Blac!t Is a Panthe r Ca ;>:ed (1972 ) , and the~ without not i ce , br ou ~h t out s even voluraes (!) all in 1973: Soul Is: ~Soul Ain't , , Boss Soul (also the name of her Lp~, Black Back: Back Black , Ju jus & Jubilees, My Own Thing, Juius/Alchemy of the Blues, �and ~ogethe /; to the Tune of Coltraneis Equino!i® Her earlier poetry is ii \ more formal, reflecting her vast reading-thinking range; but the later work shows that she has joined the new poetry movement completely@ Her most memorable poem is "Evil is fio Black Thing " in which she converts all e := I dark things traditionally associated with evil into li~ter colors or NV' she allows them to be revealed in a broader contex~.w.r.1:~~ they invariat Her recent voluminous efforts deal with experimental bly become goo blues poems, rap f styles, folk narratives, and attempts to reconstruct ~ ack oral histor~ These things she does quite well on her albums and in live readings; but much of the work in the new books is excessfvely QN bUNNl\ff conversati ona ~lu•dsd with co~trived ' hipnes$. Erzulie and Thin g~(l975) is co authored by poets Nto zake Shange and Thulani Nkabind. And Ms. Thulani 1 s work also appears in Jambalaya: Four Poets along with the po ems of Lorenzo Thomas, Ibn Mukhtarr Mustapha\(Sierra Leone) anfyn duction by Zarco. Cru~ Jrunbalaya is edited by Steve Cannon.mth an intr~ Cruz writes poetry marked by brevity(i) Sna s(l969) and Mainland(l973) show_ him relying on his Puerto Rican heritage, his rei, lationships with other poetsl( often j lack), New York Gi ty and other urban areas, and Spanish mythology<!) Now living in the ~ ay area, Cruz often ini ' terpolates bi p ingual phrases into his poems Barlow (Gabriel, 1974) has done impressive and promising work in the area of urban language and Afro-American histo!"Yt,) B. Rap published Revolution I ~( 1969) and Metamorphosis .of Superniggeq (l973). Meanwhile, a young inmate at Vacaville Medical Facility, Herman Brownj(Muumba 1 published Some Poems and Things\( 1971) Young Sacramento poet Clarence McKie Wigfall has shown strengths in The Other Side(l970 ~ and anot~et' Sacramentan, Wes Young_, brought out Life Toda~ (l970) and Rambling and 'l;.,~g~ l 19 7 2) • Young }hack poets were~~,;i;'li shed in Gran~ High SchoolJ a 011mibus© Redmond, who has taught at C liforni~ versity, Sacram ; to, since 1970, conducts writing wo rkshops on campus and/\communi ty sites ~ the Oak Severa oets are working and studying at Black Arts West in Seattle· and Park School of Afro-American Thou~i-.t ' \.,/ />'+J. e t 0 t+ ~~ lmu..s .s-r.Sohri ~ 0-.c..he.s a.-+ Wo.,s htf\ ~~;~le Urv111er-s,ty . p I �(JJ 5~ G/Y C---/ e r ns ~ "Arma g;edd on," "chariots of fire," "smokinP, sixties," " get <lown on Ehitey" and "wa rrior pr iests" a r e oft en u s ed by critics attempting to describe and define t he Jtew..Jrlack poe ts. "1obe su1--e; I ] iJ ~h bvt there was~verhal fire and brimstone•,,/\few of the noets had time to stav "mount e d in a chariot of fire," as Blyden Jackson +t&s./41-1d S,(e>_re.. - 0 ne n C1Tes em. Ind e ed, when t he ~ /\is viewed in its wholeness, C\t<lll that s ome who mount ed "chario t s " often we r e 1o t poet 1t Even the most verbal and .t ' popula r of the n ew poetsi L7 r VY ' rikki Giovanni, Ba raka, Sonia Sanchez, !'-adhubuti~ denounced poetry as a luxury t hat could be illf afforded during a ',?(evolution," admitting in t he meantime, perhaps , t ha t thei rs was a particular brand of oratory not striving f or poet ry in a traditional sense . At the same time , the / l a ck poetry tradition has t h e se men and women, and others, to thank for snatching it from the yink,t of obscurity and giv ing i t a prominence ~ it had never before enioyed . This chore alone has earn ed t hem an i mno r tant " place" in the poetic scheme of ' Th·/ s M11° _j_ /If.albei t a " nl a c e ' ye t to be des i gna ted; ~er\\lV\C.l"lro n ofCl.1.l~• I ~eu the r{'Oets. ~i<cL4ivcl.y l be c.dte--ed h11 /3(,1.,-, /(a~• t> c• n1 , • f 11 • f'o.r.- ~h,~l\\ ";i1"" po~ ,T;bt'l ~l'\d h,s eml!Wlc«ris o~~t-"•lr!$p1red sc,en1H'ic. Soc1al1~ pl'!c..e m<ly ct So Jyat'he re are myriad problems and conflicts in the writings and lives ofr,,~/r So!!le, s u ffe ring f r om the " d isfigu r ement of perception)" <l::E L HI hiiUl, do not always nortrav a corre ct socio l o~ ical picture of Bla cks, let alone a correct poetic one. Anx ious to " s atura t e " t J,enselves in the new /,'l ackness, they disguise their own c on f usion in half-baked theories about Afro- American lif e; this results 0... 4-h t ,·~ in ~ ~oe t ry ~ ften ~ r i ,Herl wi t'.1 conf usions, inaccuracies and oversinn lii f ications of t11e )(lacl/ ,--<peri e ce . A fu rt . er res ult, and th is star-makers v · ew the noet r v throui:;h a receiv es a f inal s t 2r,11 of a:,ryroval 1 s ~,;hast 'J, is thnt inverted l ens; so t hat a pop ilar "la tex b rand '' '1i e t:, e cle ener , searc in:" aml n or~ :) r found poetrv (numas , ~att er s on, Cornish, Corte z. Jordan, Larde, Rivers) is o,n. laved. Such a n i:wersion y,rovirley ia c': ar.d \·Jhite readers witli. an exte!1ded " isfi?urement," �mud<lvi.ng t he a lreadv clonliled vision r a t hc> r t an cJ ea rin ;:r · t unJ as ;;cal 11ad r r ed i ct 0d . Adding t o t i s confusion a cad. r e o f ...Jiack critics whr )arade ess entiall y po l iti l cal , parochial and ideologi cnl defenses under the banne r o f a / lack / est he t i ce Bo t h 1-fcKay a nd 'Rivers sai') "~o w'lite man can write my stor y, " bu~ <lurinr t h e cont emporarv 9eriod , some bep ea~ue red ._40-4,'4. la ck readers and teachers ~ ,~ as l r "Uher e is t he Black writ er who will write it? 0 ~ v ~ej:~ ed Contrary to r,o . ular be lie f, i t ta k es(llLi 1'•••--•----• ■ 11111•1~8M~~8~ un d erst an d t h c comp 1 ex to And t hose f ew young ,;..r rit er s (and s oo ·esmen) • \SPffl tre4;t-$ In . ~ who seemed to have master ed as pe cts of it often I •--• ■ "-nr1.s on (: 1al co lm. ~ enomenon calle d the j 1ack/ xperi.ence . Knigh t, Harold Carrington) which allowe ...., and exnerirnente::il:la . To ther1 time ~ ~ r eflec t .._ , ~ ~ deve o ~ \ Even r,wendolvn Brooks had "tb1e" to war < out t icklish '--' questio sin the are~ of art, politics and poe try . 3'..i female poe t s, she did no t 1t dur i ng her early vears . ;; ~ " ➔ Unlike rrances Harne r{ and ot he r teach or go on a temperance~leapue lecture cir cu it That she cultivated and rotected he 11 distanc e' 1is ev i dent in t e superior qualitv of her worl<';I which does not shun the salient t hemes of the / e~ etry: / 1aclz pride, Africa/ l a c .· music, self-love,,?1-ack heter osexuality, violence, mistrust o f whites, destruct ion of the t estern world and self-de t er mi na t ion . Yet those opnosing the ,t'iack/e stheti c do no t always have a clean slat e , sinc e they are often "shored up" by pers onal exper ienc es with whites . AmonP; the oryryonents of the "separat e " aesthetic for Blac ks, Hayden and Redding are most vocal , However , both have maintained close associations with academy-trained/oriented white critics and writ e r s . ~ 8 Hayden nust a s k himself why / lack poets should not subscribe to a ack/ esthe tic if he subscribes to t he aesthetic of the Baha 'i / aithi "t he has said, "to which I willinP,ly submit," 2] possesses the possibilities and potentialities for a new ~e r ep l ace or r.1odify~hristia I - ) I . 1'UI • I 1 '.J! tr 1c onlv one," £j!8h Bl a ck culture _ aneih~ eligioo//r • ~oul d ev en force (mys tique) behind / lack �, -f~ t51$ striving s and aspir ations: Aa p ros pect , s hould n ot he too li ~!1 tly dismiss ed . d. o d d ?~I d 10L.03 1ta.L That some n ew poe ts _..,./\wade into the intense intellec t ua\\ rea m of / ,lac k n ~ss, however, is seen in ~ f)eem tl!ss;" Jayne Cortez s\"Fe stiva~ & Funerals . " ~usical , daring , ambivalen t, complex and technically dex terous,fft • pa@m summarizes t h~ ~ .~re ' uncertain world of/ __ a c ~ . Like Hayden s II l" . Zeus " and C::wendolyn Rroo lcs .I'.S" Riot II r•J J :tt, E fJ..J U it fluently captures the susnense and hyperactivity of~ontempo rary~ . 1 The polarities / - festivals and funerals-~ are a rel e typal and m tholo gica ~ since t e y a t once tap the unexplored and state whnt is known. ;f,.;l'J\ff~ of t he 19 6()s . ~ The poem is also an emotioI}a l heal t hv ambivalenc e, couched i n t he " invisib l e " world an d " cy clical n i ghtma re " o f the / 1a ck / xp e r ience , become s a ll e~orical as t h e po et c ele r ates hero e s, sun ;,; ad u nsunrr, a l r of ham a r e d ead i n one wa7 o r a not her . Th e y w.:_n~e ri his s o ' ri t .-, tound ed his t on°u e b ut ea t ~ T e " s o T" . .atli. ass _c c o~i "0 s both t l-\e a70 v ;i.nd t',e ecstas , a s i t ) etween t ,e clone nee d e ( '' s v r-i ns o er e, n es tl e <l s o,,.,ev}ie r e .., neec e ") a -~ " cnlt u a ..,. L s" 1-\a " rus~er1 " tli.rou ~li. s tr eets u r ,,.in r- .:1e 'T'he t d ie f or s , an 't:J et h s " o st a '<Oo<l f ri p--,_ r- " , :t~o . she loven: b ut he '' c.o.D.'' to her/ ,, A. w~ h " t 1-ior ns o n I '-" I I l-)is as been s hiDDed 1--ack ca s ket,-"• .!- • colle ct on deat h co1lect on d 0 ntl-i c oll e ct on d e a t heJ h is "friend' ' soon ecome s the many cleay -lack snokesmen whose blood has heen "consumed by vultures" : T-Jho k . lled Lununha �The• Qk)o'fe. ~lines ioin ot11er nnan c es of a fri"hte a l l f rienc s: dcat1i a .c1 done and r; frai j _n_ <T wl-ii c h lanen ts t h iolence a nd consumpti.on have 1~ ;s of evour Pd th Ther e are no tears •e have no f r iends P. WP. is the ~-,ord a r e a l onee The worl d of " cad llacs a n d cocai ne" is !'OTm a ted by +e st ; vnls anc f une ra l s . poets t hat sc r eal" ''ki ll r un • I ~lac's know ever- ho erin(T de at, is as close as the j t k e 1oi tor a n c " t e 1'lues." t he ch~rch. , 11. ikl 22 IILb even ~-Jhe 1 ce, h e cl rivin(T nace ui lone, false idol:? • ( we a ,•e a. Le n e 11) 1 bov, alon/ \wi t hout 11 ~o.~ Block girl, J'lack t . livin° i one o dra aticall e d by fo r ei~,er s . s ·~ a r: who "d l le uJA4t'<. · 1 It i s a · ,1 a d t e nrhan n.:ize of ecs t a t ic ope r a tion rr•-',l• il , '' " .:ish ' 1ds in t 11e wi d , '' " the flesh o f Patric e " In Africa o r l n e r+ r . oli t ical onnn'ssio,., ......... frie,ds in a ho st i le countrv o ~ merica tli.e fa t e s of Rla c·s are Lumu .. f'9, e d ~~alcol::10 r e s s ur e \ c ooker wi thout a haclt 001; or va l ve t o let off stean . t he poem' s l angua ~e co~ lenent s t he "rush " o f/ ()ff . T~e rush of lac k l if e ) whi ch is ne ce s s i t a t ed bv on r ession hut .wh i ch , i n t urn , r e s u l ts inl\eno rmouslv "UMhfll,.0~ i g1}\~ e arl y deat h s . rµII peritd; bat re d!fCJl!tiy fake§ Iii u .., zcc.t dcai 1F tLc nJaclc E1.pC1.is cc: c~a ;1 . &.J 'ii!! ; H11. ~vt.f.2_f'l.setv L 1.atr.., aan@ JlidAle.;Qi pa@.il§. ii§ ih!M'-iery il!dtk it as Jaz ~., n a d siR;nifiaaot arnor Rs It is a 1\llu 1 JIit ia ot5lc; th21.1c &iid astjsnflt hut it , �a]J1i,1 ?!8titd!/~--LS$8 .~ E of i! cilbt li(O jS ULLioas. c&P( :fSE 1metrr l in s11 is t 1c tltc 1 olacc 1f822 !l6212 .t of t 1t c '.!uprooted perf ectjou " 1 '.iiC!itl 1 lc _aco Cflra:s it Liilhtt..ES t.te e i r1rul \., GEL I S Lu1LU[Jl hase !Sa bttorl in the atatcd jJ GCJ U . C,Q[ of all Ehl§ d§ the Blues. erotic Alid 1.1 Ed!§ c6ih€§ [tit? i!hpt0Vi saf 1on § @if § @, II® ';- the poet ltd§ iidOl,~atL-tl t~ sto umy aad always 111 1 £!.talc pa ssa ge of 21..e r t cl! a@§t!tt!LIC thfilE 1l h@t erarli t it1u pra dr:aad Fron among t he T!lany good ooets of t his era will eme r ge a few r; reat ones , though ~ ~ ;ec:; has ~ ......J.~1" . . 11 hren ~retarded hy the popula r renunciation of "art" and ideas . " (JJ\J/ But i t c annot be r est r a ined t oo lonr~ h eca u se t '.,ere 'i..S bo t h urgency a nd breadth in much of the new thou p;ht and noetrv . It is paradoxical to send / lack st .dents to ~d.jfic.h"o~o9y Western schools4 to be trained on " heavy " philo soph,,._ 7\1\and then ask them to reduce cu,d;r"NMritj Fo_..,~ u"'eLyJ /tff f laclr. thought '" all their knowled g el\t o compla ints and f ocusless ra~t in1-!S . and z l it erature ca rGot he called on to function in the~ raditional caoaciti!¼,z . . . ._ to train, develop a nd stimulate th e f aculties - l then th e "bat tle for the minds /VI f\,'\ • of i.t\' 1 ... ack ho.': loeeh T'leople" ~ alreadyA.wo-:i hy t~P other side. .!_J t t,ttt t. T inally, ~ !3.rn c ks as a peoole are µ r ofoundly t r a~ic, co~ic or h er~c, then their idea s and their ~ INlenci6,,,.,,,.,,.,,,4N~ f f l ~~ t,,. WC have no t a l ways roamed Cr."Dav,-,,._,,); the "s treet s and alleys of other T!len ' s minds':Aand a true and honestf ~1b st and not b e afraid to be " ~reat" ~ poetry J~outd ack poetry will . alon .s ide wha t eve r else of, gr eatness ther e is in t h i s wo rl d . • � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Eugene B. Redmond Digital Collection Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context EBRWritings_09_13to15 Title A name given to the resource Editors proof, Drumvoices: The Mission of Afro-American Poetry: A Critical History, Chapter VI. Festivals & Funerals: Black Poetry of the 1960s & 1970s, typed with handwritten edits, p. 406-552 Relation A related resource Eugene B. Redmond Digital Collection Language A language of the resource English Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource For digital rights and permissions, see <a href="https://www.siue.edu/lovejoy-library/about/policies.shtml">https://www.siue.edu/lovejoy-library/about/policies.shtml</a> or contact <a href="mailto:library@siue.edu">library@siue.edu</a> for direct inquiries. In copyright. <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Redmond, Eugene B. https://digitallis.isg.siue.edu/files/original/c2b251a29f7c07b4777ff57b5eef0eca.pdf 3235d2917b3f86667f84d6a679b33c52 PDF Text Text (_ c/1 \.7 ~ CHAPTER VI I CONCLUSION: Z- /v C-- As AFTERTHOUGHTS ¼ promised in our Prefac~ we have tried to avoid forcing our research and findings into manicured paradigms and neat frames. / of'iher-11 However, Drumvoices 0t-fhet1' ~ J does advance theories and thesest/1-manyAwell known and someAoriginar , _ _,,:~ j.l'"-1"\\\~-SlcJ6yhQ&. h<Utl\~Dttda critical hbtory;and one must take stands. Indeed, the poets have taken their own stands, as individuals and groups, since to project an inner self to the public is to -.J work out one's systems of beliefs, perceptions, relationships and values within the function or framework of poetry and poetics. ha.,ve, Such stands,\ always And es1, represent~critical choices for poets.A/or Afro-American poets they have ,,e;~ealed · a unique crisis-continuum in that so many "unusual" factors attend their written "commitments." One factor was the apparent self-mockery that initially accompanied the poets' use of written English. For the I early bards, there was the simpleM but grave~I task of "proving" their ability fl, to employ literafy skills; this tes alas, was conducted by "liberal" slave,., V master~ while many states made;Biack literacy a crime punisht ble by imprisoni ment, beating and, in some cases, even death. There was much confusion and misdirection of values and energies in the earlier poetry: the poets were neither encouraged nor allowed to retain an African flavor (let alone language). The Christianization of slaves had I aided in the development of a ghastly "duality" -or wall between the African I and himselfM which cluttered the poets' self- and world-views, indeeasending S53 �most f lack intellectuals into psychic chaos. by W E.,B. Df ois, held Afro-American This tendency, called a "veil" i n a state of moral limbo up through the beginning of the twentieth century. And though there were exceptions (Horton, Whitfield, Whitman, Frances Harper), any- one with proper '-" background study can understand the isolat ionism and alienation of a Phillis Wheatley or a Jupiter Hammon1 who refused freedom for himself it for young Blacks. but advocated One need only read David Walker to discover the boundaries of Negro "freedom" in the "free" states of jarly America. In the meantime, a folk traditioni on the plantations, among escaped . slaves, out of the minstrel era~ was also developing. This folk strain in the poetry (separated by Wagner from the "spiritualist" vein) has survived as a conscience, more or less, of Afro-American letters, philosophy and art. pl .,fl' y And even thoughl'critics .., lilte Wagne: k make false distinctions between the folk and the literary (or spiritual1!96) realms, all but a few of the ntw~ .._, "intellectual" poets l\delved into the folk roots and origins in one way or another. ~ -. 4-./ This fact is not as obvious in/\poets lJ.i:.e Countee Cullen, Claude McKay or Jean Toomer as it is in, say, Paul Laurence Dunbar, James Weldon Johnson, Sterling Brown and Langston HughesM but it iden11P,&! Co.n:'oe:ft: At the same time, however, the ambivalent attitude toward the Christian God and white people is as evident in the C___? itis folk poets asAin those steeped in book theology. Examination of the artificial boundaries established between folk (oral, gestural) poetry and l i terary (intellectual, book) poetry has not been pursued with enough intensity by critics and writers. ~ Europe "Qr larger America have J~ecuifeJ. I Just because communal art forms does not �mean that Afro-America has to follow suit! Or does it? And, as we stated -#;e.. in the beginning of Chapter VI, the social-connnunal value~ ofApoetry has yet to be viewed in the context of/lack reading trends and habits. fr»- we know Blacks place great emphasis on the dramatic presentation of a poem. Witness the magnetism and charisma of poets at live readings and the development of a national / lack audience for poetry via such vehicles I/ as Ellis Haizlip's ~ •I showi Sou. All ~ the foregoing statements tie in with our opening remarks about stands ~ eei~ ~ taken by poets. For, if the trans literation, if you will, of the thought or impulse to the page results in a reduction of poetic intensity, then the silent reading of the poem cuts a similar nerve1contact ~ : len reader and the originating idea or instinct. poet ~ One has only to hear an "intellectual" A Robert Hayden read his own works to understand this principle. r, Our point, then, is that much of the !i.t__.51 strai! t-laced poetry of the early periods has less meaning for us when it is not delivered in its natural environments of church services, abolitionist rallies, choir-singing, dances or social activities. For example, one should avoid listening to a poor reader present dialect poems of Dunbar, Davis or CorrOthers. A number of devices and t h e m e s ~ are central to Afro-American poetry. And while there have been instances (Wheatley, Hammon, Ann Plato, the Creole/ oets) wii poets 1 -t1•IIIP<h:a:sz:,=#e!etl immune to the social whirlwind, most Afro-American poets have been in that whirlwind. segregation in America turned a "curse" into Hence, patterns of 1'blessing /(t~ paraphrase Alain 1 11 Locke) and provided fl ack poets with private languages, forms, styles and tones. From the ditties, blues, /pirituals, dozens, sermons and jokes, the - - - - - - - - - -- - -- - - - - - - - �poets fashioned an endless stream of poetic forms and fusions (Tolson d~ . •the Plndaric ode in a blues form) . And that same., segregated pattern gave these poets their ominous themes~ heir grave tones and tem.:l, perament51which, coupled with their crisp insight into America's contradictions tt> 1o and paradoxes, allowed them_ to project,/\prophesJandArefine their "duality" into one of the most powerful aesthetical tools available to any group of writers. Hence the Afro-American poet has his own private (cultural) F o v- e~~M\>~J symbols and themes as well as t h o s ~ r g e r world.~ost/lack poets I have written poems about lynching@~!!!!!!!!!!!~-1.)but most Euro-American poets have not. Themes related Xla.ve.~y, to10b ~ .. discrimination, the c(fflblV~\efJC4 of · h on\e Less ()ess and res+Less. n~ a.., Christian God, psychic tu'rn,11L~, ,':,·· in a .white world,Apoverty reinforced r-,ve~~.and TV\tl.ltU 1 by oppression, racism, prejudice,~castration, i/ius the landscape of terror I and fear resulting from a web of social inequities, all, in one way or I another, work themselves into Afro-American poetry. ,~--- old'ff¼:8ed• ;eir wt J t i U i l ( - - 1 i ( j "lfll 0 stvf 1¥ ••••• om• I . ldi!MJJI ••t;iun? 01nl• - Though certain forms and themes have historically dominated Afrcr- American poetry, Vhique, IOU I 1 •A ,t/0~1<.ttthns. characteriz~e :tJ$B: oP. #\eJ~ Yl». a, a ;:, .,. . -~ . -rhe • a\s0L~ _ , ' and divergent approaches Outside of~dominating clusters,- 1 1heme.s j the poets ~ I Q . ~ other interestsJtnd preoccupations. ~v-ol'A~t family _units, 1 haweve9 Mo.ny of:·fh;T" ><P;rf-. ,,~ ,,-.ends ~/ti ve "4~ isf-,d ....,_:; for hundreds of years-/4even if such a fact is obscured by a socio-media representation with all its accompanying pathological emphases. culture i~<-Lvdes. .7 ------- ..auo. i (,:;:_ -. "-■ i :: I Any young Black ' sAanalysis o f wh ite ~~--~ ~ :_ his own unstated or implied cultur al preferences.) ,1..-,c; I :,) ..,,,,, 1..0 �True, Africans in the new land have lived theft,ghtmare amid-. talk of an a; and, understandabl>J the darker poets' songs are full of unpleasantries and recollections of that~ghtmare. But the end of jdack poetry C/.lh .f\eV.-'tl-:#:iae self-pity, chauvinism, ideolog1 , rhetoric or complain,t (Baraka says., 'the ~nd of w,an J s ~is Beauty"). Thus Margaret Walker, amidM: her sisters' use of "safe" female subjects and her brothers' '--' trips to the altar of the white literati, is able to celebrate / lack life (For My People). Robert Hayden transcends artificial barriers between (GlhO VS) himselfAand nature and enters the flower (Night-Blooming Cereus) as does ) Henry Dumas in Play Ebony Play Ivory and Pinkie Gordon Lane in Wind Thoughts. Other examples of such diversity and sensitivity abound: Owen Dodson '-, (Powerful Long Ladder), Langston Hughes (The Dream Keeper), Alice Walker (Once), Raymond Patterson (26 Ways of Looking at ;{° Blackman), Joyce Carol > Thomas (Blessing), an~c~oss-spread of almost any anthology. We have said the poet takes a stand not inherent in, say, the musician's, when he commits his thoughts to paper. social change And.:ove,,. The pas'+,f:'Q'w ye:u•.r and 'I\ position~tlSnot unrest, thejlack poet .whose aesthetic or religious dLl()he.6- v,At/1.,1/Jd.T - ~ of vested interest group~ c~e · up before many a stran(:court, at which times his own feelings and we,-eI\c/:fen ..._neutralized sensibilities , in favor of the "popular latex brand." Serious critics and "cultural stabilizers" need to examine such "one-way" /1, approaches to poetry/criticism, especially as they have occu~ed over the ast ears. We mention this ~ "side" show of the contemporary ,, ff poetry scene because its presence has often dirtied the waters of \ open thought and either crippled or destroyed many a budding talent. In a few �cases, it has even muffled a rich or significant voice. time the critical flood gates were "ope However, it is d" completely and honestly . Only in this way can Afro-American poetry cont inue to breathe the breath of the ancestors. Finally, as winds of change shift, speed up or slow down, and the "tradition" congeals, readers and poets must ask about ultimate designs and inherent missions. As the drum stands at the cross oads of traditional African and Afro-American culture, so the poet should stand at the center of the drum. Most poetic principles, and the language asssociated with them, rely on the vocabulary of sound and music. Music is the most shared experience..lthe most vital commodityi -among Afro-Americans. "'' is music's twin. And poetry word Ir\ Both the metaphysical and the metaphoricalAstem from and return to the drum: _ life, love, birth and death labored out in measured rumble or anxious cocophony. Between the lines are the rattle of choruses, the whine (hum) of guitars, and the shriek of tambourines, framed by rivers that will not run away. And the drumvoices urging us to cross them, cross them. - - - - - -- - -- - - - - - -- - - � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Eugene B. Redmond Digital Collection Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context EBRWritings_09_16 Title A name given to the resource Editors proof, Drumvoices: The Mission of Afro-American Poetry: A Critical History, Chapter VII. Conclusion, typed with handwritten edits, p. 553-558 Relation A related resource Eugene B. Redmond Digital Collection Language A language of the resource English Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource For digital rights and permissions, see <a href="https://www.siue.edu/lovejoy-library/about/policies.shtml">https://www.siue.edu/lovejoy-library/about/policies.shtml</a> or contact <a href="mailto:library@siue.edu">library@siue.edu</a> for direct inquiries. In copyright. <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Redmond, Eugene B. https://digitallis.isg.siue.edu/files/original/0f7bb4617a42181396be81dd0134f9a9.pdf 74d058d0994b0351793ebd447e38f13b PDF Text Text @ BIBLIOG?.AP!!ICAL I NDEX This biblio g r a phy is desi gned to serve t h e needs of bef inning and advanced students of / l a ck / oetrye It is not inte nde d to be ex{ so ho.sfuette.beenany haustiv ~ since~many b ibl iographies repeat the same it ems . No'ff ttempt to cite the nu_me rous single co lle ctions of oems; because checip. ists and s p ecialized biblio g raphies are available~ ~ reo_v.er, most antholo gie s, critical studies an d histories+ list such 'collections M in selected biblio graphi es and biographie • Since man~_/13:cl{ poets publish priva tely or with small a nd relatively unknown publishing houses, the student will want to examine regul a r listings and revi ews in periodicals such as Black World, Journal of Black Poetry , Freedom~ ways, Black Books Bulletin, CLA Journal, Black Creation, Obsidian: Black Literature in Review , and other Some of the small) l a c k p ub t, lishers list titles on inside cov e rs of their books; and scores of records and tapes of r e adings , films, breadsi de•\<single poems ) , panil phlet _publications and tracts can Abe obtained from individual poets L)Afa"/i.,. and the small h ouses Recently, Alarge r r e cording compani e s ~ Folkways, Flyin g Dutch.rnan and Motown tribute _)'(lack poetry N> have begun to record and dis Ho wev e r, the task of locating and developing a check~ ist fo r the myr iad publication s a nd publishing ac tivities of~ lack poets still awa its some serious student of/ lack lit e rature . In the meantim~ t h ere are a number of important bio~biblio g raphical works ~ one can consult : Afr 1... 131'.'0od,side Av1bm-• $ ~ Black American Authors {Shockley .,, )11 ; · gctl , pI • t srs sf bl · 2f A"'er,ca n 7 2 urne r), Li ving · r§iii I J111liu1r &ni Pe go )4 to Black Poetr~ (Ch~prnan) a nd Black \ riters Past and Pres ent: Biblio grphical Di t &r (Rush, Me yers and Arrata). I Index ¥ Bi �0 r.ENERAL RESEARCH AIDS Adams, Russell L. Great Ne~roes, Pa st and Present . •--,.---:-, The Artl-iur B. Spingarn Collection of Ne gro Authors . Washington, D.C., 1948 • . "'" 1.u.~,;;Ju\ . Bailey, Leaonead. Broadside Authors : Baskin, Wade; and /Richar~ Bontemps, Arna. Chicago, 1964 . Bio , ra hical Director . unesJl Dictionary of Black Culture. Detroit 1 New York, ' The James Weldon Johnson Memorial Collection of Ne gro -~ -•M--• "Specia l Collection of Negloana ." Library Quarterly , XIV ( 94 4), 187~206 . I Brignano, Russell C. Black Americans in Autobiogra h: n Annotated Biblio 1' ~raphy of Autobiographies and Autobiographical Books Written Since the Civil J War. Durham, N 1974. Burke, Joan Martin. ( and Events . Civil Rights; a Current Guide to the People}Organization New York, 1974. Chapman, Abraham . The Negro in Al!terican Literature and a Bibliography of Literature by and about Ne ~ro Americans . Stevens Point, Wis., 1966. :; Chapman, Dorothy H., /amp. Index to Black Poetry. Boston, 1974r Culver, Eloise Crosby. Great ..\merican Negroes in Verse, 172~ 1965. Washington, D.C:J c. 1965. Davis, Lenwood G. cals, Articles." "Pan-Africanism: ._)( Tentative Check List of Books, Periodil Black Worl::l, XXII (December 1972), 70;}96. Deodene, Frank_;~nd {Wil~ Preliminary Checklist. 3 - ""'===ca::• • l P. fFrench Chatham, N.J . , 1970. ----------------........ liminary Checklist. Black American Fiction Since 1952: ...., ' Black American Poetry Since 1944,.__.,4/ Pre4,., ~I J-V •,1 Chatham,/\1971. Dictionary Catalog of the Jesse E. oorland Collection of Negro Life and History. �2. 9/ ols. Boston, 1970 . Dict ionary Cata log of t he Schomburg Collection of Ne gro Lit er a ture an<l Hi s tory . ll J'o ls. Boston, 1962 , 1967. Drzick, Kathleen; oh1;; Murph~ and [Consta~Weaver--;i Annotated Bibli ography of Works Relating to the Negro in Literature and to Negro Diale cts . Kalamazoo, Mich ./ \1969 . Dur ois,/ w.\E· , • ; ana l Guy B_j:Johnson-'l Volume. Rev. _/.d. ...,.M l3lll!II-•• Encyclopedia of t he Ne gro: I ,P reparatory New York, 1946. A Select Biblio , raphy of the Negro American. 3rd ecJe Atlanta, 1905 . Guzman, Jessie P. , e • Negro Year Boo¾:!) Tuskegee, Ala'l \1947 . Houston, Helen Ruth . / "Contributions of the American Ne gro to American Culture: Selected Checklist . " BullerJtin of Bibliogr aphy, Vol. 26, No . 3 (July p September 1969), 7~ 83. _ndex to Periodica l Articles by and About Negroes (formerly A Guide to Negro Periodical Literature and Index to Selected Periodicals). International Library of Negro Life and History. Irvine, Keith , ed. 10 Vols. Encyclopedia of t he Negro in Africa and America . E½!'.ms *=>~ age ,/ EDillPV. -, - --, ... !Y&ckYort , xgn€S ,..}' :, mra ( Black Wr iter s of £Ii@ J ~n , Janheinz . !Zais er, Ernest. - 0 . 3 . A. Hz r Yar 1 • A n1~12a1 197:!is ,, A Bib lio gr aphy of !~ea-African Literature from Africa, A.TJ1erica, and the Car ibbean . Johnson , Harry St. Clair ~ Shores, Mich., c . 1973 . tlUhdiy of Washington, D. C. , New York , 196 5 . • Mul timedia Materials for Afro-American Studies . "The Hi s t or y of Hegro Hi s t or y ." 1968 ), 10~15 , 64f/3 0 . S lo I New York , 1971. Negro Diges t, XVII (February �3 ~ ~ Freedomways, ".k. ..._ each issue • ~ rues.t "Recent Ho ok s." Ma j or, Clarence. Dictionary of Afro-American Slang. McPherson, James., et al.A eds. Blacks in America: New York, 1970. Bibliogranhical Essays. New York , 1972. }filler , Elizabeth_; and[ !arv L . \rishe~ 2nd ed. The Ne ~ro in America: / Biblio~raphy . C Cambridg e , Mas s. , 1970. Murphy, Beatrice M. , e t al •; \eds • -=B:..::i:.:bl:."'.:l:l:.:i:.:o:..;g::i.:r:.:a=.:p.:. :h:.:.1.=-·c-=--=S.;::u=.r..:.. v-=e"'-y-':·~ "'~7l.:. h:..:e::.. .1';._e::.?'.;X=-o::.....;.1. ;.; :::.·n;;:._P:_:_r=-i=-n_t. Wash ing ton, D.C., Vols . 1N7 (1965~ , 71). Porter, Dorothy Be " j( Bibliogranhical Stud arly American .Te?ro Wr itinr,s : Papers of the Biblio~ranhical Society of America, XXXI X (1945), 192R268 . 3 -- fV\ --- . ..... Early Ne gro Writin&, 1760 118 37. ~ - .:.N:.o:..::r .: :..:t::.:li.::......:A.:.: \!l . :.e=-r=-1.=-·c..: .a..:..n ;;:._.:.:N-=ec,.~:.::r-=o---'-P-'o-=e:..:t:...:s:...:~ ~Y '-,_B_i '- _b_ l_i_o.,._,pr;__a~n_h_i_c_a_l_C_h_e_c_l_ c _L_1._·s_t_ 1944. of Their Hritin? s • Hattiesbur~ , Miss., 1945. Puckett, 1 ewbell Niles \ ( ed . ~ ~urray Heller History a nd Meanin~. Querry, Ronald; and Perio dicals ." Bo ston , 1971. k/ Black Names in America : Bo s ton,1975. obert E . Flemin~J "A Workinr- Bib liogra~hy o f Black Studies in Black Literature, ......,Vol. 3, No. 2 (Summer 1 9 72), 3l j- 36 . Rowell , Charles H. "A Bibliography of Bib lio graphies for the Study of Bl ack American Literature and 'Folklore . " Journal , Black Experience, ;,{ Southern University I LV (June 1969) 951 111 . ,_ --- 'J N Rush, There;K ; Caro ]; }feyer~ a nd ( EsthelJr rrata Writers Past and Pres ent: 1975. -- Directory . s. Black American )( Bio-Bib liographical Directory. Sho~k ley, Ann Allen; an4 Sue P ~J chand er, eds. /4 Bio granhical ,I comC New York, 197 3. Scarecrow Press, Living Black American Authors : �!,chomburg , Arthur A. New York , 1916. A Bibli ogr aphical Checklist of American Negro Poetry . (Schomburg Collection) \ Smith, J essie Camey . "Develop ing Collections of Bl a ck Literature." Bl ack Worl<l? XX (J une 1971), 18N29. To pin , Edgar A. A Bio raphica l History of Blacks in America Since 1528 . ew York , 1971. Turner , Darwin T. Williams, Afro-American Writers. OAaJ . . comp . - New York , 1970. "A Bibliography of Works Written by American Black Women." CLA J ournal J Vol. ~ , No. 3 ( arch 1972), 354bl 77. IY / Work , Monroe N A Bi bliography of t he Negro in Af rica and America. Yel lin, Jean ~ Fagan. New York , 1928. o:::t::::::•r::sJ::~: 'c:::i:: ::::J::;f 8 "An I:d::d 0 9 GS . �5 ~) ][ PERIODICALS \. -- Amistad The Anglo-African s Bandung rr, .,._ It ! Black Academy Review Black Books Bulletin 1hl ILH:k-Ce(b«~i•n Black Creation Black Dialogue 1h~ L,c.Jc. f ,se• .. Lcnc.&. Bl ~ Orpheus: MA Journal of Af rican and Afro-American Literature. Black Review Te Blac~ Scholar Black T'heat re World (fo rmerlv . e~ro Di?;est) . ---,.,....,,,----- pa.,, . ) 8 tM ~ 1 6"o Defender Chicory CLA Journal Confrontation : T, e Crisis: V t ..,, )( Record of the Dar ~er Races Dasein Douglass' ~onthly Ebony Encore Essence Journal of Third World L/terature �Fire Fr eedom's Journal Freedomways Harlem Quarterly Hoodoo Black Literatur e Serie s Impressions The Journal of Black Poetry The Journal of Black Studies - - -- The Journal of Negro Education The Journal of Negr o History ~berator The Messenger b\W8MO Negro American Lit er ature Forum regr o History Bulletin The Negro Quarterly ~~ Amsterdam News Nkombo Nonnno Obsidian: Black Literature i n Review Opportunity : Phylon: ...,1'be j( Journal of Ne gro Life -.;, Atlanta University Review of Race and Culture Africaine: v Cultural Revue of the Nero World (l._ RenAissance II Roots: ,X Journal of Critical and Creative Exnression <;., Soulbook �7 The Southern Workman Studies in Black Literature Tuesday \ lilt ll!,,brn Umbra ardbird Reader �(i) Abdul, Raoul, ed . , ANTHOLOGIES I The Nagic of Black Poetry . New York, 1972 . ~lillllN\ 'R:ao ~ and{ Alan3fomax, \ ed. 3000 Years of Black Poetry . Adams, Willian; l:eterJ~onn.1l and Barry; S ep an, eds. [f Poetry . New York, 1970 . Afro-American Literature: Boston, 1970. Afro - Arts Anthology . Newark, 1966. u r-. Al hamisi, Ahlned,; and HarAn K:j Wanfgara, eds. Black Arts : J(,n Anthology 1.,:,1 Creations . Detroit, 1970. York , 1968. t he Poem Singing ,(nto Your Eyes . -- Black America . rno l d , David ;lAhmos; 1u-Bo New York , 1973. flet, eds . onJ and New York , 1971. The Last Cookie . Vol. No. 1., San Francisco , ealif...,1972 . ..______:;. Baker, Houston A., Jr., ed. Black Literatur e in America . , New York , 1971. ".\ Barksdale, Richar~ and Kenteth; Kinnamon, eds. ,:; Black Writers of Amer i ca. New York , 19720 s Bat tle, )lol , ed . 73C1) . Ghetto ' 68 . Soul Session . eni~, Irving, ed. Newark, 1969 . The Children . ell, Ber nar d W. , eel . Te nest of 40 New Yor!:, 1 968 . :. ew Yor , 1971. ~--foder n a .d Cont emporarv . fro-Anerican Poetrv. cr es Poetrv . ? ew ar k, c. 1 972. Boston, 1972. �(6Lulc. \.\,;ti"f MCIStVI"') Black Poets r r ite On ! ....:,,.f.n Ant holo ~v of Bl a c k Philad elryhian Poets . Philadeln. iat\ 19 70 . Bont emps, Arna, ed . k, 3 Ni ,~ omp . 'J ~ed . Booker , New York, 1963 . Aneric an ~1e7,ro Poetry. Hew York, 1941. <"!olden Slinner s . Hold Fas t to !errel Daniel , Dr. ett r eams. al. , eds. New York, 1969. t I_wtII. -, Boyd, Sue Abbott, e <l0 Poems by Bl a c k s . iew York , 1971. Cry a t Birth. ~ Vo \ · Fort Smith, Ar ka~ s• J 1910~~ 7'':.~q1'1. '(.Sla\.iln~ ~,th 1/o L,IQ."' i)\ Y\k.\e C,o..dt>t\ L~rieJ ed .) o.nno~ ~ ) Breman, Paul, ed . You Better Bel ieve It. Brawley, Benjamin, ed . Baltimore, ~ ~ Early re gro American Writers. 1973. Chapel Hill, l . C. , 1935. Brook s, Gwendolyn, ed. / Jump Bad: _ ft' .~ew Chicago Ant hology . Detroit, 1971. J ___ _..,~..., ed. A Broadside Treasury. Detroit, 1971. M ~ Brown, Sterling A. ; LArt hur P J navisJ \ and New York, 194:lJ ..____,,,, 1969 • ~ The ----- e gro Caravan . 1:fashing ton, D.C., 1963. Burning Spear: lfn Anthology of Af ro-Sax on Poetrv. '-" Cade, Toni, ed. The Bl a ck Woman: Calver ton, Victor F ., ed . Cartey, Wilfred . ,,/n Anthology of American Negro Literature. Whisners from a Continent: -,i' New York, 1929. e Literature of Contemporary New York , 1969. 'B lack Africa . Antholo gy of Bl ack Right On! Chambers, Bradford; and e_ebeccc:; r ~oon, \ eds. Literature. Jew York, 1970. Antholo gy . V New Yo r k, 197(). Chapman, Abraham, ed. Afro-American Slave Narratives. _M _ 3_ _ .,,,,,---..... ed. Black Voi c es: 1 t(:t New York, 1970 . Antholo gy of Afro-American Literature. '-' New York, 1968g _ _M3__1,..---....... ed. New Black Voices . Chometzky , Jules; and Sidney; Kap an , eds. New York, 1971. Black and White in American Culture: e, Antholo gy fro m t he Massachusetts Review . - - - - - -- - - -- - -- - - - - Amh~rst, Mass ., 1969 . J �/0 I I Clarke, John Henrik, ed . Harlem: Voices from t he Soul of Black Americ a . New '-' York, 197') . Collins, }fa rie., ed . Coombs, Orde , ed. New York, 1972. Black Poe t s in French . We Speak as Liberators: Cornish, Sam; and ~ an WJ a Young Black Poets. New York, 1970. ixon;\ Chicory! ,_,Y oung Voices fro!ll t he Blac k Ghetto. New York , 1969. D a, Cromwell, Oteli~ ; LLorenz o Jf ·.i_Furne~ Reading s from New York , 1931. Negro Authors. Cullen, Countee, ed. York , 1927J and} Eva B ·) !Dykes :1 eds. Dusk: ~\«t'1Cl ..__ ,Jm ~ Anthology of Verse by Negro Poets . New 0 ~ Cunard, Nancy, ed. i9 Ne ~ro Antholo gy . Cuney, Earing ; Langston; Iughes, Po e ts. Lon a n d Bruce eds. Lincoln Universit y t~ew York , 1954. Danner, ~far ~a ret eJ• The 1 Brass House . Richmond , Va. 1968 . ~ichmond, Va . , 1969. a v id, Jay, ed . Davis , Art~ur Black Jov . P-j Tew or , , 1971, and Saunrl ers; ·,eddin~ , eds . ing f rom 1760 to t , e Presen~. Cavalcade : "' e g ro American ·!ritt - oston, 19 71. navis, Charles T :_; and\_? anieJ; iHalden,l eds . On Bei n g Bl a c k : Americans f rom Fr ederick Douq; lass to the Pr e s e nt. ee, Rubr, ed . n reer , 1 Glouchild . _er.:1an, ed. Writing s by Afro = 1Jew Yor1':, 1970. Jew Yor , , 1972 . · Americ an Literature by Ne ~ro Authors. Edward s, Gr egory ; Hayr,Ce; Loftin.J and Gre~or y; fare , ed s. o.-.« Peelinz, Thinkin~, Reacting •..• I\.Circ · ~ew Yor : , 1950. '!'he Black CoT'U1lunity 1971. "----- ~ The ~ditors of Vanta ~e Press, conn s. '--"' Jew Yor· , 1972. ·-- New Voices in Amer ican Poetry, 1972. I �Ellna~ The t'1 orton Antri olo o:y of ~ro de r n Poetrv . Richa r dj \ n~ P.obertJ O' Clair , eds . Jew Yor c, 1973 . Emanuel , James A:j and LTheodore_;fross, \ eds . . merica . New York, 1968 . .< - . : . - ~eldrnan, Euge n~ ~ W t) Prisoners. 0 Poecis by Blac k Chicago (Du Sable !luseum of Afr ican American History ) Black Insi7,hts: to the Present . of Black Lit erat ire . Gersmehl, Glen, ed . 1971. B ~ ericans Signif icant Literature b t !lan, · _rass., 1 971. Freedman, Fr anc es S . , ed. t ~ of Prison: n~ ~ eds: j ord, ,;ick Aaron, ed. ~ /4 1760 Dark Syr'l,.,hony: .,}'1err, ro Literature in The Black American Experience: !e~ York, 1970. Hards Among America . New York, 1971. ) Giovanni, Nikki. right Comes Softly. Goldstein, Richard, ed . Gross, Mary Anne, ed. • ewark, 1971. The Poetry of Rock . Oh, :Man, You Found Me Again . Gross, Ronald ; ~ orgeJiuasha,\ ~mmet2.Pilliarn Lowenfels , e ds. New York, 1968. Open Poetry. Haslam, Gerald W. , ed . ~ John Boston, 1972. Robert; Colornbc, and lfalter _j New York, 1973. Forgotten Pages of American Literature. Hayden, Rob ert, David_, Burrows~ andLFr ed erick_;~Lap ides, j eds. Literatur e . Boston , 1970. Afro-American New York, 1971. Hayden, Robert , ed. Kaleidoscope: , J'oems by A.11lerican 1 e isro Poets. New York, 1967. Henderson, Stephen. Understandin<?; the New Black Poetr Music as Poetic References. Hill, Herbert, ed. 1940~1962. ' ew York, 1973. Soon, One ~1orning: )Tew Writing by American Ne ~roes, New York, 1963. Hollo, Anselm, ed. Black Sneech and Black Ne~ ro Verse. London, 1964. _ 5 70 �Hopkins, Lee Bennett , comp. Hughes, Langston, ed . On Our Way~ Poems of Pride and Love. The Book of Ne,:,;ro Humor. ,__M ___ J - - - - - -J. 3 New York, 1974. New York, 1966. ~ , • }1T egro: / Americaine. ' • • La P oesie Paris : eghers, Editions 1966 • .)( ,,.;-H\,:lg-hQ~ --;J.New Ne gro Poets U. S .A. la:egstoR~ and ~ Rev. ed . rna;fontemps ,\ eds . Garden City, N~ Hunter, Paul ~ Patt i; Y~ The Poetry of the Ne gro, l i 464 1970. , 1970 . and lTom~ arson ~ eds. Revolutionary Poems. Seattle, 11 Poetr J - -----') The Whites of Their Eyes : 1970 . Images: "-=-'/4.~ Antholo~y of Black Literature . Jackson, Bruce, ed. Bloomington, Ind . , 1964 . Br ooklyn, N~ V~ - c. _J.972 . Get Your Ass in the Water and Swim Like r e": from Black Oral Tr aditio .Cambr idge, Mass~l:J.u.eette,. 1974 . ~ ~ ed. ..__, CanbridPe,i\1972. Johns on, Charl es S. , ed . Ebony an Johnson, Jar1es Hel non, ed . } ew York ___,;., _W_a_k_e_U_p_D_e_a_d__!a_"~:-,-,_A_f_r_o_-_Am_e_r_i_c_a_n_~_fo_r_k_.s_o_n_e_s_f_r_o_m_T_e_x_a_s • ~ •.:> Prisons . J ..... - Narrative Topaz: ew York , 1927. / Collect Tl1.e Boo. of American egro Poetry . Rev . ed . 1931. 3 T}l~ Book of Arlerican ;Je~ro S irituals . Hew York, M 1925; The Secon .-egro Snirituals. l 1 Jones, LeRo~ anr Larr 0 J ieal, eds. Hritin~. Black Fire: j{n Antholoq;y of fro-American \J ? ew Yor k, 1968 . Jordan, June . ed. 1' earns, New York , 1926. Soulscrint: _,Af ro-American Poetry . Fra c is F. . , ed . ture for the 1970 ' s . Kee~an, Frank L., ed. Garden City, I'"') N~f&!'!• 1970 . n Antholoc of American Litera T~e Black xnerience: --!:,,------~---------~ ------------:Iew Yorl-:, 1970. Blac <.town, U.S.A. 57( Boston, 1971. �'endricks, Ralph, ed. Af ro-American Voic e s: lff)'s ~197 O's. . ew York, 19 70 . V Kerlin , Robert T., ed. Ne gro Poets and Their Poems . 2nd e . Washins ton , D. C., 1935. '" r. King , Woodie-, . Blac k Spirits: Yor}! 1972.A..J -K.. • WI' "",;;o. ~ of New Black Poets in America. ew '-- Ak~ ilMk.J>offi ,·V\ ~,;,~ W4.~hin,11~ t>,C .. J1q1s. ~•1evr1n~ :~.::::::::::..;_1.1_&.::;:a_i:..:.::.:..~---- · lJ :.,, Kni ght, Etherid ge, e~ Kramer, Aaron, ed. A Festival Black Voices from Prison. On Freedom's Side: Jew York, 1 9 70 . )(n Anthology o f American Poems of Protest. New York, 1972. Lane, Pinkie Gordon, ed . - X,z ~~ /4 Lanusse, Armand, ~ Dis courses _o n Poe~, Vol. Poems bv Blacks -~nual). Centennial ed . Locke, Alain, ed. Four Negro Poets. _ _"!"'-:;__ • The New Ne gro: ()11 Fort Smith, Ark ., 1973. ·_c_r_e_o_l_e_V_o_i_c_e_s_:__P_o_e_m_s_i_n_F_r_e_n_c_h_b.,,_y_F_r_e_e_,'_ te_n_o_f_C_o_l_o_r. Ed. ~dward M. Cole~ n. /\A • For t Smi t h, Ar k ., 1972 . .9---1'(1/ -~ ,An Washington, D.C. , 1945 . New York, 1927. Interpretation. Long , Richard A.; and (Eugenia; p ollier, ) eds. of Prose and Poetry . 2 / ols. Lowenfels,., ) falter, ed . New York , 1925. "---" Afro-American Writing : fl Anthology ~lew York, 1972. From t he Belly of the Shark. New York , 1973. New York, 19690 - .__/ _z . Poets of Todav. New York , 1964 • . _ - , T!le Writing on the Wall. ....-:) Garden City , !~~ ~ J 1969. •!ajor, Clarence, ed. The New Black Poetry. Hiller, Adam David, ed. Dices or New York, 1969. Black Bones: Black Voices o f the Seventies . ✓ Boston, 1970. Miller, Ruth, ed. 1971. Blac kamerican Literature 1760#' res ent. Beverly Hill s, Calif., �I Miller, Wayne Charles, ed. A Gathering of Ghet to Hriters o7> Irish, Italian, Jewish, Black, Puerto Rican. Hoon, Bucklin, ed . Mur phy , Beatrice; New York, 1972. Primer for White Folk s. Moore, G~raldj andfU l~ Beier j eds. Ebony Rhyt.!u!!_. al0 ----- --N '!3 !"""<- > New York, 19481 ~ Nel s on, lice Dunbar, ed . /\~i~ , ed , fr ) ~o ~. eF York, 1914 . New York , 1971, Up This _fornin! Norfolk Pri son Bro thers. ~ Baltimore, 1963. 1968. fas terp i eces of Negro Eloauence. Poetrv of Soul. _;__,,, Hoke t ew Yo r k , 1945 . New York, 1938. Negro Voic es . 1do _, _T_o_d_a..._y_'_s_ __,...___ __ .... Nicholas .... Modern Poetry from Africa. _...,;J~ M ~-----, f'' ~; ep York, 1973. nt ro duction by !.lma Lewi ~ Who Took/ he Height] Boston, 1972 . _Jl,------- Osofsky, Gilbert, ed . Put tin ' on Ole 1(assa: ~he Slave ,far r a tiv es of 1:enry 0 ! ew York, 191i9, Bibb, William W. Br m,m ...,a nd Solomi n 1746 to t1e Pres ent . 1ashin~to n, ~.c. , 1969. A Rock . 'ca ins t the Wind : Per: ins, Eu~ene, ed . Blac k Exp ressions: Blac k Love Poens . 1e York, )(n Ant holo?;y o f !Tew Black Poets . <ii,2., Chicago, 196 7. Poo l, Rasey E . , ed. Be yond the :Slues: V New Poems by A.rnerican Ne groes. Lympne, Kent, ~ngland, 1962 . 3 The Ha'";ue M Porter, Dorothy , ed. Ragain, Kathy, ed. Randall, Dudley, e<l . Rlac k Poets. Early Ne g ro Writing, 1760N1837. ~ 1964. Boston, 1971. Occasional Papers, Play s a nd Poetry© Vol.I . Kent, Ohio, 1971. Black Poetry: Detroit, 1969 . ft Supplement to Antho lo ~ies Hhic h Exclude <,:., �---M ~----1 J eds. an Death of Malcolm .• • 3 .,1. ~• .,., ~ M '- For ' fa lco l r \ Poer:i.s on t he Li fe and ......., Detroit, 1969 . 1!ew Yor k , 19 71. The Bla ck Poe ts. ed. Redmond, Eugene/\Sides of the River: ..__ Hini Antholo gv of Black ~-Jritings. East St. Louis, Ill., 196 9. Reed, Ishmael, ed. Writing for the {7q;/s. ••-;q •?••1 y.J_ 0 ./ n Antholo g 19 Necromancers frora Now: Garden City, LY., 1970. ......__.,. Yardbird Reader, Vol. 1. Berkeley, 1972. Robinson, William H., ed. Rodgers, Carolyn, ed. 1 Dubuque, Iowa, 19 69. ) I/- I -1, , -'~;'}, For Love of Our Brothers. Rollins, Charlemae Hill, comp. Sanchez, Sonia, ed. of Ori~inal American L£...):;;$> Chicago, 1970. Christmas Gif'. New York , 1963. Three Hundred and Sixty Degrees of Blackness Comin' at You. New York , 1 971. Schulberg , Budd, ed . ~ l ( 1t ; p 15 From the Ashes: ....,Voices of Watts. 1 Q&l!tiCj ifb&pt; I ; H?!i . z Tb-ird Por]d ygjce§ G"nt Tells· d New York , 1967. l\Tfjld . .~ ?- Shapiro, Norman R.J _N_J_.. g.. i.-i_t_ll_d_e_:~,_B ~l_a_c_k_ P_o_e_t_r~y_f_r_o_m_A_f_r_i_c_a_a_n_d_ t_h_e_ C_a_r_i_b_b_e_a_n. New I York , 197VJ . Shuman, R. Baird, ed . 'li A Galaxy of Black Wr ifng . Durham, N.C., 197 0 . .., R nak--4, ed. Ni'ne ~lack Poet• Durham -.r C 1968 iv\ Simon , Myron , ed. Ethnic vriters in America. New York , 1972. Shtim?n-' ~ -- - ~ - Simmons, Gloria ,,., d . ._; and Helen D:j Hutchinson, eds. a, Sta~ fo5Y BarbAra Dodds, ed. Literature. 0 New York, 1971. , ., • • , • Black Culture. New York , 1972. I, Too, Sing America: ~fi lack Voices in American �Port Washing ton, }~ T ylor, Clyde , e d . Ten: J~Antholo gy of Detroit Poets . Tisdale, Celes , ed . . Yerse b Detroit, ~ Blac- Americ an Literature: . Poetry . • 7; O' Brien, l ed s. of Outstandin1s Black l· riters . va t kins, Mel, ed . Black Review ~!atkins, Sylvester C. , ed . 1 Jew York, c. 19 7~~ _ o. 1. Black Literatur e: J n Anthology ! ew York , 1972 . Ant h ology of American Ne~ro Litera ture. / j eds. New York, 1944 . Black Poetry for All Americans. )_ Talkin' About Us . T,Jh ite, !· ewman I :; and f 1alter C ·) \Jack so::j eds. . ew York, 197 0 . An Anthology of Verse by American nurham, N. C., 1924 . Wilentz, Te ~ and l_:'mJ Natural Process: eatherly , \ eds. ew York, 1971. Wood, . Clement, ed . Ne~ro Songs, Woodson, Carter G. , ed. ,/fu. Antholo gv , Neg roe g ri_Others. . •, ,!in Anthology of lew Black > Girard, Kan·(§=:t ~ , 1924. Negro Orators and Their Orations. Wormley, Beatric'7 a nd [Charles W:J~rl:er f ·f · j eds. Washington, D.C., An Anthology of Negro Poetry by Hark s Progress Administra t ion.\( Schornburg Collection ) {it , ed . - m-l ew York, 1971. 1 e rtheim, Bil ); and ~ ~z, j eds . Young, ,/41 193 ~ e, (Scho_'I---' ew York , 1972 • •Teisman, Leo1:; and {iureda S ._; jwri ht Poetrv . ,~ -, ,c. ~ Yardb ird Reader Vol~ 1 II . Ber keley, Calif. 1972. ~ ?~ s I Q eckoff , \ eds. lac k Review egroes . Columbus, Ohio, 1970. ,--_ ___, l ashington, l· illiam D :i and l:,amue~ 1974 . The Brovm T~h, Antholo~y of Students at Talladega College. ~ At hyn~ bur g Collec~on) -, (:) ':,,/ ---- Poens f rom Attica . 3 . Vorhees , LilliaS and {Robert ' 1973 • ,,.-- y~ ew . T Fort Smith, Ar k . , 1968 . Betcha Ain 't: Turner, _Dar win T . , e d . /r.. • Ga r d en C1.tv, Vietnam a .d Bl a c k Ar1erica . Y&j~ , 1922, 1968 . 1925. I I �'I I a2:'. I LITERARY HI STORY ~ D CRITICISM I QJ eneral I Adams, William. ') '~ Afro-American Authors. ed 0 Allen, Samuel . Boston, 1971. Afro-American Literature: I Nonfiction. Boston, 1970. I "e ritude and its Relevance to the American Negro Writer." - The American Ne gro Writer and His Roots . araka, Imamu Amiri '(LeRoi Jones). New York, 1960. I Pp. 8{ 20. "The Black Aesthetic\:,q Negro Digest, ~III I September 19 69 ), sJ 6 . Baker, Houston A., Jr. I "Balancing the Perspective: American Literary Artistry." / Look at Early Black ...._, Ne gro American Literature Forum. I Vol. 6, No.f I (Fall 1972), 651 70 . M Culture. Long Black Song: Essays in Black American Literature and 0 ~ a, . Charflottesville, V'MI@ ., 1972. 1 , ~• , 11 0 • llt.ili, We£ ..,e and t he Literature of Black America. II Black World, XXI (September 1972), 30 35. Bontemr,s, Arna. "The Black Renaissance of the Twenties.'' (,Tovember 1970), S/49. 3 M. Black World, XX . "The Harlem Renaissance." ~ The Saturday Review of Literature, XJ(X ( fa rch 22, 194 7) , 12 1 13, 44. ~ --~ ~ ed . - --- • ...___/ 'i'he Harlem .enaissance Rememb ered . ':e~ro P..e f ere ce Book . L" 3. R50,vfJ ~ew Yori< , 1972. The A..rnerican ''The Fd . John P. Davis. - F.n~ leimod r.liffs, ; .J., 1966. lEti' t!_P · �3 '~ "The NeH Black T?enaissa'1c e . " Tegro Di ~est , '~I c :ovemb er 196 1) , --- 52~ 58 . "Fanous HPA Authors . " '-...__-.I ~ Brawley : Benjamin. Early --;,,,;,.~-- - (:) "The ~Tegro in American Literature. 11 • (Oct~ 1 egro A.T:lerican 1 riters. The Bookman, lvI L" • IA egro Racial Consciousness: J he 1920's: vThree Ha lem ~enaissance Authors. ,-1 Chaoel Hill, N.C. , 1935 . y·-- (na.7 .H. ti---oot-'sN•~\'\O oerup,F ~tf.t..W ~ , ,.- . d r 1922), 1374l41. Branz, Stephen /"'\ ~!ecrro 1)igest , VIII (June 1950), ~ 3/247. -r ooks, Russell . lfow York, 1964. "The Comic Spirit and the Negro's J ew Loo 1: ." CLA Journa l, VI (1962), 35~ 43. Brown, Lloyd W "Black Entitles: :,James as Synbols in Afro-American Lit er at ure . 11 '"' Studies in Blac: Literature, 1 (Spring 1970), 16 44. e.d, ~ Wr,T-e ... in /1.f't'ic.o. l~.n.fTt,e ~me~;'-AS• Lo~ An~e.Le.!1 19 7 '3, Brown, ?terling A. "The American Race Problem as Reflected in American Liter~ --.iiilil-- ru / .,, tur{'yj The Journal of Negro Education, VIII (1939) 275 1..,,, 90 . __.,3__ , IV\. __, '._'The New Negro in Literature (1925j l ..._ J ew Jegro 5 -- Thirtv Years Afterward. Calverton, Victor F. ew York , 1932. The Liberat ion of American Literature. "The Negro and Anerican Culture." M ton, D.C., 1955. Rayford l . Logan et~ a The Saturday Review of Literature XXII (Sept ember 21 , 19li0), 3;j4 . 1 Chapman, Abraha~ . "The Harlem Renaissance in Literary History." CLA Jour~ fi; XI (1967), 38~ 58. Clarke, John Henrik . "The Neglected Dimensions of the Harlem Renaissance . " Black World, XX (November 1970), 118 11 ~29. ~ J "" - • '---"' "The Origin ani'rowth of Afro-American L~ Digest, XVII (December 1967), 54,J-67. ~ Q ~ Blac.lc. Vo(c.c~ I 577 e." Negro ....a:- �{' Clay, Eu Gene. Cong r e ss. ~ on, "The Negro in Recent Amer ican Literature." Ed . Henry Hart. H orf and Beyond: 1966. 1ew Yor k, 1935. "Ideological Forces in the Work of Negro Writers." e R, / he Ne gro lriter in the United States. c.., Pp . 37~50. ~ Colloquium -p American - - - - --+---+-+-I - on Ne -00 r_ o_ A _r_t_ : -!- he First World Festival of Jegro Art I (1966) . Pre ...Y sence Africaine Editions, 1968 , Conrad, Earl. ) "American Viewpoint: • Blues School of Literature." Defender, December 22, 1945 , p . 11. Cook, Merce1;; and Ft"ephe!'. ; ~ ender son, \ t h e United States. Coo ke, .!.f·, Mad ison, Wis., 1969 . Modern Black Novelists: ed. Englewood Cliffs, N .J.J 11 Cosg rove, Willi am. Liter atur e Forum. Cruse, Harold. The Militant Black Writer in Africa and 1 / Collection of Critical Essays • ..__, 1'11(. odern Black Writers: Vol. 7 , / he Divided Self." '-..!. o.\4 (Winter 1973). The Crisis of the Neg ro Intellectual. Cullen, Countee . "The Dar k Tm e ~ I'avis, Arthur P . "Growing Up in t h e •- New York, 1967. Opnortunity, monthly column, 1926t1 ~'''.?:VI II ev1nter 197 J L, 72) , 37 W•f•~• , Negro .. of American Literature. Chicago, 1903, Singers in the Dawn: _ ,iBrief supplement to the Study Atla n ta , Ga., 1934 . Shadow and Act. ~.c 'J 19111• Partisan Review , 6.!.f 95 . The Souls of Black Folk. Eleazer, Robert B., comp. Ellison, Ralph. 28. Fl-'\«>""'~ ~Towe.rr-: ~P,-o-.t1 02 e..,ic.0:viw,,,fe,..~1'loe/41qkQ. Wo.Jlunffon Dic¥stein, ~o rri;:--"iTh e Blac k Aes t he tic in White America . " Dtois, - ew Ne gro Renaissance: _ 1920~ 1935 . " American Literatur e Forum, II (196 8~ 53 1 59. J Negro American New York, 1964. 57! �Eme~ila, Leatrice W. "Black Art and Artists in Cleveland. ~ vans, Mari. J rld, XXII (January 1973), 23 33. "Contemporary Black Lfterature." Black World, XIX (June 1970), 4, 93L94_ Fabre, Michel. "Black Literature in France." Studies in Black Literature/() Vol. 4, No~ 3 (Autumn 1973), 9 114. Fleming, Robert • ''Playing the Dozens' in the Black Novel." Studies in Black 1 Literature, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Autumn 1972), 23 24. Ford, Nick Aaron. Annual "Critical Survey of Significant Belles Let and About Negroes." J Phylon : XXII (1961), 119J!34; by XXV (1964), 123 1fa 4 • . ./ "Black Literature and the Problem of Evaluation." College fV\ I -. English, XXXII (1971), 536N!47. :J -"""!M --. _______... J --fv\~-· ..__, Black Studies: Threat or Challenge? Port Washington, N.Y., 1973. "On the Teaching of Black Literature with the Aid of Anthologies." College English, Vol. 34, No. 7 (April 1973), 996~1013. ____.3...__,. ____.., M "What Every English Teacher Should Know About Black Studies." The CEA Critic, Vol. 36, No. 4 (May 1974), 19j 27. Fuller, Hoyt We "Black Images and White Critic ~ Negro Digest, XIX (November 1969) , 49} 50. ~ J_,,.,,,---. e • "A Survey: _.Black Writers' Views on Literary Lions and g> Value ~ " Negro Digest€) _XVII (January 1968), 10 148, 81N89. ~ .J f'V\. • "Perspectives." Negro Digest and Black World, monthly column.J • "The Negro Writer in the United States." Ebony, XX ~ ' ,~1t>1 . (November 1" 1964), 126N! 34. Gayle, Addison, Jr. 10 Years Later." "Reclaiming the Southern Experience: J he Black Aesthetic Black World, XXIII .,_,,(September 1974), 29,729. - N\ :J_ _. , ~---"'- ed. in the Creative A~ts. j Black Ex~t ession: ...,.Essays by and About Black ,Hnericans New York, 1969. �3 The Black Aesthetic. Gerald, Carolyn. ------ "The Black Writer and His Role." Negro Digest, XVIII (January 1969), 42 1 48. Gibson, Donald B., ed. Five Black Writers. u,ktc, ~ tJMJ C1ouo.r1n l f'l'J,t~ k ,· o.ncl 014t1-...1 Green, Elizabeth Lay. The in Contemporary American Literature. Chape l~u,,;,,r_,. , .:..v, 'J Hill, N.C., 1928. Hairston, Loyle. "Is Black Writing American Literature?" Freedomways, Vol. 13, 1~. No. l fl- 97)1.JFirst Quarter), ) 50~ 54. Haslam, Gerald W. "The Awakening of American Negro Literature 1619r71900." American Writer. easkins ( J' d II gi ii .,QI>'\ '13Q... c.:w.,\E . ii bts, 11,!lc Bigsby 1 • eland, Fla., 1969. . ____,. _ _= ~ . Qi k !,Ail Vol. II, dfi4. N@W IUZJt; &H9. ~ M)3:--. "Two Traditions in Afro-American Literature." Studies, Research Quarterly Publication of Washinton State Universit, XXXVII ' "l 93 . (September 1969), 183,.:7J ._, Hill, Herbert. v "The Negro Writer and the Creative Imagination." Arts in Society, (1968), 244~!55_ Huggins, Nathan I. Hughes, Langston. 3 3 M - . • ----- '---" Harlem Renaissance. The Big Sea. New York, 1940. I Wonder ;(s I Wander. New York, 1956. ✓ "The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain." CXXII (1926), 692 1 i....,94. J "To Negro Writers. II ....__..... ~ New York, 1971. r The Nation, =¼. Henry //4 ~ American Writers' Congres q_ New York, 1935. 5 8D �. _____.,., 3 M "The Twenties: I (Spring 1966), 1 Isani, Mukhtar Ali. I V Harlem and It's egritude." African Forum, 20. ,, "The Exotic and Protest in Earlier Black Literature.A ' Studies in Black Literature, Vol. 5, No. 2 (Summer 1974), 9~ 4 . Jackson, Blyden. Vol. 35, No. 6 3 Jahn, Janheinz. "A Survey Course in Negro Lit~rature." (March 1974), 63 !.t 36. ~ ...,, / I Annual 'Resume f Negro Literature." Nee-African Literature: ~ College English, Phylon• XVI (1955), History of Black Writing. New York, 0 1968. Jeffers, Lance. "Afro-American Literature, )lhe Conscience of Man." The Black , Scholar, II {January 1971), 47 53. Jones, LeRoi u Amiri Barak Johnson, Charles S. , Home: Along This Way. __,.M J__ _ Black Manhattan. ~ Forum, III Social Essays. "The Negro Enters Literature." Johnson, James Weldon. Keller, Joseph. v Carolina Magazine, LVII (May New York, 1933. New York, 1930. "Black Writing and the White Critic." (1969), New York, 1966. Negro American Literature 103tf10. Kent, George E. Blackness and the Adventure of Western Culture. Chicago, 1972. J -----· "Outstanding Wi!>rks in Black Literature During 1972." Phylon, N\ 1"' Vol. XXXIV, No. 4 (December 1973), 307/ii!,29. 3 • ..___,.., "Struggle for the ' Image: - Selected Books by or A'J,out Blacks During 1971." Phylon, Vol. XXXIII, No .r Kgositsile, Keorapetse. I.., (Winter 1972), 304,J!,23. "Language, Vision and the Black Writer." Bl a ck World, XXI (June 1972), 25 1 21. Kilgore, James C. "The Case for Black Literatur ." Negro Digest, XVIII �Killens, J ohn Oliver. "Another Time When Black Was Beautiful." Black World, I XX (November 1970), 20~36. King, Woodi? a nd [::ari; JAnthonyl eds. Practice an Black Poets and Prophetsj ,Lfhe Theory, Esthetics of the Pan-Africanist Revolution. Klotman, Phyl i s R. New York, 1972. "An Approach to the Teaching of Black Literature ;t, i r: What's a White Lady Like You Doing in a Class Like This?" Vol. 34 ~~• The CEA Critic, I 2 - " (January 1972}, 12~15. '" Lamming, George. Lash, John. "The Negro Writer and His World." Annual _ "Critical Summary of Literature by and About Negroes." Phylon; XVIII (1957), 7-24; XIX (1958), 143~ ! 54, 247; !57; XX (1959), 115/4!31; ,1Jllj!23. XXI (1960} Llorens, David. "What Contemporary Black Writers Are Saying," Nommo, I {Winter 1969), 24 27. k "Writers Converge at Fis~ University." 3 Iv\ '--"" Negro Digest, XV (June 1966), 54h68. Locke, Alain L. "Dry Fields and Green Pastures." Opportunity:t ournal of Negro I Life, Vol. 28 (Jan. 1940), 4Nl0, 28. _ ·_3_ _ _JeJ --....... The New Negro: M o. Loggins, Vernon. New York, -- The Negro Author: Mason, Julian. ' His Development in America to 1900. Native Sons. New York, 1968. "Some Thoughts on Literary Stereotyping." Vol. 6, No. 3 {Fall 1972), 63J 64, 70. Matthews, Geraldine ----- 0 New York, 1925. 1931. Margolies, Edward. ture Forum~ /..n Interpretation. ...J 1773 1 0 1\:-i and the Negro American Litera~ . #I ack American �Miller, Ruth. Backgrounds to Black American Literature. Scranton, Pa., 1971, __3_____ ,:, "The Negro Writer and His Relationship to His Roots." M_ u Negro Writer and His Roots. Mitchell, Loften. ( New York, 1967. The Hero and the Blues. Murray, Albert. Pp. 1 I 8. New York, 1960. Black Drama. The American Columbia, M~ ~ o~, 1973. (:/ ·_ , lils.ie: et ll!Lsss&il Fidddi 3 M - ' --._.; The Omni-Americans: American Culture. New Perspectives on Black Experience and New York, 1970. South Again to y very Old Place. 7 Neal, Larry. New York, 1972. "Any Day Now: ..... Black Art and Black Liberation." Ebony, XXIV I (August 1969), 54? 58, 62. "Our Prize Winners and What They Say of Themselves." Opportunity, IV (1926), 100 ' i 09. O'Brien, John. Interviews /ith Black Writers. 7 O'Daniel, Thurman, ed. New York, 1973. Langston Hughes, Black Gen!ilus: ,A Critical Evaluation. CZ.... New York, 1971. Redding, Saunders. "American Negro Literature." The Ameriaan Scholar, XVIII (1949), 137Ji,48. --M --- • ✓ ---- College Park, M~ Rourke, Constance. New York, 1942. Sellin, Eric. T l'.. Tterature, Shapiro, Karl. ~ To Make a Poet Black. d._, \1968) Chapel Hill, N.C., 1939. (Reprint, l "Tradition for a Negro Literature. " Roots of Ameri can Culture. ,.... Pp. 262~ ~74. "Nee-African and Afro-American Literatures." Journal of Modern f"' Vol. 1, No. \2 .,(1970~ ~.,., 71), 249,v!,_53 • "The Decolonization of American Literature." ~ Bullet tin, XXXIX (1965.J 84 2J! 53. Wilson Library �Simon, Myron. "Ethnic Writers and Mainstream Literature." The CEA Critic, Vol. 34, No. 2 (January 1972), 20~ 25. Spingarn, Arthur B. "Books by Negro Authors." The Crisis, 193aJj 65, 1 Studies in the Literary Imagination~Vol. VII, No. 2 (Fall 1974 ) 1 152. / annual feature. (Special umber: ~ The Harlem Renaissance> \ Taylor, Clyde. "Black Folk Spirit and the Shape of Black Literature." I XXI (August 1972), 3ln 40. ...........1 .tiii ThompsOn, Larry, ed. Ii 1 Ji Black World, P t1 stq5 f ft UJQa. •st.RI ■& .ttz)( lj IJ , 7 !II "Black Words." Yale Literary Magazine (special issue), Vol. 139, Noq1 . (Fall 1969), 2R40. Thurman, Wallace. "Negro Artists and the Negro." The New Republi~ LII (August I 31, 1927), 37 39. Trinnner, Joseph F. tion. Black American Literature: potes on the Problem of Defini ~uncie, IndM§ , 1971. Turner, Darwin T. "Afro-American Literary Critics." Black World, XIX (July I 1970), 54;:,67. (] In e( Minor Chord. - --,iM ~-- • M . ..___.., Carbondale, Ill., 1971. "The Teaching of Afro-American Literature." College English, XXXI (1970), 666~ ! 70. - - -~---)----.. ~ Experience: V and {i"ichard;tWright,l eds. African and Afro-American Literature. Wade, Melvi~ and Margare ade./ Voi ces from the Black Waltham, Mass., 1972. "The Black Aesthetic in the Black Novel." I Journal of Black Studies, Vol. 2, No. 4 ~(June 1972), 39],:j-408. Walcott, Ronald. and Spafie." j Some Notes on the Blues, Style V Black World, XXII (December 1972), 4.! 9. Washington, Mary Helen. I 1974), 10,:Jl8. -- "Ellison, Gordone and Tolson: "Black Women Image Makers." Black World, XXIII (August �West, Carole Cannon- and .J "Awareness: __;reaching Black Literature ----.;;..i in the Secondary School." Whitlow, Roger. Black American Literature. Williams, Kenny J. 1787~ 930. Journal of Black Studies, Vol. 3, No. 4 (June 1973) , in America: , _The__.,______....__--.::&----------''---------------- Nashville, Tenn., 1970. Williams, Sherley. Literature. Give Birth to Brightness: "The Negritude Tradition in Literature." Literature, Vol. 3, No. 1 (Spring 1972), Yellin, Jean Fagan. The Intricate Knot: Studies in Black 13. Black Figures in American Literature, New York, 19718 Young, James O. C Ba~on Rouge, .._/ Thematic Study in Neo-Black New York, 1972. Wright, Bruce McM. l 776h l863. Chicago, 1973. Black Writers of th~ Lo..0J 1973. Ic:d ■ ii••• ••••• WM• P ■ •••• �-- ,,.,---- LITERARY HISTORY AND CRITICISM Poetry Baraka, Imamu Amiri. "Black Revolutionary Poets Should Also Be Playwrights." I Black World, XXI (April 1972), 4 6. Barksdale, Richard Ke _p ''Trends in Contemporary Poetry." Phylon, XIX (1958), "Urban Crisis and the Black Poetic Avant-Garde." ---------- Negro I American Literature Formn, III (1969), 40~ 44. Bell, Bernard W. The Folk Roots of Contemporary Afro-American Poetry. Detroit, 1974. Berger, Art. - "Negro Poet{'lJ Negro History Bulle{tin, IX (1946), 111.! ) 2, 191. Bennett, M.(w . "Negroes/ ith Pens." Bland, Edward. Bone, Robert. Mainstream, XVI {July l963), · 3i 6. Poetry, lxIII (1944), 328 1i_,33. "Racial Bias and Negro Poetry." "American Negro Poets! .._ / French View." (1965), ..,___/ 185 Tri-Quarterly, No. 4 'i95. ✓ Bontemps, Arna. "American Negro Poetry." ---=--- "Negro .3 M Poets, Braithwaite, William Stanley. 5hen The Crisis, and Now." Lex (1963), 509. Phylon, XI (1950), 355,J ~60 • "Some Contemporary Poets of the Negro Race." The crisis, XVII (1919), 275;Jf 00. Brawley, Benjamin G. "Three Negro Poets: v Horton, Mrs. Harper and Whitman. Journal of Negro History, Vol. 2 (Oct. 1917), 38 f92. 1 ✓ Breman, Paul. d0, Bigsby.JI\ "Poetry }hto the Sixties." / The Black American -- eland, CFla., 1969. IJv Brooks, Gwendolyn. "Poets Who Are Negro." -----{y--- . "Introduction." - --e&w ~ New York, 1973. I Vol. II, // . 99 109. Phylon , _., XI (1950), 312~ The Poetry of Black ~ ~'"/A..Q.., \ ~ �I- -3 Report /rom Part One. ( Y \ · ------ Detroit, 1972. 7 "The Blues." Brown, Sterling A. Phylon, XIII (1952), . 286 / ..,,, f 92. ,:J 7Y\ - . "Negro Folk Expression: ------- and Songs." Phylon - = - -') 3 IV\ XIV (1953), 45 1 61. Negro Poetry and Drama. .J ...,______, - M Spirituals, Seculars, Washington, D.C., 1937. Outline for the Study of the Poetry of American Negroes. New York, 1931. ------ IV\ "The Blues as Folk Poetry." Folk-Say, ;K Regional Miscellany \ (1930), 324J ! 39. Bush, Roland E. "Negritude: A Sense of Reality." Black World, XXII (November I 1972), 36,747. Carter, Lawson ; t._obertjHayde~ and \::°udso~ , J) . hillips_,\ How I Write I. New York, 1972 . .,31/t° Cartey, Wilfred. "Four Shadows of Harlem." Negro Digest, XVIII (August 1969), ,,.. 22* 25. Chapman, Abraham. "Black Poetry Today." Arts in Society, V (1968), 40 - 8. '- Charters, Samuel B. The Poetry of the Blues. Collier, Eugenia W. "Heritage from Harlem." New York, 1963. Black World, XX (November 1970), 52 59. - J 1\/\ • "I Do Not Marvel, Countee Cullen." CLA Journal, XI (1967), ~ Davis, Arthur P. Daykin, Walter I. "The New Poetry of Black Hate." CLA Journal, XIII (1970), "Race Consciousness in Negro Poetry." Sociology and Social Research, XX (1936), 98~105. De Costa, Miriam (Sugarman). CLA Journal, Voi ~ "Social Lyricism and the Caribbean Poet/Rebel." XV, No. 4 (June 1972), 44\JiJ i . �Echeruo, M. r ~C. "American Negro Poetry." Ellison, Martha. Poetry." I Ph;ilon, XXIV (1963), 6 -68. "Velvet Voices Feef n Bitter Fruit: Study of American Negro 1 Poet and Critic, IV (Winter 1967 1Ji68), 39 49 • ..,,, Ely, Effie Smith. "American Negro Poetry." The Christian Century, XL (1923), JJ_ c..!~~J!l~~'".. ~ i~,~,o."'c. Sont1./fflo.s.'1',Mk \.UOrld ,XX\'l se,T..,.e"" ,.-rs), 32~f5j 1~J f!f Flasch, Joy. Melvin B. Tolson. Fowler, Carolyn. New York, 1973. "A Contemporary ~erican Genre: ._Pamphlet nifesto Poetry." Black World, XXIII (June 1974), 4~ 19. Furay, Michael. "Africa in Negro American Poetry to 1929." African Literature I Today, II (1969), 32J 41. Garrett, Delois. "Dream Motif in Contemporary Negro Poetry." English Journal, I ,-, t 10. LIX (1970), 767 Garrett, Naomi M. Poetry." "Racial Motifs in Contemporary American and French Negro 1 West Virginia University Phitcf;ical Papers ~ XIV (1963), 80 101. 1 Gayle, Addisor,~r • f Claude McKay: , lhe Black Poet at War. Gibson, Donald B., ed. Modern Black Poets: i c;., Detroit, 1972. Collection of Critical Essays. Englewood Cliffs, N.J., 1973. Glicksberg, Charles I. "Negro Poets and the American Tradition." The Antioch I ,, Review, VI (1946), 243N ! S3. Good, Charles Hamlin. X (1932), "The First American Negro Literary Movement." Opportunity, I 76f:J19. Heath, Phoebe Anne. "Negro Poetry as an Historical Record." Vassar Journal of Undergraduate Studies, III (May 1928), 34J s2. Henderson, Stephen. Understanding the New Black Poetry; Black Speech & Black Music as Poetic References. Horne, Franks. "Black Verse." New York, 1973. I 'l Opportunity, II (1924), 33 0q!32. �,,.... Jackson, Blyde5 and{Louis D.J r ubinJ!Jr. in Historical Interpretation. s. Johnson, Charles . .(May 1928), 1 I Black Poetry in Americaf : _Two Essays la.- Baton Rouge,/\ 974. "Jazz Poetry and the Blues."' " Carolina Magazine, LVIII 20 . Johnson, James Weldon. .Jmttes Wel don Johftsog, . Jones, Edward A. '_'P_r_e_f_a_c_e_._•_• _ T~ k of American Negro Poet_::,:) M,... ft'. c;ew York, 1931. Voices of Negritude • Kerlin, Robert T. ~ 3 i49_ Valley Forge, P~ "Conquest by Poetry." a i,; \1971. The Southern Workman, LVI (1927), 282Jt84. ------. ? J M. ✓ '--..:...----" ~ Contemporary Poetry of the Negro. Hampton, Va., 1921. "A Pair of Youthful Negro Poets." The Southern Workman, I . ._ - LIII (1924), 178w! 81. ,Jr.& "Present Day Negro Poets." /\ Southern Workman , ~ fE.::_c . .......____..., Kilgore, James C. ,... "Singers of New Songs." Opportunity, IV (1926), 162w164. .;,,, "Toward the Dark Tower." Black World, XIX (June 1970), I 14Nl7. Kjersmeier, Carl. Lee, Don L. "Negroes as Poets." 1 The Crisis, XXX (1925), 1 86I ...,,,, j 89. "Black Poetry : ...,.Which Direction?" ' Negro Digest, XVI I (Sept.~ ' Oct. 1968), 27N32. 3 Dynamite Voices: Black Poets of the 1960's. Detroit, 1971. =--- • M Locke, Alain. "The Message o f the Negro Poets." Carolina Magazine, LVIII - Mo.W ~~~~~~l~ 5~ 1(,_~ ~~~o~ ConTeMeo►dey titft\ ~W'ICM ~Ar:4,r oO ~ ~ ~~ Hfite.,<1~ 0,.l(11113, Moore,J G~d. l?oefi'y in t:he 1:1arrem Renaissance,. ''t J: The-Black - -America - n Wri~ . ~. c.~ , E. BigsbyJ J Morpurgo, J.~ . I 16;:/24. eland, Fla., 1969., Vol. I , "American Negro Poetry." if· 67"_;76. Fortnightly, CLXVIII (July 1947 ) , �- Morton, Lena Beatrice. "Negro Poetry. " @ Negro Poetry in America. Boston, 1925. cyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics • ~ Es,. ..., Alex Preminger, Frank J. Warnke / "Negro Poets, Singers in the Dawn." ( SJ. EE ±his p J •iliiHl 5 1ia~. HU I Pool, Rosey. The Negro History Bulletin, II (1938), ii§§ Iii@ li@&H.lmg . Ii all I iliil~ Ii SI the Bl&Sbi m,ttWf ; :ESS. h I HUili iii "The Discovery of American Negro Poetry." Freedomways, III (1963) , I 46~ 51. Ramsaran, J ~A. "The Twice-Born Artists' Silent Revolution." Black World, xx (May 1971), 58pI 68. Randall, Dudley. "Black Bards and White Reviewers." The Black Position, Number 1 (1971), 3, 15. Redding, J. Saunders. To Make iPoet Black. M s~,1 Chapel Hill, N.C., 1939; --(x:iat:-, .7 \, ~ il!'::i.R;- College Park, Redmond, Eugene B. "The Black American Epic: ..._..,Its Roots, Its Writers." The 1971), 47j 53. I ~ 968 t(:J • ____,,, ~ Lance Jeffers. "Intro~ tion." fi~ n I Know_ t~e Power of My Black Han ~ Rodgers, ~ rolyn M. • • vw,c. so~r-:!,e:Ge:t twr, onlh (ifu.fl.LP.it..y oJ: P4:(tu " ' ~ ,.J ,...,.... I Detroit, 1975. ~c. \, mo ncil M -~ . ~ n,, "Black Poetr;,;piiere It's At." SIS Negro Digest, XVII (Sept. ~fttJ,WU'-.j '"¥'bl'IJ p.e.« 1969), 7f.i16. Rollins, Charlemae. Famous American Negro Poets. New Yo k, 1965~ 1 ~ I r.f ~I.M.k .......""n M.o-1\lftfNl~f\ t1.n.y~~lat~~ 1-l,t\10fpfel"lbtttl115Jl~i3e "Wit and Irony in Militant Black Poetry." Black World, t-~'-'"~11\MMa. \\el'\"lon". Sheffey, Ruthe. XXII (June 1973), 14J 21. 570 �Invisible Poets.· Sherman, Joan R. e Afro Ameri'ca ns o f th e N'1.neteenth Century. J;l-J Urbana, 1974. I\ "~e Pen,er ef the Rap. _!he Black Idiom and the New ~ TWEiiL±Etli CEULU!!j i..i.bel!ll911Wi; ~ coming , ~ ~Also 1il7 ask Pitib±J. 11 Donald Barlow. Taussig, Charlotte E. v A Sho rt H'is t ory o f American ' Poetry. .t' New York, 1974. "The New Negro as Revealed in His Poetry." rfi•-;;::) rtunit t (1927), 1oajJ11. ~ To..'j o~,cLyd ''~_.y ov111to~ le~o.c.yo ~; Lo~-Bllldlk ~irac;e~~~k.W91-l4., XX\\/(Se;Jo,.,..,91':) 'M Thurman, Wall ce. "Negro Poets and Their Poetry." The Bookman, LXVII (1928), '.I '" 555,7!61. Tinker, Edward Larogue. ~ Les Cenelles, Afro-French Poetry in Louisiana. New York, 1930. i te, Newman I. "American Negro Poetry ." - Poets." Va l enti , Suzanne. -1 Time, XCV (April 6 , 1970), 98 100 . "The Black Di a s pora: .....Negritude in t he Poetry of West Africans a nd Bl a ck America ns." dans la - 1ainstream, XVI (July 1963 ), 7-13. "Th e Undaunt ed Pursuit of Fury. " ~a gner , Jean . South Atlantic Quarterly, XX (1~ _.,___ Y~TIIV (Dec emb er 1 9 73), 390J,!_98 . ,Yes ne~r es d es LEtas-Un i s: Les poet oesie de P . • Dunbar ~ L. Hughes. t. L e sentiment · r a c i a 1 e t ,,_,,re 1 i· t i eux Paris, 1963. rom Paul Lawrence Dunbar to Black Poets of t h e United States: (translation by Kenneth Dougl a ss Langston Hugh es Urbana, Ill., 1973. "--' l alker, Margaret. --- " Racial Feeling in Negro Poetry." South Atlantic QparterlY, (1922), 14 29 . Ha r v.. , }!onroe N. I (1908 ), 73'i/77. ) "New Poets(;-; Phylon, XI (1950), 345J !~4. ''The Spi r i t of Negro Poetry ." The Southern Harleman, . XVII I (3 �,t;)- & i FOLKLORE AND L&""1GUAGE Abrahams, Roger . Deep Down in the Jungle: Streets of Philadelohia. 3 • M Hatboro, Pa ., 1964 . "Playing the Dozens." --- - -- ~egro Nar rative Folklore from the Journal of American Folklore, 75 (1962), 2094 18 . --- · j fv.... Positively Black. '---' Adams, EC L. Nigger to igger . Prentice-Hall, 1970. ~ew York, 1928. ct, Allen, William Francis ; (Charl es Pickard; \wAr':lj and Lucy ~,td i r.tj ,arrison) .,:!•: ~~ 1929, ~ 1951. ul T - j Owens1 l Blac · Languav,e . ~~ = ~i\Yffi PubhSh":;' , llew Yor k, 1867 Songs of t h e Un i ted States . Andrews , !'alachci; and ~ Slave - 197 3 . Baratz , Joan C ~ and ji"o ge r ~-~ ..~~ , O.c~ /~ Ame,,., pl• A(.dntpteheoc;iveA.-lW\Oto re.a Bt'oUOC\ \'\(le"" o_AGla cl< £tq " 's_h. 11uy_, j T e a c in~ Bl a c k C ildren to P.ead. rJ rasc.hJ ~ Wc1L~,L<nA11..n rewer , J. r~as"'o n , -"--- _r_i_c_a_n_.__,._.c..___0_1 _l_o_r_ e. J IV\ 3 ..____., " tunerican -T egro Folk lore." -------- ...... . Brown, Sterlinp; A. .3 Phvlon, Jtf S"f. Aus tin, Te . _, Phylon, XIV (1958), 286LJ92. ,.; "Negro Folk Expression; __,Spirituals, Seculars, Ballads and ~ _ .,____---... l'v\ ~ • - &.,Tonl?ou~ 'f., Phvlon, VI (1945), 354,J_!61 . Doo: Ghosts , .<1.nd Other Texas Jegro Folk Tales . "Tl-ie Blues . " 3 Son~s." Chica~o, 1968 . Phvlon, : IV (1953), 45~ 61. - - - - - -.. -:_:...., ~ " Ne gro Fol < Exoression. #1. XI ~ A~t].a nta, arters, Samuel B. P,~ {1 95() ) 1\l~'-1. Folk Tales and Aohorisms ." 1 The Country Blue§'.i) New York, 1 959 . MuA---> Claerbaut, Davi f lack Jar ~on in ·;hite America. Conley, Dorothy L. Grand Rap ids, ~1972. . "Ori ::dn o f the J e g ro Sp irituals." "1 X . ! (1 962 ), 17 °,7!_80 . """ The Ne g ro History Bullettin , ~ �...., Corbett, Edward P·f· "S t ud ents' Ri ght to Their Own Languaa.e ." tion nnd Co!!llTlunicatio , ~ College Composil I , r.v (Fall 1974) , 1 32. Courlander , Harold. , e gro Folk 'l usic, U.S.A. New York, 1967. A'T,t:t4.\<lt,,e¥ oF A-~"'tAt\ ...~. "J,ew Yor~ 1q7,-. Curt is-Burlin, ~;atalie . Ne~ro Fol Son°s. New York, 1~18/1919. + • Dalby, David. "Afric an Survivals in the Language and Traditions of the Wind~ ward ~faroons of Jamaica." African Language Studies 12, 1971. Th~ ou~h ~nJ .J Black ~ White: Patterns of Communication in America the ----· M 1 ew i orld. African Studies Progr~ ~ ~ana Universit~ / 1970 , Davis, Ossie . "The Eng lish Language Is Hy Enemy." DeStefano, Jo_)(anna S. American Teacher (April J,96 7). Language, Society and Education: j Profile of Black ~ English. ~ J0@es ~ 1:19,, 1 ~ Dillard, Joey Lee . \ Black English: " ) ¾ , ~ / ~ IC/73(:) Its His tory and Usage in the New York, 1972. Diton, Carl . Thirty-Six South Carol ina Spirituals. Dorson, Richard ~ ., ed . • ~ Dundes, Alan, ed. African Fo l klore. other Wit from the Lau hing Barrel: .....Readin sin the In iles Mark . CW.ta! Uegroes. Negro Slave Son8S in the United States. 1c•j and /Af>be; )Niles Aeds. 1973. New York, 197 $\ Treasury of the Blues. New York, 1949. Daddv Jake t he Runawav, and Short Stories Told After !Tew York, 1889 . -1:askins, James; and jHugh F. jButt~ 1 New York, 1963. Drums and Shadows: ~ Survival Studies Among the Georgia Athens, Ga ., 1940 · -( Mew ed-:-+ Harris, Joel Chandler. Dark . Englewood Cliffs, N.J., 1973 . Pooular Science , XLVIII (November 1895), 93/2104. Geor ~ia Writers' Project. Jlandv, E New York , 1967. "Evolution in Folklore: ....., Some West African Proto-types of the Uncle Remus Stories.~ " Fisher, New York, 1972. American Negro Folktales . terpretation of Afro-American Folklore . Ellis, Ai B. New York, 1928. The l'svchology of Blac. Langua~e . New York , @ �Hughes, Lane stonA-ind r ~-rn . ~"P.ont emps_, \ The Rook of ,1 e3ro Folklore . Hurston, Zo r a ~1 ealP. . ........11,,.,• .Tacks rm ,- Bruce. ed . ' fu es and ;'en . P1-ii ladelphia, 1')35 . ~-1n1' e Un nead ~fan: -..,Afro-.i\nerican Po r 1(sonc- s fro:'1 Texas Blues People: ,._,Negro Music in Hhite America . Af ro-American Folksongs: tional rusic. ~le~-T Yor ·, 1958 . Neu York, 1963 . St udy in Racial and _-. ~ l'T ew Yo r k , 1914 . Labov, Willia . ~S tudy of the Ton-Standar d F.nglish of l'legro and Puerto Rican Sneakers in Jew or k Citv . C~ neratiJve Res earch Report 3288, Vol . 2, 1969. V M Language int e Inner Citv: .._Studies in t he Black English Ver -~~~------- • nacular. M • · M • Philadelphia, 1972. Sociolinguistic Patterns~ ----- The Social St ratification of English in '---"' Was hington, D.C ,I.. .J ;x - Phil adel hia, 1973 . . 1966 . ~ The Studv of • ew York City. on-Standard English . Champagne, Il~ : ...Atr,-rr't'j[eciTJCrur~~ !es~l 19 7 0 . Landeck , Beatrice . Leffall, Delores Bibliography. Loman, Ilengt. Echoes of Africa in Folk Songs of the Americas. C} and r James P )~ohnson, 1cornn~. Conversations in a Negro Dialect. • ~ Yo r k , 1936 0 Washington, D~ --e enter for 1 Lomax, .John Avery.; and /A1~ tma~ :J Black Englishtn Annotated Washington, D. C. , 1973. ~pliea l.;l.;t'!:uisHeo~ 1 1967 . 1934. New York, 1961. American Ballads and Folk Songs. New York, ?-Teero Folksongs a s Sung bv Leadb elly, New �V /r Lovell, John. " Reflections on the Origins :f ti the Negro Spiritua l." American Literature Forum, III (19 69 ), ~ 7 . Ne g ro • .• ~ . BLg.c.k,, Sons~• &rt• ~t10-ftl-& Fl.em& d!-,ofM.w!\?, A~N1•Amet-,,&11Spn•1 vo. 2 a _J or, Clarence . Marsh, Di , tionary o? Afro-American Slang . __pl/ 1/, 1~ A ,, (~, L New Yorl-: , 1970. l40.tw1in•e,J ~G.~ - £!:!.· New Vot-KjftJ~ IJ The Story of the Jubilee Singers; , ith Their Song s, 7th ed., London, 18 77. Matthews, M.r . Some Sources of Southernisms. "The Yolk Sermon: McGhee, Nancy B. /. Facet of the Black Literary Heritage . " '-' CLA Journal, XIII (19 69 ), 57 1 61 . Morse, J . Mitchell. "The Shuffling Speech of Slaver y : ....,Black English." College Eng lish, Vol. 34, No. 6 (March 1973), 834J ~43 . Odum, Howard W:j and/ G~B. Jiohnson1 l The ~e gro and His Song s. Chapel Hill, N.C. , 1925. J • IV'\ Ne gro Workad a y Songs. Chapel Hill, l . C., 1926 . Oliver, Paul. Blues Fell Th is Mor~ing : A L11«s. N.fklYor-~ """'"",_.· C•a-1u-et"St.Tt"tn.s w, Sa dilan s, exan er. A 1-!und re d an ••'r:J / e Meaning of the Blues . ~wenty Ne~ro Spirituals. New York , 1960. 'Morija) 1951J ~ 1 964 . w.t.;r . Scarborough , r:- "Ne~ro Folklore a nd Dialect". <M"- c;/, p~,,J,,. O;) Arena , XVII (1 89 7), 1861 J 92. 0. L . ..,, Scarboi rought, Do rothy/ •1-~ r u Trail of Ne g ro Folk=- Song s . ,_ v Sh irley, Kay. S~uy, Ro q er T,] . I • "--------I\,\ /\ Tl~e Ilook of the • ------ -lew {,1967. Washi'1p. ton , --- 19 72 . T) .(~ . , Champagne, Ill ,um:,:;- .j 1~ · ~ -------~ Field T~_<:!Jniques in an Urban Language Study. Washing ton , ~ttf\1 ._____,, Soc ial nia lects a '1r1 LanRua~e Learninc.::; . Com.u;:i 1 D.c., 6:c3;-_- - - - - - - - - ~ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - _J 'T'll'1TC{- f,-;..(!., 1925. Yor 1~, · 1963 . Discoverin~ A!lle r ican Dialects . '--- Cent Pr fo r Applied.J,iDr,p i ctie ~ ~ - lues . Cross-Cultural Analvsis . ~ eancil of Ieac be:r;.s;-e--f fv\ Cambridg e, Hass. :t- Champa~ne, Ill_V �") M ; ..._. ~nd Fasol d , ~alph F . Teacl-\ in~ St andar d En o, lis h in ~~ ~ er~ <;a s h i n~ton, :) . C. " ; ' - ~ for 4p9 li ed Ll ttti ct isti@s.,. 1970 . ------------------ On e Jlund r ed a nd Ten Ar'lerican Folk Blue'© ~,Tew York , 1958 . Silve n nan, Jerrv . (Y- Smi:-t:lt , AAth':l:t L. ; o f Other Rac e s, Et hnic Grouu s ...., and Cultures . \I '.I. ,) , nd lAnnEbf llenJ \ How to Tal~ .)Mth Peop l e Los Angeles: tion Co!l1J11unication Foundation, 1 971. \ \ /;I- Sm:::,:•A ::::~ }C{:·,i<.S- : I )__3__ , M\ Lans uas e, Communication@ F.hetoric in Black Amer ica . L. ~ L.,j ' a ndj And rea L j Rich Errnna Go ldman, !,fal c olm X. M C:- '--- ~:ew @ . _, ~t-• L s~, ~ ' r Durham, 1 Rhetoric o f Revolution: 1..cSamuel Adams, .C . , 1 970,. _R_h_e_t_o_r_i_c_o_f_B_l_a_c_k_R_e_v_o_l_u_t_i_o_n. e { ' and Steph• . fobbJ / t'f '----" Transracial Communication, Englewood Clif ( , N. J • , 19 7 3 . !;L.S".Sr"'-..,......., 3 !B Q, I Trans-Ethnic Educ a 4 Bos ton, 19 69 • l The Voice of Blac k Rhetoric: Selec tions . Bos~ ton, 1971. Smit herman, Geneva ~\\ ~nod Don ' t _ ever Chang e 1 : "'Black En g lish fro1:1 a Black Per ,,.. . " Colle('.;e Eng lish, Vol. 34, No . 6 (, 1a rc!'l 1973), 82aj-!,33. 3o ective • Blo.d,LG.ht"•ct•Q.t\d~lT1,1 .. e, ;\Soy"4s• ~ SovC. . N•w y... ~J 14'1G°Q /V\ D. , pal d ing , Henry ed. Ency clopedia of Black Folklore and Hu,~or . -l~Zz-"• l •ll~c!!""il~•"""~ New York , 1972 . Stewart , H-r · "Continuity and Change in American Florida ~~;qn <C ol•b Na. Langua~e Repor~;I Sullivan, Philip E. e gro Dialect . " "Buh Rabbit: J,oin~ Th rough the Chang es . " St udies in Black I Literature, Vol. 4, No . 2 (Summer 1973), 28a 32 . Talley, T .f,1. Neg ro Folk Rhymes , Hise and Otherwise. Thurman, Howard . )6{_ Deep River. New York l 1955 ._ New York, 1922 . J. f/"? •1h~ NQ!)l"O ~t,i~11fi[S p,et.k.~ 0 f- ,ee, Am1 ~Qdlt. ~ew Vot-,'t:1 ( Turner , Lor~nzo D. Africanisms in the Gullah Di alec t . ,. • Univ e rs ity of Chicago Press, 1949; Universitv of Michi~an Press, 1974 . Twig::; s, Rohert D. ~ra ss. , 1973 . Pan- Af rican Lang ua ge in t h e Western Hemisphere . No r th Quincy, �"An Anthro pological Look at Afro-American Folk Nar~at, Twining , Hary Arnold. tive . II CLA Journal, ~el mers, villiam E. ewman I. Wl-iite, nv (1970), s7J 61. Atrican Language Structures . AI!lerican Negro Folk Songs. Wolfram, Halt e r A. ~ ~J ~ Washington, D. C, 'j ~ :s(,' 1973, Cambridge, Mass., 1928. A Socio lin~uistic Descrintion of Detroit Was hingt on, D. C.1' -~ ,;n~ e~ro Speech. 1969 . and \ ona H. j clark~ Cent e r: Black- White Speech Relationships . !11(1:~ 19 71 . �Gw DISCOGRAPHY AN!) T. PE I IDEX c iCollections (phonogra~ Afric a n Dr uns. Et hnic Fo l kiays Library FE 4502 A/ . Afric an Or igins and Influences. Folkways FA 2691, FF. 45 00 , FE 4530, FS 384 . Afro-Ali1erican Blues and Gane Son~s . Record i n~ ~ Ed . by Alan LoMax . Libr arv of Congress FS 14 . Afro-American _ usic . H / Or . J ames. 2 As ch 702 . Afro-American Sniritua ls, Hark Songs and Ballads . Ed . by Alan Lonax . Fol ways FA 2650-59 . A Gathering of <::reat Poet r v for C. il<lr en, Vo l. 2 . ~-:r/r-wendolyn Brooks . Caedmon TC 1236. A Hand is on t he Gate . American Fo l k Son~s for Children . ta~e Se~ es . Folkways ~040 . Dir . by Ros coe Lee Brmme. Per f . by Bessie Jones. Southern Fo l k Herit At lantic 1350. AT!lerican Poems of Patrio ti sr.i and Prose . Incl. James Weldon Johnson. Caedmon TC 1204. Animal Talcs ·Told in Gullah Dialect . Antholo gy of Music of Black Africa . Anthology of JeRro Poets . Ed . by Dunc an Emrick . AA'!:'S J...44- 46 . Everest 3254/3. A Ed . by Arna Bontemps . (Read by Lan,,ston Hughes, Sterling Brown, Claude 1cKay, Countee Cullen, . Iargaret Walker,__ and Gwendolyn Brooks.) Baptism: v Cullen. Folkways Records FL 97991. )( Journey ~hrough Our Ti me. Dir. by Maynard Solomon. Incl. Countee Recorded by Hugh Tracey. Columbia KL 213. Vanguard VSD 79275. Bantu Music / ram British East Africa . �Be e~ _i_~ _t h e Storm so Long : ..,. Soiritua ls a nd Shouts, Children's Game Son~s. Folkway s Records FS 3 84 2. Belafonte at Carneg ie Hall. RCA Victor LOC 600G. Beyond the Blue_s : ..,,,American Negro Poetry. Ed. by Rasey E . Pool. Vinette Carroll, Cleo Laine, _Gordon Heath, Brock Peters '1t Black Scene in Prose, Po ~try and Son~ Vol. I . ·t J Read by ARGO RG 338. Perf. by Vinnie Burrows. Spoken Arts SA 1030. ~ Black Scene in Prose , Poetry and Song, Vol. II. Perf. by ViRnie Burrows. Spoken Arts SA 1031. ✓ Blac k Spirits. .... .,... I" ,r- Hoto m/Black Forum B_ - .._456_, - .....,L . Jfn the Streets in Watts. The Black Voices: Classics of American Poetrv. ALA Records 1970 Stereo. ~/ Eartha Kitt. Incl. Lang ston Hughes and James Weldon Johnson. Cultural Flowering : ,,) fusic and Literature. Folkways FL 9671, FL 9792, f L 9790, FL 97 88 , FJ 2806, FL 2941, FA 2659. Deep SoutKJFacred and Sinful. Perf. by Bessie Jones. Southern Journey Series. Prestig e Int e rnational 25 005. Discove ripg Literature. I n cl. Jar.1es We ldon J o nson a nd Lang ston Hu 3hes. The Sound of Litera ture. Drums for God. Hou ghton-Niffli . 2-262-18. . ,. (Recorded live 1.n Cameroon; , Congo, Ethiopia, Liberia, }f_a al i, i geria , Rhodesia..) E ic LF 18044. -:::: Exploring Literature. Exquisite Ye l low. W/Eart ha Kitt. 1oughton-Mifflin 2-26 ~48. Incl. Pa ul Laurence Dunbar. Suny , Albany, N~ Y~ Theatre Alu ni Associates. - ~ Fanou s Poe:is Th a t Te l l r.r eat Stories. Fnr et•1ell r>_p c · t a l Tncl. J ane s Heldon J ohnson . (J'p ir i t uals ). F,ncler s ~{a ria!:J - - - - - - - -- - - - -- - - - - - - s 91 -- -- -· Decca DL 90l,Q , RCA Victor LSC27 31 �o B: 'fu s:Lc of r.:t:--io '"'ia . Fol1zTTc> v s FF' 4M'JL, . Fo l h mvs 1717 4530 . ~olk '!usic TT . S . A. , Vol. ~ . r.reat Po em s of t h e "Cn ~l ish La n~UD. '.'; e: Sh,fresneare t o Dv l a n T½omas . Incl. Countee C::ul left) C':!>~S 5 ':_ . Asch 701. Hea d ::'tar t C!1ild Deve lonment Groun of ~1ississinpi. Georg i a Sea Island s , Vol. II I. ~ Southern Journ e y Series . 25002 . Pr es tig e Int e r na t i ona Ge t .)'fn Boar d : Per f. by Bess i e Jones . ....,Ne ~r o "Polk Son~s. Pe r f. by Browni e . fee 1ee and Sonny Terry . Folkwa ys FP 28 . T e Glo r v o f ·t e gr o Hist orv . Fr i tt en and ~farra t ed by Lani s t on Eu ~h e s. Folkway s FC 177 52 (ne1 no . rP 752 ). Go d 's Tr ombones and Sel e c t ed 20t h Cen t u r y Fe gro Po e try . J ohnson , Al i c e Ch i l dr es s , and P . Jay Si dn e y . J azz _C_c!-nto 1 Vol. I. Poetrv Jazz Albu!Tl . Pe r f. by Jame s w1 do¥\ ~ Educational Audio Vi s ua l 75 R 440 . Read b y Lan~ ston Hughes . World Pa c i l fi e PJ 124lf. John' s I sland, I t s Pea le a nd Son~s . Folkwa y s ~S 3840 . , t Dis, u e s Vo gu e CLVL. ' 297 . \ \~ l< ~~~ r:e-r Wa.lk. y. Ole'l,.ande .. Rea.tis oems of Pa. Ill Uv,,..en , e '011n /,JV1 a.nd..fa.rnes "':.,<drnt() /11 1:.011 . Fr, ll='wo.y.s\ \ fissa Luba . Sung l y Joac h i m N~oi and Les Troubadours du Roi Ba\ dolin . Phi l lips Les Ba lle ts Af r i c ains de Ke ita Fo deba, Vol. I. PCC 606 . 1usic Down Ho!'le. Ed . by Char les Edwar d Smith . !usic )"ram t he So u t h . > Fo l kwa ys FA 2691. Field Recordin o:s by Fr ederic Ra msey" Jrc, Folkwa y s FP 650-5 9 . ~ usic of Equat or ial Africa . Nation al Po e try Festiva l. Reco r ded by i d i e r. Po lkways FP 4402 . Inc l. Gwendolyn Br ook s and Lang ston Hughes . of Congr e ss LWO 3868 , 3869 , 3870 . e N~gro Bl ue s and Ho ll• rs . Ed . by Ma rsha ll W. St e arns . AAFS 1 59. Li b r a r y �r egro Folk _Iusic of Africa and America . -:1 ~egro Folk Rhythjms. Folkways FE 4500. Perf. by Ella Jenkins ancVroulp . Folkways FA 2374. .._/ Negro Folk Music of Alabama. Negro Folksongs and Tunes. Folkways Records 417-418 471-474. H/Elizabeth Cotten. .Ll legro Folk Songs for Young People Sung ,}(y Leadbelly. (Leadbelly). Sung by Hi d e Ledbetter Folkways FC 7533 f.!2 . egro Folk Stories and Music . Folkways 4417/8 4471/4 . / J - "fogro Poets Antholo~y. ~egro Poets in USA. Folkways 9791. Folkways 9792. 1egro Prison Camp Uo r k Songs. .egro Prison Songs . Folkways FE 4475 • Perf. by ississippi State Penitentiary Pris 0ners. Tradition Records TLP 1020. • Negro Rellaious Songs and Services. Ed . by B.~ . Botkin . egro Songs, Stories and Poetry for Young People . MFS 110 . Folkways Records FC -i 7~10, 7114, 731_2, 7003 , 710~, 7104, 7533 , 7654 . egro l· ork Sonp;s and Calls. The New Black Poetry . ew Jazz Poets. Ed . by B A. Botkin. Educational Aud io Visual IRR 136. Ed. by Walter Lowenfels . ewnort 1958, fahalia .Jackson. •• MFS L8 . Columbia CS 8071 . 1/ ✓. ,_ocurnent I erbert Pepper . Noel /~t Saint-Sylvestre J y.. I!arle!'l . ~ One , Two, T' ree and )( Zins;, 7.in~, Zi ng . Play a.n'1 Atnce Sonc.rn and Tunes . AR Records BR 461 (Broadside). E :Z • DucrJtet- Thomson by Tony Sc .wartz . v n ~A. Botl:in . Folkways C 7003 . Li brary of Con'!r ess Rei cordin~ AAFS 19. ~ ,,.~ , :::ierica:1 no ems . . D;i.r. by Paul !folloy. Poens an "ecor · s ~S Schola.st ic .f, 110,. 3 . Po ems . /rom Blac]: Af rica. . 7 Caedmon S 1315. F.d . by Lanrcs ton Caednon TC 1215 . ughes. ead by James Earl Jones. �:'oetrv and Jazz, Jaz z e anto. Vol. I. anri Ren Hri <>, t . Ioagy Carmichael tfo-rlcl 1-'nc ifi c l"Zecor<ls . Poetry of t he ~re7,ro . Poets fo r Peace. Perf. hv John Carradine, I Read by Si d ey PoAtier and Do ri s Belac k . Per f . by ~1en Poetr" Interna tional Incl. od son. Glory GLP -1. Spoken Arts 990 R 68-2582. rd Ej\wetBrait hwait Ec) 2 Ar ~o HPR. 2 62 13 . Caedmon S . 1379 . Rapnin ' Black i n a White World . Perf . by The ~ at t s Prophets . ALA 1971. Ref lections on a Gift of Wat ernelon P ick le and Other Ho der n Verse . ton Hu ~hes. Incl. Langs-t, Sc holastic Records FS 11007. The Rhyt hms of th e Wo rld . Written and Na rrated by Law~ston Hu ghes. Folkways FC 7340 (new no . FP 740 ). Ro ots of Bl a c k America. Unit ed States .) (Traces)fiack / usic from Africa to the Caribbean to ~ Folk -mys 97()4. Savannah Svnco CBS 52799 . Selma Freedom Songs. . Documen tary Re cording by Car l Benkert. Sidney Pottier Reads Poet r o f th e Blacknan ,- / Doris Relack . Folkways FH 5594 . United Artists Re cords UAS 6693 . ing e rs i n t h e Dusk . ! u sic , poei.us read by Charl es Lampkin . Fic _er Record ing Service XTV 25689 . Skip :Rone. (Thirty : three s k i ::r ope games recorded in Evanston, Ill. V Folkl-- ways FC 70 29 . Son~s of Ar.ierican Negro_ Slaves . Folkways Record s FD52 52. Song s of t h e Selma l ont gomerv ~ar c h . Perf . by Pete See~er and others. Folki ,,ays 5595 . Snect.!'_1:11:1 _tn Bl a ck: ,.J>oen s bv 20 t h Centurs, Blacl: Poets. Scott, Foresman and Co. 4149. ------ �Spirituals fit ~ irituals ~ Foll-::lore . Sung by Harry Belafonte . P:rf. -by Foward ~ ir . RCA 430-213 . RCA Victor LlI 2126. Snok~ Anthology of American Literature: t h e 20t h Ccnturv . w Johnson and Countee Cullen. W/Gwendolyn Brooks . 1eldon Incl. James Univ ~o~ Arizona Press Records R63 - 112 7. Spoken Arts 1052 . Spoken Arts Treasury of 100 !1odern American Poets Read in ~ eir Poems. / Read by James W. Johnson, Lan ston Hughes, Countee Cullen, Owen Dodson, Gwendolyn Brooks . \ SA- P- 18 . Written and Narrated by Langston 1!u ghes. The Story of Jazz . Struggle for Freedom . Folkways FC 7312 . Folkways FH5 717 , FH 5511, FD5525, FH5502, FH5522, FD52 52, F 5523, FC7752 . 7111 Today 's Poets , Vol. I • R~/ Incl . To_u_1._._ Poems for T0ugh People . Cae<l~o Hayden. Scholastic Records FS11004. I;~ £1: . on L . Lee 's, Etheridg e Kniz t' s j oetry. Records, Inc. ( 9 71). values in , it e rature . Iricl. J ames Weldor, .Jo nson . Hou~li.ton- !ifflin 2-26409. (1, rraLi:. To~e t , er Children_:_J!:e Rl;- un--; ½y Vinnie B •rrm- s . 7 T e Fearv 1 !orld l u es . Written and .7arratec! by Lanfs ton Hu f;hes . T1i<" 'B rait11waite, J::'.c!uar d . r>o et.:s.:__of Isbnd s . !'as!::s. M Scene ~-~ Prose, Poetrv and Soni;,; . --------- ReAd and Spo .·en Arts SA 1('30 . "Fanou s : 1e'.""ro _5_,TJirituals. A ~elou , . 'a ·a . c 1:: P ~rf . lfo_ v::i. " y Fis k Juhill ee Sing e r s. ..., Ar..:-e lou . Ar , ,-_ o PL vei7e VSPS - 36 . r.wp 1184 / 5 . Ar c,_, o PT.? 11 'D . P ecords ST2001. Folkways FA 2372 . �---· 3 Ri<:h ts of Pa s saq e . '----- - f'/\_ Brooks , G~-, endolvn . fa Don L. Lee . Br own, El a ine . r; r <;; o PLP 111 /1. ,rendolvn f. r oo zs Read i n-; Her Poetry : /! I ntro c!uctorv Poe::? Caed~on TC 1244 . Seize t he Time . Read and Sung by Elaine Brown. 1 rown, Sterling; andN~~---. Vault 131. forks of Sterling Brown and Langston ~......'7\"'11~~ ' Eun:hes. R: , : j } ~ ~ , ~~olkwa ys FP90 . Sterlin~ The Dixie Belle . ram T eir Forks. ~ --........, wYl; Sterlin~ Brown and Langston Hu~hes Reading Folkways 9790 . an<l 16 Poems . .5 . . L, i-, Cl . ,.. ughs, Na r garet G. Jayne . !S • ~. FoUc "-Y~ FJ. c,7q·o , Hha Shall I Tell Ay Childr t·fuo Are Black? __:.c:.=.;::__:::..:..:.:::.:::.:=--=--==-=;..__..::.:..==~.::.+---+-..:.;:.:.=--:..=-=-:__::_;__::-'--'-- - _..., Sound~ ,, ,... Strata - East Recor ds, Inc. SES-7421. Cel ebr a tions and Solitudes . Crouch , Stanley . Folkways 9794 . Ain't .::o Anbulances for ~Jo "lU g~l-is Tonight . • Flying Dutch~ an FDS 105. Cullen, Countee. To a ke ){Poe t !!lack . Caedmon S-ll}00 . I Dodson, Owen . The Dr eaI'l Awake . Spoken Arts SA1095. Fabio, Sarah t· ebster. !3oss Soul. --- . Soul , in't: Soul Is. ________. .J Iv\ Giovanni , !·1i kki. Like , j( Rinple>fin )( Pond . - 3 ---- llughes, Langston. J . f'v\ Folkwa, s FL-9 710 . Black Verse . Folkways 9711. !H ktom 4200 . Buddah 2005 . Did You Ever Hear 7he Rlues ? - - -- - - - -- - -•'----- - Big Hiller's enditions of ... , United Artists ~L 3047. j M . ------ The DreaTI Y.ee e r and Other Poems of Langston Hughes . Read bv Lan8ston Hugh es . Folh ays FC 7104 (new/ o. FP 104). �_____,..,, Ar ts Lang s t on Ilu~hes Read s and Talks About Hi s Poems. Spoken SA 1064 . ,.._____....,, J M Re cords 454 . 3 Read by Langston ~ughes. The Poe try of Langston Hu7.hes. .._.....,, M Pe ens >)fy Lan3s t on Hughes . Ca edmon (1968 ) . . 3 uby Dee and Os si e Davis Read / r om Selected Po ems of Langston Ru~hes. VTC 1272 (Caednon 1272). __,I - - -; ~ Ifargar e . . and fV\ / 1, For um BB 453 . Johnson, ~ ame. Writers of t he Revolution. Bl a ck ' Four Readings)"rom God 's Trombones. , By James W. Johnson. Musicraft Album !/2 1. ""' -------------· .3 . J _____./ IV\ God ' s Trombones . ?..ead God ' s Tron ones. Read bv Harold Scot t . ,lac 1: <1 n y ":i r yc e Bond . Eeautifu~ ...!soul and ;~annes s. Fol kways FL 9788 . Uni ted Artists J i had Produc tions Jihad 1001. \ Sonnv ' s Ti!:.e To :'he Las t Poets . 3 At Las t : T 1 1. T, ....____,, M T~e Last Poe t s . r duct i o s Jihad 1' 6:}~ st Poets . ,lu~ Chastisen ent. M, Ji ad T .um B B S c Thumb BTS 52 . 39 . East Ji nd . ss oc i at e s, nou~l a s 3 . Ju~~er naut ~ecords, J ug St. LP 8802 . ~-M T½.is Is .fadne s s. T~e Last Po Pou~l a s r:omI'.. ni ca tions Ster eo 20583. \-.:::- ~- _,,, L.e. 1K ,Cu\"'Ti'~ . "t'Y\ ,e c.oLLe.<. ed ~ Li"'d. le n-i o"' ~e f ei--.1 on . MJ.J<i~ , PNdV<.Tt6 1 1 Co!"fll '"I · ".',edmond, ~u-:ene "'1 lood t i ·.s n Pl a c es . Blacl· ~iver ~•!r i t ers 110-13 .. - - - -'"----.:==--- - -- - - -Sonia . Sanche z . ~cott-Heron , Gi l . M '-----' r r ~~ ?ol!~wavs 9793 . i_ll . Fly i ng Dutchman ~~ Piec es of a Han . Flvin - ~~~ 53 . Dutchmaty;]\.St er eo FD 10143. ~a-, RvTUn,Brv~e .orumG\..·.fc.h-itd 1--eno~The SVV\ .~ l(l(( Av-1'' lo~ovp. _ '? -Po-em 0~ ~Y'o..Trrvd e... l3lo..LK AV'n·s Gr-0up• (V\ - l �/ /4dLenox . ------- S~all Talk ~ 125th ---· + ~ Flying DutchMan Prod . , Ltd . FDS-131. Ec _els, Jon . Hone Is ~!here 7he Soul Is. Broadside Voic es . 7 Eraanuel, James A. Panther Han. Broadside Voices. -,) .. . The Treehouse and Other Poems . Br oadside Voices . f-40.~ e.~., Mlc.ho.e LIS. H.iuu.r,,Y ~ ~~ t+@htbeat; \J n1ve...,~·,1 f oF rLL.ir10·1~ Hodges, Frenchy Jilene. Jeffers, Lance. Bl a ck Wisdom . Ny Blackness is the Beauty of This Land. Kgositfsile , Keorape tse. Soirits tTnchained. Poems,/ -Lee, Dor L. Broadside Voices. ram Prison. Don't Cr y, Scream. Broads ide Voices. Broadside Voic es . Broads ide Voices. Broads ide Voic es. ~eadin' and PappiQ.'· Broads ide Vo ices. LP- BR-1. Broadside Voices. The Rocks Cry Out. ~ur phy, Beatric e "Randall, Dudley. Cities ' Burnin": . \'' Broadside --~------------- a n ~ ~ ~ r ; : r~ . Sanchez, Sonia . 1 I I I I •I Lomecomin~ . I St ephany . Yovin~ Deep . Walker, Har garet. X, Harvin . oices. 7 ( Poem CounterpoeM. Broads i de Voices. Broadside Voices. We !/naddDDD Peoule . Broadside Voices. Br oadside Voices . Prophets for -=: Black Man Listen. ¥ ':Tew y ·-- Day. ~ Broadside Voices. Broadside Voic es . Broadside Voices . \ ' r I \ � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Eugene B. Redmond Digital Collection Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context EBRWritings_09_17to20 Title A name given to the resource Editors proof, Drumvoices: The Mission of Afro-American Poetry: A Critical History, Bibliiographical Index, typed with handwritten edits, p. 559-606 Description An account of the resource Editors proof, Drumvoices: The Mission of Afro-American Poetry: A Critical History, Bibliiographical Index, typed with handwritten edits, p. 559-606. Bibliographical index includes sections on General Research Aids, Periodicals and Anthologies, Literary History and Criticism, Folklore and Language, Discography and Tape Index. Relation A related resource Eugene B. Redmond Digital Collection Language A language of the resource English Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource For digital rights and permissions, see <a href="https://www.siue.edu/lovejoy-library/about/policies.shtml">https://www.siue.edu/lovejoy-library/about/policies.shtml</a> or contact <a href="mailto:library@siue.edu">library@siue.edu</a> for direct inquiries. In copyright. <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Redmond, Eugene B. https://digitallis.isg.siue.edu/files/original/fedd2131ab9cd13ac4ce171438edfc96.pdf 118c56895c3adb8d6ee49cf7188b4958 PDF Text Text �Adams, Rvsse/l L. Great t!~roes, ~ PQ$f anr/ Present. CJ,icri.,Jo rqb4; J G,R,A I �-rhe Ar-thvr B, Sp1ngarn Col/ecftofl_ ~ o{ Ne3 l'O All-fho'rS. Washthjlon)>.c'.) 1q43 �V Ball~, LeQcnead • Btoi(t§icte Ao:thots~ A 6~f:titml Qireclort , l)etri1t, 1q11. ��MEMO FROM: DATE: _ _ _ _ _ __ TIME: _ _ _ _ _ __ TO: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ �Bontemps, ArnQ . .. ,he James Weldon //" .JoM$on Memor{q/ Co//edlon ~ lle9m Avfs Md Let/~ :• Yale University_ Ubrr,_ry (Ja71!fte) xVti[ l'l-2'1 . (Oc-tobe-r IQ'R~ �Banfemps, A-ma .\\ Speatl/ Col/ecfton v ~ KN Ne.gvoana , '' Library q_vavterl~) Ctrcq,(l~ff )1 l~7-20b, ��ZN'/ 6P,o/' 7'7E7/' CREST PRINTERS, INC. • Z 1926 V STREET 5/'k • 452-6854 �)Lf~,I tZ., 9~ ~MM- ~~ ~9~ .,t; .,du) () . . ~ :11~) ~ , ./2.uu-f~) /97~- 9-MUAdJ ~ a(.d.,u �v, Chapman, Abrnrarn . 1he Neg~I tn Amer"1c~n Litev<.tture d ,o of ·tm.rrure by <tnd a.bout Neg ru Americans . SteJen.s Point \Ni'S ,) jqbb. ��~ ~ V . . ---... . ftg. ~ (/ ~ J \1 ;i. ~ • C-ff,~:. G 'WIJ../L~\A,.,.,,,I' DIC 4 �/J . . 1,,,,t),/U,LUJ)/ ~ 9- // //~ -~ : d,, .~ ~ £.ub 7-IS~J ~~ ,dkA, tu~/ 2J;c ( L / ~ ~ , l97d;t)_,, If 70- 91p_ l 5; '? �I/~.) V , ~ cVnd . . a J ~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~ ~~ d ~ / f d ~ : ~ ~~~ //lv. ..J. J97tJ , v ~_) q~ ~ ~ �MEMO FROM: DATE: _ _ _ _ _ __ TIME: _ _ _ _ _ __ TO-·-------------- �Oe:x\ene) franl< and Witr1aM P. fre.nG~ . Bl~ck. Am®n ~ (nte Lql/<.t, 4 // PreX1m1Vla.ry dlec~lis..t, Cncttnarn, (q7 /1 �J2icticK10.Yy Cqtqlcq of -itte. Je~re E~ Moovlnnq Collection of Ne9ra Life and ~ . q vol . Bos-ronJ l970~ �1J1cl!Onaq: Qrlulog of -ttte ◊chornbdrq Collechon of Negro Lit~re Sc' Ht~tor'f: , ll vol<; , Boston , l~b2,/q67, I., . �Pvzick, Kaihleefl; John Mur#)y qnq (onstr,\nce We.a_uer, Annofr.tt€d BibliOAYUMY of Wr Relczhh910 -the Negro it'\ Uten.thtre ttnd 1o Negro ialeCts . Ko.larntJ.tOOJ Mien , {Q6 q. G,R,A. ��D\J &Jis /N,E, S . A Select Bi~ t ~ -the Negl/C1 me.r,can , 3rd Af {qtltq) lq06 . €d . �GOz.NlllY\, Je&Sie P.J ED. Negro ~r&,ok , toske.se.e; AlQ,, lql.f7. v �Al~/ Al.d.vv ~ , i .tAv ✓-- ~ ~ ~ ~ ! ~ & fi ~ / / ~ ~ I/ 1 ~ ~ t/.,/1. ~ {,,✓ J/4, (9~ - ~ 19(49)) 9~ ~ ~ 71- fl3. -3 �- lndex 1e P~Krlrcul Avhctes by ar((( Abour Neg\'O~ ( fc,vmerly A 0uide fo NeBro 82,,r·,cxf10Jil Ll-tev<.t¾re l\nd [rldex :to ~elect.ed Perioiical~) . �ln-teYnaii'onoJ Ubrary of Me.3'(0 Life " av,d Hic;,-tor . Jo vols , \AAJShtn.rfon o.c,, {q61 - [qbt-1 . ��~ ~ $ ~ ( ). - ~ DATE: _ _ _ _ __ �9~ ~ ~ �j e1hri, JC\ t1 he•h-z. . A Bibllos ~ pny of Ne.o-African L,tevature from ,Afvica, frnevlCtA, and tne C°'rib~ . ~w York, {q65, �Jonnson, tto.vry A. Mvltimet.tta t , / Mat&(~ \s "' Afvo- A-mettcan Srn cl ies . Ne.W '{o~\ > lll.1 l �Ka.~er, EY~t, \\Jhe H-t~ry of v Nt:g\'O tlis-tory, '' Ne9ro P1<jest, "&ti[ (februa~y lQb8)1 l0-l6, 64-~o. �Ko. rrer, Ern~ \\ Rece11t S)ok .JI y f r~e:lom W°'-ys, 1'1 €.a.ch issue . �Najor, C\QYence I Q,ctzomvy of I,,' &ro--Arnexican Slang . New York) l970 �MC. Phe®n,Jame~J et- a.I, ec.ts . t/ Slacks tn Americtt : Bibl'to9rqfhical 8;sc,..yc; . New 'jork, (q72... . �M;Ue.v, Elizabeth and Mary L, n~r/6 1h-e Negro iVl A-mericq : A 8·,blioSV~ph~ . 2nd Camovid9e1 Mos>~•> l~7o ~. ��Porl:tr1 l)lyoth~ B- '' Blrly Arne.rim.( Ne. ro Writ- , s ·. A Bib\10 ra. hical ~'f:Ud~ ,1' e._a.pexs Qf 'itle Sl8103t-qphicq{ Saclcly ~ Avnevt03) ·xxz tf" (1q4,s) [q2- 2b8 - J �, - - - -- - -- - 9~~ ~ �Al ~ Portet-1 Dorothy 8, cvorth Amer,cqn Nesro P~ ~ A Biblio~raph,ca1 Check Ltst of Thew' Writcnqs_ {760 - {944- ' t945 , l+~ Hlesbur9 J Mi<;;S ' I �I , ~uc.\<.ett) Ne~be\ \ N'il~~ , Ed, by V Mvl\'Cl~ 1-1eit-ex, ~IQ.Ck. Na~ In Mex 1~ : ~ ,sto~f"'00 MAAni n, . \11 5 . �9 ~ ~ a;w �Rowell, (hA.ies l-1 . \\ A Bitiio3rapnr of Biblioemphies fer fYte Sfitciy ~ BlqCK Ameximn Lrferctluve and folklore . l, Bia.ct< f:xperience,,, A outhevo Un'vevsi:N Journal . L\J (June {q qt; -ll\ I q) �9 ~~ ~ r �9~~~ ?ifzv, # ~ u fh:.tJ A"r 0 �> ms =---- i2n> -- » �Smith, Je~sie Canwt ,'l Ce\/elopinr' Col lectu,rs of Bl Qcj: Ukrtttttre , 11 --- Bla.ck \}Jorlq . xx (June l<l71), l&1-2q_ ��. I/ · fuvner> DarWLVl T, Afro ,. America') Writ-ext . New Yovl,, 1q7 o. �I d ~ tJhv. ~ - td~ ✓WN1thu ~ ~ a1~ ~ c:., L 4 ·c ; ~ ' i 11 (/l')AJ.4 l9J,;i) / ~,Y- ~17. ,, tZ, ~ -~ I/ -tlJ. ,r ti., £ , -3 �Work) Monvoc N. A g;blte>~rapnr ~ the Nqro in Afrlai a.ng Art1€Ylc~ . New ~ovt., lqz~. �------------ ✓ -- ~el Un, JetA.n faq~n . '' An {ndex of LJ t-eY-a.ry Mate.vi qi~ (VJ 1he Crisi~} Iqlo - lCf3 4- : Avtictes, Selle~- le. Hres, , ctvid Bo k Reviews ," ~LA Jov~vi~J} 'XUl (lq71), 4'51-¾5. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Eugene B. Redmond Digital Collection Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context EBRWritings_09_22 Title A name given to the resource Bibliographical index cards: General Research Aids for Drumvoices: The Mission of Afro-American Poetry: A Critical History Relation A related resource Eugene B. Redmond Digital Collection Language A language of the resource English Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource For digital rights and permissions, see <a href="https://www.siue.edu/lovejoy-library/about/policies.shtml">https://www.siue.edu/lovejoy-library/about/policies.shtml</a> or contact <a href="mailto:library@siue.edu">library@siue.edu</a> for direct inquiries. In copyright. <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Redmond, Eugene B. https://digitallis.isg.siue.edu/files/original/abd4ccaf9fb3928145e7b84794ce8285.pdf f3527d36397a5e16b9f9a7131612b22a PDF Text Text �~ ,,,, I ;;t~ ~ --z/~ ,, �~,19~~ // /.Au ';db /J~ i~, ~1~·-· -rc; ~ - /rtd:) ~ a/X./~. ~~ ~ ~~ ~-;J~ ~ 1 ~ tu~. A e, ~ ; / - J ~ 19.:3~ /? c:?d:? 7- ,;>;;; 3 ~'1..,)., ~ SO, ~ -IE: ,, �~ I I ~ ~ , d ~ fuv>U½ .,t_d_ ~ ~ ;/?.µilo/j JI.dh ~ t,.t/~.J 19 7~ I (p 9. �/y~~--n,/f V' !3,1_, ~ ~ ~""")L/ ~ , #,.,, ~o/? // /p ~ , d ~ , / ~_) .,ub, ~ ~ ~ , /-I.dP cv.n.d,,, LUry ,/ I 9' 7 ~ 17tJ, �, , ?~ ..v'c.U ~ ~ :i:k; ~,,, --- ~LOUD ') ~ 0~~ 907W),,, Jf~/4: cd~ ~~-4}, 19M- 190 7, 1-k ~ - ~ ~ _ , ) 1969; 1/6-117, �/ ~ c2,?~ /,' _ d ~ y/.,U-jll-~.)/n ~ ,/ ~ 9..d.J ~ tlw ~ - , , flrt.uu ~ ~. ';o:" j �~~u / '/ ~ ~ w/2vv J // .du)/ tiw€.6~ J ~ JuuW.,: ~-,;:- 5~ ~ h ~~~ J9bl-JCJ'1!, ·-r..Jw ~ - ~ ~ J9lo~ .:2/ 7. I <)~/ X~ /4,,: �.I ~ ~ �v ~ ,) /J . . ,? . ,,,, ~ ~ ~ -- ,,,, a..., ~ ~ ~ , ,; ~ i ~ '' ·.;:;~ d.Lad/ ~~ D.u - r ~ .L/V ~ -~ - ~ _:JI eA . JlI: ·- -- - - - -- - y:J~ /9~0 !/, �, 4 ~ ~ ~~ w~_,,I ~ ~ l/ ~ 1r;7~ 1 9, {u& /J_ µ _ ~ . r : /.I.A-LO ~ �~ 9~ ,-,,4~ ~ ;du f ~ '' £ ~ ~ ~ ;x~ I I;; 1--l--' - 7-A.v-~-7-±M -~7~ w.:t:JuJ ~~ ,, u,_-yr: ,p .,, 7 ,- , 1' �/ -~/ 9 ~ -rk ;; I ~ ~ ,; 1 ~~~ . - , I/ 7k~1 ~ , 7 tf1,~ ~ I ~~9~~-:d!~11-M./JW~~'/~ !9~, �/ Q~----=~ = ~ ~!"!!!!!!!!!!!!~~~~ I • - - ✓~9-<-<~ ///..Av ,i) - 7/ ~61 ~ ~ II �..,,,,,,_ ~.i:k.:t) ~ , , , , .... ~~ - - ~ 6~. ~~9~,~~~­ lrl~t--~ ~~ 19~'3,, �~Q(,Wt7r; 1r-z r:77 fl'!/:''f ~ {l('.7YvWiTr/ at+1 nftzJ1,d/ • (7)_ ~ , / ? Ii . .,_~ i/JVJYy; 71--n'fl • ' Cl I t /f.P'f ¼p rno--~ 4 yrnr ),I .:::ZOA : '7ti'UV;.p; (?(7.·H/ 17,-I ~ RINTERS, INC. • 1926 V STREET _ _ •_ 452-6854 �~~\\ / _~ ,r 9~ t-Jw ~ i M) ~ II #;, ~ ��I/ -.d.h.haJ~~ : : ¼ v ~ I /4? ,k_./ld;;f.~d-/-zi" ) t u ~ I .:i ~ vi~ 9 ~ - d ~ ~ 11~ ~ L,mµ -,0~ . 1 111p3 . - - - -- - �¥fl~~~k#i~~ ~bib)~.,t,4)~7~~! ~ a<~ !Jtf~ ~ ;ti.4.h../u-Ju ~ / i'W-' -· J.d.ut:uJ-/4mw.J, y:J~ /9d,'3~ I �"'~ ~ ~ ?~ c,'.2~ ~tt,Jud~ d~J 9 ~ . ~_du±u{)y:;~_ Jr/Mju/u,;, .;f,w-/';/)~ 19~3~ �/45✓'v 9~ ,:, Al~ 11-~ I/ -.:~ / ..d)~ ~~-'7lv ~~ ~- .Afa i4J~~ ~~9~- #~~ # Al-tpuu ~ ~ '-/~ I?~, ��/) - 7~ �.t) - 73 �~ tU.v ~ J..l!#li ~ . 0..u..J ;O..Mr;u - w.v 2- ~ ,d~ q ~ . ~~, /9~- ~~ J / ~ Y - - ~ - / J ~,,., �- - - - -- - ---.,-- ---,,,--,=----:,- - I ��//4,JJ:; -;~d,, -r.Aw ytl_µA?UV, Jf.ufu,1/ aaub ~ -aoa - .ae>-¥- ~ ._t.,;.r.,0/ I f ~ - - -- - ~~ - y:;~ ,,1 ~~--....----.---------- �- - --- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - MEMO FROM: ?bAkJ DATE: _ _ _ _ _ _ __ TIME: _ _ _ _ _ _ __ TO :_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ �~ , ) ~ 4,, // ,,?,?e t J ~ D~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ' ' �// ,. /J ._I" ,R? ,/,Vu, 1/ -5( 1;:f7,,;,t; c:;>c:5- tt ~ ~ . -- /1,v?~ ,1 --1..unJ~ ~ J. --~--=---:._·~ .,.t-Av,J ~ - 9,,_,.u ~ a,f-n,,L) ~ II-~ /17dj; i , ■ �/,- ~ --A~ -, , » •.1(2,.LJu /{) d_j ..iJ.u...u I ~ ~ / £~, ±A!) I 9-trr.b <-/2~ c2h-u±) -&./2.t:Ju, ~ J.l-,uxu/,1 /97~ 3f , I �// ,AJ..L ~ ~?? ~ - 1 ~ ,,,, ~ ~ ~ , )I ~ ~ ~ , £ ~_ &,,0~ w~ ~ r 1 ~ 191,;_, 1.s. I �~,#~ ,,,,m1LJLJLE CL~SS Ctt' I PPL FI IY G E /JlS F o ;e 6 .0 mt: To C.t0-,4/(ETTS ()/,.(:LS lUITI-/ lJ/7 I T/ Iii CL/r;)/T Tl-/cl.R I/ ''11~ ,~,,, w u l u ~ . J ~_'' /~ ~ ~ ~,(2/7,V_ ~ ~ ±k) uJ~, ~ 7'1~- ~of} ~,, ,o.J. • . ) ,I ;t=?Akk, dA-<.b -/· ~ . ) ~~- -1).d, /8-3 VJ . JI. ��~ 9#<l.t.;t0--h ~ ~ - - x / (1$1/,/- l'l-'1-?) ,,,., ✓ k 08"~- ~ ¥~ ,, . /,- IY~ ~ , I ~ ~ ~ -- ,nu..- ~) 1!:!::a}:a_,~ ~J a..- (: , ; / 93~ Y: 199 ry_A ~ .:L;_ LlvJ:J /~) _u/ ~ a,ruk -;-../2.uiu .t}r ~ - ... , ~ ,LJ~, d ~,, ~ ~~/ ~ / ~-3 7, . el; , .JJZ �.) 9 ~ l y:::J~ -r.A.u #~ ~ ,, C,,.tftu"v~ ./.,.v ~ ~ , 'l,<Vu ~ ••• l'I l"tf"WU lua.!~ ./2.uw ~ ~~ v~ ~ ~ ~ d- ~ , ~~~ -;Jwi.; -,d~, al~~ .f}, (!, _ I ~ ;4~ / ...huJ . ..,) />_ /99 t.A . IJZ._ �~ / 9~. ~ . / //~ 'I #.rr-v-~ ,,,J..,_ · ~.,_ /) ~ &{.,,I -~~ »,k,., ~ I / , ...,,,,,-'--··' ~ /,..,,._,[./.,.,~ ,, . 11 �~ ~ /~ / 2 1 ~ 1 1 J~~ ~ + j . ± A u ~~ ~ \ ~ ~ ~ ;t:/2,u J,f ~ 0 ~ I 1 ~ ~~ , 9~/ ~~ u!~/ ~, --av~ 1 ~ ~ e_~, ~ I/~: ~ - / '1.S-j # ~ ~,:? -1,/ ;t$Juu.v ~u)~ �~~,, ~ r~ # ~ ~ , // if d:AvJ_) .,e::J-u,v,/ ~ ,),L~ j ~,. ." r2Jo ..,_p ~ ~ /4u-lJv--}uv,.b, it t, ~ 9~,, 9-~ u / ~ i _u,_ fi;. J!,,, /4,-k ~ ¥ ~f'~-' # ~ d~v,-0~ ~ -./ /95f:_,J ~~~- l/2 , .:iz: / �_. �I ���· ~,)9~ro~> /,,,,ab. 9~--~ ~: ~ 8~ ~·· ,.,,~ ~-~ ~ td:dtu ~ -jh-dJ ~ ~ .:d-U ~ ,, , . ,, ', �/~ ~~ LAd) ~ /J ~~~ .::i ~ ~rlf~1n-ld1.._ i'J..,, V JI ~,,_ A ..,..,,......,/'?(, - J~ d ;;l:hv ./2i,w., ;d.hu,e ~ ~,1~•1 . u)~ 197..3_,1 I -¥"'/-,. . - ,. • . �V-4Y~aL-b,, u.J~ · ~~ r~~ ~ / I Id, <1/2 J2'.£ I , �~~ ~ ../2.u k.a.bikiv~~?°"'~ wtYtd,;,• ; J~ 7)~ ~- ~ ~ J/1.v ~~ ~ / ~ / D ~ . 1 }970 ( ~ 4Wv./dJ) /75' !~7, �(Zit-~ 1 Z l ~'/f) tw -J CREST PRINTERS, INC. G 1926 V STREET • 452-6854 �// ~ jktnxJ ~ . i : , ~ , , , ~ ~ h1:) ,,a:tuL) c)~ 4 ~- I/ ��w-£.iv ~ 9~ ~ 4~~~~~ "" . ~ - 4~dV Y14Y:J W ~~ ~ /j~ t1~ 19{};3.,) 57 -cr-g, l/6' lj; _yr_ /J.(!_ ; ��~r.p. ,v~,, y r ~ r'7'7 if""' .. ?"""""f (!, <~7 CREST PRINTERS, INC. ?- r:7r 4t; ¢J W ~ • ~ 1926 V STREET 'e..P-'rl • 452-6854 �~ /(J~ // --r.k . ~~ 1; ~ flau </ll..ld, .dv Ju_,,dJ ( 1) cX'..dJ~ ~ AMV ~~ ./J2if ~ a/2:,mdl, ' CV) ~.-&~ 0 ~ 0.-lM..R.-'U,, Ary~~., I D 80 ~ _!_ Yk~~~~~~~ -/~ ~ , ) ~ ----=~ ~ /971,, ...................- - - - - - ~ �I / .~,~ ~ 1 J}~ / J ~ 7 k -/JJ~' ~.,. ~9~;A-h , f?-1~ (i)~_) ~~ I /) 8/ o~, ~Qb.J.J~ VJ . y /__Av~~; d ~ 1111, . /J~ �.f) - 71:/ �I _lo ~ . ,J rj)~~ 6vnd LW) , , ,, ~~~k~, , 9~ < v ~ CJ~. A, x r.J-~,) ~ cV/ld,, Cj ~ ,) I 1 J.f-b_. �I 1. ~t {J~ // 9 ~ '1 ~ ~ /.b ~ LtJ/2&u -J., ~L;lrl.,'7J ~ ~- ~ ~ ru~) ()~_ ~x~ ;;t~_ \:/-~./ ~ a,;nd; 9-~J 19-'J.~ 6: �I I ~: { J ~ // < ) ~ ~~ f/ 9_.Ut/J ~~ Vld:J , a , ~ ' . ~~-h-dJ~~- Ja✓.rncv~-tJ1~0~ <"v~./ 0 ~ ~ c : l ~ X ~, ~~./ ~cuub9~J F9, J9-'f4,_) �WAk"f', /4-p- / ~ .:li1LJ v?U.., /4,,,.,l,r-'~ ,.,, ~~~,I~/ I tJ ~ 'v~ o~. -,,1,_ t,.,t:'. ~, ~ - ~, X.addL.u_ :., 19-!¼:_J �}{J~ ✓/ {} ~ £ .d:tiJJ ,, 4 ~ h z J ~ ~ ~ l u a,A ; t . J ~...7-. • 0 .. ~ lf(,l)u .,LJ.,o_J ~ _vx.J ~~ q~ 0 ~ ( ) ~ . ~~~~;lad-Jw \;ii-~,) ~ ~ 19 -16/ 9 ~,,) /03, 1) 79- Ro .. �I �~ w ~ ~~ dJ J{'~ ~ 1 r,- ,, ✓~ rkv h M.L:J~JtJ~ 0 di~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ /r a2 ~ ~~/ 9.,,,,,,..; u ) ~ bl,. . ~~~AA f ~ I/ : .fo_u,.; fl~/ ...hw',) 19~ 93. -;Jv . ~ ~ w~ . · �, f:o/~ 7f VJ6 J ( ,,mzA '7Y,J- rpv/jl4 "177 (, - ~ r"V/ ""ff 7m"llrllW(J ·rn "'11 (("X?llativt(J r,p7-ip@J ~ ? f l "fi?JI Pd);~ 4ryll'VT7f (u ~I l'l(rllk'f) h ( ~7 '-yNTERS, INC. f/:!771 • ("p"i'Q1/ ('CfWITf-77l 1926 V STREET • 452-6854 �~ ~ ~ , . , ,, - 1C ~ -r.1v 7:;~~1 tt.J.s . .i_ C Z ) ~ ~ ~ L.uu~ - ; ~ l.,,C/~l/4,,W'<( ~pn.!) ~ n~ ~~ ~ ~ // . ~:., w~,J ~-c.: I <J ~ o t,J . :nz:. . _...1 A. �_ / e---:._c;:- , (l' ( ~ff 1/~-:; Tv,-u,61Jll r1✓"lJlr?j •,.:,,::,"'Q: '7'WP , lJ :rPU? ;t.. rl:ry?P~y' ~~ . ::: ~ , :ERS, I NC. • l 926 V STREET • 452-6854 �~ ~yAf: Jq(p~ \3~0~ ~ / ll, ~ t/~, -;J.& ~ ~~~) �g ...»>, e~.a..,) Al~ ~JcX1~ / ~ • L, ~ 9-~'' Mb t ~... ~J.dnJ:f)~ l,i, Jl~~ ru ~ II~. ~ hf~ /J~ ~ /J--4t--k1, I 9 7 'Y~ -6-t:J,. �~~~ -'/ fkrnu ~ tt,c~ I/ ~-Av ? ~ ~ h c h d , ? i d ~ ~ ,,., ~~~ ~ �--r~~ // ~<17'n<V ~ ,,..,. . ~ 'I . ~ - - -;- ~ ~ I/ I~~~ v~~~- ~ifmtf~~~ ~ N-~ j , / - I'} 7 ,Y..J <if - IO. �--- --m:zuu.I N'~ "/l/4y ~ /4r ~,, r_tlu)~ i-' ffw~-,- ~ ±M ~ ~ti.), 7~ 0~ N-:::J, /14:t ~ 1/--fli~ ~ !<J7~ ~- -4-r~- �t)r.k, <Jhu~ ~ ~ ~ ,,, J ,tV,Y)U ~ ~- / (;? ~ ;/~,/f¥~/!ty~ 0~ ~ lrl~/ 197~ s-(p, �~ tJ./JUJU ~ .J~ fe,_u) /1.u.h ~~~ .,.2 d:J,~-" ~ 0.u~ Al~, hr ~~~r ~ ) / ~ 197-y./ 19, �- ------------~-----~-~ _,.,,~/ . /_ - - ;./~ r,-J~ II ~~ ~ -- 1 ~ ~ ;JV ,, ��, ~_Lvnw ~,) ~~ ~- ~ I~ tvn-eU --r~ /J.fl/>?UV. , t u ~ ,t) (!,_ ; ~ - / ~ ~~ /,.;} 3 0 /936] 1-i,7. llJ ·.JJJ: �~ #~1 ~ ./4.ut::I ~ t / h . L , ~ ~ ,,_ -~~ ~~- ~ ~~ ;/trn.clrv; ~~ /?~, /I/JA-UU ~ Jf.±dJ"J 19 76 0WUtrv.) ~ , ,,Yt7 II. �:Utaa¥L/,, .../J2aA.,u 't' W ~ ~ 4.L J ~ ~ ~~~,a,) ~ ~-- J~~~ w~ u)iL~ 19 7a:J 93 ., ~~ ~/ ~~ ���/(' ~ ,, ~--- ;;(n-fu ~ ~~- ,, ,,, ~~ , ~~ x;t~ ~ ) d~ ~?~~~ ~ J _ ; /, ~:12)_), If~?,; /~6- 7.5, U), 31- �~~ ~ // -I -_ . - -_ - / - 2 - ~ f // ' .;;;~ ~ ~dddw1±1w ~//o,, ~ ~ W~ l9!d~ �fl~-uk, ~ ~ ~ }r_vj)~ ~ ¼dJ--<AU ~ ~ .IF" '3~ q_~,/ ~~ ~ 1 d-# , ~ . ~Ad I Jlf_/4_J_ ~ - · ~ - I ~ ..t t �·>:'11:.lt"' • .. ----------111111111 ~~,I~ ~ cJj c f ~ I/ , v ~ 1 .:tJw ~ , , , ,, , r'ru/u ~ .,8~ /~~ <1~~,, ~: --;.<td!, / ~ ;dk-.e . ~ ,, ~.ubir, ~ ~ I'~ �~ fld"1,ULJ ~~ /lUll,lN , a ~ , , , ~ s- -1/.nu,,, , ,.__. ~ 9 ~ ~- ,63~ ~ ~ : d x:11~ r~ I 4 ~ ~~,,,,•'J//72..,C..J, x S ~ /JJ-u~ �= ·Ft.$/ 1 "''fT.'V>r7? /?WJ',r. 1 >tlr/3/Vp r~"?P'fi ~/!.fy mrJ- 7ff77?7 ·~ t7;:, --- ~ ~ NTE_RS, INC. "'?;::_; - ~ • 1926 V STREET • 452-6854 �,, , ~ --m.ux__, (I �?n?, "71 ( >r'Tf )fJlft 'f:Z/?I ,/( -i,,f'Y"'I r/rf C/l '1/Jlfa - ftr77>f7rR(Jl { 7 ~ S,INC. 4'-7 7;£ • 1926 V STREET - 1IVZJ • 452-6854 �// tr>u.i:lw k±J6/£u~~---- &(.tiv~ ~ -•,, I( 4:,~ 9~✓ ~-- -:@rll~ , ~J"' ~)~-..) 170 197,;i,/ w.~ . ~7. �c;~/ C 3 ~ ~/ -r-Av+~I/ ~ 1✓ ~ ~ .,,,.,~_.J,1,,/ ~ ~~ .:i7u.J ..,n~~-~ ~ ~.('·n..LJ~) , ~~ d~~-ttv~icJf'-",.03 ~ ) u _ ' '4jCqv 9~ //~ II~~~/ U; , J!L I 9~/ J<i , ��Iv~)~ ,,,o..uvu 9:-~) I; d (V 'u..Mf./U ~ II ¼ -rriv ~ ~ ? , , , p-z.u! ~ _ ) (l,I ~ ~ : ,. , 11 �~ / rr ~ . ,, -9~'' ~~ j _' i~ j ~ ~·, ~, ~ I ~ ~, - ) .• • • ,,;2 ~ ��-... #~ , 1:,,d- ~ ~ ~ k f-'-~µ,,t ~J . . ,. ., l.,W?~.>tLJ 1 ±ktN ~ '5S b 1.-v>'uv ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ t r ) tJ... ~ . , t1-v ~ . _4;_- . ~~ If~~ / 51 0 /, �,.. #-<, J!'"cb ~ ~ ~ J u ; , /U~~ , ~j • • ,. ., .lW<j cvu:/J.m->4.J 7 ±kuv ~ '5r b .£v>1J..xU ~ 0.ufl- ~~:!,'Z=:Z-V1.:~ ;_ _n ____. .,, / /5 . tJ.-, �~;•v~ ~ // ;;;1~ /U-Uv ~ ,, -'/ Cl., ~ •/", ~ _Lf,a/ -/2,/) ~ A ,I . ' ? J.uw.J -, ~ - J ~~ ~- I I Jt)~ II~~~ ~1}: T ~ /9 70./ ~ - -3 /_ w~~:t:Au . { ) ~ Ir/~ ��i"<q Ji,~~,,_,~~ ~ • • .. ~ , , ~ AV<-nu ~ ~ a,x,, '~ ( ti/~ Q~ ~ w~ d :L_A_u !t!y:l~~~L7;;~ ~ / /9.S-~ /~~ -/~. ,1 �#~.1 f?(~ ~ "'/Y~ ✓ I/ w~ �/ -~ "2 -PE -Z .Ye 'Cll~b 6 ,twvrtW--? 1 ~ ?o/-tf, 7 ,;l A-wr~0 ~ ?"v9fl rllfo/' vrpw6 ·ot67 - cp1,,z 7 4:r-cr nyJ '0-f' -0 70<fw;zrv;0· rA?WyZ?' /;van1 ('?J;/'~;K CREST PRINTERS, INC. • o/izj 1926 V STREET 7P'iJF/I • 452-6854 �~~~ '/ 9 - ~ 'I ~ ~ ; ~ :/Ju» ! , . , ~ c:J--A.,) ~ ~ rl ±k) ~ I ~~ tJ 9~9~uf~. . -rkdn-ii ~~~~ , f l ~ . . )tfA.a.u) .;., u ) ~ ~~ j{j6-9,,I o<34,, �. ~ ~ , u , ~ ~ ~~ ''Jr!~'' LJ/w;J ~ .i ~ ~?,,. ()1t,,c:W..a;J:.J~? r-.dA.t,,~J) dJ ~~ ·J I ~ ; / ~ . ')f~J/~ I 97tJ,,; t:.2 t:, ?, ~_dutu)~ tllj~ ~ - k ~ ��MEMO FROM: DATE: _ _ _ _ _ __ TIME:_ _ _ _ _ __ TO: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ �___ _ _ _ _ _ ___J �u~ /~ /#~ fnv/4d/ ~.vlvfj/U/U~_1J,✓~, , ~ I / (c/?lay ~XL✓m~ ~ ~~ w~ /}').e- ~~ ,r:f~/ ~ 1973, ~~,I .d,_ <;-~ v'/J~ - x~/./d-b~ ~ ) �~ 4 ~,, . ., , ~ . / , ~ . . . : ~ ) ~ I ., , ~ / )f~ //,;I. ; , , ~ -/J ~ / 9b3~ ~,, l/2 . .:JZZ: �9~ u-&b ,,,, 1../2.t., - 38' ,, �9~/ ~ ~~ ~ (Jd:J, o:;1S'W ,.,, al.v ~ ~""~; ,./J ~•• :, ?'~~~t;;;j~_ �9~ ~~ -'/ --r~ .L/uJ ~ = , f l wNWJu: I. n y Ol,v QAQ ~ :J ~ ~ ~ I 9 IP?_; ~/¥XJ) f64R : -;-k ~ 7o, . I/ .ul,, ~ -J~,, ~~ ~~; d �>1~0 9 ~ t::J~ (/8'8~ - 19/o~~ //-;-Au 0~1 . r k ) r ; ) ~ ,, /,' t2A.u ~ 1:/uJ:) Ju.pud}- ,,. ~ ~ .d7. ~ ,4 ~ , ,, ~~ /!_~/ ~ , / -R..cL ~~ , ~ftJkR.: / / ~ ~ ~ ~ _ ) /9:SSJ J<J~ 7,_; ?/, _ �9~ #~ ~/ ~ II . �\.9~ u . J ~ ~ ( 1 g 1 1 - 19.3?) /~~ J ; t ~ ol~ ~X4Jkf/~I( /t'v.d±J A v e , ) ~ ,,~ ~ ~ v7l-v ~ ~~ ,:;i_~ · }~~e~,:~!~z~~~~~~a~~~q~ oZ -i--3- ~ c:i./8' -- - ·- - �f~~~~~~~~~~ o2c/,_ ~a:---- o-, 1k4--i1 Af ~ , /9,:S?J I �-~ / , £1- ~ #0 4.LA-d LL)-L(.eLrx.) ~ ~ . , ( ! ~ I/ �~~~~tu~ // --r__lu._, ~ ,,,, �-~~", -: - - - --~/ 'f a-m.e.a w ~ -Au /1~ ~ -f::;Ji[i(~ 'l , If ,,,.. i.½ ,dt;/Jfd, • 9~~9ntaJ /~~ -ti¾ f)~) ~ !./~-' J 9◊-~ ~ I, ; ..-lu �~J~~~~ ~d.b Jp .,(,,V~.),.,_ ... .,.2 ~ i ~- d~e4 , w ~/ A ~, : x1~ ~ 11-3 ~ : ct~/ ~ /.J-~ t./2, 'JlL /7,/UlbV/ 11~0 ~l - �,,,, ,/ . M--<.A..J I ~ I. .• ' ~U.lt.),~, ,,, .lu,; ~ ~ - I / I &, ~ �,,,, ~~ JI ,nU ~ rnvu -.- ~ ~ ~ - ;, 9~ s~ Jf~- Q?~/µlu.u . -;~Ju)~y1Ju,a:,.U,,) oc""J _ ":EL 197(),t ~~ ,.. _ _~ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ , �/ ( ~ Jt:-1,,fa // It, u)AQ_j ~ 'I ~ 1-Av~ ~~~,~~,,, ,,, Zrl ~~~ II ~~ ~4~9~~~ edf- c l ~ ~ 19~0 (o{), ' ~; fut~ ~~ ~ ca~/ /;) ~ .o1~ tA. -:izz:... ~~ . ~~,I ~- �r/ j h..-nv i ±Au -~ ' ;t:luJ I~~ I) �~ / --~~ /( Jr/~.....9 // . . . , /, m~ i ; ~ ~~ ~ ··#o ~ ~ ; I ~ , •I 0~ ~~,-~ /2~ , ,d~ ,,,~ 19~g;, /9, '.Ju-r>U �:;go ;ti., ~ kuno~:t-k~. ,... -~ h _ d _ ) ~ ~ -..., ' II ~ /I~ 9 ~ - Lu~T~v. d ~ -P~/ ~ : ,LJ~ ~MU- d,?Ub ;so W~ _b,u.,,) e.A . vr /97~ S-'j-. �~/~ r/ /I ~ <j'1-dvx,J ,, ~±Juy ~ t;no, '/ ±/2_~ ~ /,,J_ If ~ , ~rJ ~ /fA.ll-1 '? n Y - ~-- ~ J ~/ / ~ 9 7c) J ~~ ~/UW ~ rl �-~ C:CJ(?/ :A')I f/-''Vt7 t1Z6 0 ~ 0 1NTERS, INC. • (rn ~ f./171/77 1926 V STREET bCJ?::5 • 452-6854 �~ ~ ~~,, ~/~ad}~ ~ tJ-12-vv ..ii e:.2 );f~ ~ ....,/)7,.u , , , ~ I -Aw~ I ~ - 9.~- Nu.u / ~ ~t-C,,:; 197 ~/ t-3~,, �~~~~ VJ l/ ~ 1 1 "" rub1±/uJ ~-j~,,,,, cvru:b ~ ""I ~ I/ I ~~ ~~_uh_ , ,~* /4w,. ,± Ju) u/, ~;;i. _l,f_Lad, fu.uu u ) ~ ;qtll,,1 �x~/ c:k cbt.v --- ,, r,1illv ?) ,;, ~ - ~ .:t/2u ~ // 1:.-iu 4-1:J 1/2d:; ~~~ ~ ~ .,aa,) ~ • I I c::2~ ✓~ y?7~ ~~ : JU;b, >iJ/4xV ~ ~. --?~d~of.-t:d.J:; 19~~-'4., �,;, J ~ ./A-4-m 1/ rzv, .,, ~ ti~ ~ I I/ - \3 ~ Jf~_, ~/- ~ ~<Lb<,vnd,, ti)/2.,,w cm.w ,a~ c\r'~ - ~ ~~ , , 19 7...3,) / ~ _ �,:-0~, - ✓ -r, ~ ~ - ,, 0~ ~_) ~ ~~- f~ ~~ ~ , »~ ~ £uu /J~ 173 1173.,., .:2-'J'.9, �//!ck0 : ~ 'I'~~ I I ��!l!~kciy-1 ~ - ~~ ~ $e ¾, . ~I/~ ,. NM.IA~ ,ISMA_v ~ «)~,) ~ - / 1953./ -.:3;;, .. �/J_ /.-y h P76 ~ .:m.....:_-=,. VJ , L . �~· ~ "1' ~- ~ // -r../4,, ~ ,, r,~~~~~ 'l' ~ ~ - If 'J l!J~k~/ ~ - b~~ i ~~~, ~f~~ /y-~ xi~ ~ uJ~./ ~~ /f53,J .,a 7, �~ ;,/~/!', // -;;.Au (0~£. tlf..u_,) ddf-#~i f>tPLJ :,!. ~ I/ ( 0 ..Lv,iuJ 0,r,v X >15~ ~~/J~ ;9r;,~ 19, X.ll;t II :d~ �- ---........ ~"""""""'-----, r0o->v ()('. 14,uJ ,....,,_ 7/~Zu~ ) I ~ If. /; f)tf"Y)d) ~ ) I';~ Utu~ .t lw ~ ~ r ~,U I( ~ ~~ ) ~ 1 ~ - ,) '3 ~ Z>.r.v Jf. 0t:i -P~.a/JV, V..m 0 ,tj'~ - / 1~ 19 ~ ~..li.-, 1 ., t ~ r. �=.LJt:..#1,,~~~ / . /~ - ~ //i f ~ J , n ~ rl ~ -, r v~ <X'. ~ ) 1 ~-/2.& 0 ~ 'I , ~ r f/ , ~ ~ JfJJU_;,/ v~Jf. /J~ II ~ %1~ . /9(,~ 17,, U . J!C d~ �m,,n.k/J , h,_,,_., ~ 9~ j ~ (I 971-?) 1.-i:at-~~ ~A-/4~~,~~ /~ , .' // , &m-u<. -~ ~ / 1>~ lj 1uJv ~~j -/!~~ ~w~ t AuJ~ .•. -ro~ ~~~~~~. ' ~~ 9-tvm.w./ ttJ..ddnu,, .uh~ ~~ ~ t~J -r'..1.u ~ ~~:N~ ~ ~ uJ~~~ / 9.:5-9,) ;J. d/3.S /jc)_,) //d, . lj) . IlL �-mANA1I;,.,,,-,, ~ n ~,/ ~ ( / 9 7 J-?) i;~~~ ~ . r k - - / 4 ~ ,,......._ # ' 1"--. •• - ~ • &mu,1.. -~~/ ~~ 1~wu ~~) ~~~~u)~t~~ --·,, . 7 ~ ~ ~ .nuy ~4 , --- . t> . .,t/V 9~ ~~ 9-,vm.(,(/_/ ~~ ~ t~- tt)~,) ~- 7..1.u /kwJ v~:i-1~ ~ ~ uJ~ ~_:_, JC/.:!r9,; /J. /lo,) //~ . d?.3-:S- lj) . I1L �Odu~ o, e, . '/ •·· a.a,, W!ivv ~ Trl ~~ 4t;l.ud.v ~ ~ I/ .._L,.)~/~~~ .Md) ~ vnv /4unu. f~ ~! ~~ II~ ~ -t.r£, ~~ ; . / ~ ffh.A-c.u rt-'-f .. >!- W~_; ~ - JC/IP~ �// ~~~~~ <j/2.d.A..v ~ , , , ~ (~ ~) Zib - ~ iJw.;tl},,.,, II �~/ _,/...t) Ut..Llu::l) ..1..uJ.j;) tu J , ,1 ~~ . ~~~~~~= 6~.;S/ ~ . o~.) ~ 9-st~/8' u_.-::izz::. ____ ___ L...:. -.3..:. ,sL,_ _ _ ��,, X.Jw~j i~ ~ ~ ~ /2A.u~ I) �~ ~~ ,,,~ 0 ~ ~ ~-r1~ ,,, ,,, a,,, ~ L ./)J-lb .mu.a.b~~~ ,_ - A /ua_d,,, ~n.v- ,, ~~~ ~,,I ~/ced,J. 11/-~ Fl 7~_,,) ~,;;/- dlrridlv: -r../4,,,dZ..Lud~ ./J.L4<.-U~~,,, �~ ;-~ro c. \Nl..- ~ ,1-'_vn,,C/ /,, 7./2_,, ~ -t/~oj #~'r /,- J(VY,V.±M ~ - , ' 1 rruA..J ~~- ,, -..3~ ~ ~.bm:b- -r.kM.uJtl~_ »~~., ~o>~V,' /J~ ~~ /97~,/ ~- �,,, ~J J I . -rr-. I ;, ~ ~ ~ ~ kvnt:J~ -r../4,, -t/~ ' i f # ~ . ~~ : ~ ~.:bU',; -f-?lp ~ 19 7a_; ~ /J~ I 6-, �R._':,, _ ,.._,) // ,. ~ ~~ ✓.; ~ // h 0 I -4> w~ ,; • ~-~',, . . ' ;t:lw ~ ~~ // "<:::7~ ~I 12_~ , /97~ ~- ~ ~- /.Av t_J~ JInz/4-J: y:Jp.u_.V ~~ �/,/ f .Lb ~ 0'Uuu , , , . , , , ~ - , ~./2-<._~, I) 9~ ~~~ ~ - #tJ-mLGo~ - >d~ y:J~J I t/ t;. 9, �(:u I/ ~ ,, , ~-) 1) 1-i- ~ ~,) ~ ./) r ~ .lli,__ -r-Au ~ ~, , - J ~ 197-3.J 17 c4 I I ~ 1- ,;&,;,u ' o188-~89, V) . .Er ' p .,) �.,d~~ // / -A.v v7~ /1~ /I 'I -:b_, ~ / } - - (J./2.U JI~)~~ _? . J~ ~ ~ , ) , ,, 9~ ~~ 9-'4,UxV~! (/) ? ?~ ~ ~ ~ ! ~ d dh-n,v tiv ~UXL/' t/~6i;LU~ If �,-,~§~ ,,,, ti/~ /14'~ I/ /.Av ~~~...UV~~ ../2u.j tf/4,) ~ ( tn...R.; ~ ) ~ ~~- c.2 I/ ,, ~ ~ / ~ .kb, ~ -ti~ i w ~ ±lw ~ / u)~y:;~A<~ j 13.::S_ - .. ~-7 ~ , ·7;_ ~~--~- lA :__ J!E. /{4-nt/ lf~J,,I �I'/ ~,,~II ~ ~ <:::2 0 b??U..J _j,,._Je., ~ / ~ / 9➔ V ~ . P-~~';d~ -/~ 17-'I-_ _ 1 970',,; .;2/, U> _ . _JZE ______ 11111 �~ ~ .JuAJdJ ~ ~ 4i<v ~ j~- .,,, ~ ~~ u.J~- ~ - ~ ~ , j ,&ad 17~/J~ Jf7~ ~~ 9X<-LJ I I ~ ~ ~a-?(/ t,,$/ eA. :n:. c:J-)uv>u~~,) ~ �~~ ~~?fo/' ,y ~~ ~ I/ 1)~~1~~~-~! /-f ~ ~~ ~ . ~ ~ i {ff'!- £-M<r>V ~~- uJ ~ - - J , ) /), (!, : 9_,._,.d,,J 1/ ,f -/JS ;I~ e); _TI_ IJu.,,;V_, l'l&,..3_, 6-.s, a �~ 9:-~uJ ~ 11...f ~ , : V K ~ , , ~I d ~~ IV~,. • ~~ 1 ~ , ,, 'I .s ~ ~ 9~ iJ~:/~ ~- -~y/~ 197?1] /?, t:/..~; dS t../; . J!L:.. f!.O, ;d ~ ~ Ool.. ~ . , <!A.-. 91tJoJ �~'• ~.~ ~~ v ~ ·~ ,,, ~ - yJ~ ~ ~ ,, �U/ ~ 1 ~ ~~v?!:!t~~ ~~ �;'/ ~ ~ ~-J~~ :u,A.,,,, , r.A~(lkud/X~! xJ_;,,) c:2~ u)~J ~ ~tYU ??r: -/J~ f aJ» ~ --/~ 19 .LI oi. , ��/~ .>"~/~~evu» --------~~ ~ yJ_.u...µ.u ( , / w..u . /I~~~ 'I ��� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Eugene B. Redmond Digital Collection Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context EBRWritings_09_26 Title A name given to the resource Bibliographical index cards: Poetry Acknowledgements [sic] for Drumvoices: The Mission of Afro-American Poetry: A Critical History Relation A related resource Eugene B. Redmond Digital Collection Language A language of the resource English Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource For digital rights and permissions, see <a href="https://www.siue.edu/lovejoy-library/about/policies.shtml">https://www.siue.edu/lovejoy-library/about/policies.shtml</a> or contact <a href="mailto:library@siue.edu">library@siue.edu</a> for direct inquiries. In copyright. <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Redmond, Eugene B. https://digitallis.isg.siue.edu/files/original/d6db4aadc1fa30531adf79a5b3a4817f.pdf a9d3cdff8e2acdb544a999fb04a98fea PDF Text Text SCRIPT AD PTATION OF DRUMVOICES: THE MISSION OF AFROAMERICAN POE.rRY (a' cr{tical hist,o ry) by Eugene B. Redmond For Presentation at Book Party October 3, 1976: 3 p.m~ to 6 p.m., Redwood Room, University Union California State University Sacramento �MOVEMENT fl I Narrator: I am the poemJ Chorus: We are the poeml Narrator: And the poem is me l Ghorus: And the poem is us j Narrator: I am the poem and I came before pen or pencil or paper or printing press l I cupped and cuddled the wisdom of the winds in drum-bosoms of ,ecstap7. Drummer: A ·l d,de range or rhythms, m~vements, multiple movement-rhythms: African, - , West Indian, Afro-American. Narrator: I write in drum-language and converse with tomorrow, today and the here- tofore . Chorus: DRUMFEET ON THE SOIL, ON THE SAN:DROADS OF THE MINDI FLESH-PISTONS PRANCING, THE EARI1H 1 S ENGINE! IT IS A COMING FORTH, THE NIGHT WITHIN US COMING FORI1H I THE NIGHT WITHIN US COMING R> RTH I FEET BEATING, BEATING, BEATING SEEDS INTO THE SOIL! Narrator: I retum and return and return to JQ'., magni fi cent and reliable archives. Chorus: That love we can depend on! That love we can depend on! (over) �Voice (singing): Onoborobol Ghorus: Onobarobo I Voice: OnoboroboJ Chorus: Onoboro-boJ Voice: Onoborobol Chorus: Onoborobol Narrator: In my dependable cultural vault is the Idea-gram;: the natural cinema. tography landscaped by thudding thoughts of my totem-family, the living-dead, the breathing, the unborn. I am the poetie flesh-temple with many forms, earth-daughter and agil.e inundator of history. I am the poem in motion. Dancer: Rudimentary movements and other eleSnents or traditional African and Afro-American dance: isolation, use of pelvis and torso, leap, twirls, pqlls, yanvalou, vigorous stretches and thrusts.(Drum accompaniment) rrator: I am the Black and Unlolown Bard. America put me on a conveyer belt moving in two diffferent directions at the aame time. My African Jubilance turned to anger and a song of sabatage. My Indomitable E~ho end Idio flavored '41Y rndomi table press to be human. As a poem, I became part of-.. wh$.t .I ·did, saw and dr a.med on these shores: Field Holle~s, Vendors' Shouts, hants, Work Songs, Spirituals, Blues, Gospels, Jazz, Bhythm-and-Blues, (over) S0 ul Music~ �Voice: Did yer feed my cow? Chorus: Ye Mam! Voice: Will yer tell me how? Chorus: Voiee: Oh w' at did yer give 'er? Qhorus: Cawn an hay r Voice: Oh w'at did yer give •er. Chorus: Ca~ an hay! oice: 1. Evahwhull I, whuh ~look dis ma:wnin, Looks lak rain, looks lak rain. Voice: I gotta ~~inbow, tied all rol.m mah shouider, Ain gonna rain, ain gonna rain. horus:. Dis is de hammer Kilt John Henry a • (over) • �4 Voice: Twon•t kill me, baby, Tworl •t kill me. ho_rus: Take dis hammer, Carry it to de captain; Voice: Tell him I'm gone, baby, Tell him I'm gone. Chorus: I got a rainbow fl'ied "roun my shoulder, AinJt gonna rain, baby, Ain't gonna rain. Voice: Dis ole hammer--huh, Riµg lak silver--huh, Shine lak gold--huh. Chorus: Ain't gonna rain, Ain't gonna rain. Voiceffemale): I'm a big fat mamma, got the meat shaking on mah bones, I•m a big fat ma.mma, got the meat shaking on mah bones, And every time I s~,-kes, some skinny girl loses huh home. Narrator: Yes, as poem, as cotton-picker, as banjo-player, as preacher and slave-rebellion leader, I emerged as a new part of the old. My African song ushered forth in strange new Biblical language. (over) �Yoioe: Go down, Moses, Way down in Egyptland; Chorus: Tell old Pharaoh To let my people go. Voice= Deep River ••• Chorus: Deep Deep Deep River •••• • o:bce: Deep River, rrr, home is over Jordan; Chorus: Deap River, Lord; I want to crosa over into camp ground. Voice: And yes, I DREAMED I was riding in that chariot. Chorus: ~wing low, swe t chariot, Coming for to carry me home, Swing low, sweet chariot, Gomin for to carry me home. Voice: Green trees a-bending, Po' sinner stands a-trembling Tb.e trumpet sounds within-a-my soul l Qhorus: I ain't got long to stay here. (over) �Voice.: You ::: nalbee 111~: Lucy Terry! ,__ . Voice: Gustavas Vassa~ Voice: Britton & Jupiter Hammon. Voice: Voice: l?hyll.is WheatleyL .A.Jad I mli:s.t~red~{l11e:S¥, 1. ' t:i!.il- ·an,d 1 ,Englisli in my teens. Lonely Black girl 'Whom the muses friended, thousands and thousands ~ of· miles away fromA_·esp African home . I continued to emerge as the poem. Voice, Should you, my Lord, while you peruse my song, onder from whence my love or Freedom sprung, Whence flow these wishes for the common good, By feeling hearts alone best understood, I, young in life, by seeming cruel fate, Was snatch~d from Afric•s fancy 1 d happy seat; What pangs excruciating must molest, What sorrows labour in my parents' bre~st? steel'd was that soul and by no miijery mov•d That from a father seiz 1 d his babe belov~d: ·s Buch, auch\ my caa~ And can I then but pray Others may never feel t y rannic sway? Narrator: YQ~ named me G~orge Moses Horton. I did not lik the injustice of the double standard. And such resentment turned me into a poem. .... ' " _) (over) en though �some called me "The Slave," Chorus: The Slave. Voice: Because the brood-sow•s left side pigs were black, 'Whose sable tincture was by nature struck, Were you by justice bound to pull them back And leave the sandy-colored pigs to suck? Ch'ol?US: Runaga.tel Runagatel Runagatel Runagate! Runagatel Narrator: t.'(_ , My mother cured ills an Arather "'°rked roots. In the bi-cultural constriction the poem became juju-man, the lace hidden by the .,,.,,uocu minstrel smile. Voice: We have fashioned laughter out of tears and pain; Chorus: . But the moment after-Voice: Pain and tears again. Voice-., ,, : Forgive these erring people, Lord; Voice: Who lynch at home and love abroad. Narrator: Still I ~ote--this time just like I talked, though some made run of it. But, as maker of song, I could only produce heart-rhythms. (over) �Drumv· ices, 8 Voice: De Ounjah man, de Cunjah man, O chillen, run, de Cunjah man! Chorus : 0 chillen, run, de Cunjuh manl Voice: Him mouf ez beeg ez fryin' pan; Voice: Him yurs am small, him eyes am raid, Him hab no toof een him ol' haid, Him hab him roots, him wu'k him trick, Him roll him eye, him mek you sick-Chorus: De Cun.jab. man, de Cunjah man, o chillen, run, de Cunjah man I Narrator: I knew my rights, my rough-times and my remedies . for what ailed me. Voice: Blue -mass, laud-num, liver pills, "Sixty-six, fo' fever an' chills," Ready elief, an. 1 A. B. o., An' half a bottle of X.Y.Z. Narrator; You named James me Frances Elien Watkinp Ha.rper~~James Edwin Campbell, eldon Johnson, Paul La.wrence Dunbar--son of ex-slaves, ele- vator boy risen to brilliant bard of the race. As the poem I in several kinds of English. Voice: I know why the caged bird sings, ah me, (Over} 6.-&de..f.rth �9 ~en his wing is bruised and his bosom sore-When he beats his bars and he would be free; It is not a carol of joy or glee, But a prayer that he sends from his heart's deep core, But a plea, that upward to Heaven he flings-I lmow why the caged bird sings& Narrator: o.Ll., Abov song exudes from me. I am song. Peruse -me. ~xamine Me. Watch Me. My birthright is my anthem. My song is my sword. oicei Lift evecy voice and sing! Till eart h and heaven ringl Ring with the harmonies of liberty! oice: Till our rejoioings: rise High as the listening skiesJ Narrator: As song-poem, I forge pure flames of rhythms without books. James on Johnson called eld- the Black and Unknown Bard, . And I love to hear Malindy sing. oice: G1 way an• quit dat noise, Miss Lucy-Put dat music book away; What's de use to keep on tryin•? Ef you practise twell you•re gray, You cain•t sta•t no notes a-flyin' Lak de ones dat rants and rings From de kitchell to de big woods When Malindy sings. (over) �10 You ain 1 t got de nachel o 1 gans Fu• to make ae soun• come right, You ain 1 t got de tu•ns an' twistin•s Fu• :, to make it sweet an• light. Tell you one thing now, Miss Lucy, An• I 1m tellin 1 you fut true, When hit comes to raal right singin 1 , 1 T. ain 1 t no easy thing to do. Easy ~ nough fu 1 folks to hollah, Lookin 1 at de lines an' dots, When dey ain 1 t no one kin sence it, An• :.. de t~uil.e ·._ mes in, in spo.ts; But fut real melojous music, Dat jes 1 strikes yo• hea•t and clings, J-es • you stan, an' listen wii' me 'When Malindy sings. Ain't you nevah hy,eahd Malindy? Blessed soul, tek up de cross I Look hyeah, ain't you jokin 1 ,honey? Well, you don't know whut you los•. Y1 ought to hyeah dat gal a-wa' blin'?, Robbins, la 1 ks, an• all dem things, Heish dey moufs an 1 hides dey face When Malindy sings. Narrator: Poem that I am and was, I traveled from "oasis to oasis." Voice: (over) �Drum.voices, 11 Man's Saharic up and do'Wll. Narrator: Riverboats, river towns, chaingangs, bar-room toughs, hard-hearted Hanna, Stagolee, ••• they all knew me. Voice: Hard-hearted Hanna-Voice : From·- :Savanm..ah, GEE A. Voice: She was so cold, yall-Chorus: Wasn•t she-oice= She'd poor water on- .a drowing man! Voice l It was eArly one morn.in', When I heard rrry bulldog bark; omee• ; Stagolee and Billy Lyons Was Squablin' in the dark. Chorus : Shine, shine, shine, ••• sa~e po' me. Narrator: You heard me coming from the swollen lips ot the bugle, French horn, trumpet, clarinet and saxophone. Horn: A series c,.:r short rif~·s exemplary of various forms of music played between the advent of the spirituals and the blues-ragtime period. (over) �Narrator: Iri Paris they called the akewalk" the "poetry of' motion. 11 ~1'h-_ e. crevices of ships I was transported to global points to make my splendid sound and dance my splendid poetry of motion. Dancer: Executes a series of' movements representing such dances as the Ca~ewalk, oP Charleston, Jitterbug and the Bop. Elements ~West Indian dances should flavor the movements. Narrator: As the poem. I blue homs, shot guns in your war, danced dances and came home to face the Ku '_,,Klux Klan, .:aouthern Sheriff's and Jim Grow. I got angry. And I got defiant . But I was relativelf cool. Voice: !~to the furnace let me go alone; Stay you w.i. thout in terror of the heat. I will go naked in-- for thus 1 tis sweet-- nto the weird depths of the hottest zone . Voice~ 'Si re destroy$, bonsumes-vm,:-r'ID.orta.[ !fears; , !rans~orming me into a shape of flame . I will come out, back to your world of tears, A stronger soul within a finer frame . Narrator: After race riots in several American cities. I lifted my voice into a searing shaft of' discontent. 0 kinsmenl we must meet the common foe! Voice: Like men we 1 ll face the murderous, cowardly pack, Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting baekl (over) �arrator: Still, till my past pulled on me. It was as if we were married to each other, glued, locked, welded togeth~r. It was as if those who left us here on this earth never really, really died. ome friean sense kept tugging. tugging at my truncated roots. The bridge of my past rested on two shores; Voice: Pour O pour that parting soul in song, 0 pour it in the sawdust glow of night, Into the velvet pine-smoke air to-night; ••• Choruss And let the valley carry it along. And let the valley carry it along. Narratori ometimes I was half there, fighting those who wanted to snatch away my hum.ani ty by day; and fighting hunger and confusion at home by night. As the poem, I emerged convoluted and 'Wholly new, only to retreat to a ome-other-time refrain. gypt, Ghana, Madagascar, the Pyramids-- Voodoo Ceremonies--what did they all mean to mei Voice: Come with a blast of trumpets, ijesusl Voice: And the beauty of Susanna Jones in red Bums in rrry heart a love-fire sharp like pain. Cb.o..l!us I Sweet silver trumpets, Jesust Voice: Well, son, ! 1 11 tell you: Life for me ain•t been no crystal stair. {over) �arrator: The blur of the veil was always relieved by song, by dance, by reading about foreign places and looking forward to the day when Americans would grow up. We were here--in America--but not or it. Simply worrJing without a plan to chftnge <i.things never helped ?l'nlcb.. We grew stronger, and more beautiful, in the words of Langston Hughes , as we re-embraced our rituals. Shake your ~l>rown feet, honey, Shake your brown feet, chile, Shake your brown. feet, honey, Shake 'em swift and wil'-- • Voice2 Get way back, honey, Do that low-down step. Walk on over, d~rling, Nowt Come out With your left. Narrator: During the watering years, after the Great Depression, I was terrified by lynching a.pd an atmosphere of intimidation. I went to war, as poem and soldier aµd cook and shining knight of Democracy. The Swastika, The Rising Sun, The Hamm:.er· &~ ickle, I was told, are your real ~nemy-. Meanwhile you had named me Own Do son and I became a witness to the ealjti~~.i,Of neighborly enemies. Those who caused unnatural :deaths. Voice: Wake up, boy, and tell me how you died: What sense was alert last, Wb,.$.; immediate intuition about us (over) �You clutched like a bulle t men your nails Dug red in your y ellow palmf. And that map the fortune tellers r ead Chorus: {this line for money, this for love) Voice : Childish again and smeared •••• Chorus: Wake up , boy, ••• Voice: i •• I go to death tomorrow, Tell me what road you took, ••• Chorus : What hour in the day is luckiest? Voice: Did your Adams apple explode? Who sewed stitches in your angry heart? Chorus: O wake ••• Narrator: Yee, yes ••• I was sometia es a tattered poem in the thirties, forties and fifites . But I was a poem anyway: gracious , noble, fundamental, fiery, ftrm, relating to Wtlk"" People . Someone called me Margare\- I became a t pestry of my many selves . For my people everywhere singing their slave songs repeatediy : their dirges and their ditties and their blues .and jubile s, praying their pr,J: 1'8'-nightly to an unwn god, bending their lmees humbly t o an (over} uni• 71 p er; �:voices, 16 · or my playmates in the clay and dust and and o:f labama backyards playing baptizing and preaching and doctor and jail and soldier and school and mama and cooking and playhouse and concert and store and hair and Miss Choomby and company; oice: Lt a new earth rise. Chorus 1 Let another. wori· ·,be born. ',Let.: bloody peace be written in the sky. Voice: Let a race of ~ / now rise and take control. Narrator: Prank Marshall Davis, Melvin Beauno:rous Tolson, Sterling Brown, Rebert ayden, Gwendolyn Brook --these are names by whiab. sy · oice is known. Some even call me by the name of HISTORY. Choriis: ·History, history, · history, agatel RunagateJRunagateJ Voice: Runs falls rises stumbles on :from darlmess into darkness and the darlmess thicketed w.i.th shapes or terror and the hun,te:rs pursuing and the hounds pursuing , and the night cold and the night long and the river · to cross and the jack-mull-lantems beckoning beckoning and the blaclmess ahead and when shall I reach that somewhere moming and keep on going and never turn back and keep on going •••• Chorus: Runagatel Runagate! Runagate! (over} 'la......;_ �17 Narrator: I worm~d into and won hearts and minds. In 1950, · erica · gave -me the Pulitzer Prize. My name was Annie Allen. I was jc, . ·fine'!.y cnl:,it- ed that no inflection was imprecise. I said what I had to say in a.· language that dazzled and blinded the world. I stood as a jewel; I talked about a jewel named Satin-Legs Smith. Voice: He wakes, unwinds, elaborately: a cat Tawny, reluctant, royal. He is fat And fine this morning. Definite. Reimbursed. He waits a momeat, he designs his reign, That no perfonnance may . be plain or vain. Then rises in a clear delirium. Voice: Let us proceed. Let us inspeet, together Wi his meticulous and serious love, The innards of this closet. rfu.ich is vault Whose glory is not diamonds, not pearls, Not silver plate with just enough dull shine. But wonder-suits in yellow and in wine, Sarcastic green and zebra-striped cobalt. With shoulder padding that is wide And cocky and determined as his pride; Ballooning pants that taper off to ends Scheduled to choke precisely. Voice: Here are hats J.ike bright umbrellas; and hysterical ties Like narrow banners for some gathering wap. (vver) �Narrator: I knew the power of the rap I Chorus: Am.enl Narrator: I am the power of the rap I Chorus: Amen I Voice: Bartender, make it straight and make it two-Voice(pointing): 6 One for the you in me ••• Voice (pointing): •• • and one for the me in you . Narrator• I beeame the Be Bopper; somebody called ark glasses and conked my hair. me the joot-suiter; I put on si. esman handed me some bleaching eream and a cadillac as I sped North to join my Brothers and Sisters in the Promised Land.. chard right and James Baldwin cried for na . John Oliver Killens Heard the thunder and Ralph Ellison called me Invisible, adding that once my leaders figured out tm.i riddle of my style and my rap they could help me save me. Black, I left a 'White country to fight yellow men in Korea. Ella, Miles, Monk, Billie, P~ez, Chano Pozo, Ornette, Coltrane--they went to war with me . Chorus: Good morning heartache! How do you do? (over) �19 Hom: Brief medley of sounds and tunes reminiscent of the period. Narrator: I returned to myself in motion. BeholdJ The Stroll! The Kanaas City B1opt The Madison! Th Twis~J :The Funky Chicken! The Karate-Boogaloo! They saw me poeting with my hips and my feet. Chorus: Poetingl Poetingl Narrator: Att.e.-.cut And took it all back toA13andstand and other countries. Voice: There 1 s a thrill upon the hill. Chorus: Let's go, let's go, let's go, Narrator: I came from knrea to me t the lflan in Cl rw.thief'. they wouldn't let my mother sit down on a bus. Chorus: Montgomery, Montgomery, I remember Montgomery. Voice: And Birminghsm--the three little girls. Voice: And elmaf Voice: And Philadelphia, Mississippif Voice: I recollect Emmett TillJ Voice: And WattsJ (over) i.· And, in MontgomerJI, �Ntlrrator: My na:me was Conrad Kent Rivers at that time. I became a poem called "Watts;,. : hoping that in such disguise I could ..i'i:gd···my iws:y out of this daily nightmare. Voice: Must I shoot the white man dead to free the nigger in his head? Voice: Must I shoot the white man dead to free the nigger in his head? Voice: And N(3warkt oice: And Harlem! Narrator: My color felt good to me. I stretched and yawned and walk ed around my neigh;borhood. Someon~ called me Black and I didn't hit him. At a rally, I turned into a voice on the podium shouting. Chorus: WE ARE AN AFRICAN PEOPLE! Voice: For all things black and beautiful, The brown faces you loved so well and long, the endless roads leading back to Harlem. (over) �Chorus: Kulu Se Mama J Kulu Se Mam.at Voice: Where the string At Some point, Was some umbilical jazz, Or perhaps, In memory, A long lost bloody cross, Buried in some steel calvary. In what time For whom do we bleed, Lost notes, from some jazzman•s Broken needle 0 Musical tears from lost Eyes, Broken drumsticks, 'Why? Pitter patter, boom dropping Bombs in the middle Of' rrry emotions My father's sound My mothe ,s sound•••• Chorus: Is love, Is life. Narrator: I turned to philosophy. In the spit and dart of rrry new self, there (over) �22 were utterances I had to make , blood-thoughts I had to share . I knew this was another sequel to the dream. I had not believed those fairy tales . I needed to take a hand and stand and speak the truth . 'Cho a: Sp ak the truth to the p eop*el Voice : It is not necessary to green the heart Only to identify the enemy It is not necessary to blow the mind Only to free the mind •••• Chorus: It is the total black! Voice: It is the total black, being spoken From the earth•s inside . There are many kinds of open. How a diamond comes into a knot of flame How a sound comes into a word, colored By who pays what i a~ sp eaking •••• Chorus : Love is another kind of open- Voice: As a diamond comes into a knot of flame I am black because I come from the earth's inside ~ Take my word for jewel in your open light . Narrator: I am the ecstasy of NOW. The fullest realization of my ancestors• wishes . I return, even in the alarm.; even in the shadow-body I am often forced to wear. But enough, enough; I beg you , my dear associates , look Now on ourf f0cMnir◄ ~~aen "fiieca.sva-c. • (over) �oice(and Dancrer): I am a blaek woman the music of my song some sweet arpeggio of t ears is written in a minor key and I can be heard humming in the night Can be heard humming Chorus: Hums first line of "Nobody Knows he -·1rouble I 3ee 11 Voice : in the night I saw my mate leap screaming a the sea and I/with these hands/cupped the lifebreath from my issue in the canebrake I lo1Jt-Nat's swinging body in a rain of tears and I heard my son scream all the way from Anzio for Peace he never knew • • • • I learned Da Nang and Pork Chop Hill in anguish Now my nostrils lmow the gas and these triggered tire/d fingers "'" seek the softness inf\. . ~ arrior'a beard I am a black woman tall as a cypress strong (over) �still defying place and time and circumstance assailed impervious indestructible Look on me and be renewe. Chorus: Look on me and be renewed. ----30---- �State of California Sacramento State College Memorandum To : , Date : Subject: \ From : \ � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Eugene B. Redmond Digital Collection Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context EBRWritings_09_33_01 Title A name given to the resource First draft of Script Adaptation of Drumvoices: The Mission of Afro-American Poetry (A Critical History), typed with handwritten edits, 1976 Description An account of the resource First draft of Script Adaptation of Drumvoices: The Mission of Afro-American Poetry (A Critical History), typed with handwritten edits, 1976. For presentation at book party on October 3, 1976: 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Redwood Room, University Union, California State University, Sacramento. Includes list of actors. Relation A related resource Eugene B. Redmond Digital Collection Language A language of the resource English Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource For digital rights and permissions, see <a href="https://www.siue.edu/lovejoy-library/about/policies.shtml">https://www.siue.edu/lovejoy-library/about/policies.shtml</a> or contact <a href="mailto:library@siue.edu">library@siue.edu</a> for direct inquiries. In copyright. <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Redmond, Eugene B. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1976 https://digitallis.isg.siue.edu/files/original/a2cd993d9e5b5d266f57e81ea45b247d.pdf 23d5c7db0b343b698e2ce714b6e60ae2 PDF Text Text SCRIPT ADAPTATION OF DRUMVOICES : THE MISSION OP AFROAMERI CAN POErRY (a' crftical history ) by Eugene B. Redmond For Presentation at Book Party October 3, 1976: 3 p.mo to 6 p .m., Redwood Room, University Uni on California State University Sacramento •'I ., / �MOVEMENT If I Narrator: the poemJ I Chorus: We are the poemi ½_,\ Narrator: And the poem is mei Chorus: And the poem is usi , o Narrator: ~ ma 1'110 pus• ans I ca.me before pen or pencil or paper or printing pressJ I cupped and cuddled the wisdom of the winds in drum-bosoms of ·ecstaJ7• ·, Chorus: DRUMFEET ON THE SOIL, ON THE SANDROADS OF THE MIND I FLESH-PISTONS PRANCING, THE EARI'H'S ENGINE! IT IS A COMING FORl'H, rrHE NIGHT WITHIN US COMING FORI'H I ~HE NIGHT WITHIN US COMING FORJ'HI) ~ -~ FEET BEATING, BEATING, BEATING SEEDS INTO THE SOILI Narrator: to Jll;J. magnificent and reliable archives. I return Chorus: ( "° That love we can depend on I (over) �Voice (singing): Chorus: Onoborobo I Vo i ce: OnoboroboJ Chorus: Onoborobo I Vo i ce: Onoborobo J Chorus : Onoborobol "'. Na rrato r : In my depen dable cultura l vault is th e Idea-gram of my totem-family, the living-dead, the breathing, the unborn. I run the poetic flesh-temple with many formJJf the poem in motion. Dancer: Rudimentary movements and other ele:)nents or traditional African and Afro-American dance: i solation, use of pelvis and torso, leaps, twirls, pulls, yanvalou, vigorous stretches and thrusts.(Drum accompaniment) Narrator: I am the Blaok and Unknown Barlf:!!:.erica put. on a conveyor belt lllOving in two different directions at the aame time. My African Jubilance turned 1 to anger and a song of sabatage. L-- • As a poem, I became part o!- what and dreamed on these shores (ove r) saw �Voice: . h· ( 7er f'eed m..y cow? Chorus: Ms.ml Ye Voice: y--'6) Will yer tell o..> me how? Chorus : Ye Ms.ml Voice: Oh w•at did yer give •er? ~orus: Calm an hay I Voice: \ ' , Oh w' at did yer give 'e r. Chorus: Cum. an hay I • Voice: 1. Bvahwh~. I , whuh.__look dis ma.wnin, Looks lak rain, looks lak rain. Voice: I gott ,, ~~inbow, tied all ro\lll mah shoulder, ~n gonna rain, ain gonna rain. Chorus: l>1 a is de hammer ) nlt John Henr,-1 1 , (over) �Voice: kill me, baby, Twon 1 t kill me. ho.:rus : Take dis ham.mer, ~" \_, Carry it to de captain; Voice: Tell him I'm gone, baby, Tell him I'm gone. Chorus: I got a rainbow ~ Tied )roun my shoulder, Ain~t gonna rain, baby, ) /in 1 t gonna rain. Voice: Dis ole hammer--huh, Ring lak silver- huh, Shine lak gold--huh • .J Chorus: Ain' t gonna rain, , A.in ' t gonna rain. Voice t female): M.--,~ I'm a big fat mamma , got the meat shaking on mah bones, I•m a big !at m.amma, got the meat shaking on mah bones, And evecy time I shakes, somo skinny &irl loses huh home. y es; Narrator : , .. A· cotton-picker, as lanjo-player, as preacher )l,aarebellion leader, I emerged -,I a· new part o! the old. (over) ~--- - - --- --- ---- - -------·---- ,.., . �Voice: p, Moses, ~ t " Way down in Egyptland; r r <. 1 •--> Chorus: Tell old Pharaoh let To my people go • •• 1 ---------home Deep River, my I...., \cY .,cPeep ( . Voice: is over Jordan; )~ Chorus: River, Lord; I want to cross over into camp ground. +cd Voice: And yes, I DREAMED I was riding in that chariot. Chorus: f?wing low, sweet chariot, Coming tor to carry me home, ) Swing low, sweet chariot, I\ tor to carry Comin me home. Voice: Green trees a-bending, I Po' sinner stands a-trembling I I The trumpet sounds within-a-my soul} Chorus: I ain 1 t got long to stay here. ~ (over) �Voice: You namea me: Lucy Terry i Voice: Gustavas Vassat W ~~ Voic e: Britton & Jupit er Hammon. Voice: Coon 'IB~t-.! ·,~ '"' ' fivf Voice: -~gi~ Phyllis Wheatleyt Juad I mastered ·G?Pee~, L&tip. &I\d ' English in my teens. ¼A-fri;cOM Lonely whom the muses befriended 6 ~ -;... • • • • • •~ • , •• ,. - - - - - ----- __)!_ • VoiceJ Should you, rrry Lord, while you peruse my song, Wonder from whence my love or Freedom sprung, Whence flow\ these wishes for the common good, ) By feeling hearts alone best understood, I, young in life, by seeming cruel fate, Was snatc.hJd from Afric•s fanoy 1 d happy seat; What pangs excruciating mus t molest, \ W};iat sorrows labour in my parents• br ast? Steel 1 d was that soul and by no misery mov 1 d That from a father seiz• d his babe belov.• d: \\ A Such, auch~my cas~ And can I then but pray - Others may never feel tyrannic sway? Narrator: YQu named me George Mose s Horton. I did not like the injustice of the double standard. (over) 1. �7 11 called me 'fue Slave." Chorus: The Slave. J- l\.., Voice: Because the brood-sow 1 s left side pigs were black, Whose sable tincture was by nature st ruck, We re you by justice bound to pull them back And leave the sandy-colored pigs to suckY Chorus: Runagatei Runagatel Runagatel Runagat e l Runagatel ~' ,,I Narrator : , \ l l\..\,A~'--' 1. " rIr;,'\ ,.. My mother cured ills andAfather worked roots. . • ----·- - .- ,,:, > ."' ,tiie poem became juju-man,· the lace hidden by the ✓ Amb;luous minstrel smile. Voice: We have fashioned laughter > c.., Out or u ~ tears and pain; Chorus: But the moment after-- Voice: Pain and tears again. Voice:.. . : Forgive these erring people, Lord; Voice: Who lynch at home and love abroad. _..,, Narrator a Still I yrote--this ~ just like I talked• I could only produce heart-rhythms. (over) - --·--·-- . ;;-.;;; ---- ··---- - ............... _ -- �Voice: D Cunjah man, de Cunjah man, 0 chillen, run, de Cunja.h man! Chorus: 0 chillen, run, de Cun'juh man l Voice: Him mouf ez beeg ez fryin' pan; Voice: Him yurs am small, him eyes am raid, Him hab no toof een him ol' haid, Him hab him roots, h im wu 'k him trick, Hi m roll him eye, him mek you sick-- De Cunjah man, de Cunjah man, O chillen, run, de Cunjah man ~ 0 t;; ~ 1 ' )v~ ' Narrator : j.._ I ~ I knew my ri ghts, my rough-timeiand my remedies. Voice: Blue-mass, laud-nwn, liver ~ills, ~ "Sixty-six, fo I fever an1 chills , ~ 11 l Ready Re lie f, an' A. B. C. , An' half a bottle of X.Y .Z. --~ Narrator•• I..., L' r-, You named me .Frances Ellen Watkin, Ha..rper~- James Edwin Campbell, James Weldon Johnson, Paul Lawrence Dunbar-- in several kinds of English. Voice: {;_,.n' .,,'--.__ I know why the caged bird sings, ah me, (Over) �wing is bruised and his bosom sore-bars and he would be free; It is not a carol of joy or glee, But a prayer that he sends from his h eart's deep core, But a plea, that upward to Heaven he flings-I know why the caged bird singsl Narrator: .., :, . ·,; Above~ song exudes from me. My song is my sword. Voicez Lift every voice and singl Till ear t h and heaven ring! Ring with the harmonies of liberty! 0 Voice: i- 'T L c; Till our rejoicings · rls·e High as the listening skiesJ Narrator: )( f I forge pure flames of rhythms without books. And I love to hear Malindy sing. Voicez ~ "? O'way an• quit dat noise, Miss Lucy-- Put dat music book away; What's de use to keep on tryin•? Ef you practise twell you're gray, You cain•t sta 1 t no notes a-flyin 1 Lak de ones dat rants and rings From de kitchell to de big woods When Malindy sings. (over) �iWaa,. J 1u12gb fJJI foJ.1sa to aelil:M; _ Icc'6ii.R 1 a- do lines er! dots, Wtaen doy 8Ji.~ An' ;;.e,, eP£Lki n da alltaht, efflne§ aence in, :tu But fur reel molctt30,u1 wu:,ig, - Pet je&• eiJ:rilliefi Jee· 110a atM' an' i 57 spo.4'8 J m yo 1 bea't and clings, Iis cen 'dhen Mtt!lnd3 sln!!;o, W'if roe - - A1n 1 t you nevah hyeahd Malindy? Blessed soul, tek up de cross I Look hyeah, ain't you jokin 1 ,honey? Well, you don 1 t know -whut you los•. Y 1 ought to hyeah dat gal a-wa I blin·•, Robbins, la•ks, an 1 all dem things, Heish dey moufs an• hides dey face When Malindy sings. (over) �11 • . -y-Y~J\.\.' Narrator: ?- .' ✓ fr 'Y~ ~ Riverboats, river towns, chaingangs~ bar-room toughs, hard-hearted Hanna, Stagolee, ••• they all knew me. Voice: Hard-hearted Hanna-Voice: From ..Savannah, GEE A. ~ , Voice: She was so cold, yall-Chorus: Wasn't she-- ~ Voice: She'd poor water on a drowing manJ ~ ~ Voice: It was early one mornin', When I heard my bulldog bark; MI er Stagolee and Billy Lyons Was lquablin 1 in the dark. Chorus: Shine, shine, shine, ••• save po' Narrator: You heard me coming from the swollen lips of the bugle, French horn, trumpet, clarinet and saxophone • . Horn: A series or short riffs exemplary of various forms of music played bt,t\reen the advent of the spirituals and the blues-ragtime period. ( ovo r) -. -- ..... ....------~·----· ~ �12 rarrator: --•• the "Oakewalk" the "poetry of motion. 11 Dancer: Executes a series of movements representing such dances as the Ca~ewalk, ~.1 ... Charleston, Jitterbug and the Bop. Elements ~est Indian dances should flavor the movements. Narrator: ~ I blue horns, shot guns in your war, danced dances and came home to face the Iui:·, Kl ux IClan, , Southern Sheriffs and Jim Orow. I got angry; And defiant. But I was relativelV cool. Voice: Into the furnace let me go alone; Stay you without in terror of the heat. i will go naked in--for thus 'tis sweet-- H ,)! I r Into the weird depths o:f the hottest zone. Voice: , I will come out, back to your -world of tears, A stronger soul within a finer frame. ~ Narrator: ,~\.._.) After race riots in several American cities# I lifted my voice into a earing shaft of discontent. O kinsmenl we must meet the common foe! fe J.ku.__ 7 Voice: A Like men we'll face the murderous, cowardly pack, Pr ssed to the wall, a;.ing, but .fighting backJ (3/P) (o ver) t,~J \VJv,r~y �Narrator: Still, still my past pulled on me. • Some Arri can sense kept tugging, tugging at my truncated roots ·. z b t lg Sf■ Voice: Pour O pour that parting soul in song, 0 pour it in the sawdust glow of night , Into the velvet pine-smoke air to-night, ••• qhoruss • And let the valley carry it along. And let the valley carcy it alorig. Narrator: As the poem, I emerged convoluted and wholly new, only to retreat to a• some-other-time refrain. Egypt , Ghana, Madagasoar, the Pyramids-Voodoo Ceremonies--what did they all mean to met Voice: Come with a blast of trumpets, Jesusl ~ Voice: And the beauty of Susanna Jones in red Burne in my heart a love-fire sharp like pain. Chorus a Sweet silver trumpets, Jesus I Voice: Well, son, I• 11 tell you: ~ Lit for me ain't been no crystal stair. (over) -r, " ) �Narrator: x blur of the veil was always relieved ~y song, • dance, ~ boolt..J--')._ , ill ill er C lX--- looking forward to t:t\e day when Americans• • would grow up. • We grew stronger, and DX>re beautiful, in the words of Langston Hughes, as we re-embraced our rituals. Chorus: Shake your .b rown feet, honey, Shake your brown feet, chile, Shake your brown feet, honey, Shake •em swift and wil' -- I Voice: Set way back, honey, Do that low-down step. Walk on over, darling, Nowl Come out ~i th your left. Narrator: y X )< - 1/-- I went to war, as$ soldier and cook and shining knight of Democracy• The Swastika, ~.7e 'A The Rising Sun, The Hammer & .iickle_,~ I was told, & a g eal enemy. e Do ♦son and I became a witness to the Meanwhile you had named me 0'1{ ..J:.!~l!t1e~~of neighborly enemies. Those who caused unnatural deaths. r Voice: l 1 Wake up, boy, and tell me how you died: I. What sense was alert last, Wha~ immediate intuition about us (over) -~· .•. ---- - - - - --------------~-- - - - - -- -· _ ______ .. .._, �clutched like a bullet when your nails Dug red in your yellow palm. And that map the fortunetellers read Chorus: (this line for money, this for love) ~ J "') Voice: Childish again and smeared •••• Chorus: Wake up,boy, ••• ~A...::. Voice : (' " ••• I go to death tomorrow, ,: Tell me what road you took, •• • {. Chorus: What hour in the day is luckiest? .' I''t f>s\ , c~.) \ I _I Voice: Did your Adams apple explode? Who sewed stitches in your angry heart? Chorus: O wake ••• Narrator: ._ sometiaes a tattered poem in the thirties, forties and fifites. But I was a poem anyway: gracious, noble, fundamental, fiery, ~ LJ, · Voice: For L my pe~~le everywhe:r~ singing their s ~ songs repeat- dly: heir dirges and their ditties and their blueaj.,s:L and jubilees\ mown J/~ rayin~- ~heir ~;,_;.,.. ,,~1gbt1y to ~ 1:,,., god_J)bending their knees humbly t o an (ov r) an:;_\~ ~ 1/ ' unl•••-: power0) 1 ) �Voice: my playmates in the ~ tor playhouse and concert and store and hair an d Miss Choomby and company; Vo ice: Let a new earth :{?.,e:~r-~,·•t , ri s e.~...__ ~ Chorus: Let another world be born. Let · a bloody peace be written in the sky. p,-1-~, 0) Voice: Let a race of m,~ / now rise and take control. Narrator: ~, I' Frank Marshall Davis, ,Melvin Beaunorous Tolson, Sterling Brown, ~ //'J/D ."" \J Jr , I (P 1\ t .Robert Hayden, ~Gwendolyn 1Brooks--these are names by which m:y · vo1ce is known. Some even call me by the name of HISTORY. Chorus: tii o(,tJ, r "- 11 ·History, history, history& Runagate, RunagatelRunagateJ Voice: ~ ~.t.-t.--. Runs falls rises stumbles on from darkness into darkness and the darlmese thicketed with shapes ot terror and the hunters pursuing and the hounds pursuing and the blackness ahead and when shall I reach that somewhere morning and keep on going and never turn back and keep on going •• •• Chorus: ~'\t . ) (. Runagatel Runagatel Runagatel (over) �Narrator: ~) (~ I wormed into and won hearts and minds. In 1950, A:iD.erica · gaT · me the Pulitzer Prize. I talked about a jewel named Satin-Legs Smith. Voice1 He wakes, unwinds, elaborately: a cat Tawny, reluctant, •royal. He is fat And fine this morning. Definite. Reimbursed. He waits a momeat, he designs his reign, That no performance may be plain or vain. Then rises in a clear delirium. Voice: Let us proceed. Let us inspect, together With his meticulous and serious love, The innards of this closet. Which is vault Whose glory is not diamonds, not pearls, Not silver plate with just) enough dull shine. But wonder-suits in yellow and in wine, Sarcastic green and zebra-striped cobalt. ~1th shoulder padding that is wide And cocky and determined as his pride; Ballooning pants that taper off to ends Scheduled to choke precisely•- - - - - - - - . 1 / y___ (vver) �tor: ap l s: Amenl I am t he the powe l /rG~ Amen t Vo - and make it two-- Ba rtender, e (pointing ): {_1 On e me • e (po inting ): V • • • and o the n you. Na rrator: I became the Be Bo pper; U!.efot-suiter; I put on dark gl a sses and conk ed my hair · -1-j.., a s I sped North to f Wright 'i---. AIIIP the Promised Land. I and Ii tf'Baldwin cried for ne. John Oliver Killens He a rd the thunder andllillllllir E111son called me Invisible. Black, I left a white country , to fight yellow men in Korea. Ella, Miles, Monk, Billie, Pr ~s,~Chano Pozo, Ornet t e, Coltrane--they went to war with me. Chorus : Good morning heartachel ~ ~~ How do you do? M (over) �Hom: Brier medley of sounds and tunes reminiscent of the period. ~.' . J Narrator: Or ,.' • Beholdl The Strolll The Ks.naas City 81opl The Madiaonl The Twia~1 ~·T.he Funky Chicken I The Karate-Boogalool They saw me poeting with my hips and my feet. Poetingl Poetingl Narrator: J\. I ~r,~ V And took it all back to ~~andstand and other countries. Voice: There's a thrill upon the hill. Chorus: Let's go, let's go, let•s go~ ~ I .;:;;-e~from kDrea to Narrator: ~ntgomerJ, ~ they wouldn't let my mother sit down on a bus. Chorus: d Montgomery, Montgomery, I remember Montgomery• . • Voice: And Birmingbam--the three 11 ttle girls. ~~~ ­ Voice: And Selma I (j?---,(, Voice: And Philadelphia, Mississippi! ~ e Voice: I recollect &nmett Tilll Voice: ~ And W ttsl (over) C --f- �' Narrator: My nan,.e was Conrad Kent Ri v e r s . ~ became a poem called -Watts~·•.hoping that in su ch disguise I could .ti~d --my ,w y out ot this daily nightmare. Voice : Must I shoot the white man dea<!,___---~ ~ to tree the nigger in his head?._ _ __ _ ----- to head? Voice: And Newark l Voice: And Harlem! Narrator: My color felt good to me. X- At rally, I tumed into a voice on the podium shouting. Chorus: WE ARE AN AFRICAN PEOPLE! Voice: For all things black and beautiful, The brown faces you loved so well and long, the endless roads leading back to Ha rlem. {over) " �Chorus: Kulu Se Mama I Kulu Se Mama I cere Voice: the strin as some umbil cal jazz, r perhaps, long lost b in som ody cross, steel aalva • bleed, m some jazzm tea.rs 's rom lost My My mother~.s Chorus a love, lite . Narrator: • In the spit and dart of my new self, there (over) �anoes I had to make, blood-thoughts I had to share. . • I needed to take a X hand and stand and speak the trut~ Ch.6rua: Speak the truth to the peopiel ~ Voice: It is not necessary to green the heart Only to identify the enemy It is not ne cessary to blow the mind Only to free the mind •••• Chorus: It is the total black! Voice: It is the total black, being spoken From the earth's inside. . _~ n There are many kinds of open.) I ~ How a diamond comes into a knot of flame)S~ How a sound comes into a word, colored By who pays what ·c~eit speaking ••• • Chorus: Love is another kind of open-- J Voice: As a diamond comes into a !mot of f l a m e ~ . ,,l/ ~o~ I am black because I come from the earth's i n ~ Take my word for jewel in your open light. Narrator: I am the ecstasy of NOW. I return, even in the alarm; even in the shadow-body I am often forced to wear. But enough, enough; I beg you, my dear associates, look Now on our,1~h~Sfny~:~__;nEF¼ 111<.,,., Jr•'-- • (over) ..... liiPiF • ...- - - - - -..... -::=..-=-: -::-.-=--=--··-' .. ---- ..· - - - ~. . ~-------•-•--:--~ ffil fJlr �Voice(and Dan~er): . I am a black woman the music of my song ome sweet arpeggio of tears is written in a minor key and I can be heard humming in the ni gp.~ ~ r""",yVCV ~~ · . -- Chorus: HUms first line of "Nobody luJ.ows fhe ::'frouble I See 11 Voioe: :: 1, I saw my mate leap screaming J;o the sea -. i-'. • · and Vwith .. ' ,-, .. ·. these hands/cupped the lifebreath ''. . trom my issue in the canebrake ·.-: -J'.i}o.-..t-liat s 1 swinging body in a rain _of tearJ ;:. ··,,t'b\t ·l ·heard my son aoream all the way from Atu~io ,. .... , . ., •· '. ·.( f'-or' Peace he never knew. • • ~ I '~:: ,-. ... ~ ' - • ' ' J ' .learned Da Nang and Pork Chop Hill in anguish N~~ ~-; r.rry nostrils know the gas · and these triggered tire/d fingers . __1.~, . , \ ~ seek the softness in;Garrior 1 s beard ' .I ' . am a black woman tall as a cypress a_trong (over) \ �still and time and circumstance assailed impervious indestructible Look on me and be renewed. Chorus: Look on me and be renewed. - - - -30- - -- ---- ----- - . - - ---··· -- - ------------ ----- � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Eugene B. Redmond Digital Collection Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context EBRWritings_09_33_02 Title A name given to the resource Second draft of Script Adaptation of Drumvoices: The Mission of Afro-American Poetry (A Critical History), typed with handwritten edits, 1976 Description An account of the resource Second draft of Script Adaptation of Drumvoices: The Mission of Afro-American Poetry (A Critical History), typed with handwritten edits, 1976. For presentation at book party on October 3, 1976: 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Redwood Room, University Union, California State University, Sacramento. Relation A related resource Eugene B. Redmond Digital Collection Language A language of the resource English Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource For digital rights and permissions, see <a href="https://www.siue.edu/lovejoy-library/about/policies.shtml">https://www.siue.edu/lovejoy-library/about/policies.shtml</a> or contact <a href="mailto:library@siue.edu">library@siue.edu</a> for direct inquiries. In copyright. <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Redmond, Eugene B. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1976 https://digitallis.isg.siue.edu/files/original/34249206082416d41d672f3b9a379338.pdf a270a31735286520350f5a0ca7b619a9 PDF Text Text SCRIPT ADAPTATION OF DRUMVOICES: THE MISSION OF AFROAMERICAN POEI'RY ( 'cr{tical history) by Eugene B. Redmond For Presentation at Book Party October 3, 1976: 3 p.mo to 6 p.m., Redwood Room, University Union California State University Sacramento i �MOVEMENT If I Narrator: {'< I am the poemJ • . ,::::.:b: ::: ::: J ,..... r~•- -·- s ogrog :&oiGe 1 e 19e11 er peneil ill pc:pil' n led libs ntcJs prinbbtg pz saa, 16 tbs zdrdr in drum- bosoms of ecsta ,s7. ----- - - Chorus: DRUMFEET ON THE SOIL, ON THE SANDROADS OF THE MINDI FLESH-PISTONS PRANCING, THE EARTH'S ENGINE! IT IS A COMING FORTH, THE NIGH'r WITHIN US COMING FORI'H I Narrator: r I return to JQ", magnificent and reliable archives. Chorus: That love we can depend on! (over) -· ~~~~--=- . -----=---.... _,..._.__, -.... .. - �Voice(singing ): Onoborobol Chorus: Onoborobo I Voice: Onoborobol Chorus: Onoborobol Voice: Narrator: In my dependable cultural vault is t he I dea-gram of my totem-family, the living-dead, the breathing, the unborn. I am the poetio flesh-temple with many form.s f the poem in motion. Dancer: - Rudimentary movements and other ele"ments of traditional African and Afro-American dance: isolation, use of pelvis and torso, leaps, twirls, pulls, yanvalou, vigorous stretches and thrusts.(Drum accompaniment) Narrator: America put in two different directions at the 9 on a conveyer belt ame time. My African Jubilance turned .. to anger and a song of sabatage • • As a poem, I became part of what I di and dr amed on these shores (ove r) saw �Voice: (I_ /r' Did yer feed m.y cow? Qhorus: Ye Mamf Voice: Will yer tell me how? Chorus: Yes Maxnl Voice: Oh w'at did yer give 'er? 'lliorus: Cawn an hay I Voice: Oh w'at did yer gl.ve •er. Chorus: Cawn an hay I Voice: • 1. Evahwhu.q.. I, whuh ~look dis mawnin, C r Looks lak rain, looks lak rain. Voice: I gotta r,~inbow, tied all roun mah shouider, Ain gonna rain, ain gonna rain. Chorus: Dis is de hammer Kilt John Henry, (over) �Voice: Twon•t kill me, baby, Twon •t kill me. Take dis hammer, Carry it to de captain; Voice: Tell him I ' m gone, baby, I), Tell him I'm gone. Chorus: I got a rainbow Tied !roun my shoulder, Ain.tt gonna rain, baby, /in •t gonna rain. Voice: Dis ole hammer--huh, Ring lak silver--huh, Shine lak gold--huh. Chorus: Ain't gonna rain, Ain't gonna rain. Voiceffemale): I'm a big fat mamm.a, got the meat shaking on mah bones, Irma big fat m.a:mma, got the meat shaking on mah bones, And every time I shakes, some skimly tlrl loses huh home. Narrator: 1 l SJ J u Ifs cotton-picker, as ~anjo-player, as preacher . . Cl--< )(_41111iarebellion leader, I emerged (over) a · new part of the old. �Voice: r Go down, Moses, Way down in Egyptland; Tell old Pharaoh To let my people go. - - .- - ~- -- •• Deep River, my- home is over Jordan; Chorus: ~ Deep River, Lord; I want to crosa over into camp ground. Voice: And yes, I DREAMED I was riding in that chariot. Y}v Chorus: ~wing low, sweet chariot, Coming for to carry me home, Swing low, sweet chariot, i-t,, j., ,, --1· ~fl ror to carry me home. Comin Voice: Green trees a-bending, Po' sinner stands a-trembling The trumpet sounds within-a-my soul} Chorus: I ain•t got long to stay here. i (over) Q_ ~ �Voice: You naille & me: Lucy Te;rryL Voice : Gustavas Vassa . Voice : Britton & Jupiter Hammon. Voice: Coon 'ifwc!J:.! ' • ~ , , ~ Voice: Phyllis Wheatl ey . Aud I mastered · Gr,ee~, Lati;p,. &n.d ' English n my teens . A-fn;C{)M 'L Lonely ·- v gi r~whom the muses befri ended, " /, ., /'- x:' X Voice i Should you, my Lord, while you peruse my song , Wonder from whence my love C::: 2 or . : :SI fp: 1 : I : lt,reedom sprung, :::a::;:: zr -~~ f,'J ( I , young in l ife , by seeming crue l fate , Was snatchJ d f r om Afric 1 s fancy 1 d happy seat; What pangs excruciating mus t molest, What so rrows labour in my parents' breast? elhs 7 1 i 7193 tbet Tb et fr@z s c S?Iil end RX 3 l 11 no Wi 7577 as t & L 5 L 316 JI S: car I tb er t orer@ WHY P81I?P f 7 f f 13 tC I ; Ii § - Narra to r: I' You named me George Moses Horton. I did not like the i n ju s tice of t he double standard. (over) �called me "The S1ave. 11 Chorus: ll.11vr The Slave. Voice: Because the brood-sow 1 s left side pigs were black, 'Whose sable tincture was by nature struck, Were you by justice bound to pull them back And leave the sandy-colored pigs to suckY Chorus: Runagatef Runagatel Runagate! Rtmagatel Runagatel Narrator: / •I My mother cured ills andAfather worked roots. 1he poem became juju-man,- the lace hidden by the minstrel smile. Voice: We have fashioned laughter Out of tears and pain; Chorus: But the moment after-- W Voice: Pain and tears again. Voice:- -. : Forgive these erring people, Lord; ~JV Voice: Who lynch at home and love abroad. Narra.tor2 Still I yrote--this t· e just like I talkedI could only produce heart-rhythms. (over) Atnbi uous �t) Chorus: / ' _ o chillen, run, de Cunjuh manl r]!: Voice: Him mouf ez beeg ez fryin' pan; /1, f' Voice: Him yurs am small, him eyes am raid, Him ha.b no toof een him ol' haid, \ ,.,. Him ha\t him root"s, him wu'k him trick , Him roll him eye, him mek you sick-Chorus: O chillen, run, de Cunjah man I Narrator: I knew my rights, my rough-time~and my remedies. Voice: Blue-mass, laud-num, liver ~ills, "Sixty-six, fo I fever an1 chills, 11 fwv II Ready Relief, an' A. B. C., An' half a bottle of X.Y.z. Narrator: You named me Frances Ellen Watkin, Harper~ _James Edwin Campbell, James Weldon Johnson, Paul Lawrence Dunbar-- '/ in several kinds of English. Voice: I know why the caged bird sings, ah me, (Over) - . �9 When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore-When he beats his bars and he would be free; It is not a carol of joy or glee, But a prayer that he sends from his heart's deep core, But a plea, that upward to Heaven he flings-I know why the caged bird singsl ,J .Ji v(_ Above~ / song Narrator: exudes from me. ~ - - -~- My song is my sword. Voice: / Lift every voice and sing! I I If-' er. Till ear hand heaven ring! Ring with the harmonies of libertyl Voice: 'l'ill our rejoicings· rls·e High as the listening skies, Narrator: I forge pure flames of rhythms without books. And I love to hear Malindy sing. Voice: G'way an' quit dat noise, Miss Lucy-Put dat music book away; What's de use to keep on tryin•? Ef you pra ctise twell you 1 re gray, You caintt sta't no notes a-flyin 1 Lak de ones dat rants and rings From de kitcheJl to de big woods When Malindy sings. (over) - - I �10 iWaey J 1uugh flJJ f0Jls11 to Mialih•.ft; _.. IcsliiiaRI a• ,h. lines an' dots a Wasn doy Ar' a.aan' :i 111 one J<i r serce it., 1 a eh aid.I Ebld@§ iii, ?ii spu.haJ But :fu' reel a s Jao jaua rnusi a - Pet jc1 1 e~rihea .Je11 • yea aCail, ant vo' - hee't eo4 g]jpgs, h.s cen wif :me ·dl'.1011 MS:llna:, slng1 s Ain•t you nevah hyeahd Malindy? Blessed soul, tek up de cross I Look hyeah, ain't you jokin 1 ,honey? Well, you don't know whut you los•. Y1 ought to hyeah dat gal a-wa 1 blin', Robbins, la 1 ks, an' all dem things, Heish dey moufs an 1 hides dey face When Malindy sings. n (over) �11 r~ ✓ Narx•ator: I "' Riverboats, river to-wns, chainganga~ bar-room toughs, hard-hearted Hanna, Stagolee, •• • they all knew me. Voice: IM/( Hard-hearted Hanna-- Voice: From ~avannah, ~ A. Voice: She was so cold, yall-Chorus: Wasn 1 t she-Voice: She'd poor water on a drawing man! ~ Voice: It was early one mornin 1 , When I heard my bulldog bark; I y../ L/ Stagolee and Billy Lyons Was aquablin 1 in the dark. Chorus: Shine, shine, shine, ••• save po' ijarrator: You heard me coming from the swollen lips of the bugle, French horn, trumpet, clarinet and saxophone. -H orn: A series or short riff·s exemplary of various forms of music played between the advent of the spirituals and the blues-ragtime period. (ov e r) �r arrator: Paris the "Qakewalk" the "poetry of motion. 11 Dancer: Executes a series of movements representing such dances as the Ca~ewalk, -· . Charleston, Jitterbug and the Bop. Elements ~est Indian dances should I flavor the movements. · Narrator: ~ I blue horns, shot guns in your war, danced dances and came home to face the Ku: , Klux Klan, , Southern Sheriffs and Jim Orow. I got angry; And defiant. But I was relativelV cool. Voice: Into the furnace let me go alone; Stay you without in terror of the heat. i 300566 a Ji 37 gs ll&ked .{]Jto) tbs II@i rd lh--18£1 CHU§ IJf§ e I t1 r ; 11 :t H ,I t z rs ., )/v ( 5 Voice: , I ( I will come out, back to your world of tears, A stronger soul within a finer frame. Narrator: I lifted my voice into After race riots in several American cities a earing shaft of discontent. y O kinsmenl we must meet the common foe! / Ur· Voice: Like men we'll face the murderous, cowardly pack, Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back! (over) --- --- . ---- ------ -- . - -- -~ I"" '- �Narrator: Still, aaiJJ my past pulled on me. • Some African sense kept tugging, tugging at my truncated roots. Voice: Pour O pour that parting soul in song, l' L t I Jg SI 7 1. L.A£ . ~ \¾Vv: pour it in the sawdust glow of night, 0 z Into the velvet pine-smoke air to-night, ••• !~ / ~ qhoruss • And let the valley carry it along. I/ Jal 7 I L Slfo J&±IGJ 02223 lb I & C $ Narrator: As the poem, I emerged convoluted and wholly new, only to retreat to a some-other-time refrain. Egypt, Ghana, Madagascar, the Pyramids-- • Voodoo Ceremonies--what did they all mean to me~ Voice: Come with a blast of trumpets, Jesusl Voice: And the beauty of Susanna Jones in red Burns in rrry heart a love-fire sharp like pain. Chorus a Sweet silver trumpets, Jesus I Voice: Well, son, I'll tell you: Life for me ain't been no crystal stair. (over) . �Narrator: The blur of the veil was always relieved ~y song, ax '7------ dance , II bo()fL looking forward t o t l\e day when Americans• would grow up. • • We grew stronger, and more beautiful, in the words of Langston Hughes , as we re-embraced our rituals. Chorus : Shake your .b rown feet , honey , Shake your brown feet, chile, r/, u Shake your brown feet, honey, Shake 'em swift and wil ' -- Voice: Get way back, honey, Do that low-down step. Walk on over , darling, Nowt Come out With your l eft . Narrator: I went t o wa r , y as £ 5 soldier and cook and shining knight of Democracy . The Swas t ika, The Rising Sun, The Hammer & iiekle,. ~ I was told , g ~;:1-- C '/\ real enemv ...., . Meanwhile you h~d nruned me O? Dofson and I bec8llle a witness to the na1;tie~~of neighborly enenu.es •Gho se who caused unnatural deaths : ) r Voice: ,, Wake up, boy , and tell me how you died: What sense was alert last, Wha; immediate intuition about us (over) } J ~ �You clutched like a bullet when your nails Dug red in your yellow palm. And that map the fortunetellers read Chorus: (this line for money, this for love) Voice: Childish again and smeared •••• Chorus: Wake up,boy, ••• Voice: •••Igo to death tomorrow, Tell me what road you took, ••• Chorus: What hour in the day is luckiest? Voice: Did your Adams apple explode? Who sewed stitches in your angry heart? Chorus: o wake ••• Narrator: '\I was sometiaes a tattered poem in the thirties, forties and fifites. But I was a poem anyway: gracious, noble, fundamental, fiery, ~ Voice: t r my peo-~le everywherV s_inging their slave songs Nlpeat- ) /~ heir dirges and their ditties and their blue~ ~ L and Jub~es praying their Pl'ffU• ni-ghti~ to an- un;) <J:t known god0bending their knees humbly (ov r) o an un/a ··power0 )~ _,1 / �Voice: and sand of . ~l,abama For my playmates in the clay and / ~, ~t::d:::=:p==r-e_a_o_hi _ n.. . .:. a n d ~ school and mama and and concert and store and hair and Miss Choomby and company; Voice: Let a new earth rise. -04'n'1".. e,•• t ~ ; ~ _ qpv f Chorus: Let another world be born. Let · a bloody peace be written in the sky. Voice: Let a race of mt~/ now rise and take control. Narrator: Frank Marshall Davis,l, Melvin Beaunorous Tolson, Sterling Brown, r II}',/]);· 1J10.. t ~ ' Robert Hayden, ~Gwendolyn lBrooks--these are names by which m:y ·voice is known. Some even call me by the name of HISTORY. Chorus: History, history, history, Runagate, RunagatelRunagate~ Voice: / Runs falls rises stumbles on from darkness into darlmess / and the darkness thicketed with shapes of terror and the hunters pursuing and the hounds pursuing and the blackness ahead and when shall I reach that somewhere morning and keep on going and never turn back and keep on going •••• Chorus: Runagatel Runagatel Runagatel ( ove-r) /h ~ �17 Narrator: I wormed into and won hearts and minds. In 1950, America · gave me the Pulitzer Prize. I talked about a jewel named Satin-Legs Smith. Voice: He wakes, unwinds, elaborately: a cat Tawny, reluctant, ·royal . He is fat And fine this morning. Definite. Reimbursed. He waits a momeat, he designs his reign, (_ That no perfom.ance may be plain or vain. ✓ Then rises in a clear delirium. Voice: Jiat 112 r 22 ➔ 1 zt t s tnsseeP, t95aphen • ¥1 ..b ht w 0IC&!Of!ft !Rd sef!lbd§ 16; s, , Tbn 1nrss 1 · st e!iiS lhtB~'f!. RH!&U !B fifil€ t!rAJone slow is rot ➔ - s, i1; I I aa? a Mot ei Jvar rl ate ad tb 1Bf1P:t ftPABib dpl J ?bi re •• Sarcastic green and zebra-striped cobalt . ~ith shoulder padding that is wide And cocky and determined as his pride; Ballooning pants that taper off to ends Scheduled to choke precisely. =--· ~ I - (vver) 7 �18 ap l I lmew the powe s: Amen! ator: Na I am the powe pl the /, ~~ us: Amenl Vo Bartender, e: ght a.nd make it two-- st ,, e(pointing): in me one • e (pointing): V n you . • • • and o Narrator: ot- s uiter; I put on I became the Be Bopper; I dark glasses and conked my hair I as I sped North to , • the Promised Land. ¢ Wright I and John Oliver Ki llens Heard the thunder and Baldwin cried for DB • ~llison called me Black, I left a white country , to fight yellow men in Korea. Ella, Miles, Monk, Billie, Prez,v.Chano Pozo, Ornette, Coltra.ne--they went to war with me. Chorus: Good morning heartache! ~~ ~ f.YV.....A/ How do you do? (over) - - -- - - - - - - - - ---~........,=-=----,,,=-,....--....,~- - - -"""" .. �19 Hom: Brief medley of sounds and tunes reminiscent of the period. Narrator: Beholdl The Stroll! The Kanaas City SJ.opt The Madison! The Twis~1 :· T_he Funky Chicken! The Karate-Boogalool They saw me poeting with my hips and my feet. Poet~ngl Poetingl Narrator: ,\ 1.t',: And took it all back to l'-!3andstand and other countries. j Voice: There's a thrill upon the hill. Chorus: Let's go, let's go, let's go~ -... ~ Narrator: I ee.m.eO rom knrea to they wouldn't let my mother sit down on a bus. ~· Chorus: Montgomery, Montgomery, I remember Montgomery. • Voice: And Birminghsm--the three little girls . Voice: And Selma.I Voice: And Philadelphia, Mississippi! Voice: I recollect Emmett Tilll Voice: And Watts I {over) ~~~ ~ · �20 Narrator: My name was Conrad Kent Rivers-. ~ ""Watts;"- --.-;...., . . ,, .__. . -· ~ ~ became a poem called . ....... "~.:. ·-~·---- ·-··----------1o--"'------··-- ~· . . - - . ~ --~ - Voice: ' Must I shoot the white man dea<!.__-----~ ~ to free the nigger in his head?~ - - -- - ~ f ✓~ to head? Voice: And Newarkl Voice: And Harlem! '-.__.... Narrator: My color felt good to me . y At a rally, I turned into a voice on the podium shouting. Chorus: WE ARE AN AFRICAN PEOPLE! Voice: For all things black and beautiful, ~ The brown faces you loved so well and long, the endless roads leading back to Harlem. (over) �21 Chorus: _Ku_l_u_S_'e_Mama_ ✓ j. _K_u_lu_S_e_M_ama_l /r.f-J.,. ~ .,,l.oll"'f Voice: Where the strin t point, as some umbil·cal jazz, , r perhaps, long lost b ody cross, steel aalva or whom do w • bleed, m some jazzm 's oken needle tears patter, rom lost dropping My My motherA,s Chorus: Is love, Is life. Narrator: • In the spit and dart of rrry new self, there (over) �22 were utterances I had to make , bl ood-thoughts I had to share . t01/vIV. /P • • I needed to take a hand and stand and speak t he truth -,all!!lp•---l!•IIXllll!IIZIIIZ,1• ...-lllliiii~iaii~ Voice: It is not necessary to green the heart Only to identify the enemy It is not necessary to blow the mind Only to free the mind ••• • Chorus: It is the total black! Voice: It is the total black, bein g spoken From the earth's inside. Chorus : Love is another kind of open-Voice: As a diamond comes into a lmot of flrune ~ . ~ _ A,t. ~o~ I am black because I come from the earth's i n ~ Take my word for jewe l in your open light. Narrator: I am the ecstasy of NOW. I return, even in the alarm; even in the shadow- body I am often forced to wear . But enough, enough; I beg you, my dear associates, look Now on our 1. 1 �oice(and Danaer): I am a bl ck woman the music or IfI'J song ome sweet arpeggio of t ears is written in a minor key and I ' can be heard humming in the nil?P,.:..---~ ~ Y-r---Hums ~ Chorus: first line or "Nobody Know a •'frouble I See Voice: I saw my mate leap sereaming .J;o the sea e- lo-st-·Nat • s swinging body in a -rain of tear. ) tor eace he never knew • lS§FD@d Pe f -.---· ! ·heard my son scream all the way from Anzio an na1g all& . .. Pork Chop Rill &b&ISII I am a bla ck woman tall as a cypress strong (over) s;? ~ �• I Rrumvoices, 24 beyond all definition still defying place and time and circumstance assailed impervious indestructible Look on me and be renewe. Chorus: Look on me and be renewed. ----30---- � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Eugene B. Redmond Digital Collection Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context EBRWritings_09_33_03 Title A name given to the resource Third draft of Script Adaptation of Drumvoices: The Mission of Afro-American Poetry (A Critical History), typed with handwritten edits, 1976 Description An account of the resource Third draft of Script Adaptation of Drumvoices: The Mission of Afro-American Poetry (A Critical History), typed with handwritten edits, 1976. For presentation at book party on October 3, 1976: 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Redwood Room, University Union, California State University, Sacramento. Relation A related resource Eugene B. Redmond Digital Collection Language A language of the resource English Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource For digital rights and permissions, see <a href="https://www.siue.edu/lovejoy-library/about/policies.shtml">https://www.siue.edu/lovejoy-library/about/policies.shtml</a> or contact <a href="mailto:library@siue.edu">library@siue.edu</a> for direct inquiries. In copyright. <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Redmond, Eugene B. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1976 https://digitallis.isg.siue.edu/files/original/1fd2a0071fc6bf3853bb072e7c1d3103.pdf 89736b31f0b96b8d261b2d0e35cebc43 PDF Text Text 'I • SCRIPT ADAPTATION OF DRUMVOICES: THE MISSION OF AFROAMERICAN POETRY ~ (a'critical history) by Eugene B. Redmond . j_ C., ) ( For Presentation at Book Party October 3, 1976: 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Redwood Room, University Union California State University Sacramento ¥4 �Narrator: . . I run the poemJ Chorus: We are the poemJ Narrator: And the poem is mel Chorus: And the poem is usi Narrator: I am the poem and I came before pen or pencil or paper or printing pressJ I cupped and cuddled the wisdom of the winds in drum-bosoms of ecstasy. Drummer: A. wide range of rhythms, movements, multiple movement-rhythms: · African, West Indian, Af ro-American. Narrator: I write in drum-language and converse with tomorrow, today and the here - t c fo re. Chorus: D:iiUMFEET ON THE SO IL, ON THE SANDROADS OF THE MIND! FLESH - PISTONS PRANCING, THE EARTH'S EN GINE! IT IS A CO MING FORTH, THE NIGHT WIT HI N US CO MI NG FOffi'H ! THE NIGHT WI'l'HIN US COMING FORTH I FEE'T BEATING, BEATING, BEATING SEEDS INTO THE SOIL! Narrator: I return and r eturn and return to my_ magni ficent and reliable arch i ves. Chorus: That love we can depend on! 'rha t love we can depend on t (over) ~ �,• . Voice (singing): Onoborobol Chorus: Onoborobo r Voice: Onoborobo! Chorus: Onoborobol Voice: Onoborobo! Chorus: Onoborobol Narrator: In my dependable cultural vault is the Idea-gram,: the natural cinematography landscaped by thudding thoughts of my totem-family, the living-dead, the breathing, the unborn. I am the poetic flesh-temple with many forms, earth-daughter and agiie inundator of history. I am the poem in motion. Dancer: Rudimentary movements and other elejnents of traditional African and Afro-American dance: isolation, use of pelvis and torso, leaps, twirls, pulls, yanvalou, vigorous stretches and thrusts.(Drum accompaniment) Narrator: I am the Black and Unknown Bard. America put me on a conveyer belt moving ✓ i n ~ different directions at the same time. My African Jubilance turned to anger and a song of sabatage. Hy Indom.ij;able Echo and Idiom flavored my Indomitable press to be human. As a poem, became part of ;,wh$.t ', I .:did, saw •;o.,• 1'1~ \ l i).\I I{ 1~' 1 ~ H ,( • and dreamed on these shores: Field_lHollers, Vendors I Snouts, Chants, ( -,o-.'I ~ _k,r.t,S•uJJ\'\C ~1wtt:K" "'•"' ' Wo~ ~ ng "' , Spirit 1 J1i a-Ti.,., C\vup l\'li \.! , L(l-l11 6"''" n-l , Blue L'ofl-tl\ , Gosptels, Jaz , Rhythm-and-Blues, Soul Musico -rr·. Vk• 1e w1b.'t,o l 0~ - (over) \ o {) l>-Jt hapyy dr,.v h11 PP I/ 1~~1 I fyy,.V ~I~ do..y ,t:v! (J,_6 ,I).!& V;, U.~ ~i LI you sf; l{ Lour l>lf "t.,11,,,, C()/ , �r. _ :. - JJrt.w1v9lc es, .> ---r:-r\,--~•--:---:--. 1 ~ ,c . I l Voice: Did yer feed my cow? Chorus: Yea Mam! Voice: Will yer tell me how? Chorus: Yes Mam! Voice: Oh w'at did yer give 'er? Chorus: Ca'Wn an hay ! Voice: Oh w 1 at did yer give 1 er. Chorus: Cawn an hay J Voice: 1Evahwhuh. I, whuh"'look dis mawnin, Looks lak rain, looks lak rain. Voice: I gotta ~~inbow, tied all roun mah shouider, Ain gonna rain, ain gonna rain. Chorus: Dis is de hammer Kilt John Henry; (over) �w ..... \...-. .,,. .. ...; .l. __::_~ , . :,~·- . ,. ~ , "' Voice: Twon't kill me, baby, Twon't kill me. ~ho.rus: Take dis hammer, Carry it to de captain'; Voice: Tell him I'm gone, baby, Tell him I'm gone. Chorus: I got a rainbow fl'ied :! roun my shoulder, AinJt gonna rain, baby, Ain't gonna rain. Voice: ~ Dis ole harnrner--huh, Ring lak silver--huh, '-, Shine lak gold--huh. I Chorus: Ain't gonna rain, Ain't gonna rain. Voiceffemale): I'm a big fat :rnrumna, got the meat shaking on mah bones, I'm a big fat mamma, got the meat shaking on mah bones, And every time I shakes, some skinny girl loses huh home. Narrator: Yes, as- poem, as cotton-picker, as banjo-player, as preacher and slave-rebellion leader, I emerged as a · new part of the old. My African song ushered forth in strange new Biblical language. (over} �., ; : -- Dr:.,,- vqi C ~ s, .::> . Voice: Go down, :Moses, Way down in Egyptland; Chorus: Tell old Pharaoh To let my people go. Voice: Deep River ••• Chorus: Deep Deep Deep River •••• Voice: Deep River, my home is over Jordan; Chorus: ----- River, Lord; I want to cross over into camp ground. ) Voice: And yes, I DREAMED I was riding in that chariot. Chorus! ~wing low, sweet chariot, Coming for to carry me home, Swing low, sweet chariot, Coming for to carry me home. Voice: Green trees a-bending, Po' sinner stands a-trembling The trwnpet~ unds within-a-my soulJ Chorus: I ain't got long to stay here. (over) · �. \ , ... : . Drum.voic e s, 6 Voice: You . named m~: Lucy Terry! , .. Voice: Voice: Britton & Jupit er Hammon. Voice: , ,, Voice: Phyllis Wheatley!. Al2d I mastered Gree~, , La.ti~ a.n,d '- English in my teens . Lonely Black girl, whom the muses befriended, thousands and thousands I pt'/ of miles away fromA~_e sJ African home. I continued to emerge as the poem. Voice: ,. Should you, rrr.y Lord, while you peruse my song, J f Wonder from whence my love of Freedom sprung, Whence flowi., these wishes for the common good, By feeling hearts alone best understood, I, young in life, by seeming cruel fate, Was snatchJd from Afric 1 s fancy 1 d happy seat; What pangs excruciating must molest, What sorrows labour in my parents' breast? Steel 1 d was that soul and by no misery mov'd That from a father . seiz•d his babe belov~d: Such, auch{my cas; And can I then but pray Others may never feel tyrannic sway? Narrator: You named me George Moses Horton. I did not like the injusti_ce of the . ~ 4C:,:. ,f double standard~ And such resentment turned me into a poem. Even though l (over) �some called me "'r"ne S1ave." ' Chorus: The Slave. Voice: Because the brood-sow 1 s left side pigs were black, v Whose sable tincture was by nature struck, . Were you by justice bound to pull them back And leave the sandy-colored pigs to suck? Chorus: Runagatef Runagatel Runagate! Runagate! Runagate! Narrator: , • f"i'l.fath er work ed roots. In the b i-cultura1 My mother cured ills andA constriction the poem became juju-man, the face hidden by the «.mbtJUOCIJ minstrel smile. Voice: We have fashioned laughter Out of tears and pain; Chorus: But the moment after-Voice: Pain and tears again. Voice: Forgive these erring people, Lord; Voice: Who lynch at home and love abroad. Narrator: )Vr" i Still I wrote--this time just like I talked, though some made fUn of it. But, as maker of song, I could only produce heart-rhythms. (over) �~ I ,' • Dru."Tivoi c e s, 8 Voice: ' De Cunjah man, de Cunjah man, o chillen, run, de Cunjah man! Chorus: O chillen, run, de Cun'juh manl Voice: Him mouf ez beeg ez fryin' pan; Voice: Him yurs am small, him eyes am raid, 7 Him hab no toof een him ol' haid, / • Him hab him roots, him wu'k him trick, Eim roll him eye, him mek you sick-Chorus: De Cunjah man, de Cunjah man, 0 chillen,run, de Cunjah man! Narrator: I knew my rights, my rough-times and my remedies ... :fo-r t-mat aileel me... Voice: Blue-mass, laud-num, liver pills, "Sixty-six, fo' fever an' chills, Ready Relief, an' A. B. An' half a bottle of 11 C., X.Y.z. Narrator: Yo u named me ,Frances Elleri WatkinJ Ha-r per,,_ James Edwin Campbell, James Welaon Johnson, Paul Lawrence Dunbar--son of ·ex-slaves, elevator boy risen to brilliant bard of the race. As the poem I 5~J.e. in several kinds of English. Voice: I know why the caged bird sings, ah me, ( (\-.T p 'Y> ' forth �'· V o:....; ",., -e S , . 9~ D When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore-When he beats his bars and he would be free; It is not a carol of joy or glee, But a prayer that he sends from his heart's deep core, But a plea, that upward to Heaven he flings-I know why the caged bird sings! Narrator: o.Ll.., Above~ song exudes from me. I am song. ~ A •i:511't-e. ~xamine Me. Watch Me. My birthright is my anthem. My song is my sword. Voice: /J-,J. 1-t.J..f~ ~ • $~ Lift every voice and sing! Till earth and heaven ring! Ring with the harmonies of liberty! Voice: Till our rejoicings - ris·e High as the listening skiesJ , c.....:Narrator: As song-poem, I forge pure flames of rhythms without books. James Weldon Johnson called me the Black and Unknown Bard . • And I love to hear Malindy sing. Voice: G1 way an 1 quit dat noise, Miss Lucy-Put dat music book away; What 1 s de use to keep on tryin•? Ef you practise twell you•re gray, You cain•t sta 1 t no notes a-flyin 1 Lak de ones dat rants and rings From de kitchen to de big woods When Malindy sings. (over) �• :ir.··..unvcli c e~, 10 . You ain't got de nachel o 1 gans Fu• to make de soun• come right, You ain•t got de tutns an' twistints Fut :.to make it sweet an• light. Tell you one thing now, Miss Lucy, An• I'm tellin' you fut true, When hit comes to raal right singin•, •~ ain 1 t no easy thing .to do. Easy .1 nough fur folks to hollah, Lookin' at de lines an' dots, When dey ain•t no .one kin sence it, An 1 ·- de chune ·c.omes in, in spo:ts; But fut real melojous music, Dat jest strikes yo• heatt and clings, J _e s r you stanr an' listen wif me When Malindy sings. Ain't you nevah hyeahd Malindy? Blessed soul, tek up de cross I Look hyeah, ain't you jokin 1 ,honey'? " Well, you don 1 t know whut you los•. Y' ought to hyeah dat gal a-wa I blin·~, Robbins, la 1 ks, an 1 all dem things, Heish dey moufs an' hides dey f a ce When Malindy sings. Narrator: Poem that I am and was, I traveled from "oasis to oasis." Voice: (over) �Drumvoices_, 11 Man 's Saharic up and down. Narrator: ~ ~« ,,,,,.vJI' Riverboats, river towns, chaingangs~ bar-room toughs, hard-hearted Hanna, Stagolee, ••• they all knew me. Voice: Hard-hearted Hanna-Voice: , From .Savannah, GEE A. Voice: She was so cold, yall-Chorus: Wasn't she-Voice: She'd poor water on a drowing/1 man! Voice: I It was early one mornin', When I heard my bulldog bark; Voice:~ Stagolee and Billy Lyons Was squablin' in the dark. Chorus: Shine, shine, shine, ••• save po' me. Narrator: You heard me coming from the swollen lips of the bugle, French horn, trumpet, clarinet and saxophone. Horn: A series of short riffs exempla~ of various forms of music played between the advent of the spirituals and the blues-ragtime period. (over) �.. ..·. · -J;l;rw.nv.qice •-i·•- - - -s,. ..1..::: Narrator: I n Paris they called t h e "Oakewalk" the llpoetry of motion. 11 >1'1'he. crevices of ships I wa s transported t o global points to make my splendid sound and dance my splendid poetry of motion. Dancer: Executes a series of movements representing such dances as t h e Caltewalk, aP Charleston, Jitterbug and t h e Bop. ~lements ~W est Indian dances should flavor the movements. Narrator: As the poem I blue horns, shot guns in your war, danced dances and came home to face the Ku · ; Klux Klan, ... Southern Sheriffs and Jim Crow. I got angry. And I got defiant. But I was relatively- cool. Voice: I lnto the furnace let me go alone; Stay you without in terror of the heat. I will go naked in--for thus 1 tis sweet-- Into the weird depths of t h e h ottest zone. Voice: Desire destroys, consumes m~; mortal fears ., .~ :.;, Transforming me into a shape of flame. J I will come out, back to your world of tears, A stronger soul within a finer frame. Narrator: After race riots in several American cities , I lifted my voice into a searing shaft of discontent. 0 kinsmenl we must meet the common foe! Voice: Like men we'll face the murderous, cowardly pack, Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back! ( (over) l,,\~~el,,pA ... �l)r p:m;voi ·c e s, lJ ·. Narrator: Still, still my past pulled on me. It was as if we were married to each other, glued, locked, welded togeth~r. It was as if those who left us here on this earth never really, really died. Some African sense kept tugging, tugging at my truncated roots. The bridge of my past rested on t wo shores. Voice: Pour O pour that parting soul in song, ,-_- 0 pour it iJl the sawdust glow of night, Into the velvet pine-smoke air to-night, ••• And let the valley carry it along. And let the valley carry it along. Narrator: Sometimes I wa~ f there, fi ~ ting those who wanted to snatch away rrry humanity by day; and fighting hunger and confusion at home by night . As the poem, S emerged convoluted and wholly new, only to retreat t o a some-other-time refrain. Egypt, Ghana, Madagascar, the Pyramids- Vocdoo Ceremonies--what did they all mean to me1 Voice: · Come with a blast of t r umpets, Jesus l Voice: And the beauty of Susanna Jones in red Burns in my heart a love-fire sharp like pain. Cho_rus a Sweet silver trumpets, Jesus I Voice: Well, son, I 1 11 tell you: Life for me ain 1 t been no crystal stair. (over) I �Narrator: The blur of the veil was always reli eved by song, by dance, by reading about foreign places and looking forward. to the day when Americans would grow up. We were here--in America--but not of it. Simply worryin~ without a plan to change ·thing.,never helped much. We grew stronger, and more beautiful, in the words of Langston Hughes, as we re-embraced our rituals. Chorus: Shake your .b rown feet, honey, Shake your brown feet, chile, Shake your brown feet, honey, Shake 'em swift and wil, __ Voice: Get way back, honey, Do that low-down step. Walk on over, darling, Now! Come out With your left. Narrator: During the watering years, after the Great Depression, I was terrified by lynching end an atmosphere of intimidation. I went to war, as poem and soldier and cook and shining knight of Democracy. The Swastika, The Rising Sun, The Hammer &...-S ickle, I was told, . <~ real enemy• ~ -Meanwhile you had named me 0~ Do~son and I became a witness to the ...r~al~t~e~~of neighborly enemies. Those who caused unnatural deaths. Voice: Wake up, boy, and tell me how you died: What sense was alert last, What immediate intuition about us (over) �You clutched like a bullet when your nails Dug red in your yellow palm. And that map the fortunetellers read Chorus: (this line for money, this for love) Voice: Childish again and smeared •••• Chorus: Wake up,boy, ••• Voice: ••• I go to death tomorrow, Tell me what road you took, ••• Chorus: What hour in the day is luckiest? Voice: ,#- Did your Adams apple explode? Who sewed stitches in your angry heart? Chorus: 0 wake••• Narrator: Yes, yes ••• I was sometimes a tattered poem in the thirties, forties and fifites. But I was a poem anyway: gracious, noble, fundamental, fiery, t WtlkVL firm, relating My People1 Someone called me MargaretK I became a td tape s try of my many selves. Voice: For my people everywhere singing their slave songs repeatedly: ~ heir dirges and their ditties and their b,lues and jubilees, ( praying their pr~y.ers •.nightly to an unknown god, ( bending their knees humbly to an un/se:en-: power; (over) �Di"UlllVOices,- 1 6 Voice: For my playmates in the clay and dus t and sand of Alabama backyards playing }baptizing and preaching and doctor and jail and /s oldier and school and mama and cooking and playhouse and concert and store and hair and Miss Cho omby and company; Voice: Let a new earth rise. Chorus: Let another world be born. Let ·.a bloody peace be written in the sky. ' Voice: Let a race of ~ / now rise and take control. ')-t--•fv-,. .,,,.. I Narrator: Frank Marshall Davis, Melvin Beaunorous Tolson, Sterling Brown, Robert Hayden, Gwendolyn Brooks--these are names by which my · voice is known. Some even call me by the name of HISTORY. Chorus: History, history, history; RunagateJ Runagate!RunagateJ , Voice: Runs falls rises stumbles on from darkness into darkness and the darkness thicketed with shapes of terror and the hunters pursuing and the hounds pursuing . and the night cold and the night long and the river · to cross and the jack-muh-lantems beckoning beckoning and the blackness ahead and when shall I reach that somewhere morning and keep on going and never turn back and keep on going •••• Chorus: Runagatel Runagate! Runagate! (over) �r' Narrator: I wormed into and won hearts and minds. In 1950, America gave ·me the Pulitzer Prize. My name was Annie Allen. I was so -·finely sculpt- ed that no inflection was imprecise. I said what I had to say in a language that dazzled and blinded the world. I stood as a jewel; I talked about a jewel named Satin-Legs Smith. Voice: He wakes, unwinds, elaborately: a cat Tawny, reluctant, royal. He is fat And fine this morning. Definite. Reimbursed. He waits a moment, he designs his reign, I ,. Y That no perfom.ance may _be plain or vain. Then rises in a clear delirium. _ Voice: Let us proceed. Let us inspect, together With his meticulous and serious love, The innards of this closet. Which is vault Whose glory is not diamonds, not pearls, Not silver plate with just enough dull shine. But wonder-suits in yellow and in wine, Sarcastic green and zebra-striped cobalt. With shoulder padding that is wide And cocky and determined as his pride; Ballooning pants that taper off to ends Scheduled to choke precisely. Voice: Here are hats ' Like bright umbrellas; and hysterical ties Like narrow banners for some gathering wat. (111Ver) �· -Drtlmvoices,, l b Narrator: I lmew the power of the rap! Chorus: Ament Narrator: I am the power of the rap! Chorus: Ament Voice: \ Bartender, make it straight and make it two-- ~ /, Voice(pointing): One for the you in me••• Voice(pointing)~ • • • and one for the me in you. Narrator: I became the Be Bopper; somebody called me the oot-suiter; I put on dark glasses and conked my hair. A salesman handed me some bleaching cream and a cadillac as I sped North to join my Brothers and Sisters in the Promised Land • .Richard Wright and James Baldwin cried for IlB • . John Oliver Killens Heard the 'fhunder and Ralph ~llison called me Invisible, adding that once my leaders figured out the riddle of my • my rap they could help me save me. Black, I ~eft a white .. style and country , to fight yellow men in Korea. Ella, Miles, Monk, Billie, Prez,·::. . Chano Pozo, Ornette, Coltrane--they went to war with me. Chorus: Good morning heartache! How do you do? _(over) �.. J_j .L 'i., ;r. - ·- ·. ,, Horn: Brief medley of sounds and tunes reminiscent of the period. Narrator: ~ I returned to myself ~n, ~~ tion t Be~qldl The Stroll! The Kansas City ¢«'\~..,.,. ~ " ' ~ Slop! The Madisonl ~The Twistt~The Funky Chicken! The Karate-Boogaloo! They saw me poeting with my hips and my feet. ~ u .. ~ Poet~_n gl Poetingl Narrator: A.,_er,c. a..1 And took it all back to/\Bandstand and other countries. Voice: There's a thrill upon the hill. Chorus: Let's go, let's go, let 1 s goJ Narrator: I came from knrea to meet the ltlan in ,/.. .'~ll"they woul I t let my ~ ~.,_ l '"__, 1,,L:..aa..~;11::--_t~~ll"\:-:;J' ct'ilew sheet". 1 · ~~•t, if::;;....Btarey on, a bus. ~ ~ ;~J1¼,,,/,•j, tahkJ hit).;F/ luanJ ~ l1f/ Chorus: Montgomery, Montgomery, I remember Montgomery. Voice: And Birmingham--the three little girls. Voice: And Selma! Voice: And Philadelphia, Mississippi! Voice: I recollect Emmett Till! Voice: And Watts! And, in Montgomer)t, . �... , • v_,.· ,,._..i. ,)i ce s,, c:1., ·' Narrator: My name was Conrad Kent Rivers at that time. I became a poem called lfWatts~· ••-hoping that in such disguise I could _fi~d -·my .> wa.y out of this daily nightmare. Voice: Must I shoot the white man dead to free the nigger in his head? Voice: Must I shoot the white man dead to free the ni gger in his head? Voice: And Newark! Voice: And Harlem! Narrator: My color felt good to me. I stretched and yawned and walked around MU7 m~ eigb,borhood. Someonef' called me Black and I didn-1-:s,._ hit him. At a rally, I turried into a voice on the podium shouting. \ Chorus: WE ARE AN AFRICAN PEOPLE! Voice: For all things black and beautiful, The brown faces you loved so well and long, the endless roads leading back to Harlem. (over) ' I rl._,.) �·, Druriivoic e s,, ' 21 · Chorus: Ku:iu Se Mama I Kulu Se Mam.al Voice: Where the stri ng At Some point, Was some umbilical jazz, Or perhaps, ln memory, A long lost bloody cross, Buried in some steel calvary. In what time For whom do we bleed, Lost notes, from some jazzman 1 s Broken needle 0 Musical tears from lost Eyes, Broken drumsticks, why? Pit t er patter, boom dropping Bombs in the middle Of my emotions My father's sound My mothert,s sound •••• Chorus: Is love, Is life. Narrator: I turned to philosophy. In the spit and dart of my new self, there �were utterances I had to make, blood-thoughts I had ·to share. I knew this was another sequel to the dream. I had not believed . those fairy tales. I needed to take a hand and stand and speak the truth. Speak the truth to the people! Voice: It is not necessary to green the heart Only to identify the enemy It is not necessary to blow the mind Only to free the mind •••• Chorus: It is the total black! Voice: It is the total black, being spoken From the earth 1 s inside. There are IllBil y kinds of open. How a diamond comes into a knot of flame How a sound comes into a word, colored By who pays what . ~ar speaking •••• Chorus: Love is another kind of open-Voice: As a diamond comes into a lmot of flame I am black because I come from the earth I s inside : Take my word for jewel in your open light. Narrator: I am the ecstasy of NOW. The fullest realization of my ancestors' wishes. I return, even in the alarm; even in the shadow-body I am often forced to wear. But enough, enough; I beg you, my dear associates, look Now on ourif(tld ltisrjfry~:~j,.,st 1iitca.sv~ • ( "'"'"'Y' I --ti1}0 -~ 1 �Voice ( and Dancer): I am a black woman the music of my song some sweet arpeggio of tears is written in a minor key and I can be heard humming in the night Can be heard humming Chorus: Hums first line of "Nobody Knows i'he ··Trouble I See" Voice: in the night I saw my mate leap screaming ~o the sea and I/with these hands/cupped the lifebreath from my issue in the canebrake e:v I lost ·Nat 1 s swinging body in a rain of tears and I heard my son scream all the way from for Peace he never knew • • • • I learned Da Nang and Pork Chop Hill in anguish Now my nostrils know the gas and these triggered tire/d fingers seek the softness in;_iarrior 1 s beard I am a black woman tall as a cypress strong (over) ~~­ �( beyond all definition still defying place and · time and circumstance assailed , impervious --- ~ indestructible Look · on me and be renewed. Chorus: Look on me and be renewed. ----30---- � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Eugene B. Redmond Digital Collection Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context EBRWritings_09_33_04 Title A name given to the resource Fourth draft of Script Adaptation of Drumvoices: The Mission of Afro-American Poetry (A Critical History), typed with handwritten edits, 1976 Description An account of the resource Fourth draft of Script Adaptation of Drumvoices: The Mission of Afro-American Poetry (A Critical History), typed with handwritten edits, 1976. For presentation at book party on October 3, 1976: 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., Redwood Room, University Union, California State University, Sacramento. Relation A related resource Eugene B. Redmond Digital Collection Language A language of the resource English Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource For digital rights and permissions, see <a href="https://www.siue.edu/lovejoy-library/about/policies.shtml">https://www.siue.edu/lovejoy-library/about/policies.shtml</a> or contact <a href="mailto:library@siue.edu">library@siue.edu</a> for direct inquiries. In copyright. <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Redmond, Eugene B. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1976