Preaching to the Chickens: The Story of young John Lewis by Jabari Asim and E. B. Lewis. (Nancy Paulsen Books; 2016) I remember reading about John Lewis adopting his family’s chickens as his congregation when he was a child. Asim details this time in Lewis’ life as a character building activity. The muted water color […]
Black History Month 2017 Biographies from Crazy QuiltEdi
Roll out Black History Monday and roll out the biographies. This month is always filled with lives of the successful, accomplished and little known African American heroes and sheroes who contributed to the improvement of life in American. While these individuals have overcome most obstacles in front of them, they’re often unable to clear the […]
Happy Birthday Sterling A. Brown!
On this day, in 1901, Sterling Allen Brown was born. He became a poet, literary critic, editor and more. I curated some resources about Brown on my April 9 Poet of the Day post. For more information about him, check out that post.
April 30 Poet of the Day: Gwendolyn Brooks
Gwendolyn Brooks, a prolific and award winning poet is April 30 Poet of the Day, the last “official” day of Poetry month. Read about this fascinating poet here:
Poets.Org: http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poet/gwendolyn-brooks, https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poems/45683
Poetry Foundation: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/gwendolyn-brooks
Modern American Poetry: http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/a_f/brooks/brooks.htm
Library of Congress Online Resources: http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/brooks/
Illinois Poet Laureate: http://www.illinois.gov/poetlaureate/pages/brooks.aspx
Voices from the Gap: http://voices.cla.umn.edu/artistpages/brooks.php
Lesson Plans from ReadWriteThink: http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/many-years-later-responding-1030.html, from Shmoop: http://www.shmoop.com/we-real-cool/, http://www.shmoop.com/bean-eaters/, from EDSITEment: http://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/impact-poems-line-breaks-enjambment-and-gwendolyn-brooks-we-real-cool
April 29 Poet of the Day: Amiri Baraka (Leroi Jones)
Amiri Baraka, formerly known as Leroi Jones, is April 20 Poet of the Day. He was a prolific writer of poetry, drama, fiction, essays and music criticism. Read about him here:
Poets.Org: http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/445
Poetry Foundation: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/amiri-baraka
Modern American Poetry: http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/a_f/baraka/bio.htm
NPR: http://www.npr.org/2014/01/10/261379770/fresh-air-remembers-activist-poet-amiri-baraka
YouTube videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nR5pdz2uGFc, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1-2S7baPUU
April 28 Poet of the Day: Nikki Giovanni
April 28 Poet of the day is Nikki Giovanni. Read about this award winning prolific poet here:
Poets.Org: http://www.nikki-giovanni.com/, http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/19505
Poetry Foundation: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/nikki-giovanni
AfroPoets.Net: http://www.afropoets.net/nikkigiovanni.html
Voices From the Gap: http://voices.cla.umn.edu/artistpages/giovanniNikki.php
PBS Interview with Tavis Smiley: http://video.pbs.org/video/2365125112/,earlier interview with Bill Moyers: http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/02132009/watch2.html
MSNBC Interview with Melissa Harris-Perry: http://www.msnbc.com/melissa-harris-perry/poet-nikki-giovanni-visits-nerdland
NPR: http://www.npr.org/2013/10/29/241605794/poet-nikki-giovanni-on-the-darker-side-of-her-life
Lesson Plan from ReadWriteThink: http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/childhood-remembrances-life-intersect-271.html?tab=1#tabs, http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/entering-history-nikki-giovanni-963.html
April 27 Poet of the Day: Cornelius Eady
Cornelius Eady, author of eight poetry books, and co-founder of Cave Canem, a summer workshop/retreat for African American poets, is April 27 Poet of the day. Read about this fascinating poet here:
NPR: http://www.npr.org/2008/05/05/90184195/a-poets-hardheaded-reflection-on-life
PBS: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/poetryeverywhere/uwm/eady.html
Poets.org: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15244,
Poetry Foundation: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/cornelius-eady
Cave Canem: http://www.cavecanempoets.org/
Interview about Cave Canem: http://www.pw.org/content/qampa_eady_sees_cave_canem_success
April 26 Poet of the Day: Jayne Cortez
Jayne Cortez is April 26 Poet of the Day. A poet and performance artist, Jayne was born on May 10, 1934. Read more about this revolutionary poet here:
Additional resources about Jayne Cortez:
Poets.Org: http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/464
Modern American Poetry: http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/a_f/cortez/poetry.htm
Poetry Foundation: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/jayne-cortez
West African Research Association: http://www.bu.edu/wara/warc-black-history-2013-cortez/
The Project for Innovative Poetry (PIP) Blog: http://pippoetry.blogspot.com/2013/01/jayne-cortez.html
5 Points Where Poetry Meets Jazz NPR: http://www.npr.org/blogs/ablogsupreme/2014/04/11/301435058/5-points-where-poetry-meets-jazz
April 25 Poet of the Day: Kwame Dawes
April 25 Poet of the Day is Kwame Dawes. Born in Ghana, Kwame Dawes later moved to Jamaica and spent most of his childhood and early adult life there. In addition to poetry, Kwame also writes fiction, nonfiction and plays. Read about this multitalented artist here:
Additional resources about Kwame Dawes:
Poets.Org: http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/2118, http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/22007
Poetry Archive: http://www.poetryarchive.org/poetryarchive/singlePoet.do?poetId=17247
Poetry Foundation: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/kwame-dawes
PBS: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/poetryeverywhere/uwm/dawes.html, http://www.pbs.org/newshour/art/poet-kwame-dawes-remembers-uncle-kofi-awoonor-with-reading-of-the-weaver-bird/
Calabash Interview: http://www.nyu.edu/calabash/vol5no1/0501115.pdf
Kickstarts Fund for African Poetry: http://www.dailynebraskan.com/arts_and_entertainment/article_db86abbe-0b67-11e2-88e2-001a4bcf6878.html
YouTube Interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puv51J7RBXo When Disaster Strikes (Haiti): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DsSpTUQuSg, Poetry reading: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yx5Vohf5rW0
April 24 Poet of the Day: Lucille Clifton
Lucille Clifton is April 24 Poet of the Day. Poet, Educator and Author of the Everett Anderson children’s books series, Lucille Clifton was born on June 27, 1936 in Depew, New York. Read about this prolific writer here:
Additional resources about Lucille Clifton:
PBS: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/poetryeverywhere/clifton.html
NPR: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124113507
Shmoop Lesson Plan on “Homage to My Hips”: http://www.shmoop.com/homage-hips/ May have to register in order to access all resources.
Poetry Foundation: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/lucille-clifton
Voices From the Gap: http://voices.cla.umn.edu/artistpages/cliftonLucille.php
Poets & Writers Interview: http://www.pw.org/content/no_ordinary_woman_lucille_clifton
Modern American Poetry: http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/a_f/clifton/clifton.htm
YouTube Videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPr6EOggzm0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEVdSYqyk2Y
The CamaraIfe Maktaba 