KRLemmons African American Biography, African Authors, Resources

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

KRLemmons African American Biography, African American Poetry, Lesson Plans, Resources

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

 

KRLemmons African American Biography, African American Poetry, Resources

April 23 Poet of the Day: Michael S. Harper

April 23 Poet of the day is Michael S. Harper.  Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1938, he has published more than ten books and written several collections.  Read about this award-winning Poet Laureate of Rhode Island here:

Additional resources on Michael S. Harper:

Poetry Foundation: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/michael-s-harper

Lunch Poems: Poetry reading on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xY8R7APJ8uM

Michael S. Harper reading “Dear John, Dear Coltrane”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESdDn9njMcM

Modern American Poetry: http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/g_l/harper/harper.htm

KRLemmons African American Biography, African American Poetry, Resources

April 22 Poet of the Day: Sonia Sanchez

April 22 Poet of the day is Sonia Sanchez.  Born September 9, 1934, this poet, activist, educator is often associated with the Black Arts Movement.  Read more about this multitalented woman here:

Additional resources on Sonia Sanchez:

Poets.org: http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/276

Poetry Foundation: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/sonia-sanchez

MSNBC Video: http://www.msnbc.com/the-cycle/watch/sonia-sanchez-on-activism-and-poetry-101378115761

Def Poetry: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7X8gIrkUTh0

Democracy Now: http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/21/poet_activist_sonia_sanchez_at_peace

Art & Power in Movement: http://blip.tv/amherstmedia/sonia-sanchez-art-power-in-movement-4977129

Voices From the Gap: http://voices.cla.umn.edu/artistpages/sanchez_sonia.php

National Visionary Leadership Project: http://www.visionaryproject.org/sanchezsonia/

Interview with Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/therootdc/post/a-qanda-with-poet-laureate-sonia-sanchez/2012/10/24/eb76c68c-1e02-11e2-ba31-3083ca97c314_blog.html

KRLemmons African American Biography, African American Poetry, Resources

April 21 Poet of the Day: Dudley Randall

Dudley Randall is April 21 Poet of the Day.  He was a poet, publisher, and founder of Broadside Press.  Read about this fascinating poet here:

Additional resources on Dudley Randall:

Modern American Poetry: http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/m_r/randall/randall.htm

Poemhunter: http://www.poemhunter.com/dudley-randall/biography/

Remembering Dudley Randall: http://www.solidarity-us.org/site/node/1527

Biography: http://biography.jrank.org/pages/2931/Randall-Dudley.html

YouTube videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twDVg48yCp0

Ballad of Birmingham poem: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2BzXvD2eiM

 

KRLemmons African American Biography, African American Poetry, Resources

April 20 Poet of the Day: Naomi Long Madgett

Naomi Long Madgett is April 20 Poet of the Day.  Founder of Lotus Press, this poet, educator, Poet Laureate of Detroit, Naomi Long Madgett was the first woman awarded  Eminent Artist Award from the Kresge Foundation in 2012.  Read about this remarkable woman here:

Additional resources on Naomi Long Madgett:

History Makers: http://www.thehistorymakers.com/biography/naomi-long-madgett-41

Kresge Foundation: http://kresge.org/news/detroit%E2%80%99s-poet-laureate-naomi-long-madgett-named-2012-kresge-eminent-artist

Free Press: http://www.freep.com/article/20130407/ENT05/304070050/Naomi-Long-Madgett-Art-X

YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRUqrH1VRHU

KRLemmons African American Biography, African American Poetry, Resources

April 19 Poet of the Day: Jessie Redmond Fauset

April 19 Poet of the Day is Jessie Redmond Fauset. A scholar and novelist, she was the first black woman elected to Phi Beta Kappa.  Read about this pioneering woman here:

Additional information on Jessie Redmond Fauset:

Poets.org: Rondeau, a poem by Jessie Redmond Fauset http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/23953

Dead Fires by Fauset: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/19689

About.com: http://womenshistory.about.com/od/harlemrenaissance/p/jessie_fauset.htm

Voices From the Gap: http://voices.cla.umn.edu/artistpages/fausetJessie.php

Black Past: http://www.blackpast.org/aah/fauset-jessie-r-1882-1961

Harlem Renaissance: http://harlemrenaissancepoets7.wikispaces.com/Jessie+Redmon+Fauset

KRLemmons African American Authors, African American Poetry, Resources

April 18 Poet of the Day: Haki Madhubuti

April 18 Poet of the Day is Haki Madhubuti.  Born Donald Luther Lee in Little Rock, Arkansas, be is poet, essayist, editor and educator. He cofounded, along with two others, Third World Press. Read more about this multitalented poet here:

Additional resources on Haki Madhubuti:

Poetry Foundation: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/haki-madhubuti

African American Literature Book Club (AALBC): http://aalbc.com/authors/haki.htm

Third World Press: http://www.thirdworldpressbooks.com/

Black Past: http://www.blackpast.org/aah/madhubuti-haki-r-don-l-lee-1942

Interview on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ss1ZwA9Zx9U

Speech given at Bethel AME Church in Baltimore, MD via YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfsfCzoitxQ

KRLemmons African American Biography, African American Poetry, Resources

April 17 Poet of the Day: Audre Lorde

Audre Lorde is April 17 Poet of the Day.  She described herself as “black, lesbin, mother, warrior, poet.”  Read about this Caribbean American poet and novelist here.

Additional resources on Audre Lorde:

Poets.Org: http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/306

Poetry Foundation: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/audre-lorde

Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, celebrated its second annual Audre Lorde Week February 3-8, 2014: http://tulane.edu/news/newwave/013114_lorde.cfm

Media Trailer on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diHzbQNyO2k

 

KRLemmons African American Biography, African American Poetry, Resources

April 16 Poet of the Day: Al Young

Al Young is April 16 Poet of the Day.  He was born on May 31, 1939, in Ocean Springs, Mississippi.  He later became Poet Laureate of California.  Read about this interesting poet and novelist here:

Additional resources about Al Young:

Website: http://alyoung.org/

Poetry Foundation: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/al-young

YouTube Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6FbyDZjpXM

NPR: Al Young reads some of his poems: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89884635