African American poets

Scope and Contents Lecture notes, transcriptions of lectures and interviews, and over three hundred audio recordings associated with a University of Connecticut School of Fine Arts course, "Black Experience in the Arts." The course's instructors included professors James Eversole, Hale Smith, Edward O'Connor, Leon Bailey, and Carlton Molette. The records, particularly the audio recordings, document the contributions of black artists of the time period and the power of art as a mechanism for social change and...

Scope and Contents Poet, activist, and spoken word performer Jayne Cortez delivered a dozen lectures at the University of Connecticut, spanning the years 1972 to 1987. Cortez was a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship winner and the spouse of sculptor, Melvin Edwards, also a frequent lecturer to the course.Cortez spoke on 5/12/1972 (2015-0002/RR20), 11/28/1972 (2015-0002/RR74), 12/4/1973 (2015-0002/RR75), 2/18/1975 (2015-0002/RR76), 4/11/1978 (2015-0002/RR77), 2/19/1980 (2015-0002/RR78),...

Scope and Contents Crouch spoke on 2/28/1978 (2015-0002/RR128), 10/27/1981 (2015-0002/RR129), and 9/25/1984 (2015-0002/RR130) (2015-0002/RR311). Crouch was an American poet, music and cultural critic, syndicated columnist, novelist, drummer, and biographer. He was known for his jazz criticism and his 2000 novel, Don't the Moon Look Lonesome? He was a MacArthur Fellow and served as the senior consultant to Ken Burns' 2001 documentary, ...

Scope and Contents Poet and sociologist Calvin Hernton lectured on 3/29/1977 (2015-0002/RR177 178 [same program on both reels]). Calvin Coolidge Hernton (April 28, 1932 — September 30, 2001) was an American sociologist, poet and author, particularly renowned for his 1965 study Sex and Racism in America, which has been described as "a frank look at the role sexual tensions played in the American racial divide, and it helped set the tone for much African-American social...

Scope and Contents Composer Ahmad Jamal and poet Eugene Redmond delivered a lecture on 3/19/1974 (2015-0002/RR187). Ahmad Jamal (born Frederick Russell Jones, July 2, 1930) is an American jazz pianist, composer, bandleader and educator. For six decades, he has been one of the most successful small-group leaders in jazz. Eugene B. Redmond (born December 1, 1937, St. Louis) is an American poet, and academic. His poetry is closely connected to the Black Arts Movement and the city of East St. Louis, Illinois....

Scope and Contents Jazz poet, painter, and trumpeter Ted Joans delivered 7 lectures, ranging from the years 1971 to 1982. He spoke on 10/12/1971 (2015-0002/RR193), 9/13/1977 (2015-0002/RR194), 10/3/1978 (2015-0002/RR195), 9/11/1979 (2015-0002/RR196, 9/30/1980 (2015-0002/RR197), 2/16/1982 (2015-0002/RR198), and 9/19/1975 (2015-0002/RR325).RR 193  Ted Joans (Poet) shares his personal history followed by reading some of his poetry. RR 194  Unidenfitied speaker (presumably Ted Joans)...

Scope and Contents Ted Joans and Frederick King lectured together on 10/26/1976 (2015-0002/RR199). For more information on the lecturers, please see their individual profiles. RR199 Hale Smith introduces an unexpected guest--poet Ted Joans who is a member of the "Beat Generation." Joans speaks breifly and then reads some of his poems.  [~1:03:30] Frederick King (Percussionist) is the scheduled speaker for the evening. Mr. King picks on up the rhythm of Joans' last poem to discuss rhythm and...

Scope and Contents Poet, writer and professor, Etheridge Knight read from his Poems from Prison.Poems from Prison author and Guggenheim Fellowship recipient, Etheridge Knight lectured on 11/9/1970 (2015-0002/RR212). After being wounded while serving in the Korean War, Knight fell into a drug addiction which led to his arrest for an armed robbery in 1960. During his eight-year sentence, Knight began to write poetry and...

Abstract

The collection contains the papers of Marilyn Nelson, author of several books of poetry and formercurrent Poet Laureate for the State of Connecticut.

Scope and Contents Poet and playwright Lindsay Patterson delivered 3 lectures that can be found on 3 reels and 1 audio cassette. Patterson spoke on 10/2/1973 (2015-0002/RR241), 4/19/1977 (2015-0002/RR242 reel 1) (2015-0002/RR243 reel 2), and 12/5/1989 (2015-0002/AC14).Patterson attended Virginia State University, earning a BA in English before serving in the US Army as a reporter for Stars and Stripes. Arriving in New York City in 1962, Patterson began a four decade long writing career...

Scope and Contents Poet and English professor Raymond Patterson delivered 3 lectures. His work appeared in numerous publications and poetry anthologies. He spoke to the course on 11/1/1983 (2015-0002/RR244), 9/16/1986 (2015-0002/RR245), and 9/15/1987 2015-0002/RR246). Patterson was the author of 26 Ways of Looking at a Black Man and Other Poems, Elemental Blues, as well as two librettos written for operas composed by UConn...

Abstract

Handwritten manuscripts, notebooks, letters, typed transcriptions of poetry, prose and a play for voices, by Allen Polite, writer and artist affiliated with the Black Arts Movement. Published works of Allen Polite's poetry, and transcriptions, produced by his widow Helene Polite can be found throughout.

Scope and Contents Mr. Raphael plans to talk about himself as a playwright and the problems and successes he's encountered and also the role of the Black man in drama and American life. Sound goes in and out [first 50+/- sec].Poet, playwright, and journalist Lennox Raphael lectured on 11/30/1971 (2015-0002/RR252). Raphael, born in Trinidad, began his career as a writer by working as a reporter in Jamaica before coming to the United States as a U.N. correspondent during the 1960s. Living in New...

Scope and Contents Poet and English professor Eugene Redmond delivered 4 lectures. He spoke on 10/25/1977 (2015-0002/RR253), 9/27/1983 (2015-0002/RR254), 10/2/1984 (2015-0002/RR255), and 10/13/1987 (2015-0002/RR256). Redmond is a famous and prolific poet and professor having written or edited over 25 volumes of poetry, diverse writings, plays, and the posthumously published works by Henry Dumas. Redmond's most well-known piece of literature is Drumvoices: The Mission of Afro-American Poetry. Redmond has won a...

Scope and Contents

Hale Smith introduces Eugene Redmond and Mary Lindsay. Mr. Redmond provides some personal background before moving on to discuss the importance of the phase "What's Happening?" Ms. Lindsay discussed prima donnas.

Scope and Contents Poet and journalist Quincy Troupe delivered 11 lectures over a 17 year period. Troupe spoke on 11/18/1975 (2015-0002/RR281), 1/24/1978 (2015-0002/RR282), 2/5/1980 (2015-0002/RR283), 3/24/1981 (2015-0002/RR284) 2/1/1983 (2015-0002/RR285), 1/31/1984 (2015-0002/RR286), 2/25/1986 (2015-0002/RR287), 1/27/1987 (2015-0002/RR288), 3/22/1988 (2015-0002/RR289), 4/12/1971 (2015-0002/RR313), and on an unidentified date (2015-0002/AC25).AC 25 [Difficult to hear speakers over the sound of...