A Century of Black Voices: 1910-2010

Look at all of these beautiful faces!

On Saturday, I was part of A Century of Black Voices: 1910-2010—a Black History Month event at the Brookline Public Library. Local poets read the works of poets who came before us as well as reading a few of our own. In the photo:

Coleen Houlihan—Audre Lorde
Bridgit Brown—Margaret Walker
Charles Coe—Gwendolyn Brooks
Mignon Ariel King (host)—Maya Angelou
Me—Lucille Clifton
Lolita Paiewonsky—Arna Bontemps

Readings like this remind me that poets are part of an impressive literary lineage. To think that I’m a small part of this great continuum blows my mind.

I had chosen to read Lucille Clifton’s poems before I knew her health was failing. Bringing her into this space seemed more than fitting. Her poems challenge you. They make you live with history rather than forget it. Guess you can say that about all of the poets we brought into the room.