Kara Walker

This week as we consider contemporary writers and their reflections on the antebellum South, the Civil War, and Reconstruction, I thought you might enjoy one of my favorite artists, Kara Walker. Walker is noted for her innovative use of silhouettes to depict African-American life during these eras. Her work is visible at the High in Atlanta and you can read about her work here.

Lucille Clifton supplement

As I told you Tuesday, Lucille Clifton passed away last weekend. Read this excellent article from the Atlantic on her and the follow up, "Bad Poetry Will Not Save Black People" published yesterday. The comments are interesting and will help you contextualize some of the information we have discussed in class.

Natasha Trethewey supplement

If you have time, this is a helpful interview discussing Native Guard.

You can watch Trethewey's address "Why I Write: Poetry, History, Justice" at Emory University.

Here is a fan video of "Theories of Time and Space"

Yusef Komunyakaa supplement

Here are a few videos of Yusef Komunyakaa.

Reading "Anodyne"


Giving the Helen Edison Lecture
(Warning: this is long, but great if you're interested in him as a poet)

Ishmael Reed

One of the people Ishmael Reed is inspired by is a Beat-era poet and artist named Ted Joans.



Read a description of Ted Joans and view a gallery of work inspired by working with him by Laura Corsiglia. Then see selections and a description of a gallery at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City inspired by both Reed and Joans.

If you want to browse Konch, Ishmael Reed's online magazine, see it here.

Lucille Clifton at Emory

Lucille Clifton papers fully processed and available for research

See Lucille Clifton's work at Emory in the Manuscript and Rare Book Library on the 10th floor of Woodruff Library!

David Henderson supplement

If you have time, read "Obama's victory through the eyes of the poet David Henderson, a precursor to the Black Arts Movement" by Christine Tully-Sitchet.

You could also compare Henderson to an important mid-century poet, the beatnik Allen Ginsberg, author of "Howl," although we will not have time to cover both in class.

Henderson was involved in the East Village Other, noted for its contribution to the "underground comix movement." You can read about it here.