Of Poetry and Protest : From Emmett Till to Trayvon Martin

This work illuminates today's Black experience through the voices of transformative and powerful African American poets. Included in this volume are the poems of 43 African American wordsmiths, including Pulitzer Prize-winning poets Rita Dove, Natasha Tretheway, Yusef Komunyakaa, and Tracy K. Smith. Each is accompanied by a photograph of the poet along with a first-person biography. The anthology also contains personal essays on race such as The Talk by Jeannine Amber and works by Harry Belafonte, Amiri Baraka, and The Reverend Dr. William Barber II, architect of the Moral Mondays movement, as well as images and iconic political posters of the Black Lives Matter movement, Malcolm X, and the Black Panther Party. Taken together, Of Poetry and Protest gives voice to the current conversation about race in America while also providing historical and cultural context. Elizabeth Alexander -- Amiri Baraka -- Wanda Coleman -- Kwame Dawes -- Toi Derricotte -- Rita Dove -- Camille T. Dungy -- Cornelius Eady -- Kelly Norman Ellis -- Thomas Sayers Ellis -- Nikky Finney -- C. S. Giscombe -- Duriel E. Harris -- Reginald Harris -- Terrance Hayes -- Angela Jackson -- Major Jackson -- Tyehimba Jess -- Patricia Spears Jones -- Douglas Kearney -- Yusef Komunyakaa -- Quraysh Ali Lansana -- Haki Madhubuti -- devorah major -- E. Ethelbert Miller -- Harryette Mullen -- Marilyn Nelson -- Sterling Plumpp -- Eugene B. Redmond -- Ishmael Reed -- Ed Roberson -- Sonia Sanchez -- Evie Shockley -- Tim Seibles -- Patricia Smith -- Tracy K. Smith -- Lamont B. Steptoe -- Natasha Trethewey -- Quincy Troupe -- Frank X Walker -- Afaa M. Weaver -- Ronaldo V. Wilson -- Al Young. edited and compiled by Philip Cushway and Michael Warr. Opening pages, essays. Children's crusade / Tamara Ginn Preface / Philip Cushway Introduction / Michael Warr Talk / Jeannine Ambre Harry Belafonte / Black Power and the Impact of Words Protest poetry / Amin Baraka -- Poets/Poems. Narrative: Ali, a poem in twelve rounds / Elizabeth Alexander Wise 5 / Amiri Baraka Emmett Till / Wanda Coleman New day / Kwame Dawes Note on my son's face / Toi Derricotte Enactment / Rita Dove Conspiracy / Camille T. Dungy Emmett Till's glass-top casket / Cornelius Eady Superhero / Kelly Norman Ellis Identity repairman / Thomas Sayers Ellis Left / Nikky Finney Daytonm, OH, '50s & '60s / C.S. Giscombe Voice of America / Duriel E. Harris New rules of the road / Reginald Harris Some luminous distress (for Betty Shabazz) / Terrance Hayes Fannie (for Fannie Lou Hamer) / Angela Jackson Rose colored city / Major Jackson Infernal / Tyehimba Jess Saltimbanque / Patricia Spears Jones Tallahatchiue lullabye, baby / Douglas Kearney History lessons / Yusef Komunyakaa statement on the killing of patrick dorismond / Quraysh Ali Lansana Great wait / Haki Madhubuti on continuing to struggle / devorah major 10 race koans as presented to Charles Johnson on the morning of July 13, 2008 / E. Ethelbert Miller We are not responsible / Harryette Mullen Cells and window : after work by neogeo painter Peter Halley / Marilyn Nelson I hear the shuffle of the people's feet / Sterling Plumpp Poetic reflections enroute to, and during, the funeral and burial of Henry Dumas, poet, May 29, 1968 / Eugene B. Redmond Sweet pea / Ishmael Reed Not brought up / Ed Roberson Elegy (for MOVE and Philadelphia) / Sonia Sanchez x marks the spot / Evie Shockley At 59 / Tim Seibles NO WOUND OF EXIT / Patricia Smith Duende / Tracy K. Smith Such a boat of land / Lamont B. Steptoe -- Liturgy / Natasha Trethewey -- Poem for my father / Quincy Troupe -- Li'l Kings / Frank X Walker -- To Malcom X on his second coming / Affa M. Weaver -- For the sky, in which you will one day, belong / Ronaldo V. Wilson -- Blues for Malcom X / Al Young -- Epilogue / statement by the reverend Dr. William Barber II. Elizabeth Alexander -- Amiri Baraka -- Wanda Coleman -- Kwame Dawes -- Toi Derricotte -- Rita Dove -- Camille T. Dungy -- Cornelius Eady -- Kelly Norman Ellis -- Thomas Sayers Ellis -- Nikky Finney -- C.S. Giscombe -- Duriel E. Harris -- Reginald Harris -- Terrance Hayes -- Angela Jackson -- Major Jackson -- Tyehimba Jess -- Patricia Spears Jones -- Douglas Kearney -- Yusef Komunyakaa -- Quraysh Ali Lansana -- Haki Madhubuti -- devorah major -- E. Ethelbert Miller -- Harryette Mullen -- Marilyn Nelson -- Sterling Plumpp -- Eugene B. Redmond -- Ishmael Reed -- Ed Roberson -- Sonia Sanchez -- Evie Shockley -- Tim Seibles -- Patricia Smith -- Tracy K. Smith -- Lamont B. Steptoe -- Natasha Trethewey -- Quincy Troupe -- Frank X Walker -- Afaa M. Weaver -- Ronaldo V. Wilson -- Al Young. This stunning work illuminates today's black experience through the voices of our most transformative and powerful African American poets. Included in this extraordinary volume are the poems of 43 of America's most talented African American wordsmiths, including Pulitzer Prize–winning poets Rita Dove, Natasha Tretheway, Yusef Komunyakaa, and Tracy K. Smith, as well as the work of other luminaries such as Elizabeth Alexander, Ishmael Reed, and Sonia Sanchez. Included are poems such as "No Wound of Exit" by Patricia Smith, "We Are Not Responsible" by Harryette Mullen, and "Poem for My Father" by Quincy Troupe. Each is accompanied by a photograph of the poet along with a first-person biography. The anthology also contains personal essays on race such as "The Talk" by Jeannine Amber and works by Harry Belafonte, Amiri Baraka, and The Reverend Dr. William Barber II, architect of the Moral Mondays movement, as well as images and iconic political posters of the Black Lives Matter movement, Malcolm X, and the Black Panther Party. Taken together, Of Poetry and Protest gives voice to the current conversation about race in America while also providing historical and cultural context. It serves as an excellent introduction to African American poetry and is a must-have for every reader committed to social justice and racial harmony. Elizabeth Alexander -- Amiri Baraka -- Wanda Coleman -- Kwame Dawes -- Toi Derricotte -- Rita Dove -- Camille T. Dungy -- Cornelius Eady -- Kelly Norman Ellis -- Thomas Sayers Ellis -- Nikky Finney -- Nikki Giovanni -- C.S. Giscombe -- Duriel E. Harris -- Reginald Harris -- Terrance Hayes -- Angela Jackson -- Major Jackson -- Tyehimba Jess -- Patricia Spears Jone -- Douglas Kearney -- Yusef Komunyakaa -- Quraysh Ali Lansana -- Haki Madhubuti -- Devorah Major -- E. Ethelbert Miller -- Harryette Mullen -- Marilyn Nelson -- Sterling Plumpp -- Eugene B. Redmond -- Ishmael Reed -- Ed Roberson -- Sonia Sanchez -- Evie Shockley -- Tim Seibles -- Patricia Smith -- Tracy K. Smith -- Lamont B. Steptoe -- Natasha Trethewey -- Quincy Troupe -- Frank X Walker -- Afaa N. Weaver -- Ronaldo V. Wilson -- Al Young