LSU becomes new home of Most Important Private Collection of African American Poetry

The Wyatt Houston Day Collection of Poetry by African Americans, the most important private collection of Black poetry, now belongs to LSU. 

The LSU Libraries Special Collections will house the over 800 items previously owned by book collector and dealer Wyatt Houston Day. 

This collection includes works from the 18th century, the Harlem Renaissance and through to the 21 st century.

“This collection allows for a dynamic understanding of canonical African American poets and offers numerous avenues for new research and appreciation of the poetic voice of African Americans throughout American history,” said John Miles, curator of books at LSU Libraries Special Collections. 

“The acquisition of these books makes LSU an important research site for anyone interested in American literature and African American culture, as well as affording students the chance to materially confront this genre’s grand sweep, political importance, and remarkable intellectual contribution to the nation and the world.” 

Some of the main works in this collection include:

* a first edition of Paul Laurence Dunbar’s rare second book from 1895 “Majors and Minors” once owned by Frederick Douglass’ family and inscribed to his niece;

* a collection of books by Pulitzer Prize winner Gwendolyn Brooks, as well as a broadside published following the death of Martin Luther King, Jr.;

* the original typed manuscript of the music cues for Langston Hughes’ 12 part poem, “Ask Your Mama,” inscribed by Hughes to poet Amiri Baraka, also known as LeRoi Jones.

“More remarkable might be the many smaller, almost ephemeral, but nonetheless important chapbooks and other unheralded publications by minor and otherwise unknown authors. These rare materials add context to the more recognizable names and present a fuller sense of the scope and vibrancy of African American poetic accomplishment over 200 years. Beyond simply its literary value, this collection captures the lives and culture of a people as told in verse,” Miles said.

Appraised in September 2021 bybantiquarian Henry Wessells of the James Cummins Bookseller in New York, the Day Collection is valued at $612,940.00. 

But because of Day’s desire to have the works live at an educational institution, part of the collection was gifted in order to be used and appreciated in perpetuity.

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Poet uses the power of poetry to tackle climate change in Africa

Poet Ronald “Mr Loyal ZW” Mtatabikwa said he intended to use his artistic talent to raise public awareness on climate change.

Mtatabikwa, who is also a talkshow host, said he was engaging fellow artists to educate people on environmental issues.

“As there has been talk around climate change (mainly about the change in climate patterns), I decided to encourage artists to talk about it since it is in line with sustainable development goals,” he said.

“As artists, I am sure we can be able to make a positive change in society as a vehicle for spreading positive information. We already have the platform and people who support us so they can as well learn from our work if we use it to educate them”.

Mtatabikwa said it was crucial for people to know more about climate change issues to bring positive change in the manner people treat the environment.

“There are a lot of things we are experiencing because of climate change. These include change in weather patterns, pollution and heatwaves.

“So, if people are taught, they will know that whatever we do to the environment has a direct effect on us,” he said.

“If people can embrace different forms of art, they will surely embrace our mission to educate them on environmental issues through art.”

Apart from using art to educate people about climate change, Mtatabikwa said he had embarked on a treeplanting programme.

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Financial support for writers

If as a professional playwright you are struggling financially to find the time and space to write then the Peggy Ramsay Foundation might be your saviour. 

Eligible are playwrights, musical book writers and lyricists who may have had one work professionally produced, have had lots of successes or something in between. 

You must however be resident in the UK. Grants are not awarded to cover production costs, a workshop or reading or to pay for a dramaturg.

To apply submit a maximum 1.5 page application letter which should include details of the specific project you need time and space for and why you need the finance. 

Examples given are to pay your rent, buy a laptop, to cover a salary you would usually have from temping or other reason.

Essentially your letter should say who you are, what you want to write and the amount of financial support you need and how you arrived at that amount. If it is a new laptop you need, grants of £800 are usually awarded and are usually no more than £5,000.

Include also a clear and accurate CV saying what you have written and where it has been produced. Any direction or acting undertaken should be noted separately. 

You may include brief attributed press quotes for previous productions, not full reviews or scripts, but this is not essential.

On a separate sheet of paper note the title of your first professionally produced play, and most recent if different, where it was produced and the length of its run. 

Plays must be a minimum of one hour’s length. On a cover sheet include your postal and email addresses, date of birth, nationality and country of residence, the country in which you are a tax resident, your national insurance or other tax identification number and bank account details.

Details: Peggy Ramsay Foundation, 7 Savoy Court, London WC2R 0EX;
email: prf@harbottle.com; website: www.peggyramsayfoundation.org/ grant-applications.html

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Zimbabwean poet Hope Masike launches erotic poetry book

Sensational afro jazz artist Hope Masike launched her second poetry book collection titled Dzevabvazera last Friday at Theatre in the Park in Harare just in time to give lovers the perfect Valentine’s Day gift.

The poems are sizzling hot and deeply sensual, which celebrate the art of lovemaking and creatively interrogates love and sexuality in an environment of complete creative freedom. It also explores the healing and liberating power of love in its sensual and spiritual manifestations.

The launch was fused with a live music concert and book reading and also featured as guest performer, veteran township jazz crooner Tanga wekwa Sando, and a poetry recital by Fadzai Katanda.

The book has 14 steamy poems written in Shona with a brief overview in English which Masike recited accompanied by mbira music fused with the rattling sound of the hosho (shakers) and contemporary musical instruments comprising a set of alto and soprano saxophones.

Nominated for the Kora AllAfrica Music Awards in 2016, Masike looked stunning in hoop earrings, a tight fitting décolleté outfit that had a design of the iconic fertility symbol, the chevron motif, flowing down from her waist to the hem of her dark red dress.

Sex and sexual education is largely taboo in Zimbabwe and by launching the book, Masike has set the pace for discussion since sexual topics are rarely addressed in the public realm. 

Writing erotica as a genre is equally perceived as risky yet historically erotic poetry has a very long tradition and is renowned in African cosmology and just like a lot of our customs, it is one of those values that is gradually disappearing.

Story teller and author of Chibarabada, Tinashe Muchuri, said Dzevabvazera is a “reprimand giving hope in fighting the challenges that ruin happiness between lovers. The feared things have found a bold writer who has named them succinctly with depth as we relax and laugh while healing some of the challenges found in love”.

On why she chose erotic expressions in her second book, Masike said: “I wanted something different; I wanted to capture a theme that is not often spoken of. The book was born out of inspiration from a book that I was given by my friend the late jazz musician, Friday Mbirimi, titled How to Write Erotica, a book that I got deeply immersed in during the pandemic.”

Through music, lyric and metaphors Masike and her band took the crowd on an enticing and tantalising initiation into the riches and beauty of this venerable poetic tradition as she paired her outstanding vocals with experimental literature themed around sexual knowledge, evoking vivid sexual imagery giving fans who braved the rain an opportunity to ponder on how joyful and gratifying sex can and should be.

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Call for submissions - Whose Pleasure Is It Anyway?

Whose Pleasure is it Anyway? is a digital collection of essays, interviews, poems, visual art, film, music, and multimedia/hybrid works that will explore the feminist pleasures that activate or infuriate us. 

The editorial team want to feature ‘grouchy and disobedient desires, feral and exploratory delights, and playful and improvisational delectations.’
They seek work which ‘firmly places pleasure at the centre of their aesthetics, poetics, or politics’. They like submissions ‘that laugh, tickle, and shriek in the face of frivolity’.

Currently they want ‘submissions that explore the possibilities of pleasure in the digital space through hybrid art forms’. 

Work which ‘engages with media beyond traditional literary and art forms, such as video games, interactive stories, stand-up comedy, and more,’ is welcomed. Query by email. 

Traditional essays should be up to 1,500 words and hybrid/creative works 800 words. Email all submissions to editors Sarah and Manahil with Pleasures in the subject line, to digital@canthius.com. Include a bio and mention the work’s genre/s.

Response time is reasonable. Payment is Can$50 for traditional poems, essays, stories, or one visual art piece with an artist statement, and $100 for multimedia work.

Website: www.canthius.com

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Award winning South African poet is looking for African poems

Award winning South African poet and author Nontlantla Mthimkulu says she is in search of poems by Africans to be published in an African anthology titled My Mental Health Book 1 African Poetry Collection.

In an interview, Mthimkulu, who is also a member of Art for Transformation and Civic Engagement said she believed there was healing between the lines of poetry.

“I am compiling an African anthology and I need poets from African countries to contribute to this anthology titled My Mental Health Book 1 African Poetry Collection which is about mental health awareness,” she said. 

“I believe that African poets have voices that also need to be heard through their creation.”

A mental health advocate and founder of Feed A Mind Foundation, Mthimkulu said one has to stay authentic to own writing and not get confused.

“I used to face challenges of being authentic with my writings. As poets we get exposed to other poets and their writing styles, as there are styles of writing as a poet you will love that are different from yours,” she said.

Mthimkulu said artists should see art as it is, and respect it so that other people can also respect both the art and artist.
Her work has been featured in a global mental health awareness anthology titled Letting in the Light. 

She has also published a short story titled Blind But Not Blinded that is available on Amazon and her writings have been featured in a Ubuntu Poetry Collection compiled by African poets.

“I have been published on FunDza Literacy Trust and my Poem-on-Poem Hunters has received a four-star rating on Amazon,” she said.

“I am also the founder of My Mental Health Global Programme which got me nominated for the Global Start Up Awards 2021 and MAMA Best Movement Nominee 2021/22.”

Away from writing, Mthimkulu, who is a psychotherapist by profession, is involved in pageantry and she was recently crowned Miss Lejweleputswa 2021 finalist.

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Living in a woman’s body: Mama’s War – an original poem

In her latest work, the South African actor and writer Lebogang Mashile tackles the exploitation and sexism faced by Black women

Mama’s War

Mama’s gone viral
Mama’s screen shuffles faster
Than hashtags invented by Black women
Who turn tech into culture daily
Boardrooms and bedrooms are battlefields
What’s today’s share price for Mama
Mama’s the only profitable stock
Mama’s baby is five years old, mining coltan in Congo
Mama’s foster children’s root chakras never healed
Mama’s who George Floyd called out to
When home is a dangerous place
How does Mama lockdown?

When home is a dangerous place
How does Mama lockdown?

They pushed Mama into government for the numbers
Mama’s a brand ambassador with diplomatic impunity
Mama’s on the evening news talking like a man now
Mama calls it power moves
Mama’s war is the ocean
The refuse in Mama’s belly
The money in Mama’s mouth
The melting ice caps releasing variants
Mama’s heating up
Mama’s a pissed off hellscape
Mama’s asking what do you do when a child star explodes?
Mama’s last born is on YouTube suckling data
To feed the family

Mama wonders why bell hooks never saw 70 and how Winnie couldn’t live at least as long as Nelson
Mama is Shailja Patel, Assata Shakur, Stella Nyanzi, and Mona Eltahawy writing on the edge of the blade
Mama plays hopscotch on national borders
Mama is ungovernable terrain
Mama is death’s favourite lover
Mama is Henrietta Lacks’s blood in vaccines they won’t share
Mama’s comorbidities are 4C hair, commodified fertility, and soil so rich Mama can’t own it
Mama’s working extra shifts to buy herself back
Mama’s in her overdraft paying antiBlack tax
Mama’s talking to the therapist in her mind
About Auschwitz, Amazon and Palestine
Mama’s work keeps everyone alive
But they won’t call Mama a genius
They made Mama famous
And acted like it was a substitute
For being free

Atlas, what do you know
About carrying the world
Mama’s war makes
Myths out of men
Life from man’s rib
Lies from men’s pens
So that we would never gaze
Into Mama
And call her
God

Lebogang Mashile is an actor, writer and poet

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