Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Marvin X Now Available for Readings, Lectures, performance







photo Don J. Usner

Marvin X produced the 80th Birthday Celebration of his elder, Dr. Nathan Hare, at Geoffrey's
Inner Circle, Saturday, April 13, 2013

Marvin X speaks on Black Theatre 

University of California, Merced 

May 30, 2013


Marvin X will discuss his plays Flowers for the Trashman and One Day in the Life. Flowers for the Trashman was produced by the Drama Department at San Francisco State University, 1965, while he was an undergrad.
One Day in the Life is a docudrama of his addiction and recovery from Crack, 1996. It includes his last meeting with Black Panther co-founder Huey P. Newton in a West Oakland Crack house. Ishmael Reed says, "One Day in the Life is the most powerful drama I've seen!"


Born days be the best days! Cali's Peoples's Poet WordSlanger and her mentor Marvin X.

Dr. Ayodele Nzinga, Marvin X's top student who directed and performed his play In the Name of Love, Laney College Theatre, Oakland, 1981. Years later she directed and performed his play One Day in the Life, 1996-2002, the longest running African American drama in Northern California. Dr. Nzinga now has her own theatre The Lower Bottom Playaz in West Oakland. She recently produced and directed his classic Flowers for the Trashman, a one act first produced at San Francisco State University, 1965, while Marvin was an undergraduate.







Marvin X speaks at the University of Houston, Africana Studies Department

Dr. James Conyers, Chair, Africana Studies Dept, University of Houston and Marvin X




Black Power Babies, Brooklyn NY
Black Power Babies and parents, Left to Right: Michael Simmons, Aishah Shahidah Simmons,
Amiri Middy Baraka, Jr., Bunmi Samuels, Muhammida El Muhajir, Marvin X, Oba Adefunmi II,
Mrs. Amina Baraka, Nisa Ra, Aaliyah Madyun, Malika Iman, Barbara Rivera and daughter.
Black Power Babies, produced by Muhammida El 


Dr. Molefe Asante, Mrs. Amina Baraka, Marvin X, Amiri Baraka, Jr., Kenny Gamble

Black Power Babies in Philly w/ Marvin X, Amina Baraka, Amiri Middy BarakaMolefi Kete AsanteMichael Coard, Lois Fernandez + Bumi Fernandez. A Sun in Leo x 900AM WURD collaboration
Silencia Por Favor


It is only when we reach this age
we come to see we know nothing
knowing is beginning
yet it is The End
and so we begin and end with ignorance
it is the only thing we can claim for sure
ignorance and illusion
we are sure about this
after all the women, wine, dope, money
illusion
momentary passions in the night
early morn
things unsatisfied
things eternally oppositional
The moment can transcend the moment into the eternal
and if we don't get there so what
let's have ease after difficulty
no oppositional personality
silencia por favor.
no words can cover all the years tears fears
silencia por favor.
--El Muhajir (Marvin X)
3-28-13


The Best of Marvin X 


on KPOO Radio, San Francisco

Marvin X reads and interviewed by Sister Pam Pam, KPOO Radio, San Francisco.

 Files (10 MB) | Download All
Marvin X  
now available 
readings/lecturers: 
jmarvinx@yahoo.com
510-200-4164


Marvin X interviewed at the Black Power Babies Conversation, Philadelphia, PA.


He also participated in the Black Love Lives Conference (produced by Nisa Ra), University of Penn, reading with Philly's living legend, pianist Alfie Pollitt, at the Cleft Jazz Club. 




Marvin X  
now available 
readings/lecturers: 
jmarvinx@yahoo.com
510-200-4164


Eldridge Cleaver: My friend the Devil, 

a memoir by Marvin X 

Black Bird Press, Berkeley CA 2009

Marvin X wrote his memoir of Eldridge Cleaver in three weeks, posting a chapter per day on the internet.
See www.nathanielturner.com. 

The Wisdom of Plato Negro 
parables/fables

"Marvin X is Plato teaching on the streets of Oakland."--Ishmael Reed

His most recent book is The Wisdom of Plato Negro, parables/fables, Black Bird Press, Berkeley, 2012. President Davis and Reginald James, students at Marvin X's Academy of da Corner, Oakland
President is now at Howard University, Reginald at UC Berkeley. Pictured at Sankofa Books, Washington DC.




Two Founders of The Black Arts Movement: East Coast/West Coast





Marvin X opened for Keyshia Cole with a poem.




Fly to Allah is the seminal work in Muslim American literature, 1968.

Marvin X and his mentor, the legendary poet-philosopher-musician Sun RA


Writings in Anthologies

The writings of Marvin X appear in the anthologies Black Fire, New Plays from the Black Theatre,  Let Loose on the World, Bum Rush the Pages, Mumia,  Black California; the forthcoming Stand Our Ground and the forthcoming D'jango. He edited a Journal of Pan African Studies Poetry issue. He is project director of the Community Archives Project and teaches at Academy of da Corner, 14th and Broadway, downtown Oakland.

Marvin X's most famous play Flowers for the Trashman appears in Black Fire, 
along with his most famous poem on the 1965 Los Angeles riot/rebellion 
Burn, Baby, Burn!



Book Description

April 5, 2007  1574780395  978-1574780390
The defining work of the Black Arts Movement, Black Fire is at once a rich anthology and an extraordinary source document. Nearly 200 selections, including poetry, essays, short stories, and plays, from over 75 cultural critics, writers, and political leaders, capture the social and cultural turmoil of the 1960s. In his new introduction, Amiri Baraka reflects nearly four decades later on both the movement and the book.

New Plays from the Black Theatre, 
edited with an introduction (interview by Marvin X) 
by Ed Bullins
Bantam, New York, 1968

From top left: Herbert Stokes, Ben Caldwell, Salimu, Charles Fuller, Sonia Sanchez, LeRoi Jones, Ed Bullins, Marvin X, N. R. Davidson, Jr.

Bum Rush the Page 


is a groundbreaking collection, capturing the best new work from the poets who have brought fresh energy, life, and relevance to American poetry.

“Here is a democratic orchestration of voices and visions, poets of all ages, ethnicities, and geographic locations coming together to create a dialogue and to jam–not slam. This is our mouth on paper, our hearts on our sleeves, our refusal to shut up and swallow our silence. These poems are tough, honest, astute, perceptive, lyrical, blunt, sad, funny, heartbreaking, and true. They shout, they curse, they whisper, and sing. But most of all, they tell it like it is.” 
–Tony Medina, from the Introduction









Marvin X, Dr. Julia Hare, Dr. Nathan Hare and Attorney Amira Jackmon, Senior Agent of the Community Archives Project. The project is agent for the Dr. Julia Hare and Dr. Nathan Hare archives. Stanford University has requested to view the Hare papers for possible acquisition.


L to R: Marvin X, daughter Muhammida El Muhajir, Dr. Julia Hare, Nisa Ra, mother of Muhammida, and Dr. Nathan Hare. Nisa Ra interviewed the Hares for her film project Black Love Lives.
photo Gregory Fields


Marvin X  
now available 
readings/lecturers: 
jmarvinx@yahoo.com
510-200-4164




Stand Our Ground: Poems for Trayvon Martin & Marissa AlexanderTitle: Stand Our Ground:Poems for Trayvon Martin and Marissa Alexander
Publisher: FreedomSeed Press (Philadelphia, PA)
Paperback, 272 pages
Publication Date: April 22, 2013 (Pre-Order Now)
$25.00
All proceeds will be shared with the families of Martin and Alexander to aid in their respective pursuits of justice.
Stand with us! This will be a limited publication run. Purchase your copy today!
Stand Our Ground is available online exclusively at StandOurGroundBook.com.
Contact: Ewuare X. Osayande
StandOurGroundBook@gmail.com



Black California








Book Description

March 1, 2011
150 years of the California African American experienceBlack California is the first comprehensive anthology celebrating black writing through almost two centuries of Californian history. In a patchwork quilt pieced from poetry, fiction, essays, drama, and memoirs, this anthology traces the trajectory of African American writers. Each piece gives a voice to the resonating rhythms that created the African American literary tradition in California. These voices speak of dreams and disasters, of heroic achievements and tragic failures, of freedom and betrayal, of racial discrimination and subsequent restoration all setting the pulse of the black California experience.
Early works include a letter written by Pao Pico, the last Mexican governor of California; an excerpt from mountain man, freed slave, and honorary Crow Indian James Beckwourth; and a poem written by James Madison Bell and recited to a public gathering of black people commemorating the death of President Lincoln. More recent contributions include pieces from beat poets Ted Joans and Bob Kaufman, Black Panther Eldridge Cleaver, Black Arts Movement poet Marvin X, comedian Brian Copeland, and feminists Lucille Clifton and June Jordan.




Marvin X, aka Plato Negro,  at Academy of da Corner, seated beside him is Prof of Legal Affairs, Gregory Fields.

Academy student Jermaine Marsh, Civil Rights attorney Walter Riley, Blues living legend Sugarpie de Santo and Marvin X at Academy of da Corner, 14th and Broadway, downtown Oakland.


Oakland Post Newspaper publisher Paul Cobb and Marvin X. Paul and Marvin are childhood friends from West Oakland. Pictured at  Academy of da Corner. "Paul knows more stories about my father than I do."
photo Attorney Walter Riley


Marvin X  
now available 
readings/lecturers: 
jmarvinx@yahoo.com
510-200-4164

 Black Panther Co-founder Bobby Seale and Marvin X celebrating Black History Month at the Joyce Gordon Gallery
Bobbly Seale, Huey Newton and Marvin X attended Merritt College
where they engaged in self study to gain revolutionary Black consciousness, 1962


 Juan Quinoez, Amina Baraka, Amiri Baraka, Marvin X
New York City, 2013

Amira, Nefertiti, Muhammida and father Marvin X


 Marvin and Fred Hampton, Jr

 Marvin X and violinist Tarika Lewis

Marvin X and fan at Howard University, Black Power to Hip Hop Conference, 2012
She insisted on posing with the poet holding a copy of his most controversial pamphlet:
The Mythology of Pussy and Dick--a manual for a male/female rites of passage

Tuesday, May 22, 2012



Marvin X at the Malcolm X Jazz Festival, Oakland, May 19, 2012.
photo by Pendarvis Harshaw

A beautiful day in the Bay for Black people and the socalled People of Color.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

by anzinga
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
By August Wilson
Presented by: Prescott Joseph Center For Community Enhancement
Starring: The Lower Bottom Playaz
Directed by: Ayodele Nzinga
The Prescott Joseph Center For Community Enhancement is proud to present August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, starring The Lower Bottom Playaz, under the direction of Ayodele Nzinga. The play will open at The Sister Thea Bowman Memorial Theater, on July 13th and run though the 22nd of July. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is the first of two works by Wilson slated to be directed by Nzinga as a part of Theater in the Yard, Season 11.
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is the third of the Pittsburg Cycle by Wilson to be presented at The Sister Thea Bowman Memorial Theater in West Oakland. Although Wilson’s Cycle is set for the most part in the Hill District of Pittsburg PA he sets this work on the South Side of Chicago. This work will not be “relocated” to West Oakland, as is Nzinga’s habit with work for The Lower Bottom Playaz. Audiences should be able to make the leap on their own. Chicago’s correlation to West Oakland as a migration destination along with the history of Chicago’s Black Belt and Oakland’s 7th St. as two of the countries important North American African musical centers is obvious. Both were stops on the “chitlin circuit” and in both the North American African community lived similar lives with identical constraints and motivations.
Wilson’s raw and gritty expose of the American music industry allows us to look at a community developed as a result of the Great Migration. The work is pushed by and pulled out of the music of people in transit on a quest to a life they can imagine but can not touch; it is the music of loss and desire. The music is a story in and of itself. But the people who bring the music are the heart of this piece. The story within the story is always as instructive as the main event in Wilson’s work. In the sorrowful funk and divine fury of the music there is a delicately etched study of humanity for us to consider if we want more than entertainment from our theater.
Wilson celebrates the complex existence of North American African men in North America. The story within the story in Ma Rainey is as timeless as is Wilson’s exploration of the exploitation ever present in the music industry. He looks at power relations, voice, injustice, and manhood in a series of beautifully lucid profiles of the men behind the music. Wilson wants us to have a front row seat, he invites us to walk into the angst, anger, and hunger of the men in Ma Rainey, so we can walk out of the theater knowing something more about what resides in the spirit of men who walk our streets and live amongst us.
Join the Lower Bottom Playaz at The Sister Thea Bowman Memorial Theater in their celebration of America’s Shakespeare as they continue the tradition of Theater in the Yard, Season 11!
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
July 12, 13, 14, 15 & 20,21,22, 2012
Sister Thea Bowman Memorial Theater
Box Office: 510332-1319
920 Peralta St., Rear yard
Oakland CA 94607
Information: wordslanger@gmail.com
www.lowerbottomplayaz.com

Monday, May 14, 2012

Marvin X on Same Sex Marriage

We were taught the purpose of marriage was for the procreation of the species. If this is still the purpose of marriage, then we must be against same sex marriage, but if marriage is for love then it does not matter if the marriage is same sex or not. For sure, same sex couples cannot procreate the species, but they can fall in love and remain in love as long as straight couples. We think same sex couples, absent the procreation motive, have every right to marry, especially when we consider that 50% of straight marriages end in failure. Can the same sex couple do better, time shall tell. We know they don't do much better in the area of partner violence, verbal and emotional abuse. Shall we say they are simply normal human beings in this regard?

As per our President coming out in favor of same sex marriage, we expect a politician to be political, to evolve at the expeditious moment for political gain. Yet we must be truthful and recognize this is but another diversion from the very serious economic matters facing this nation. What do the homeless and jobless care about who's marrying whom? They have more important matters that approach life and death, thus they would have misplaced priorities to concern themselves with same sex marriage. The President should be inclined to concern himself with more pressing matters, especially since he only made a personal not policy statement.

Enter the reply from his worthy opponent Mich Romney, "I support marriage between a man and woman." Now we could believe this statement if it weren't from a Mormon, a religious group that still practices polygamy or plural marriage, if only on the down under. But if you are familiar with Mormons, we know many of them are hardly down under, they are open and unashamedly practicing their religion that did indeed ban polygamy officially many years ago.

Monkey Mind Media and "The First Gay President"

So the Monkey Mind Media that perpetuates the world of make believe is off and running with "The First Gay President," taking our minds completely off pressing economic issues. But we are too old to be concerned with what other people do in public or private, whether straight or gay/lesbian.

We must admit we like the natural order of things, though as an artist we are known to transcend the natural, so perhaps we should shut up since no one wants to hear what an old man thinks, especially one who has transcended so much of what normal people consider natural. Alas, my son cried, "Dad, why can't you drink like normal people!"

Today, though, much of what used to be natural is no longer such. Because of growth hormones in meat and other genetically altered foods, it is not surprising to find the emasculation of man and the masculation of females, i.e., black is white and white is black or the upside down world of today.

What we are alluding to is not solely sexual but political and economic. It is a political policy when women are entering colleges in great numbers and earning advance degrees while men, especially in the black community, are entering prison. Imagine the result of this social-sexual economic reality on the black family in particular. Not only are the prisons a breeding ground of homosexuality with the concomitant diseases, including HIV/AIDS, but such behavior is forcibly altering the sexual identity of men and women, for if the men are wards of the state, what choice do women have but to love each other, whether they want to or not? With men as prisoners of war, the women must bond with each other, often times for sexual and economic reasons. Yes, women are pimping these days, after all, brother pimp is doing twenty-five to life! Need we mention the economic independence of women in general. Even though black mothers have had to play the male role for, yes, centuries, it is even more pervasive today, to the extent the young women are saying, "He the baby mama, I'm the baby daddy. He stays at home babysitting while I work." Indeed, someone remarked recently how many young men can be seen on the streets pushing baby carriages during working hours.

Same Sex Chickens, Cows

Long ago we heard about animals, chickens, cows, turning homosexual. We know a diet of Big Macs and KFC is consequently altering the sexuality of our boys and girls. We know hormones are recycled in the water, and even chemical residue from plastic water bottles is polluting the water and  causing sex changes in those who drink it.

And finally, we must consider that we are at the end of an Age of Time, entering a new cycle that is bringing forth a new consciousness. The old patriarchy is giving way to a balance between the patriarchy and matriarchy or Ma'at. In this process of transformation, we must be aware of the crisis in sexual identity as men and women seek to put themselves in harmony with the universe. Although so much of the ancient teachings may be considered reactionary, we think manhood and womanhood rituals are urgently needed so our boys and girls have some understanding of gender roles. For sure, men must no longer think of women as their chattel property. And this must be true for same gender loving persons in general. 
--Marvin X
5/14/12




Huey Newton on Gays Rights

From: riverfl0w@riseup.net

http://hiphopandpolitics.wordpress.com/2012/05/11/looking-back-at-huey-newtons-thoughts-on-gay-rights-in-the-wake-of-obamas-endorsement/

Looking Back at Huey Newton’s Thoughts on Gay Rights…In the Wake of
Obama’s Endorsement

This was a speech given August 15, 1970 by Huey Newton co-founder of the
Black Panther Party. Here he addresses the issue of Gay Rights… It's
serious food for thought coming in the aftermath of President Obama
endorsing Same-sex Marriage…

Dr. Huey P. Newton

During the past few years strong movements have developed among women and among homosexuals seeking their liberation. There has been some
uncertainty about how to relate to these movements.

Whatever your personal opinions and your insecurities about
homosexuality and the various liberation movements among homosexuals
and women (and I speak of the homosexuals and women as oppressed
groups), we should try to unite with them in a revolutionary fashion.
I say ” whatever your insecurities are” because as we very well know,
sometimes our first instinct is to want to hit a homosexual in the
mouth, and want a woman to be quiet. We want to hit a homosexual in
the mouth because we are afraid that we might be homosexual; and we
want to hit the women or shut her up because we are afraid that she
might castrate us, or take the nuts that we might not have to start
with.

We must gain security in ourselves and therefore have respect and
feelings for all oppressed people. We must not use the racist attitude
that the White racists use against our people because they are Black
and poor. Many times the poorest White person is the most racist
because he is afraid that he might lose something, or discover
something that he does not have. So you’re some kind of a threat to
him. This kind of psychology is in operation when we view oppressed
people and we are angry with them because of their particular kind of
behavior, or their particular kind of deviation from the established
norm.

Remember, we have not established a revolutionary value system; we are
only in the process of establishing it. I do not remember our ever
constituting any value that said that a revolutionary must say
offensive things towards homosexuals, or that a revolutionary should
make sure that women do not speak out about their own particular kind
of oppression. As a matter of fact, it is just the opposite: we say
that we recognize the women’s right to be free. We have not said much
about the homosexual at all, but we must relate to the homosexual
movement because it is a real thing. And I know through reading, and
through my life experience and observations that homosexuals are not
given freedom and liberty by anyone in the society. They might be the
most oppresed people in the society.

And what made them homosexual? Perhaps it’s a phenomenon that I don’t
understand entirely. Some people say that it is the decadence of
capitalism. I don’t know if that is the case; I rather doubt it. But
whatever the case is, we know that homosexuality is a fact that
exists, and we must understand it in its purest form: that is, a
person should have the freedom to use his body in whatever way he
wants.

That is not endorsing things in homosexuality that we wouldn’t view as
revolutionary. But there is nothing to say that a homosexual cannot
also be a revolutionary. And maybe I’m now injecting some of my
prejudice by saying that “even a homosexual can be a revolutionary.”
Quite the contrary, maybe a homosexual could be the most
revolutionary.

When we have revolutionary conferences, rallies, and demonstrations,
there should be full participation of the gay liberation movement and
the women’s liberation movement. Some groups might be more
revolutionary than others. We should not use the actions of a few to
say that they are all reactionary or counterrevolutionary, because
they are not.

We should deal with the factions just as we deal with any other group
or party that claims to be revolutionary. We should try to judge,
somehow, whether they are operating in a sincere revolutionary fashion
and from a really oppressed situation. (And we will grant that if they
are women they are probably oppressed.) If they do things that are
unrevolutionary or counterrevolutionary, then criticize that action.
If we feel that the group in spirit means to be revolutionary in
practice, but they make mistakes in interpretation of the
revolutionary philosophy, or they do not understand the dialectics of
the social forces in operation, we should criticize that and not
criticize them because they are women trying to be free. And the same
is true for homosexuals. We should never say a whole movement is
dishonest when in fact they are trying to be honest. They are just
making honest mistakes. Friends are allowed to make mistakes. The
enemy is not allowed to make mistakes because his whole existence is a
mistake, and we suffer from it. But the women’s liberation front and
gay liberation front are our friends, they are our potential allies,
and we need as many allies as possible.

We should be willing to discuss the insecurities that many people have
about homosexuality. When I say “insecurities,” I mean the fear that
they are some kind of threat to our manhood. I can understand this
fear. Because of the long conditioning process which builds insecurity
in the American male, homosexuality might produce certain hang-ups in
us. I have hang-ups myself about male homosexuality. But on the other
hand, I have no hang-up about female homosexuality. And that is a
phenomenon in itself. I think it is probably because male
homosexuality is a threat to me and female homosexuality is not.

We should be careful about using those terms that might turn our
friends off. The terms “faggot” and “punk” should be deleted from our
vocabulary, and especially we should not attach names normally
designed for homosexuals to men who are enemies of the people, such as
Nixon or Mitchell. Homosexuals are not enemies of the people.

We should try to form a working coalition with the gay liberation and
women’s liberation groups. We must always handle social forces in the
most appropriate manner.