Sunday, June 7, 2015

The Human Earthquake meets Dr. Nigger, poet Neal Hall, MD, author of the collection Nigger for Life


Black Arts Movement poet Marvin X and poet Dr. Neal Hall of Philadelphia attended the Sacramento Black Book Fair. When Dr. Hall came to Marvin's chatroom today, he asked the poet to read his classic Dr. Nigger, from his internationally acclaimed collection Nigger for Life. Dr. Hall travels to India on June 9, 2015. Marvin X says, "I am a Nigguh fa life!: Translated: I am a bad motherfucker and I will chop off yo motherfuckin head if you fuck wit me in the wrong way!"

The meeting of Marvin X and Neal Hall, Sacrament Black Book Festival

Several years back, I reached out to Mr. Marvin X via his Blackbird blog. Marvin was generous to promote me and my work, not only in a series of blog posts, but actually on the street corners of Oakland, California.  His favorite poem being Dr. Nigger. A poem that many have enjoyed/requested throughout my world travels.  Shortly thereafter, we became great email friends

After many years of corresponding, Marvin X and I met - face to face - for the first time at the Sacramento Black Book Festival. Needless to say during ”his” sessions to speak on his work, this giant of civil rights and activism took time to acknowledge me and my work before his audience. And if that was not enough, he called upon me to read Dr. Nigger before his audience; not once but on two separate occasions.  Such lead to extremely generous and heart-felt introductions to and accolades by other giants of civil rights and the black arts movement such as Prof. Eugene Redmond, Prof. Halifu Osumare and Poet, Gene Howell, Jr.

N

Neal Hall, M.D.
NealHallpoet.com



Saturday, June 6, 2015, The Black Arts Movement panel at the 
Sacramento Black Book Fair
Marvin X
Eugene Redmond
Halifu Osumare

Dr. Nigger on the Streets of Oakland



Dr. Nigger on the Streets of Oakland


When Oakland folks stop by Marvin X's Academy of da Corner at 14th and Broadway, crossroads of the East Bay, he let's them peruse Journal of Pan African Studies, Poetry issue--he was guest editor. The poems people like, they proceed to read aloud. To date, the most oft-read poem is Dr. Nigger by Philadelphia poet/physician Dr. Neal Hall, author of Nigger for Life, 2009.

Dr. Nigger

Dr. Nigger
Can you cure me without
touching me with nigga hands
Can you save my life
without changing my life
Can you dance soft-shoe while
humming those negro tunes
when my white life codes blue
Can you reach inside yourself
beyond the shit we put in you…
past painful moments we put in you…
past despair and hopelessness
we’ve put in you and
find that old black magic in you
to save my life without changing
all the shit we put in you
Dr. Nigger
Can you breathe in me
air free of nigga
from a nigger not free
to breathe in free air
Can you stay on the colored side
of the color line and reach across
without touching me with nigga hands
to restart my blue heart without
changing my cold heart
Can you reach past the life
we’ve taken from you to
save my life and not
let white life pass me by
Dr. Nigger
save my life
without taking my life
Cure me without
touching me with nigga hands
Dance soft-shoe while
humming negro tunes
while you save my life
without changing my life
when my white life codes blue
--Neal Hall, M.D.,
Copyright 2009




“…a warrior of the mind … a warrior of the spirit,
an activist, a poet.”
- Cornel West, Ph.D.

Neal Hall, M.D., graduate of Cornell and Harvard, ophthalmologist and poet, has published a critically acclaimed anthology of verse, Nigger For Life, reflecting his painful, later life discovery, that in “unspoken America,” race is the one thing on which he is “first” judged, by which he is “first” measured, “first”, against which his life and accomplishments are metered diminished value, dignity, equality and justice. All of which have everything to do with accessing choice, opportunity, power and freedom in America.

It’s no ordinary muse that has Dr. Hall becoming as much a part of his poetry as his poetry has become a part of him. Rather it’s a deep sense of betrayal combined with a passion for life that shows through. He can’t help but bare his intelligence, his wit and his dreams. His anthology is as confronting as it is illuminating, as disarming as it is thought provoking.

Two notable and well respected minds best describe why Nigger For Life is important and timely: Cornel West, Ph.D., (Princeton University) said of the book “…his poetry has the capacity to change ordinary people’s philosophy on social and racial issues”.

Beth Richie, Ph.D. (University of Illinois at Chicago) stated the “ … images and issues addressed in Nigger For Life are tremendously important to our [African American] people and the academic field of African American Studies”

Nigger For Life’s candid, gut wrenching clarity gives it it’s tremendous power and impact to provoke both thought and honest dialog regarding race, racism, equality and freedom, not just in America, but throughout the world. The book’s unique ability to open minds, touch hearts and change philosophies of ordinary people is immeasurable.

The body of poetry is extraordinary … meaningful beyond black and white, worthy of – down through the ages – analytical and academic study for their compelling, empowering commentary. Nigger for Life should be read, studied and included amongst the great poetry volumes written.

Nigger For Life can be obtained at: www.surgeonpoet.com
Email: info@NiggerForLifeBook.com
Online Interview at: www.caribbeanbookblog.wordpress.com.
Conversations LIVE! Radio http://conversationslive.blogspot.com




Marvin X was guest editor of the Journal of Pan African Studies poetry issue

 


The Journal of Pan African Studies
works to become a beacon of light in the sphere of African world community studies and research, grounded in an interdisciplinary open access scholarly peer-reviewed construct, simultaneously cognizant of the multilingualism of our audience, and the importance of universal access in cyberspace; regardless of geography, economic, social or cultural diversity.
::More Information
::Editorial Board
::Contact The JPAS

::Instructions for submitting a manuscript









CURRENT ISSUE


Volume 4 • Number 2 • 2010
This special issue of The Journal of Pan African Studies is edited by guest editor Marvin X and dedicated to Dingane aka Jose Goncalves, the publisher and editor of the Journal of Black Poetry, which has published some 500 poets.

Groundation


JPAS: Dedicated to Dingane, Jose Goncalves
by Marvin X
[ view PDF ]

The Poets
by Marvin X
[ view PDF ]

Letters to the Editor
[ view PDF ]

Dingane Joe Goncalves, The Journal of Black Poetry & Small Non-Commercial Black Journals
by Rudolph Lewis
[ view PDF ] [ view PDF ]


In My Negritude


Shaggy Flores, Ras Griot, Phavia Kujichagulia, Chinwe Enemchukwu, L. E. Scott, Rodney D. Coates, J. Vern Cromartie, Dike Okoro, Neal E. Hall, Marvin X, Mohja Kahf, Ayodele Nzingha, Askia M. Toure, Michael Simanga, Amiri Baraka, Kalamu ya Salaam, Kola Boof, Louis Reyes, Rivera, Aries Jordan, Ptah Allah El, and Hettie V. Williams
[ view PDF ]

Teaching Diaspora Literature: Muslim American Literature as an Emerging Field
by Mohja Kahf
[ view PDF ]

Mother Earth Responds by Askia Toure
reviewed by Kamaria Muntu
[ view PDF ]

Tainted Soul by T. Ptah Mitchell
reviewed by Zulu King
[ view PDF ]


The Whirlwind


Tracey Owens Patton, devorah major, Anthony Mays, Bruce George, Jeanette Drake, Itibari M. Zulu, Renaldo Manuel Ricketts, Nandi Comer, Al Young, Ghasem Batamuntu, Mona Lisa Saloy, Eugene B. Redmond, Fritz Pointer, Gwendolyn Mitchell, Felix Orisewike Sylvanus, Rudolph Lewis, Kamaria Muntu, Ed Bullins, Mabel Mnensa, Kwan Booth, and Tureeda Mikell
[ view PDF ]

Poetic Mission: A Dialogue on the Role of the Poet and Poetry
by Rudolph Lewis (dialogue team: Marvin X, Jerry Ward, Mary Weems, and C. Leigh McInnis)
[ view PDF ]

The Poetic Mission: Art II: Reviewing a Life, A Calling
by Haki R. Madhubuti
[ view PDF ]


Amour of Ancestors


Everett Hoagland, Charles Blackwell, Jacqueline Kibacha, John Reynolds III, Darlene Scott, Jimmy Smith Jr., Sam Hamud, Opal Palmer Adisa, Amy ‘Aimstar’ Andrieux, Lamont b. Steptoe, Avotcja Jiltonilro, Anthony Spires, Benecia Blue, Neil Callender, Tanure Ojaide, Pious Okoro, Tony Medina, Dr. Ja A. Jahannes, Brother Yao, Zayad Muhammad, Nykimbe Broussard, Kilola Maishya, Niyah X, Adrienne N. Wartts, Greg Carr, Darlene Roy, Tantra Zawadi, Ishmael Reed, Quincy Scott Jones, Bob McNeil, Ariel Pierson, Marie Rice, Yvonne Hilton, Bolade Akintolayo, Latasha Diggs, Felton Eaddy, and B. Sharise Moore
[ view PDF ]


Reviews, News, Views
Medical Mythologyby Ramal Lamar
[ view PDF ]

Qaddafy’s Apology for Arab Slavery: A Dialogue Between Poetsby Rudolph Lewis, Sam Hamud, and Kola Boof
[ view PDF ]

Prize and Award: Chinua Achebe and Haki R. Madhubuti
[ view PDF ]

Two Poets in Oakland: Ishmael Reed and Marvin Xby Ishmael Reed and Marvin X
[ view PDF ]

A Pan African Dialogue on Cuba: From Black Bird Pressby Dead Prez, Carlos Moore, Pedro de la Hoz, and North American African Activist, Intellectuals and Artist
[ view PDF ]

Black Arts West Celebrates Amiri Baraka at 75a photos essay by Kamau Amen-Ra
[ view PDF ]

Amiri Baraka Entertains SF: ‘Lowku’ versus Haiku Revives Fillmore Spiritby Lee Hubbard and Marvin X
[ view PDF ]

For a print version of Journal of Pan African Studies, Poetry issue, contact Black Bird Press, 1222 Dwight Way, Berkeley CA 94702, 475 pages, $49.95. Your donation supports Academy of da Corner, 14th and Broadway, downtown Oakland.

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