Black Bird Press News & Review: Oakland's Black Arts Movement Business District honors Marvin X, BAM and BAMBD co-founder

Thursday, February 21, 2019

Oakland's Black Arts Movement Business District honors Marvin X, BAM and BAMBD co-founder

Saturu Ned and Marvin X discuss the Black Panther Party and the Black Arts Movement

at San Francisco Apple Store, Union Square, in celebration of Black History Month, 2019

Black Arts Movement and Black Arts Movement Business District co-founder Marvin X received the BAM Award and Reward from Dr. Ayodele Nzinga, founder of the BAMBD CDC and the Lower Bottom Playaz. The occasion was BAMFEST, the month long celebration of the Black Arts Movement Business District, established by the Oakland City Council, January 19, 2016. The poet/activist was honored last night at the Blue Dream, a venue at 1300 7th Street, West Oakland, the neighborhood where the poet grew up. Two of his childhood friends were present at the event: Tom Bowden and Leon Teasley. The poet read from his latest book Notes of Artistic Freedom Fighter Marvin X, accompanied by Dr. Nzinga, his former theater student at Laney College and actress in X's Recovery Theatre. San Francisco. They read A Fictional Interview with President Obama, Driving Miss Libby (Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf) and Ayo ended with Woman on the Cell Phone.

The poet will return to the Blue Dream in March. In March he will join poets reading at the San Francisco Main Library in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Black and Third World Strike at San Francisco State University.

West Coast Black Arts Movement associates, left to right: Cat Brooks, Marvin X, Dr. Ayodele Nzinga, Geoffery Grier, Cheryl Fabio, Tom Bowden and Eric Arnold
photo Adam Turner