Umass Black Arts Conference

Art & Power in Movement

An International Conference Rethinking the Black Power and Black Arts Movements

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Conference Program (subject to change)

Thursday

4.00 pm	Melba Boyd talk on Dudley Randall and Broadside Press at Du Bois Library
8:00 pm	Randy Weston Concert

Friday

8.00-8:30 am	LINCOLN CAMPUS CENTER, Auditorium Lobby Registration, Coffee/Tea & Fruit/Pastries
8:30-8:45 am	Opening Amilcar Shabazz
Concurrent Sessions Round I
8.45-10.00am	Amiri Baraka Panel Emahunn Raheem Ali Campbell, UMass “Specters of Marxism: The Marxian Influence on Amiri Baraka’s Cultural Nationalist Poetry” La Donna L. Forsgren, Defying Death: A Search for Black Manhood and the True Black Woman in Amiri Baraka’s Madheart and Martie Charles' Where We At? Mohammad Aljayyousi, Indiana University of PA “Poems That Scream: Orality / Aurality as a Form of Radicalism and Militancy in the Poetry of Amiri Baraka”
8.45-10.00am	International Panel Grace Hampton and Mark Alan Herrin, Penn State “Festac 77 - A Cultural Milestone” Elizabeth Kai Hinton, Columbia University “Nixon’s War on Drugs and the Militarization of the Los Angeles Police Force: 1968-1973.” Robeson Frazier, University of California, Berkeley “The Limits of Tricontinental Solidarity” Samir Meghelli, Columbia University “The Battle From Algiers: Transnational Solidarities and The End of Black Power Abroad” Matthew Birkhold, SUNY Binghamton “Nothing But Negation: Black Power, New Communism, and the World-Economy”
8.45-10.00am	BAM and Genre Studies John P. Bowles, University of North Carolina “The African American Performance Art Archive: Documenting Collaboration Collaboratively” Lloren Foster, Western Kentucky University ‘Consciousness and the Short Story” Aimee Glocke, University of Wyoming “Is the Black Aesthetic Dead?: Positing the Black Aesthetic as the Foundation for the Black Novel” Lars Lierow, George Washington University “The “Black Man's Vision of the World:” Rediscovering Black Arts Filmmaking and the Struggle for a Black Cinematic Aesthetic
Plenary Session
10.15-11.45am	Music Roundtable John Bracey, moderator Randy Weston Glen Siegel Terri Jenoure Frederick Tillis
Luncheon Plenary
12.00-1.45pm	Malcolm X Roundtable Bill Strickland Sonia Sanchez Rickey Hill James Turner Haki Madhubuti
2.00-3.15pm	SNCC Plenary Ekeueme Michael Thelwell Judy Richardson Charlie Cobb
Concurrent Sessions Round IV
3.30-4:45pm	Women and BAM/Black Power Zahra Caldwell, UMass, “Black Power Foremother: Abby Lincoln, Music, Image, Representation And Black Womanhood in the 1960’s” Julie Burrell, UMass “A New Nation: Alice Childress Re-scripts Black Nationalism” Renee M. Kingan, College of William and Mary “Taking It Out!”: Jayne Cortez’s Collaborations with The Firespitters Luo Lianggong, Central China Normal University “Grow to Be a BAM Womanist”: Sonia Sanchez’s Evolution in the Black Arts Movement
3.30-4:45pm	Ideology, Politics, and Aesthetics Vanessa Fabien, UMass “The Black Arts Movement: The Performance of An Environmental Ethic Post Civil Rights” Donald Geesling, UMass “Survival Kits on Wax": Gil Scott-Heron, The Black Arts Movement, and the Poetics of Resistance in the Age of Nixon” Gary Holcolmb, Ohio University “Audre Lorde’s Queer Black Marxism: Reimagining Black Arts” Charles Nero, Bates College “The Black Arts Movement and the Black Gay Generation of 1986: The Case of Melvin W. Dixon; Poet, Scholar, Novelist “
3.30-4:45pm	Black Power, BAM, and Ethnic Studies Kedong Liu and Li Fu, Harbin Institute of Technology “Attitudes toward Tradition in North American Ethnic Literature” Matthew Calihman, Missouri State University “Ishmael Reed and White Ethnic Revivalism” Markeysha Davis, UMass “Implicating Whiteness: Black Arts Movement Poetry and the Attack on the White Ideal?
5:00-6:00pm	CAMPUS CENTER, Amherst Room (#1009) Keynote Address: Amiri Baraka
Dinner
8:00pm	FINE ARTS CENTER, BLACK BOX THEATRE Theatre reading of BAM Plays

Saturday

8.30-9.00am	LINCOLN CAMPUS CENTER, Auditorium Lobby Registration, Coffee/Tea & Fruit/Pastries
Concurrent Sessions Round V
9.00-10.15am	BP/BAM on Campus Martha Biondi, Northwestern University “The Black Revolution on Campus” Stefan Bradley, St. Louis University "Black Student Power at Columbia University, 1967- 1969." Tina Pierce, Denison University “A Call for Black Power: A Political Analysis of Black Student Insurgency at The Ohio State University from 1969 to 1970” Dexter Blackman, Loyola Marymount “We are men first, athletes second”: Black Student- Athletes and the Black Students Movement in the Age of Black Power
9.00-10.15am	RNA Panel Amilcar Shabazz, UMass Ahmed Obafemi, Community Activist Christian Davenport, Notre Dame Akinyele Umoja, Georgia State University Edward Onac, University of Illinois Paul Karolczyk, Louisiana State University
Concurrent Sessions Round VI
10.30-11.45am	New Scholarship Panel Peniel Joseph, Tufts University Margo Crawford, Cornell University William Strickland, UMass Ibram H. Rogers, Rutgers University Chair: James Smethurst, UMass
10.30-11.45am	Print Culture I Jonathan Fenderson, UMass “Renovating the Black World: Afro-Modern Festivities & Black Arts Internationalism, 1966-1977” Seth Markle, Trinity College “Reading for the Revolution: Drum and Spear Bookstore, Africa and Black Power Constructions of Popular Memory” Chris Tinson, Hampshire College “Harlem, New York! Harlem, Detroit! Harlem, Birmingham!” – Liberator Magazine and the Chronicling of Translocal Activism, 1963-1967” Brian Purnell, Bowdoin College “Agitate, Educate, Organize:” Black News and the Intersection of Black Art and Black Power Politics, 1969- 1983”
Luncheon Plenary
12.00-1.45pm	CAMPUS CENTER, Amherst Room (#1009) KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Sonia Sanchez
Concurrent Sessions Round VII
2.00-3.15pm	Local People Candy Tate, Clark Atlanta University “Visualizing Cultural Politics: Atlanta’s Neighborhood Arts Center (1975-1990)” Rickey Hill, Mississippi State Valley “The Bogalusa Movement: Self-Defense and Black Power In the Civil Rights Struggle” Kenneth R. Janken, University of North Carolina “The Several Faces of Black Power in Eastern North Carolina: The Case of the Wilmington Ten,” Ashley Farmer, Harvard University “Working Towards the Community is Our Full-Time Focus: Muriel Snowden, Black Power, and the Freedom House, Roxbury, MA”
2.00-3.15pm	Continuing the Legacy: Artists and Aesthetics of the Black Arts Movement in Dialogue with Contemporary African American Artists and Artistic Practice Lydia Diamond, Boston University Kirsten Greenidge, Playwright Marcus Gardley, UMass Djola Branner, Hampshire College Priscilla Page, UMass Michael Simanga, Fulton County Arts Council
2.00-3.15pm	Print Culture II Zachary Manditch-Prottas, Columbia University “The Revolution Will be Published: The Role of Prison Literature within the Black Power Movement” Ryan Burt, University of Washington ‘We publish black … for Africans here’: Amiri Baraka, Maulana Karenga, Haki Madhubuti and the Creation of an African Public Sphere” Tim Robinson, Old Dominion University “Society of Umbra and Umbra Magazine” Trevor Joy Sangrey, UC Santa Cruz “Politics on Paper: Origins and uses of pamphlet literature in the Black Power Movement”
Tribute to Writers & Poets Session
3.30-5:00pm	CAMPUS CENTER Authors giving readings & book signings
5:00-6:15pm	Plenary Panel: Legacies of Black Power and Black Arts Judy Richardson Amiri Baraka Sonia Sanchez Nelson Stevens Eugene Redmond
DINNER On Your Own

Hundreds Rally In Oakland To Support Oscar Grant « CBS San Francisco- News, Sports, Weather, Traffic and the Best of SF

Hundreds Rally In Oakland To Support Oscar Grant « CBS San Francisco- News, Sports, Weather, Traffic and the Best of SF

DR Congo women march against rape - Africa - Al Jazeera English

DR Congo women march against rape - Africa - Al Jazeera English


It is not only women in the Congo who are raped by soldiers from varying armies, but even in the US army 30% of the female soldiers claim sexual assault.

next

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4 teens held in Berkeley, Oakland shotgun holdups

4 teens held in Berkeley, Oakland shotgun holdups

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(10-21) 09:56 PDT BERKELEY --

Four men allegedly responsible for a rash of holdups in Berkeley and Oakland have been arrested and charged, police said.

Keiarris Hall, 18, of Antioch, Brynell Polk, 19, of Berkeley and twin brothers Michael Anthony Glover and Markell Antwan Glover, both 18 and from Richmond, used a shotgun to rob victims in different parts of Berkeley, police Sgt. Mary Kusmiss said.

The four robbed a victim on the 1300 block of Cedar Street in North Berkeley about 7:50 p.m. Oct. 13 and robbed another person at Russell and Wheeler streets about two hours later, Kusmiss said.

Also that night, a person was robbed by shotgun-toting suspects at Hudson Street and Boyd Avenue in North Oakland. A witness in that holdup gave police a description of the robbers' car as well as a partial license plate number, Kusmiss said.

On Oct. 14, Berkeley police Sgt. Brian Wilson and Officer Peter Lee spotted a car at Prince and King streets that matched the description of the car from the North Oakland holdup. They arrested the suspects and found property belonging to the robbery victims inside, Kusmiss said

Response from those who know them:

(Teacher) Response#1
I am from Oakland and I taught four of these young men as their teacher in Berkeley. It's so easy to look from the outside in and make sweeping judgements. As someone who has interacted with these men, I am here to reveal a little secret: All of them are polite and respectful. They came to visit me and some of the other teachers earlier this year. One of them I used to playfully call "my son." I looked out for him (and the others) to the best of my ability. They, like you, like me, and like any other person in this world, made choices based on their understanding or misunderstanding about life and themselves. They didn't murder anyone. ( In fact, they never got into a fight at school. ) They will likely be punished more severely than their caucasian peers in a similar situation. That ought to be consolation for those who judge their blackness as part of their crime. As for me, I see their humanity and know that they are still beautiful people.

(Student) Response#2
Okay now i dont know this boys, but i feel like yall going blowing this way out of proportion, and you guys are being some hypocrites, just because some young African Americans do something bad they have to be from Oakland, Im from Oakland as well as my brother is from Oakland but we not all criminals. These four young men made a mistake but dont everybody make a mistake i mean everybody isnt perfect. I say help them learn from what they have done. They should pay for thier consequnces but they shouldnt be tortured. Thats all i have to say, really you guys should just fall back and leave these young males alone.

(Teacher) Response #3
I know all four of these young men personally. In fact we here at B-Tech High School are in the building. We in the library right now reviewing all y'alls racists ignorant and retarded comments. This is the reason we label all of you Nazi's. The youth know how y'all feel about them and its Fonk forever. I'm confident that the younger people will make this world a better place, regardless what y'all think.

(Student) Response #4
I'm speaking as a student at B-Tech High School , and I find this very offense towards the young men especially because of the color of their skin. People have done worse than what these four have done and you guys are saying they should be tortured over a robbery?. Really you guys find something better else to do than blame the color of their skin and their backgrounds against what they have done. And answer this...if you are speaking up saying what were not doing , then what the hell are you doing to help us?

(Teacher) Response #5
Shame on all of you who threw these kids out a long time ago. You gave up on them as children. Your hatred and racism demonstrate that you don't know any of these kids at all. As a teacher who works with these kids every day, I know the good in them. I also know that you abandoned them a long time ago. I suppose they were left with the feeling, What the hell? -- if you can't join them, rob them. They committed horrible crimes but you all did too. You prejudge, give up, run scared, name call and bate today's youth of color and then act surprised by their actions. In my mind, you are as rotten as they are!

(Student) Response #6
you people are acting like they killed some one. i bet y'all wasn't say these awful things about Johannes Mehserle when he killed innocent (OSCAR GRANT) this is sooooo terrible. i Cant believe im in a world with all these wicked people. wishing and hoping gross and hurtful thing on young People..brain washers!!!!!!!!

Viva Palestina convoy reaches Gaza - Middle East - Al Jazeera English

Viva Palestina convoy reaches Gaza - Middle East - Al Jazeera English

Preview #18, Journal of Pan African Studies, Poetry Issue

Preview #18, Journal of Pan African Studies, Poetry Issue

Guest Editor, Marvin X

Darlene Roy, East St. Louis IL

BAM Baptized

Considering the impact of the

Black Arts Movement (BAM)

Words filter’d through bluesy, jazzy and gospely

truths, flowed like lava from radical tongues

of born again scribes. Loosed from bowin’

heads or steppin’ back, BAM poets rose

as bold, black lights show-casing our

thangs and gains, blowin’ open doors to

let our real-nest come oozin’ out.

Darlene Roy

©February 12, 2010

DARLENE DUNCAN SWANSON ROY

Mother, retired social service administrator, East St. Louis native, Eugene B. Redmond Writers Club’s co-founder and President, Darlene Roy is an associate editor of Drumvoices Revue; and designer/ co-convener of literary programming. Her poetry having appeared in numerous publications, with two poems featured on Metro Link, she has authored one chapbook, Soon One Morning and other Poems. Roy has performed on radio, television, at universities and conferences throughout the United States.

BAM poet Nikki Giovanni will be in the Bay this Saturday, October 23 for the Marcus Books 50th Anniversary at the Black Repertory Group Theatre along with J. California Cooper. Reception at 5pm.

BAM Poets: The Last Poets and Marvin X, joined by Ayodele Nzingha

of the Lower Bottom Playaz in West Oakland

Pious Okoro, Chicago IL

I, TOO, AM A BROTHER

I plead to be heard

I too am a brother

The one, who was spared

The sea experience

But made it to the land

By air, not scared of heights

The brother oft interrupted

With the question

Where are you from?

Oft complimented by others

With words that are pregnant

I like your accent

And from the ones not schooled

Can you speak English?

I am the brother

Still holding on to his name

After everyone has dropped theirs

Sentenced to the same question

Over and again

How do you pronounce your name?

© Pious Okoro

I am a poet, art illustrator and an educator with the Chicago public school, whose works have been published in journals and newspapers in the USA, Europe and Nigeria. Also, I won the Gwendolyn Brooks poetry awards in 1998.

Anthony Spires, Oakland CA

THE COLDEST DOUBLE STANDARD

There’s a plague in the land,

And it’s killin’ like cancer,

I’ve searched high and low,

Haven’t found an answer,

After all we’ve been through,

I deserve an answer,

Why do we hold our own people to

The Coldest Double Standard?

How they make us “do” us?

What’s that-a lame excuse?

“How they make us “do” us?

It’s psychological abuse-

What’s the use?

Where’s the proof,

That we can’t stand up against it?

We fall for the okey-doke

Time and time again,

You laugh at their nigger jokes,

And still want to be their friend,

Where’s it end?

How can we win-goin’ out like that?

They treat us like rats without cages,

Don’t need no traps,

I’m a poet, but I wish I could rap,

Cause I’d probably save more people,

If I could, I’d holla’,

Make em’ open wide and swalla’

Make them pop their collas’ and dance,

But this is how I do it,

I’m takin this chance.

Big incentives for a brutha

To do business with the utha,

Not with his own folks,

Who put a hot one in hope’s head?

Drug him to a ditch,

And left him there for dead?

You heard what I said,

No use tryin’ to save him,

Cause bruthas’ been warned,

Like we were born foreign,

In the very place we call home-

Yo, leave me alone,

While I try to clear my head,

Meanwhile, hope is nearly dead,

From what they called “a misunderstanding,”

He refused to be misled.

While the children of light sleep,

They’re up plottin’ and plannin’,

Doin’ you rotten, chillin’ and tannin’

Mom’s a nervous wreck,

She knows what they’ll do,

To keep you in check,

To keep you in pocket,

Why you tryin’ that door?

I told you-they locked it,

Now you’re in the open,

It’ll take more than soap ‘n’

Water to make their hands clean,

Don’t jump in front of that car

Like a dope fiend,

You’re makin’ it too easy,

For them to finish you off,

You can scoff

At this game if you want to.

(But I wouldn’t if I were you)

See, I tried walking through the door,

But somebody locked it on me too,

How you gonna’ do me worse,

Than they do you?

Than you would treat an enemy,

You even charge higher interest,

When you lend to me,

Just like they do,

No, you do me worse,

A multi-generational curse,

Of underestimation,

But I thought it was us who built this nation?

We’re dying from cultural starvation,

Deadlier than his promises

or his invisible, poisonous chains,

But you know they lookout for their own-

I’m makin’ it as plain as I can-

You manage the bank

Won’t give me a loan,

Left me out here on my own,

If you can’t do me right-

Just leave me alone,

I’ll make it without you,

But I wish we’d collabo-

Let me holla at you, bro,

We’d go farther together,

Ever been on a team?

I have a scheme,

I want it to sound positive,

But I have nightmares-not dreams,

It’s been this way from jump,

But now it’s more diabolical,

I wasn’t put on this earth to get chumped

Down by those who would put me to sleep.

See, the deck’s been stacked against us,

From the first day they saw us,

Saw our Motherland,

Saw us kickin’ it in the tropical sands,

Our beaches, our Pyramids,

Our glorious African ports,

They came and built forts…

Where we shipped Civilization to all mankind,

Somebody said, “No Child gets left behind,”

Well, I’m grown,

So how about me?

What’s the plan to “give me free?”

We give them mad respect and more,

Assuming I work for him,

Not knowing the score,

Couldn’t he work for me?

I may not be free,

But I can sign a check,

And make sure that it’s good,

Just because I’m from the hood,

Don’t knock my hustle, pimpin’,

Don’t disrespect my gansta,

The dap we give him,

Let’s give to each other,

You know me,

I’m your brother,

But it don’t seem to matter,

We stayin’ lean,

They straight gettin’ fatter,

Cause we put them first,

Before our own,

I know I just told you to leave me alone,

I know I just told you, “ you Negro, I’m grown!”

But I still need my people,

I’d rather deal with my own,

I still need my blood-

Gotta stop draggin’ our family,

Through somebody else’s mud.

There’s a famine in the land,

And it’s killin’ like cancer,

I’ve searched high and low,

Haven’t found an answer,

After all we’ve been through,

I deserve an answer,

Why we hold our own people to

The Coldest Double Standard?

© Anthony D. Spires aka Phruishun 12/10/06

TONY SPIRES BIOGRAPHY

A graduate of San Francisco State University, Tony Spires is a filmmaker, longtime theatre artist, award-winning playwright, critically acclaimed director and co-writer of the NAACP Award nominated, “Ali: The Man, The Myth, The Peoples’ Champion. Tony’s feature films include: The Pan African Film Festival’s Best Feature nominated “Tears Of A Clown,” starring Don “D.C.” Curry and the gritty, urban crime drama “Two Degrees.” He’s the Founder/Executive Producer of The Bay Area Black Comedy Competition & Festival and Founder/creative force behind Oakland, CA-based youth performing arts organization, Full Vision Arts Foundation.. His poetry has been published nationally and has been performed in numerous professional stage plays and musical productions. He’s a self-taught musician and a long-time live event producer and personal manager to some of comedy’s brightest talents. He’s also the featured columnist for Humor Mill Magazine.