Poets Across the Generations IV:Amiri Baraka and Marvin Tate

Amiri Baraka is a poet, dramatist, political activist. He has published some 13 volumes of poetry, two books of fiction and nine non-fiction works, including the classic study of Black music, Blues People. His Dutchman won the OBIE award in 1964 as the Best American play. Founder of the Black Arts Repertory Theater School in Harlem in 1965 and Spirit House in Newark in 1966, both of which were catalysts in the 60?s Black Arts Congress of African Peoples beginning in the late 60?s and led a drive which elected Newark?s first Black Mayor. Braka?s most recent publication?s are: Y?s/Why?s/Wise: The Griot?s Tale (Third World ?95); Transbluesencey: Selected Poetry 65-95 (Marsilio ?96); Funk Lore, Recent Poetry (Littoral, ?96); and Eulogies (Marsilo, ?97). In the Fall, Third World Press is publishing a collection of essays, Black People & Jessie Jackson.

Marvin Tate is the author of Schoolyard of Broken Dreams (Tia Chucha Press). His poems, rants, chants and all-out funklings have been heard on National Public Radio, the McNeil/Lehrer News Hour, and at Lollapalooza. He was the host and producer of his own local talk/variety show, ?Talk a Rioty.? He has recorded with the band ?Uptighty? and has released his own spoken work disc, ?Partly Cloudy? and on ?A Shake In the Heart? (Tia Chucha Press). He will be releasing a new CD with word/theater/funk band, D-Settlement called ?The Minstrel Show,? a compilation of spookydubfunk and spoken word jammies. Marvin is diligently trying to finish his second book of poetry, The Amazing Mr. Orange.

Poets Across the Generations, now in its fourth year, features on the same stage writers who have developed their voice and honed their skills during different periods. The generations represented have ranged from poets who experienced the great depression to those influenced by the Grunge Movement and Hip-Hop. Poets not only recite their work, but also discuss the links and distinctions between their generations, placing their writing in context based on their influences and the conditions in which their poetry emerged. This series is supported by funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Mayer, Morris Kaplan Family Foundation.