CALL FOR PAPERS
Poetry, Philosophy & Enterprise
February 14, 2003
Howard University
Washington, DC
The Department of English at Howard University announces a one-day
conference in celebration of the works and achievement of Haki Madhubuti.
Haki Madhubuti -- the revolutionary poet, critic and essayist -- "attempts
to give all Blacks a sense of unity, purpose, and direction, so that they
may finally finish their ‘history’ on a successful note," says Marlene
Mosher, literary critic. For Madhubuti, his poetry is "like a razor; it's
sharp and will cut deep, not out to wound but to kill the inactive Black
mind." Madhubuti, originally named Don L. Lee, was born in Little Rock,
Arkansas in 1942 and raised in Detroit, Michigan. He started writing poetry
in the early sixties. In 1963, as Don L. Lee, he enrolled at Crane Junior
College, eventually obtaining an M.A. in Fine Arts from the University of
Iowa. After his two successful books, Thinking Black (1967) and Black Pride
(1968), he resolved to make a full-time writer of himself. From 1970 to
1978, he was a writer-in residence at Howard University. At Howard, he
taught the Black cultural value system that he thought African Americans
should adopt. To help fledgling writers receive literary recognition, in
1967 he founded the Third World Press. In addition, he became executive
director of the Institute of Positive Education.
In Black communities where Madhubuti reads his poetry, he is hailed as one
of the leading Black Nation Builders. His street-talking staccato style
enchants many. "His lines rumble like a street gang on the page," observes
critic Liz Gant. "His startling metaphor, variations of refrain, unexpected
turns-of-phrases, wordplay, and staccato repetitions combine to produce an
impact that keeps audiences spellbound." The number of books he has sold in
Black communities reflects his success and popularity as a poet. In 1971, he
sold more books of poetry (approximately 250,000 copies) than all the Black
poets who came before him.
This is a call for papers on the prolific poet, philosopher, and contributor
to African-American Literary Culture, Haki Madhubuti. The Heart’s Day
Conference at Howard University seeks comparative scholarship on Haki
Madhubuti’s literary work, development of African-American Aesthetics, and
offerings to the education of Black people in America.
Topics to be considered but not limited to are Haki Madhubuti as:
- Poet
- Philosopher
- Publisher
- Artist/Educator
Deadline for receipt of abstracts (300 to 500 words) and proposals is
December 12, 2002, and must include your name, affiliation, address, and
telephone number or email address.
Dr. Gregory Hampton
Assistant Professor of English
Howard University
2400 Sixth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20059
For more information, please contact Dr. Gregory Hampton at
ghampton@howard.edu or Dr. Malik McCluskey at mmcluskey@howard.edu.
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or write Erika Lin: elin@english.upenn.edu
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