African American Read In Wonderful Salute to Black History Month

by Barbara Olivis

            The annual African American Read In at TSU has come and gone. It was held on February 8th in room 113 of the Humanities Building, and it seemed that the whole English department came out to participate. Every seat in the room was filled, and various students and staff read selections by the African American authors, poets, and the screen writers that inspire them. In short, the event was only an hour, but it was an empowering one.

             Dr. Jennifer Hayes got the event started with a foreword that described the origin of African American Read Ins. She continued with the first reading of the day; Alice Walker’s poem “Outcast.” There was a variation of literature that was read at the read in ranging from monologues, poems, letters, and even children’s literature that was written by TSU alumni. Some students even recited their own poems, or

poems of a friend. Someone even recited a poem that their child had written for a class in school. Other recitations of poems or stories included artists Maya Angelou, Sojourner Truth, Margaret Walker, Gwendolyn Brooks, Mari Evans, Langston Hughes, Nikki Giovanni, Lucille Clifton, Claude Mckay, Kai Davis, Paul Lawrence Dunbar and more.

            The African American Read In is not done without reason. “I think the significance of it is the fact that it exposes African American students and faculty to African American writers.” English major Joshua Bolden says. It is extremely important to honor the memory of African American writers, and it is very fitting for the readings to take place during the month of February.

            The African American Read in did exactly what Bolden said it would for me. I now have knowledge of several different authors that I had never heard works from. I also was informed that African American Read Ins happen all throughout that nation. I had not heard of the Read In before I went to TSU’s Read In. It was an enjoyable experience that was filled with community, knowledge and finger snapping.