Black Poetry Day with NC Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green and Friends

Join NC Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green, Black poets, and city laureates from across the state for Black Poetry Day. The day honors past and present Black poets and authors, examines the intersections of African American and African Diasporic heritage with the literary arts, and commemorates the birth of Jupiter Hammon, the first published African American poet, on October 17, 1711.

Participating NC poet laureates
Dasan Ahanu, Piedmont Laureate
Cortland Gilliam, Chapel Hill Laureate
Fred L. Joiner, former Carrboro Laureate
Clevette Roberts, Kinston Laureate
D. J. Rogers, Durham Laureate
CJ Suitt, former Chapel Hill Laureate
Josephus Thompson III, Greensboro Laureate
Jay Ward, Charlotte Laureate

Program
9:15 am: Doors open
10 am: Welcome and opening plenary session
11:15 am: Black Poetry Day breakout sessions
12:30 pm: Lunch on your own
1:30–2:30: Poetry readings
2:45–3:45 pm: Closing remarks, Q&A, reception, and book signing

Photos: Courtesy of the participants