“Black Poetry: A Conference is a truly historic international and inter-generational gathering. Over the span of 3 days, more than 40  black poets will come together to read from their work and consider the most urgent social, political and artistic questions of our time.  This is a boon for scholars, artists, and book-lovers in Princeton and beyond.”

– Tracy K. Smith, U.S. Poet Laureate and Director of Princeton’s Program in Creative Writing

FEATURING:

Elizabeth Alexander, Camae Ayewa (Moor Mother), Jericho Brown, Mahogany L. Browne, Kwame Dawes, Toi Derricotte, Rita Dove, Camille Dungy, Cornelius Eady, Eve Ewing, Nikky Finney, Vievee Francis, Joanne V. Gabbin, Rachel Eliza Griffiths, Myronn Hardy, Terrance Hayes, Tyehimba Jess, Taylor Johnson, Saeed Jones, Douglas Kearney, Yusef Komunyakaa, Deana Lawson, Robin Coste Lewis, Nathaniel Mackey, Haki Madhubuti, Dawn Lundy Martin, J Mase III, Shane McCrae, Jessica Care Moore, Fred Moten, Harryette Mullen, Morgan Parker, M. NourbeSe Philip, Rowan Ricardo Phillips, Koleka Putuma, Roger Reeves, Ed Roberson, Sonia Sanchez, Lemn Sissay, Patricia Smith, Natasha Trethewey, Simone White, and Kevin Young.

ORGANIZERS:

Tracy K. Smith, Joshua Kotin, Jaamil Olawale Kosoko

SPONSORS:

Princeton University’s Lewis Center for the Arts/Program in Creative Writing, Bain-Swiggett Fund/Department of English, Humanities Council, Department of African American Studies, University Center for Human Values, Department of Comparative Literature, Program in Canadian Studies, Program in American Studies, and Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in the Humanities.

Free; conference registration is full. JOIN WAITLIST HERE

Conference panels on Friday and Saturday are now full with a waitlist, however the conference activities will be simulcast to the James Stewart Film Theater at 185 Nassau Street on the Princeton campus, which is free and open to the public. Guests are encouraged to attend Black Poetry: A Gala Reading on Thursday, February 14 at 7 pm at the Matthews Theatre at McCarter Theatre Center where nine of the Conference poets will be reading and most of the Conference poets will be in attendance with a book sale following where many of the poets will be available to sign copies of their books.