Baldwin and Beyond: Black Poets in Their Own Voices with Barb Jennes

Poems take on a whole new life when they are read aloud--especially when read by the poet who wrote them. In this 90-minute program, we'll listen to a selection of pivotal poems about Black lives, read in the poets' own voices, adding a level of authenticity and emotion easily missed on the written page. In addition to James Baldwin's "Stagger Lee Wonders," works by Maya Angelou, Reginald Dwayne Betts, Gwendolyn Brooks, Jericho Brown, Lucille Clifton, Terrance Hayes, Danez Smith, Patricia Smith, and Tracy K. Smith will be listened to and discussed. 

Participants will receive a packet of the poems to be covered in advance of this virtual program, which will be led on Zoom by Ridgefield poet laureate Barb Jennes.

This program is part of the Library's scholarly series on James Baldwin taking place in the fall. The series is made possible thanks to the Friends of the Library.

Please register to receive the Zoom link.