Events

Celebrating Gwendolyn Brooks's Centenary: A Symposium

Please join us on Wednesday, November 15th from 3:00-6:00 p.m. in Murray Hall 302** for “Celebrating Gwendolyn Brooks’s Centenary: A Symposium,” honoring the legacy and enduring contributions of a deeply beloved and widely admired poet.  Gwendolyn Brooks was the first Black American to receive a Pulitzer Prize; she served as Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 1985-1986 and Illinois Poet Laureate from 1968-2000.  The Symposium features readings and discussion by three outstanding contemporary poets: Cathy Park Hong, Quraysh Ali Lansana, and Lyrae Van Clief-Stefanon.  

Feel free to come for either part of the event—or both!  The program will be followed by a reception.

The poets' names above are hyperlinked to bios; what follows are sample poems by each, to entice you:

Gwendolyn Brooks: "kitchenette building," "Boy Breaking Glass," & 2 poems from the sonnet series "Gay Chaps at the Bar"

Cathy Park Hong: "Ontology of Chang and Eng, the Original Siamese Twins," "Ballad in A," and "Notorious"

Quraysh Ali Lansana: "faithless," "1972 ford ltd," and "rudie can't fail in south padre" 

Lyrae Van Clief-Stefanon: "Dinah," "RR Lyrae: Matter," and "Bop: The North Star"

This event is part of Our Miss Brooks: A Centennial Celebration, which aims to inspire a new generation of writers, artists, and educators through the creation of readings, performances, discussions, and school programs now through June 2018.  Our program at Rutgers–New Brunswick is sponsored by the SAS Dean’s Office and the English Department.