Books by Kalamu ya Salaam

The Magic of JuJu: An Appreciation of the Black Arts Movement  /   360: A Revolution of Black Poets

Everywhere Is Someplace Else: A Literary Anthology  /  From A Bend in the River: 100 New Orleans Poets

Our Music Is No Accident   /  What Is Life: Reclaiming the Black Blues Self

My Story My Song (CD)

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Introduction

I was born Vallery Ferdinand III on 24 march 1947 in New Orleans, Louisiana. My early publishing is done under the name of Val Ferdinand. In 1970, I changed my name to Kalamu ya Salaam (Pen of Peace).

Because I do a great deal of writing as a journalist, music producer (radio programs, album liner notes and artist bios), dramatist, cultural critic, propagandist for various issues, fiction writer, and advertising executive, I usually shy away from identifying myself with any one genre of writing. Poetry is, however, my most developed, and my most comfortable, voice.

I consider poetry the song of literature and consider myself a griot, an African American praise-singer through whom sounds the voice and vision of my people. prelude contd

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