ChickenBones: A Journal

for Literary & Artistic African-American Themes

   

Home 

Google
 

Adella called to say that he'd been buried in Deridder.  He died in D.C, but

his daughter Amber was with him, and cared for him in his last illness. 

I remember the Copastetic Bookstore with many good memories. 

 

 

Candelight Vigil for Ahmos Zu-Bolton

Report from Lynita F. Jones

The passing of veteran writer/griot/editor/publisher/activist/& instructor Ahmos Zu-Bolton II came to my awareness on March 8, 2005, at Howard University Medical Center in Washington D.C. With cremation, a memorial service took place on March 13, 2005, at Carver High School in DeRidder, Louisiana (Zu-Bolton's high school alma mater). 

As he leaves an unforgettable, literary/spoken-word legacy and efforts as Visiting Writer-in-Residence at the University of Missouri-Columbia (MU), a candlelight vigil will be held in his honor on Saturday, March 19th, 2005.

The vigil will take place from 4-6pm, in Columbia, Missouri @ Speaker's Circle (on MU campus). If the following should occur: rain, other forms of precipitation or area weather below 50 degrees; the alternative site will be held at MU Gaines/Oldham Black Culture Center (813 Virginia Avenue, Columbia, Missouri 65211). Keep in mind, there is a detour in arriving to the G/O Black Culture Center site. Vigil format is open expression, enriched with African tradition and special performance. 

EVERYONE IS WELCOMED (local, in-state or out-of-state). Those who are unable to attend the vigil, there is a tentative, poetry festival, in honoring Zu-Bolton's date of birth, on October 21th, 2005. Time and location, to be announced. 

Cards and contributions to the Zu-Bolton family can be sent to: 406 Park DeVille Place, Columbia, Missouri 65203. 

*   *   *   *

Throughout his lifetime, Ahmos Zu-Bolton has published his poetry in hundreds of journals and magazines around the country. His authored works entails: A Niggered AmenAin't No Spring Chicken, and 1946. He has won Fellowships in Creative Writing from the National Endowment For The Arts, the Louisiana Division On The Arts, as well as an Editor's Fellowship from the Coordinating Council Of Literary Magazines.

In 1970, he founded Energy West Literary Works in Los Angeles. Under that banner, he published Energy West Poetry Journal and Shoreline Magazine. In 1972, he moved the operation to his native south-lands where he changed the name to Energy BlackSouth Press, and organized The Witchdoctor Theater, a poetry-music-drama group. Energy BlackSouth launched Hoo-Doo Magazine, that same year. In 1973, he opened the Up-South office of Energy BlackSouth in Washington D.C., and became co-editor of Black Box, a magazine on cassette tape. He also worked with the Afro-American Resource Center and the Institute For The Arts and Humanities, both at Howard University.

In 1976, he moved his company to Houston, then to Galveston, Texas, where he reorganized under the name Energy Earth Communications, Incorporated, and continued as a small press distribution network, while organizing a series of book fairs and festivals. 

In 1983, he moved to New Orleans where he opened the Copastetic Community Book Center, which served both the literary and community theater movements. In 1995, he co-founded the Diaspora Academy, a school for African-American children in New Orleans' Lower 9th Ward. Following the efforts of Diaspora Academy, Zu-Bolton relocated and took on the opportunity as Visiting Writer-In-Residence under MU's Black Studies Program.

In Winter Semester, 2001, he instructed his 1st MU class in African-American Poetry. For Black History Month 2001, he moved audiences and gave a "one-time" performance of his war experience monologue, Vietnam Blues. In Fall Semester 2001, he coordinated (along with students) Black Studies Program's Fall Conference: The Griot in the 21st Century, A Festival

MU campus community witnessed panels, performances and book fair vendors featuring well-respected, griots/authors/spoken-word artists as: C. Leigh McInnis, Ishmael Reed, Kalamu ya Salaam and Askia Toure. A griot in every right, Zu-Bolton also graced his spoken-word craft in area venues as Black Studies Program's: An Evening in Poetry, the Cherry Street Artisan, The Armory (City of Columbia Parks and Recreation), Gaines/Oldham Black Culture Center, Legacy Art Gallery and many others. 

Also, while under service with City of Columbia Parks and Recreation's Armory, Zu-Bolton published and edited the Mid-Missouri Youth Mirror news magazine.  In October, 2004, with a closing spoken-word festival, Zu-Bolton's term ended as Visiting Writer-In-Residence at MU. He made his final move to Washington D.C. and made his transition into the afterlife.

*   *   *   *

If there're more questions about the vigil or my experience w/ Instructor Zu-Bolton, feel free to contact me. Also, if you know of others that have interest in attending that I've possibly missed, please forward along. 

Hope to see you soon, in support & honor of an outstanding legacy...

--
Lynita F. Jones /Undergraduate, University of Missouri-Columbia / (573)771-4306 / LFJ83A@MIZZOU.EDU  / LYNITAJ@YAHOO.COM

Source: Kalamu's e-drum (16 March 2005)

 

 

Home  Yusef Komunyakaa Table  Literary New Orleans Poems and Prose

Related files:  Neo-Folklore    Beachhead Preachment    Candelight Vigil    ZuBolton Channels Ancestors