Etta May Ladson

By Etta Mae Ladson

Strange Land Songs is a collection of 71 diversity sonnets celebrating the leadership destiny of African Americans, and women.

There probably is no other volume like it on any shelf anywhere in America. Strange Land Songs is 71 Ladsonian sonnets, differing from the traditional art form in at least two respects for the purchaser. The collection is unique in its celebration of the leadership destiny of African Americans, and women. It is rightly characterized as diversity literature. Second, unlike the traditional sonnet, poems are written in 100 words or less, more to be read than said.

The subject of each sonnet is meant to be as profound as it is controversial. Few have attempted to probe the beauty and mystery of the African Americans' survival saga in a strange land. Strange Land Songs bespeaks their natural inclination towards excellence, and the nature of the leadership destiny that is inexorably theirs.

The Ladsonian sonnets celebrating women begin on page 43. In like manner, they happily raise the reader's consciousness about the incalculable extent to which women will change the nature of the world as a determined Providence entrusts the earth to their equal opportunity care.

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Etta May Ladson is the holder of three degrees, B.A. & M.A. in English from Hunter College of the City University of New York, and the M.P.S degree in Religious Education from New York Theological Seminary. She is the recipient of many awards, including citations by the State and City governments of New York.

An advocate for public education, she is a 30-year veteran of the classroom, having served as Teacher of English, Chair of English and Assistant Principal, English. She served in the National Teacher Corp at the University of Southern Illinois and has taught at Brooklyn College and Queens College of the City University. She lectures widely on religious and educational themes.

A community activist, she is the founder and director of the African Christian Teachers, a nonprofit private foundation servicing gifted youngsters in the public school, General Partner in The Golden Bowl, an investment group servicing minority seniors, and CEO at Jewelgate, the umbrella enterprise for all her activities.