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Books by
Marvin X
Love and War: Poems /
In the Crazy House Called America /
Woman: Man's Best Friend /
Beyond Religion Toward Spirituality
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* * * * Recovery
Theatre, Inc.
Celebrating
the Black Arts Movement
presents
The San
Francisco Tenderloin Book Fair
& University of Poetry 2004
Friday, Saturday, January 30 &
31, 2004
Recovery
Theatre @ Theatre St. Boniface
133 Golden Gate Ave., San Francisco
between Leavenworth and Jones
Purpose
Recovery Theatre and Black Bird Press are proud to host
the San Francisco Tenderloin Book Fair and University of
Poetry, 2004, celebrating the radical black arts movement,
the most significant literary movement in African American
history. But as we celebrate, we face the sober reality of a
crisis in our community and the world. Author Sam Anderson
tells us, "Never before in the history of African humanity
has there been such a huge disconnect between revolutionary
consciousness and our youth. This book fair should help face
this crisis head on."
Indeed, if we look from Africa to America, we see youth in
either reactionary drug gangs or diamond seeking child armies,
with the ultimate beneficiary American and/or European
imperialism, African middle men serve as traditional colonial
servants and running dogs, from Charles Taylor to Colin Powell,
Lord have mercy!
As revolutionaries, we must ask ourselves why the diamond
merchant and the dope dealer is the number one employer of our
youth? In the final analysis, we must give youth a viable
economic alternative to the drug culture, pimping life and
employment as murderous child soldiers. As elders, we must teach
alternatives to street and domestic violence, and we must teach
by example.
We will address critical issues of this nature in a series of
presentations, panels, workshops and spoken word performances,
hopefully igniting the final stage of our cultural revolution,
exposing and resolving contradictions that have derailed our
recovery and liberation. "By cultural revolution we mean to
raise the level of the people's education, eliminate illiteracy,
and narrow mindedness," says Amiri
Baraka.
One of the founders of the Black Arts Movement (BAM), Baraka
will facilitate a workshop for radical writers sincere about
going beyond rhetoric. "Projects for Radical Writers
Workshop will discuss how writers can unite, inspire, educate,
mobilize, organize the great majority of all nationalities to
become part of a mass force needed to oppose the current fascist
trend in America; this workshop will discuss how to create,
publish, produce and distribute writings for the cultural
revolution."
From the Black Arts Movement to Hip Hop is a panel discussion
designed to address generational problems in African American
culture. Poet Askia M. Toure cries, "Most of the hip
hop generation has lost its national consciousness, in its rush
to assimilate materialism, bling bling, capitalism and
misogyny. With the exception of Common, India Iree, Jill Scott,
Dead Prez and a few others, most hip hop leaders don't appear to
see that Africans in America have a cultural tradition and a
legacy to defend. How did we go from 60s Black Queens and sista
freedom fighters to skeezers, chicken-heads, bitches and hos?
Why don't hip hop people seek out black revolutionaries?"
Amina Baraka answers Toure, "How can the hip
hop generation learn from our mistakes if we are still making
them?" And poetess Sonia Sanchez notes, "We
cannot condemn the hip hop generation for doing on stage what
the Black Arts Movement was doing behind closed doors."
Without a doubt, this panel will be hot and spirited, especially
with the participation of the legendary Fillmore Slim.
"My message is the same to all youth, male and female.
Think about the consequences. There's a price. Are you willing
to pay the price for being in the game. If you're willing
to pay the price, what can I say to you? I paid my dues, I went
to prison. I'm not proud of what I did, so I tell people to
think about the consequences of your actions, think about how
you end up in the game."
The Tenderloin Book Fair will expose people to writers
not seen in the commercial media and market place, especially
self published authors. We want Tenderloin residents and others
to meet these authors who may offer an alternative to a
lifestyle of drugs, crime and homelessness. After all, great
literature is known to originate from such oppressed conditions,
once the oppressed persons regain sobriety, sanity and radical
consciousness. My Play One Day in the Life
based on my days as a drug addict in the Tenderloin has become a
recovery classic. If I changed my self-destructive behavior to
creativity, so can you.
Marvin
X
Book Fair Producer,
Recovery Theatre Director |
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Book Fair Program
Friday, January 30, 2004
4:00 pm -- Reception, book signings
5:00 pm -- Welcome, Suzanne Celeste
5:30 pm -- Music by Destiny and her band of
Angels, Elliott Bey, Fillmore Slim
6:00 pm -- Rewards Dinner, MC Dr. Julia Hare,
Libations by Luisa Teish
7:30 pm -- Open Mike, MC Greg Bridges of KPFA
and JAHVA House
8:00 pm -- University of
Poetry Concert 1:
Devorah Major, Ishmael Reed, Al Young, Everett Hoagland, Opal
Palmer Adisa
Kalamu
ya Salaam, Avotcha, Roxanne, Sam Hamod,
Reginald Lockett
Saturday, January 31, 2004
08:30 am -- Registration
10:00 am -- Welcome Remarks, Devorah Major,
Poet laureate of San Francisco
10:15 am -- Introduction, Marvin
X, Book Fair producer
10:20 am -- Mental Health and The Cultural Revolution,
Dr. Nathan Hare
10:30 am -- Overview of Black Radical Literature, Askia
Touré
10:45 am -- Do We Need a Black Writers Union? Sam
Anderson, Spencer Moon
11:00 am -- University of Poetry Workshops I
A. Projects for radical Writers, Amiri Baraka
B. Writing for the Digital Age, Kalamu
ya Salaam
C. Writing for the Music Industry, Keith Crawford
1:00 pm LUNCH
2:00 pm -- University of Poetry Workshops II
A. How to Write Your Book, Opal Palmer Adisa
B. How to Publish Your Book, Jamie
Walker, Lonnie DeWitt
C. Radical Recovery Literature, Marvin
X, James Robinson, Andriette Earl-Bozeman,
Charlie Walker, Luisa Teish
3:30 pm -- Tenderloin Tour with Fillmore Slim
4:00 pm -- DINNER BREAK
5:00 pm -- Open Mike, Host Ayodele Nzinga
6:00 pm -- Panel: From The Black Arts Movement to Hip
Hop, Reginald Lockett, moderator
Panelists: Askia Toure, Sam Anderson, Sonia Sanchez, Amiri Baraka, Fillmore
Slim
Respondents: Davey D., Jamie
Walker, Roxanne, Ptah Allah-El
8:00 pm -- University of Poetry Concert II:
Amiri Baraka, Sonia
Sanchez, Askia Toure, Marvin X, Amina Baraka |
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REGISTRATION
Book fair is free, but Registration is $20.00 for admission
to the University of Poetry, including the Rewards dinner,
workshops, panels and concerts ( both nights). Seating is
limited, pre-registration advised. Tickets available at Reggae
Runnins, 505 Divasadero, SF, Da Corner, 3rd and LaSalle, Hunters
Point, Da Corner, Fillmore and Hayes, San Francisco, Aquarius
Rising, 60th and Telegraph, Oakland.
Or send check to Recovery Theatre, 133 Golden Gate Ave., San
Francisco, 94102. Vendors call Leona Lee at 415-986-8186.
Vendors call: Leona
Lee at 415-986-8186
For more information contact: Marvin X at
510-798-9155 or Geoffrey Grier at 415-241-6506
Special thanks to Joe
Halaiko of Theatre St. Boniface.
* * * * *
AUTHORS AND PARTICIPANTS
Dr. Julia Hare, How To Find A BMW (Black Man Working). The
wit and wisdom of this Queen Bee is nationally known. She stole
the show at Marvin X's Kings and Queens of Black Consciousness
Concert.
Dr. Nathan Hare, Black Anglo-Saxons. Father of Black
Studies, sociologist and clinical psychologist, facilitates
Recovery Theatre's mental health group session called Black
Reconstruction.
Sonia Sanchez, Shake Loose My Skin. Poet,
playwright, professor, undisputed queen of the Black Arts
Movement.
Amiri Baraka (LeRoi Jones), Somebody
Blew Up America. Poet, playwright, essayist, activist,
godfather of the Black Arts Movement, pioneer of modern American
literature.
Amina Baraka, poet, singer, dancer, cofounder of Spirit
House.
Ishmael Reed, Another Day At the Front. Poet,
playwright, essayist, novelist, publisher, MacArthur genius award
winner.
Fillmore Slim, subject of legend and a movie Gospel of
the Game. His day job is singing and playing the blues
throughout the world.
Reginald Lockett, The Party Crashers of Paradise. Poet,
professor. One of the original members of the West Coast black
arts movement. Performed at Black House, San Francisco.
Devorah Major, An Open Weave. Poet, novelist, first
African American poet laureate of San Francisco.
James Robinson, Gospel of the Game. Played the game and
lived to tell the consequences in his novel Gospel of the Game.
Askia Toure, Dawnsong. Poet, essayist, activist, one of
the godfather's of the Black Arts Movement.
Marvin X, In the Crazy House
Called America. Poet, playwright, essayist, activist, producer
of Tenderloin Book Fair and University of Poetry. One of the
founders of the BAM.
Opal Palmer Adisa, It Begins With Tears. Poet,
professor, photographer. Opal and Devorah Major comprise the Daughters
of Yam.
Jamie Walker, 101 Ways Black
Women Can Learn To Love. poet, author, journalist, editor of
Sonia Sanchez Anthology
Andriette Earl, Embracing Wholeness. Spiritual
practitioner at the East Bay Church of Religious Science. She is a
coach, speaker and facilitator.
Dingane (Joe Goncalves), founder of the Journal of Black
Poetry, bible of the 60s radical poetry.
Luisa Teish, Carnival of the Spirit. Yoruba
priestess, healer and spiritual worker.
Roxanne Ware, conscious hip hop poet. Her poem
"Federal Offense" should be national anthem of the
prison movement.
David Hilliard, This Side of Glory. Black Panther
Party chief of staff, facilitates the Huey P. Newton Foundation.
Destiny, harpist from the hood, with a voice from heaven.
Elliott Bey, keyboard master, director of Recovery Theatre
East, Philadelphia.
Tarika Lewis, Violinist, first female member of the Black
Panther Party. Performs with John Handy and Destiny's band of
Angels.
Al Young, Drowning In the Sea of Love. Poet,
novelist, one of the members of the West Coast Black Arts
Movement.
Lonnie Dewitt, In the Car. His book addresses issues
affecting the California Department of Corrections and other
agencies.
Ayodele Nzinga, Walden House Suite. Actress,
director, poet, associate director of Recovery Theatre.
Everett Hoagland, Here: New and Selected Poems. Teaches
at UMASS, Dartmouth. This volume offers thirty years of his best
published poems plus New work.
Dr. Kwasi Harris, Readings in Black Political Economy. Dr.
Harris is professor in political science at San Jose State
University.
Spencer Moon, Reel Black Talk. Spencer's book
discusses blacks in the movie industry.
Sam Hamod, Islam in the World Today. Sam is an
internationally known poet and scholar on Islam.
Rudolph Lewis, founder of
NathanielTurner.Com. One of best websites on the Internet for
Black literature.
Sam Anderson, Black Holocaust for Beginners. Founding
member of the Black Panther Party in New York, Sam co-edited the
award winning anthology In Defense of Mumia.
Charlie Walker, America Is Still the Place. "In
January I was broke. In February I made five million
dollars." Charlie tells us how to do for self and be free.
Kalamu ya Salaam, The Magic
of Juju. Kalamu is one of the founders of Black Arts South.
Tacuma King, Master drummer, multi-instrumentalist, member
of Destiny's band of Angels.
Davey D, legend of hip hop culture, DJ and MC. Listen to
him on Hard Knock radio, KPFA Berkeley.
Greg Bridges, host of spoken word at Oakland's Jahva House,
DJ on KPFA and KCSM radio.
Suzzette Celeste, MSW, MPA, chair, Recovery Theatre,
dancer, practitioner at East Bay Church of Religious Science.
Geoffrey Grier, associate director Recovery Theatre San
Francisco, actor, Treatment on Demand Council.
Dr. Salat Townsend, actor, associate director
Recovery Theatre Sacramento.
Raynetta Rayzetta, dancer, chief choreographer of Marvin X's
poetry.
Keith Crawford, promoter, associate of Recovery Theatre.
Leah Thomas, writer, Mentor Project, planning advisor to
Marvin X.
Ptah Allah-El (Tracy Mitchell), writer, Journal of Black
Studies at San Francisco State University. Videographer for
Recovery Theatre, filmed video version of One Day In the Life,
coordinator of filming for the video Kings and Queens of Black
Consciousness by Marvin X.
Duncan Barber (Rafiq), cofounder of Black Arts West
Theatre, SF
Hillary Broadus (Abdullah), cofounder of Black Arts West
Theatre, SF
Emory Douglas, Black Panther Minister of Culture. Emory was
part of the Black Arts Movement (came to Black House)
and still is today.
Ted
Wilson, Slo' Dance. Poet,
one of the original members of Black Arts Repertory Theatre in
Harlem
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Supporters of Recovery
Theatre, Inc.
Recovery
Theatre has received support from:
Mayor
Willie L. Brown's Office
Grant
for the Arts
San
Francisco Department of Public health
Treatment
on Demand Council
Zellerbach
Family Fund
United
Way
Sacramento
Metropolitan Arts Commission
Marin
County Board of Supervisors
KPOO
Radio
KPFA
Radio
San
Francisco Bayview Newspaper
Sun
Reporter Newspaper
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* * * * Sponsors
and Supporters of the Book Fair Include
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James
Lawson
Vanguard
Public Foundation
Before Columbus Foundation
Charlie Walker
Amina and Amiri Baraka
KPOO Radio
KPFA Radio
Paul Cobb, Oakland Post
Oakland Post Newspaper
Chauncey Bailey, Oakland Tribune |
Nefertiti Rhodes
Black Bird Press
BSU San Francisco State
University
BSU Contra Costa College
The Print Shop
Huey P. Newton Foundation
It's About Time
James Sweeney
Charlie Aikens, Oakland Post
Reginald Major, Pacifica News Service |
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Akbar Muhammad
Accepts Invitation
to Black Radical Book Affair
Akbar Muhammad -- Lecturer, Historian,
World Traveler, Businessman and Foreign Diplomat (Nation of Islam)
Mr. Muhammad was born in Hampton, Virginia and raised in New York
City. His formative years were spent as a student under the
leadership of Minister Malcolm X at the New York Mosque of the
Nation of Islam. From 1965 - 1975, he was the top assistant
of then New York Minister, Louis Farrakhan. |
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In 1974, he was one of the primary organizers of
"Black Family Day" held on Randall's Island in New York
City. This event drew some 70,000 people. Upon the
departure of Nation of Islam leader, The Honorable Elijah
Muhammad, Akbar Muhammad was then transferred to St. Louis under
the leadership of Imam Warith D. Muhammad.
In 1976, he was again transferred to Chicago as
special assistant to Imam Muhammad. Within the same year, he
made his first trip to Europe, Africa and Asia. A year later, he
resigned from his position and went into business for himself in
St. Louis. From 1977 - 1982, Akbar Muhammad not only worked
in the private sector in St. Louis, but he assisted Minister Louis
Farrakhan in rebuilding the Nation of Islam. In 1982, he
returned to Chicago to work closely with Minister Louis Farrakhan
providing ministerial and administrative assistance.
His assistance involved helping Minister
Farrakhan during his participation in Jesse Jackson's first
campaign run for president. He helped to produce Minister
Farrakhan's book, "7 Speeches," published in 1973 and
was responsible for producing four albums by Minister Farrakhan
titled, Black Family Day, Our Time Has Come, Let Us Unite with
Rev. Jesse Jackson and Heed the Call.
Among his numerous contributions, he has been one of the key
organizers for many of the Nation of Islam's Saviours' Day
Celebrations. In October 1994, he organized the Nation
of Islam's first international Saviours' Day Convention on the
African continent bringing over 1900 travelers from America,
nearly 95 percent traveling to Africa for the first time. In
addition, Akbar was a key organizer and participant in all of
Minister Louis Farrakhan's international tours, which included
travel to Africa, the Middle East and a total of 36 countries
around the world. He described the tours as "one of the most
historical trips of any Black leader in the history of the United
States. He also was a key organizer and participant in his
most recent 2002 Peace Mission Tour."
He is currently the International Representative
for the Nation of Islam with offices and residences in Accra,
Ghana and the United States. He has an abundance
of life experience to draw upon which results from living and
working in Africa. For the past 26 years, Akbar Muhammad has
traveled extensively around the world, mainly in North, West and
South Africa. He lectures to civic organizations, students
and business leaders about the advantages of doing business and
traveling in Africa and the Caribbean. In fulfilling his
duties as International Representative traveling and speaking on
behalf of the Nation of Islam, Akbar has traveled around the world
four times. Akbar has helped to organize and establish the
Nation of Islam's first office on the continent of Africa in
Accra, Ghana, the Ghana Mission.
During his eleven years of living and working in Africa, Akbar has
welcomed some 29 delegations from the United States to his home in
Tesano, Ghana. Besides the various delegations, he hosted
receptions for people in the entertainment world such as, Dionne
Warwick, Isaac Hayes, Mtume, Jermaine Jackson, Kenny Gamble, Bobbi
Humphrey and the rap group Public Enemy; Rahbee Ben Ammi; Author
Dr. Jawanzaa Kunjufu; talk show host Bob Law; a team of surgeons
headed by Dr. Etienne Messac of Washington, D.C. and Bill Cherry,
Senior Marketing Consultant from North Carolina.
Muhammad's extensive work and travel in Africa are reflected in
his column, "Africa and The World." The column is
featured weekly in more than 100 African-American Newspapers
nationally and is also featured in several newspapers
internationally. Also, Akbar is currently the owner of
Adventure in Africa Tours, a company specializing in cultural
tours of Africa.
Muhammad has been regarded as one of the most knowledgeable
individuals on the life and works of Minister Farrakhan.
Since he has been a top aide to Minister Louis Farrakhan from 1965
to present, giving more than 37 years of dedicated service and
advice, he has a wealth of information and history to contribute.
He is currently working on the Minister Farrakhan's biography and
a book on the history of the Nation of Islam from 1930-1985.
Both books are scheduled to be released in the year 2004 -2005. |
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updated 10 April 2009 |
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