WRITTEN & SPOKEN
lithub.com--March 31, 20
Pity National Poetry Month. It could have been any of the twelve months, but for three decades running it’s been April—month of practical jokers, rain showers, and last-minute tax filing. It’s also the cruellest month, which some of us sensed before ever reading the thundering opening to T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land (1922). Take it from John Ashbery, who once capped Eliot’s famous first line with a verbal shrug: “‘April is the cruellest month’—but it is April, after all.”
by Poetic Sparkles
– Anonymous
Celebrate National Poetry Month with Us!
Hey, poetry lovers! Join us every day this April as we dive into the world of powerful poets who shaped the genre—like the legendary Maya Angelou and the timeless Robert Frost. Starting April 1st, we will celebrate National Poetry Month with live and prerecorded discussions highlighting lives and works of great American poets such as James Weldon Johnson, Sylvia Plath, Nikki Giovanni, Langston Hughes, Rudyard Kipling, Paul Lawrence Dunbar, Phillis Wheatley and many, many more. Our Power of the Tongue channel, featuring renowned, Performance Poet, Ge'ylah will feature interesting stories, biographical information, and dramatic readings of famous poets. Whether you're a lifelong poetry fan or just starting to explore, there's something here for everyone.
From the Nightmares of the Third Reich to Elon Musk:
10 Nonfiction Books to Read in April
literaryhub.com--March 31, 2025
Each month, Lit Hub staff pore over literally hundreds of nonfiction titles—here are ten coming out in April that are worth your time.
If we can’t drive, we will invent walks
and the world will envy the dexterity of our feet.
If we can’t have ham, we will boil chitterlings;
if we are given rotten peaches,
we will make cobblers;
if given scraps, we will make quilts;
take away our drums, and we will clap our hands.
We prove the human spirit will prevail.
We will take what we have to make what we need. We need confidence in our knowledge
of who we are.”
-- Nikki Giovanni
This black girl has a defense mechanism too
I feel played at least once a day
I need the treatment just like...
Photo by Archive Photos/Getty Images--March 1, 2025
American Women's Army Corps (WAC) Captain Mary Kearney and American WAC Commanding Officer Major Charity Adams (1918-2002) inspect the first arrivals to the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion at a temporary post in Birmingham, West Midlands, England, 15th February 1945. The 6888th (known as the 'Six Triple Eight') was the only all-African-American WAC unit sent to Europe during World War II, with responsibility for clearing backlogged mail in England and France.
Every March, Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day give us the chance
to be inspired by the women of the past, and to let their stories light the way towards our shared future.
In celebration, USA Today is revealing its 2025 Women of the Year — and the list of honorees includes TODAY veteran, Hoda Kotb!
She’s featured in the line-up alongside Jonquel Jones, Ilona Maher and more.
-Gerda Lerner, pioneering historian, author, and activist
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Awareness Month is observed annually in March.
This month aims to raise awareness about MS, a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord).
The purposes of bringing awareness to this disease are to: Educate the public about MS, its symptoms, and its impact on individuals and families; Promote research and support for finding a cure and improving treatments; Connect people with MS and their families, providing resources and support.
Don’t miss your chance to own this limited series artwork and let it transform your space into a sanctuary of peace and understanding. Discover a powerful visual narrative that embodies unity and diversity with "This Is What Peace Looks Like" by Carl Broady. This exquisite photo-art captures the calm coexistence of different cultures in New York City. Muslim women, draped in traditional attire, peacefully contemplate on one side, while Jewish women engage in their own world on the opposite end. The central subway pole symbolizes both the invisible barriers that sometimes divide us and the spirit that encourages connection. Behind them, the bold proclamation of "one planet" serves as a poignant reminder of our shared humanity. This stunning image captures coexistence, inspiring viewers to embrace the beauty of our differences and the unifying force of peace. Perfect for collectors or those seeking meaningful art, this piece is a conversation starter and an invitation to reflect on harmonious living in a diverse world.
100% OF THE PROCEEDS BENEFIT THE FATA Fund, Inc.
Time.com--March 1, 2025
Spring is just around the corner. As the days get longer, you’ll want to spend those extra hours of sunlight with a good book.
Performed by Kerry Washington
Photo: Getty Images | PoetryFoundation.org--March 1, 2025
Barter Theatre's 'Black Stories Black Voices'
Celebrate Black Cowboys Throughout History
Amanda Gorman on new book "Girls on the Rise"
Photo credit: gettyimages | washingtoninformer.com -- February 1, 2025
Former Georgia Representative Julian Bond and Black Panther leader Eldridge Cleaver once said that when Rosa Parks chose to stay seated on that bus in Montgomery, Alabama, somewhere in the universe, a gear in the machinery shifted, and everything changed.
A gear-shifting moment.
Click Image to Purchase Book
Dr. Karsonya (Kaye) Wise Whitehead is the 30th person and the eighth woman to serve as the president-elect of ASALH. She previously served as the national secretary from 2016-2021. She is an American educator, author, radio host, speaker, documentary filmmaker and a professor at Loyola University Maryland and the founding executive director of the Karson Institute for Race, Peace, & Social Justice.
She is the author of five books, including: my mother’s tomorrow and the award-winning Notes from a Colored Girl: The Civil War Pocket Diaries of Emilie Francis Davis.
African Americans and Labor | White House Wednesdays
Dr. Karsonya Wise Whitehead, ASALH President
--Kendrick Lamar (Illustration by Oliver Munday)
"This year, may you find joy in every moment,
strength in every challenge, and magic in every new beginning."
JANUARY IS FOR
NATIONAL MENTORING
& MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS
A Louisiana resident is using the power of spoken word's
to heal, and what science says about how poetry & the arts lift people's moods.
Nikki Giovanni, a civil rights activist, a poet driven to give voice to the Black community, and a self-described “little old lady” with a tattoo that reads “thug life.”
And one fall, she had one message (written in verse, of course):
VOTE.
My House · Nikki Giovanni
The Way I Feel
℗ 2021 Modern Harmonic
Released on: 2021-10-29 Music
Publisher: Deniz Publishing (BMI) Composer: Nikki Giovanni
Composer: Arif Mardin
- Nelson Mandela
(poetryfoundation.org)
Resources for teaching and learning remotely.
Send us a sample of your work
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WE NEED YOU
Various opportunities exist to engage with The FATA Fund, including volunteering and contributing financially. By becoming part of our community, you can assist in creating positive change in individuals' lives via the transformative power of the arts.