Edited and with an Introduction by Eugene B. Redmond ✓ Forward by Elizabeth Nunez-Harrell, Director NBWC Coll

CLASHING HARMONIES & UNIVERSAL PARTICULARS:

A WORKSHOP REPORT ON THE 3rd NATIONAL BLACK WRITERS CONFERENCE

Medgar Evers College, Brooklyn NY, March 22-24, 1991

Medgar Evers COLLEGE

Edited and with an Introduction by Eugene B. Redmond ✓ Forward by Elizabeth Nunez-Harrell, Director NBWC Coll. Published in Conjunction with the 591 1991 Midwest Black Writers and Thinkers Symposium . N4 C53 1991

©SIUE|siue.edu/digialcollections

CLASHING HARMONIES & UNIVERSAL PARTICULARS:

A WORKSHOP REPORT ON THE 3rd NATIONAL BLACK WRITERS CONFERENCE

Medgar Evers College. Brooklyn NY. March 22-24, 1991

Edited and with an Introduction by Eugene B. Redmond Foreword by Elizabeth Nunez-Harrell, Director NBWC

Reports by Jabari Asim Georgene Bess Lynn Casmier-Paz Ira Jones Darlene Roy Evon Udoh

SIUE Editorial Staff: Associate Editor, Layout and Production: Alexandra Babione Assistant Editor, Copy Control and Input: William Dorman Student Editorial Assistants: Douglas Rudder and Christina Veasley

SYMPOSIUM SPONSORS Eugene B. Redmond Writers Club The English Department of SIUE East St. Louis School District 189 Delta Sigma Theta, Inc (ESL Alumnae Chapter) East St. Louis State Community College The National Endowment for the Humanities Black Student Program Committee of the Student Program Board of SIUE Black Student Association of SIUE

Published October 1991 in the Drumvoices Revue Supplement Series by the English Department of Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville and printed by the Humanities Steno Pool. Copyright c 1991 by Drumvoices Revue, SIUE, Box 1431, Edwardsville, IL 62026-1431. EBR Writers Club, P.O. Box 6165, East St. Louis, IL 62203 3 ISBN 1-880748-00-2.

I ©SIUE|siue.edu/digialcollections CoH

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©SIUE|siue.edu/digialcollections TABLE OF CONTENTS

Schedule of Events ...... 3

Forew ord...... 5

Struggling with the W ordforce...... 6 Keynote Addresses Summarized ...... g ALICE WALKER: Living By The Word ...... 8 ISHMAEL REED: Fightin ’ With the Word...... 9 PANEL I: The Black Writer in a Pluralistic S ociety...... 11 PANEL II: Literature as a Source for Finding the Moral Center in a Changing World 14 PANEL III: The Use of Black Historical Fact in Literature ...... 17 PANEL IV: The Use of Folklore and the Creation of Myth in Black Literature...... 19 PANEL V: New Directions for Black Writers in the 21st Century...... 23 PANEL VI: The Black Writer: Publishing, Distribution, Marketing ...... 25 CONFERENCE WRAP UP PANEL: A Summary of Summaries...... 27 Notes on Contributors ...... 29

Photo Essay...... 32

©SIUE|siue.edu/digialcollections ©SIUE|siue.edu/digialcollections MIDWEST WRITERS AND THINKERS SYMPOSIUM October 31 through November 3, 1991 "The Role of Black Culture and Literature in the Lifting of the Cities"

Schedule of Events

Thursday. October 31. 1991 Location: Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville Panel: "Clashing Harmonies and Universal Particulars’' 10:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Moderator: Eugene B. Redmond Panelists: Jabari Asim, Georgene Bess, Ira Jones, Darlene Roy, Lynn Casmier-Paz, Evon Udoh Reception: Hosted by the Black Student Association 12:20-12:55 p.m. Speeches: Pinkie Gordon Lane, Poet Laureate of Louisiana (Andrea Wren, opening reader) 1 :00-2:00 p.m. Elizabeth Nunez-Harrell, Director NBWC (Jabari Asim, opening reader) 2:10-3:00 p.m. Reception: Hosted by the Black Student Association 3:00-4:00 p.m. Writers Round Table — Invitation only 7:00 p.m.

Friday. November l, 1991 In-Service Workshops: East St. Louis School District 189 (Closed to public) Readings, talks, and/or workshops High Schools: Amiri Baraka, Elizabeth Nunez-Harrell, and Pinkie Gordon Lane Junior High Schools: Lincoln McGraw-Beauchamp and Georgene Bess Reception: East St. Louis City Hall Rotunda 7:00-10:00 p.m. Authors’ Party, Tribute to Miles Davis and Official Welcome from symposium co sponsors. Featuring guest writers and the Lincoln Senior High School Jazz Combo.

Saturday. November 2. 1991 Registration: State Community College, East St. Louis 8:30-9:30 a.m. Sessions held in Room 2085 Continental Breakfast (Cafeteria) Opening session: Board Room 2085 9:30-9:45 a.m. Morning Keynote Address: Amiri Baraka, Poet/Play right 9:45-10:30 a.m.

©SIUE|siue.edu/digialcollections Panel I "Clashing Harmonies and Universal Particulars": A Workshop Report on the 3rd National Black Writers Conference 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Moderator: Elizabeth Nunez-Harrell Panelists: Jabari Asim, Georgene Bess, Ira Jones, Darlene Roy, Lynn Casmier-Paz, Evon Udoh Lunch: (Cafeteria) On-your-own 12:00-1:00 p.m. Afternoon session: Board Room 2085 Keynote Address: Terry McMillan, novelist 1:00-1:30 p.m.

Panel II "Black Writers and Thinkers: Their Roles in Lifting the Cities" 1:45-3:30 p.m. Moderator: Lena Weathers Panelists: Michele Lowery, L. T. McGraw-Beauchamp, Kwaku O. Kushindana, Alice Windom Break: (Cafeteria) 3:30-4:00 p.m.

Panel III "Who’s Rapping to Whom?: From Ancient African (Kemet) Scrolls to Contemporary Compact Discs (Interdependence of Oral and Written Black Literature through the Ages)" Moderator: Jabari Asim 4:00-5:30 p.m. Panelists: Sherman Fowler, Margie Hollins, K. Curtis Lyle, Redina Medley

Dinner: On-your-own 5:30-7:00 p.m.

Open Mike Reading: For Local and Visiting Writers 7:00-9:00 p.m. Ira B. Jones and Andrea Wren, presiding

Sunday. November 3. 1991 Location: State College Room 2085, East St. Louis Breakfast: (Cafeteria) Continental 9:00-10:00 a.m. Conference Wrap-up Panel 10:00-12:00 a.m. Darlene Roy, Moderator Panelists: Jabari Asim, Lena Weathers, Eugene Redmond Official Closing 12:00-12:15 p.m. Symposium Co-Directors: Eugene B. Redmond and Darlene Roy

©SIUE|siue.edu/digialcollections FOREWORD

The National Black Writers Conference Committee welcomes this publication on the proceedings of NBWC‘91 by a group of visionary writers and lovers of writing in East St. Louis, Illinois. Among the most cherished goals of the Committee was the hope that the Conference would not end in Brooklyn after two days, but that the ideas generated by this meeting of the country’s best writers, literary scholars, insightful readers and lovers of good literature would transcend time and place and inspire more and better literature by African Amricans; more and more discerning readers of Black Literature. This publication is evidence of the fulfillment of that hope. Congratulations East St. Louis. Thank You.

Elizabeth Nunez-Harrell, Ph.D., Director National Black Writers Conference 1991

©SIUE|siue.edu/digialcollections STRUGGLING WITH THE WORDFORCE

ith the publication of Gashing Harmonies and Universal Particulars, we simultaneously welcome you to the 1991 Midwest Black Writers and Thinkers Symposium and share with you our attempts to render the most seminal and searching features of the Third National Black Writers Conference, held March W 22-24 at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, New York. The diligent journeywriters herein form a kindred convergence of East St. Louis (Illinois), St. Louis (Missouri) and Statesboro (Georgia). With this slim volume, they complete one more skirmish in their personal and collective struggles with WORDFORCE. By name, they are Jabari Asim, Georgene Bess, Lynn Casmier-Paz, Ira Jones, Darlene Roy and Evon Udoh. But we also call them free-lance writer, educator, mother, editor, father, social worker, poet, cultural architect or any combination of these. Serious, serious: Tuesday-go-to-meeting/People-developers--even as they toil in the pithy mind-mines of self-development. It was through diverse means that this little gathering of essays was planned, plotted and minted: a one-on-one rap at a bookstore, some spontaneous hallway chatter, long-distance cajoling and coaching. Primarily, however, it was conceived in the warm 1991 winter minds of workshoppers who gather twice-monthly at State Community College in East St. Louis for meetings of the Eugene B. Redmond Writers Club. Indeed, the very title of this booklet has all the ear-eye marks of a workshop-born concept. It evolved rather serio-humorously, and coincidentally, from the healthy verbal sparing and jousting that we are fond of. In response to a perennial charge (by mainstream literati) that African-American literature is not "universal," Darlene Roy, the perceptive president of the Writers Club, observed that Black authors write "Universal Particulars." Around the same time, I coined the phrase "Clashing Harmonies" to suggest the robust reach of - ologies and -isms represented by NWBC panelists, and, indeed, by African and Black Diasporan Writing generally. Hence the oxymoronic title: Gashing Harmonies and Universal Particulars. So the journeywriters went forth. Armed with pens, pencils, tape recorders, background reading, cameras, anticipation (at meeting so many Afro-literary luminaries!), flyers (announcing club meetings and a March 29 "Break Word With The World" reading), and the rather heady experience of having heard and broken bread with Toni Morrison on the eve of NBWC (in St. Louis), the kindreds made pilgrimage to Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn. Like battlefields from which most of us journeyed, kaleidoscopic Brooklyn, which cradles a college that is at once quite real and quite emblematic, lay as if under siege: a damp, garrulous, dreary, brilliant, homeless, hopeful, Afrocentric, ethnically-plural, proud, rap-reggae-and blues-buttressed colony. Graphic tones that gripped conferees who, according to the East St. Louis Monitor, "came in droves--by plane, bus, car, pickup, foot--to see and hear literary stars and panelists at the Third Naitonal Black Writers Conference." Doubtless such tones helped contextualize key note speeches by Alice Walker and Ishmael Reed, and panel presentations by Arnold Rampersad, Les Payne, Mari Evans, Michele Wallace, Quincy Troupe, Trudier Harris, Charles Johnson, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., J. California Cooper, John Wideman and others.

©SIUE|siue.edu/digialcollections Dense, ethereal, far out, egomaniacal, intellectual, blunt, sarcastic, cryptic, feminist, masculinist, gutsy, reverent, folksy/funky, humorous, pugilistic, ironic and solemn--but never- ever-dull—the three-day NBWC was both catalyst (for a literary renaissance aborning) and peak (in a march of conscious Black literary networking begun by the late John Oliver Killens in the 1960’s). These kindred contributors’ responses to the provocative discourses that inundated Brooklyn during March 22-24 unfold before you on the following pages. Responses, though far from perfect, that are nevertheless the silt of several revisions and re-writes. Responses, which—from writing to inputting to lay-out to printing—would not have been realized (and neither would this symposium) had it not been for NBWC Director Elizabeth Nunez-Harrell’s foreword, William Dorman’s precise inputting (re: computer Disking), graduate assistant Douglas Rudder’s assistance, Alex Babione’s multi-versed knowledge of high-tech print matters that are Yoruba to me, student assistant Christana Veasley’s quiet persistence, SIUE Humanities Dean David L. Butler’s budget clarifications, English Chair Isaiah Smithson’s resolve, and the tenacity of the EBR Writers Club faithful Inner Circle.

So, Hey! All you Riters out there who do the lit-crit-nit-grit-mvth-writ—pitching-of-a-fit-hit. hold on, cause you ain’t alone. We’re all in this gorgeous-terrible, vast, lonely, crowded, future/ancient-Soular System together. Keep on Bearing and Baring that WORD! Oh, and yes: Welcome, again, to our 1991 Midwest Black Writers and Thinkers Symposium.

Eugene B. Redmond East St. Louis, Illinois/ Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville October 2, 1991 1991 Midwest Black Writers and Thinkers Symposium Coordinating Committee Darlene Roy, Chairperson Ira Jones Jabari Asim Eugene B. Redmond Dr. Lee Blount Evon Udoh Sandra English Andrea Wren

©SIUE|siue.edu/digialcollections KEYNOTE ADDRESSES BY ALICE WALKER AND ISHMAEL REED Reporter: Georgene Bess WALKER: Living By The Word Keynote speakers Alice Walker and Ishmael White Man Say to the Black Woman?" She then Reed delivered stirring and provocative defined woman by telling what she is not-"A woman presentations that addressed "clashing harmonies is not a Potted Plant." More importandy, Walker and universal particulars." Each address took us to coached us on how to save ourselves in her poem a higher level in our Soular Systems, preparing us whose tide makes its own major statement, "Each One to move in the w/rite direction in the Pull One." 21st-Century. She reinforced the need to share, care and Addressing a standing-room-only audience at "practice what you teach" when she approached the Bedford Auditorium on Friday, March 22 at 8:00 podium barefoot, in empathy with admirers who were p.m., Walker focused her insightful commentary forced to stand, and urged those of us sitting to trade on our need to care for and share with each other. places with the wall-holders and aisle-kneelers because She raised pertinent and often painful issues as she "sharing is something we’ll be doing a lot of in the shared her ideas on new directions for black 21st-Century. It’s the higher way to go and is a part writers. of our tradition." Also speaking to an SRO crowd, Reed Seeing the irony in the persecution of Winifie delivered his address at 9:00 the next morning in Mandela, Walker placed it in poignant relief: it is the Carroll Street Auditorium. Commenting on indeed ironic that a government that has yet to convict such 1980’s issues as "black-male bashing," Reed anyone for the daily brutal assaults and murders of explored a myriad of topics-black feminism, Black South Africans has seen fit to prosecute Winnie neo-conservatism, the degradation of black men, Mandela, an exemplary "social worker," for the death white feminism, and finally, P.E.N. Oakland’s of a 14 year-old boy. With the wisdom of Lissie, planned media boycott. "Mother of the Universe" in Temple of My Familiar, Regarding Walker, however, words like Walker quietly and passionately cautioned the audience powerful and poignant describe her quiet, not to convict Winnie, the "Mother of the Nation," intuitive, yet emotion-laden address. It made us because "[g]iven the complete corruption of the justice moan, smile, shudder, laugh, and frequently say system, who can claim to judge?" [On May 14, 1991, "Lawd, Lawd,” and "Amen." Abiding by the title Winnie Mandela was indicted by a white judge and no of her book of collected essays, Living By the jury. She was subsequently sentenced to six years in Word, Walker provided words of wisdom to live prison.] by. Seeking to lift the audience’s collective Perhaps cognizant of the alleged "black-male consciousness, she pushed her words to their bashing" that Ishmael Reed claims has now become ultimate meanings and redefined, realigned, and "big business and a side-show" generated by black redirected our thought processes. She explored feminists, and of the "black-feminist bashing" in which and exposed multifarious issues with the foresight, Reed himself is a full participant, Walker, in "Each insight and passion of a prophet. Her thrusts and One Pull One," warned us not to participate in our themes were global: the blatant abuse of the own burials, not to "asphyxiate" each other’s words planet; our self-destruction and killing of each and dreams with the censorious "scratch of a pen." We other; and the South African regime’s continual must instead "each one pull one" out of the grave and persecution of Winnie Mandela, a nightmare "back into the Sun." evocatively addressed by Walker in her poem, To survive in the 21st-Century, Walker warned, "How Long Will They Torture Our Mothers: The we have to continue the other part of our Trials of Winnie Mandela." Aware of the tradition—"standing up for people"-a tradition which contradictions inherent in the anti-abortion historically has required that we African Americans be movement. Walker reinterpreted "right-to-life" in our brother’s and sister’s keepers. Recognizing that as "her chillbump-bringer" poem, "What Can the an oppressed people we ask a lot of those who take a

8 ©SIUE|siue.edu/digialcollections stand for us-politicians, writers, artists, leaders- dancing, throwing jabs, upper cuts, sometimes hitting Walker noted the inherent risks in below the belt, such as when he cracked on Henry pedestal-placing. Before we cast the first stone Louis Gates (who "never read a book by a black against our spiritual, political, and cultural leaders, woman he didn’t like") and Gates’ "mama": "Gates is we must recognize the human limitations in us all: a deranged patriarch who has appointed himself "at the least...give a thought to the context and literary model of the feminist movement out of desire actions of the behavior...study them...have the to seek revenge against his late mother." The ultimate humility to place gently at their feet the stone we iconoclast, Reed held nothing sacred. Twisting and have come to throw." turning, he shot jabs and barbs in every direction, In her uncompromising and painful poem sparing none except those who held with the gospel "What Can the White Man Say to the Black according to Ishmael Reed. Anything that seemed Woman?", Walker took issue with the right-to pretentious, unoriginal, or that clashed with his lifers, who frequently are middle-class, harmony, Reed punched down. An "aesthetic egotist," middle-aged white men arguing that a woman has his own criteria for quality became the corpus of his no choice, no right/rite to do with her body what analysis and judgment. His address was full of she will. Reinterpreting "right to life" perhaps to contradictions and brilliant flourishes as this juju man mean euthanasia, Walker asserted that abortion is hexed or floored his opponents, i.e., feminists, black not a callous murder; it is instead "an act of mercy feminists in particular. and self-defense." It should be a woman’s choice Acknowledging (tongue-in-cheek) that his address not to bring a child into a world so full of pain, was to be a "controversial tirade," Reed opened with disillusionment, and death. For many women reflections on Malcolm X, whom he now holds up as abortion is a rite to life. So what can the white an example. He then insisted that we should, like man say? "Given his history, in relation to us, [he] Malcolm X and the rappers of the 90’s, "dare say the should be ashamed to attempt to speak for the unsayable," and, like Chester Himes, "think the unborn children of the black woman, to force us to unthinkable." Contradictorily, Reed then berated the have children for him to ridicule, to drug." Alice Walkers of the world for following his own good Opening and closing to a standing ovation, advice. Like the ambivalent narrator in Countee Walker challenged: "each one pull one" into the Cullen’s "Yet I Do Marvel," I question Reed’s double- 21st-Century. edged bidding of poets and writers to sing when, like Tereus in Philomela, he rushes to cut out their tongues ««***«* if their strident voices or their songs displease him. Releasing verbal salvos at those who would REED: Fightin ’ WUh the Word compare African American male writers to their female counterparts, Reed took to task a New York The NBWC’s second keynote address, Times Book Review critic who wrote that, "black delivered by Ishmael Reed, was gripping, stern, women writers are more cosmopolitan...produce more simultaneously humorous and uncompromising. prolific [literature] than black male writers." While His presentation was more self-conscious, more black male and female writers are often compared data-based, more passionate in a preacher-lecturer (frequently at the expense of the black male), Reed way, more disturbing, more provocative than noted this double (colored) standard: Very seldom, if Walker’s. Reed made us squirm in our seats, ever, is the Anglo-American male writer compared to occasionally chuckle, grimace, feel put upon, and the Anglo-American female writer. say "Ha’ mercy!" The title of one of Reed’s recent He conceded that misogyny is a problem that books, Writin ’ is Fightin ’, exemplifies his should be squashed in the black community. pugilistic approach. Writing and fighting with his However, Reed, unlike Walker, offered no solutions. pen and tongue, Reed hammered his points home Whereas Walker insisted that "each one pull one," that and nailed his opponents’ coffins shut; he dusted we love each other and put said love into action, Reed off his hands and seemed to say "that’s good." cleverly danced and pranced around the issue Early on, Reed appeared to step into an altogether and instead focused on the absence of invisible ring, weaving, bobbing, prancing, feminist criticism on the misogyny of white men:

©SIUE|siue.edu/digialcollections "Will Spielberg do a movie on Jewish male bashing has become big business...and has pushed oppression of Jewish women? How many women back the black man’s struggle. And the accusations of must suffer in silence because all misogyny is misogyny give white society the opportunity to blamed on black men?" Overlooking the feminist practice a no-holds-barred racism on black men." Reed counter charge against comedian Andrew Dice rightfully claimed that society blames the black man Clay, Reed excused the alleged misogyny of Spike for all of its social ills, and he recognized that Lee and black male rappers by arguing that America scapegoats black men "as an excuse to wage feminists never took other races--white, Jewish, economic warfare against the black community; food, Japanese--to task for their misogyny. shelter, and health services have been curtailed." However, Reed did decry white male critics [Coincidentally, Reed’s play, Savage Wilds, which who castigate black men for being misogynous but focuses on the entrapment of Washington, D.C. never give thought to the question of their own Mayor Marion Barry, was performed concurrent to the misogyny and how they treat white women. For conference at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe in Manhattan. example, movies like Fatal Attraction, Crimes and Actual facts of the case--Barry was entrapped by a Misdemeanors, and Presumed Innocent teach that black woman (and his own base desires) and "the best way to deal with a difficult feminist is to prosecuted by a white woman--unwittingly jive with hurt her and get off." Reed’s thesis: the destruction of black men at the Although critical of black feminist writers, he hands of women.] did acknowledge the existence of good black Having spent the greater part of his 60-minute women authors: "Some literature by black women presentation sparring with feminists, is beautiful; some of it is great. I agree that it neo-conservatives, and nationalists, Reed hurriedly deserves to be published. I published some." campaigned for a media boycott during the last ten Yet, even as he recognized faults in minutes. Motivated by his anger at the media’s Shaharrazad Ali’s book, The Black Man’s Guide to perpetuation of the negative stereotype of the black Understanding the Black Woman, Reed man and the literary boycott against his own works, nevertheless gloried in its success (which occurred Reed organized a massive 30-day media boycott in without a "mandate from the powerful sisterhood collaboration with P.E.N. Oakland. Charging that the [who] were shocked |and| bitterly renounced the media only presents members of minority groups as book and the author")~"she put the hay where the thieves, crackheads, rapists, and murderers, he goats could get at it, while they [other black challenged us to "tune out" network news programs women writers] wrote as if for tenuring." Reed throughout the month of April to protest media was able to find merit in Ali’s book (perhaps stereotyping and scapegoating. Thirteen major cities, because of its anti-black woman sentiment?), but including East St. Louis, Washington, D.C., Seattle, he was unable to find anything redeeming about Detroit, and New York participated in the boycott. Walker’s The Color Purple as "a profound Reed also stressed that African Americans must find sociological and psychological study of black alternative ways to get published, here and in other folks." And although The Burning Bed and The countries, so that writers can be free to "write about Color Purple both have been called anti-male what [we] want to. We [Black feminists too?] should movies, Reed ironically dismissed Burning Bed write anything...protest or anti-protest, old or new because in it "only one man is condemned for his black aesthetic, philosophical or non-philosophical, misogyny," while in The Color Purple "a whole plot or plotless." class of men...are indicted for rape, child abuse, Reminding us to remember Chester Himes’ words, and incest." follow Malcolm’s example, and live by the word, both Highly political and seeing Reed and Walker prepared us for our Soular trek into everything--including the success of black women the 21st-Century. Writers must "think the writers-as a part of a tacit conspiracy to degrade, unthinkable," and "say the unsayable." We all must dehumanize, and humiliate the black man, Reed "each one pull one," remaining conscious of the lashed out at those he holds struggles of our brothers and sisters, being careful not responsib!e--nationalists, feminists, to "bury" anyone, and concentrating on his/her w/rite neo-conservatives, white and black: "Black-male to life, not solely on his/her perceived flaws.

10 ©SIUE|siue.edu/digialcollections Panel I: THE BLACK WRITER IN A PLURALISTIC SOCIETY Moderator: Steve Cannon Reporter: Darlene Roy Panelists: Arnold Rampersad (The Life of Langston Hughes) Mari Evans (Black Women Writers: 1950-198CF) Les Payne, journalist (Newsday Magazinea) Stanley Crouch (Notes of A Hanging Judge: Essays and Reviews 1979-1989) Marlene Nourbese Philip (Harriet’s Daughter). The NBWC’s opening panel, "The Black Writer in a Pluralistic Society," focused with great earnestness on a number of ideas and issues: the various dimensions of human character in Black literature; whether Black literature is dominated "by strict social formulas and calcified ways of thinking"; and the notion of a Black aesthetic. Moderated by Steve Cannon (Groove, Bang and Jive Around), this panel was literally/literarily a hog heaven of academic, creative and journalistic heavyweights who addressed the aforementioned concerns from multicultural, cross-gender perspectives. The term "pluralistic" elicited a wide range of risk alienating the other. Crouch totally dismissed the responses from panelists who tried to deconstruct, word, and any of its ancestors or heirs, from his discount, refine or dismiss it. As defined by Roger presentation. Scruton in the Dictionary of Political Thought, A native of Trinadad-Tobago, Nourbese Philip pluralistic society means "a simple society in invited us to examine some facts about racism in which several societies coexist in a single territory Canada where she has lived for twenty years. She interacting in a peaceful way but acting so as to likened Canada to South Africa with its racists become socially, politically and economically attitudes and homeland policy. She spoke of the interdependent. The normal assumption is that genocide of native Canadian people which closely such a society forms a liberal constitution which resembled the forms of annihilation used against builds some principles of tolerance and minority American Indians. It is the policy of the Canadian rights into its procedure to break down isolation as government to project a White face even though its a separatist tendency among citizens without Black and multi-racial populations are rapidly consideration of religious or ethnic groups." increasing. In theory, the societies in which we live Nourbese Philip reported on the racist theory loosely fit that description, but they do not reflect developed by Phillip Rustin, a professor at the it in practice. Nourbese Philip changed the panel’s University of Western Ontario, in which he linked title to "The Black Writer in a Racist Society." male intellectual capacity to penis size. The larger the Rampersad noted that his first reaction to the penis, the smaller the brain. Accordingly, Asians are handle was, "No, not again," just to denote how the most intellectual, Whites are next, and then Blacks. this issue has never really left the discourse on As recently as three years ago, Blacks were having Black literature. Evans insisted that contrived major problems getting published in Canada as importance has been given to certain words, revealed by Nourbese Philip. Her first book, Harriet’s concepts and ideas like pluralism; but that there Daughter, came out in England and the rights were was nothing new here as we [Americans] have bought back by the Women’s Press in Canada. never had a pluralistic society. Payne said that Recently, she was approached by two White producers plurality does not hold up for Black writers who who were interested in making a movie out of her must choose to address either the Black or the book because now there is money for multicultural White reading audience; but in choosing one, they works.

©SIUE|siue.edu/digialcollections In Nourbese Philip’s view, "a writer has a same. He deferred to Barbara Fields who stated that, possibility of becoming universal only if you tell "race is not an element of human biology. It is not an a very particular story. I do not set out to be idea but an ideology." universal." This is the scenario: Those with power Rampersad discussed the role and character of have enforced their particularities on the rest of racism in the writings of Toni Morrison, Zora Neale the world and defined them as universal. Hence: Hurston, Richard Wright, W.E.B. DuBois and If Blacks had power, more of our writings would Langston Hughes. "The great dilemma," he remarked, be considered universal. [I will refer to this "is the acceptance of the notion of cultural pluralism as concept as "universal particulars" during the opposed to cultural realism or cultural absolutism balance of this report.] Nourbese Philip concluded which they [Whites] would want us to believe in. We with a reading from her journal entries, "Against [the dominant society] are cultural realists in that we Reaction," written in 1986. ensure that others are measured and found wanting." Payne invoked the memory of the late John Rampersad placed Toni Morrison decidedly at the Oliver Killens who conceptualized and directed center of the vortex of questions regarding the endless National Black Writers Conferences at Medgar struggle over the effective use of Black and folklore Evers College in the 1980’s, and at Fisk and traditions. He noted that their use in literature has Howard Universities in the 1960’s and 1970’s. As often been viewed by Whites as lacking in complexity a journalist, Payne said he felt pleased to be or sophistication. Because she has mastered these invited to a gathering of "serious" literary writers, cultural and folklore practices, "people have said [to pointing out that, "the difference between literary me], ’If you see Ms. Morrison tell her please write a writers and journalists is the difference between novel we can understand.’" This comment has far fine wine and water--but everyone drinks water." reaching implications as it points out that many readers He suggested that, to some extent, all Black have had problems with accessing the mixture of writers encounter the same problems of being folklore and mystical/magical realism so liberally under-read and under-represented when dealing lacing Morrison’s later works. with the so-called dominant society. On the other According to Rampersad, "Blueprint for Negro hand, White writers can draw almost exclusively Writing" was Richard Wright’s attempt to reconcile his from their narrow range of experiences without feelings about race. Our task, as Wright saw it in the facing the dilemma of "dual audiences." For 1930’s, was to understand "Black Nationalism" and example, The Great Gatsby does not have one then transcend it for a greater perspective. believable Black person in it; yet it is considered Acknowledging the enormity of the issue of pluralism a great short novel even though its few references versus racism, Rampersad concluded that, "in the final to African Americans are tripping with negative analysis race is a very complicated matter and the stereotypes. The same holds true for other great more thought given to it the more complex it American novels like Grapes of Wrath. becomes." Payne challenged serious Black writers to Evans agreed with Payne that with so much drama develop their investigative reporting skills so that in our lives we don’t have to contrive a situation or they can create powerful fiction out of the wait around for lightning strikes of inspiration. triumphant and tragic events in our lives. A good Example: Mario Van Peeble’s movie, "New Jack recent example, he noted, is John Edgar City," features a valid representation of simple Wideman’s Philadelphia Fire. messages: dope is bad; dope will get you material Scholar Arnold Rampersad schooled us on the things; dope is sure death. However, she said, no one dual dimensions of racism. While we must handle piece of work can do everything. the devastating force of racism in our everyday Evans joined a chorus of conference writers when lives, we must also understand the science of this she said that there is room for opposing ideas in malady. What is meant by racism? When did it literature and that writers should stay open to them start? As far back as 1920 it held full power and because even the ones that appear to be of no it is still with us today. Racism and race science significance can have meaning. In Evans’ view, are very different concepts but are often confused "serendipity is that there is a certain kind of because they may give the appearance of being the intellectual calisthenics that occur when you engage in

©SIUE|siue.edu/digialcollections a ballet of opposing ideas and you are forced to warned that, "the best of Toomer, Hurston, [etc.] respond to hearing them even though you do not don’t compare to Hemingway or Faulkner though all agree." She also alluded to "universal particulars" should be read if only to know how much needs to be by way of a quote from Hesse: "When I write and done." what I write, if it is not about the community then For Crouch, "ideas such as Afrocentrism are it is not about anything." jokes. Jokes that will someday be discussed as no For Evans, a Black aesthetic exists because it more than another set of examples of a simple is instinctive. "The arts," she remarked, "are mindedness that has no chance of truly speaking to the psychological, therefore creating a degree of riddles of the human conditions of our times." Crouch power and perogative." In summation, Evans closed by reading from his new novel, First Snow In deemed that it is through this [artistic] power that Kokomo. rules are made allowing us to say who can and The august panelists, Stanley Crouch excepted, who can’t and that we are urged on to define recommitted themselves to some version of an ourselves. Afrocentric/humanistic view in an affirming, renewing Some may wonder how an all Black panel of and vibrant manner. It seemed to this writer that those writers could have a multicultural dimension. But advocating the application of the theory of "universal Stanley Crouch, who neither cringed, catered, particulars" as an approach to Black writing will crouched nor waxed obsequious as he genuflected continue to provide nutritional foodstuffs from which before, and happily followed, his Eurocentric many literary, cultural and historical feasts will be muses, achieved or sought to achieve, such in his made and served. text, "Beyond the Coon Franchise." Crouch argued that, "no matter how many excuses one gives for the predominance of mediocrity in the writing and criticism of those who purport to represent one segment or another of the down trodden, I have never heard anyone say the word, a pencil, a pen, a typewriter or a word processor refused to appear or function because this or that writer was a valid member of some irrefutably oppressed group." Because none of these tools take exception to race or gender, they stand a chance of being abused. Language is the richest and most refined vehicle for expression of human experience and perspective, according to Crouch, who noted that, "those of you who write books should know that the very nature of the book itself is still considered our most advanced entertainment technology. The video cassette and compact disc were designed to approximate the experience of reading." As Crouch saw it, a price has to be paid for living in a society where the basic issues of influence and perspective can eventually prescribe policy. He asserted that, "the Black writer should know that Andre Malraux has perhaps more to say to him or her than DuBois and that there is more to be learned from criticism by Killenbergh, Evelyn Wilson, Susan K. Randall, Albert Murray (Hero and the Blues), than from Skip [Louis] Gates or Houston ’Raw Dough’ Baker." He

©SIUE|siue.edu/digialcollections Panel II: LITERATURE AS A SOURCE FOR FINDING THE MORAL CENTER IN A CHANGING WORLD Moderator: Safiya Bandele Reporter: Ira B. Jones Panelists: William Harris John A. Williams Panel II opened with a mini-lecture by and heterosexism from an African American feminist William Harris that contrasted two works: Flight perspective. Illumination of the truths was her To Canada, a novel by Ishmael Reed, and emphasis, especially those truths that some wished to Frederick Douglass’ 1845 speech relating an actual deny. She explained the difference between moralism physical battle between himself and his slave and ethics by comparing the former to organized master. [A battle, incidentally, that Douglass religion and Christian Fundamentalism. "Ethics on the won.] One of the essential points in this other hand springs from within. The ethical life is presentation was that people fight for freedom in fluid and dialectical. It requires that one develops the different ways and one way of fighting is no more tools to evaluate myriad factors when arriving at a moral or correct than another. Also, different decision about what is right and what is wrong," Smith strategies are more effective depending on the said. circumstances surrounding the situation and the Now that I have shared "teasers" from the three position of the individuals involved. Harris, to presentations, I will proceed by giving an overview of whom we shall return later, expressed a desire for each one and then provide a brief synopsis of the African Americans to be open to, and supportive opening and summary commentaries by Safiya of, more than one approach as we strive to build Bandele. our own institutions. William Harris started with some observations on The second presenter, novelist John A. a speech given by Ishmael Reed earlier in the day (see Williams, author of The Man Who Cried I Am, Georgene Bess’ article) before launching into his delivered this poignant observation: "The moral presentation titled, "The Slave Narrative As Moral center, it seems to me, should be fixed firmly on Guide: Examples by Frederick Douglass and Ishmael a very simple rule of conduct. ’Do unto others as Reed." The central theme of Mr. Reed’s talk, Harris you would have others do unto you’...There is a said, was the concept of "thought control" or the deeply ancient but presently little understood people Reed referred to as ’the thought police, or relationship between moral man and moral world. thought control police.’ A second theme was freedom And this is because one cannot exist without the of expression. "Reed is always saying no thunder to other which is framed by the advice, ’Man know anybody who wants to control his artistic expression," thy self.’ I admit that all the discussions in the said Harris, who also pointed out that Reed had moral fiction, [of] moral being and the moral revised his vision of Malcolm X from an earlier time world cannot and will not erase the obvious fact when he was not interested in issues surrounding the that there will not ever by a firmly established late leader. Another theme that Reed focused on, black morality that would affect positively the according to Harris, was Malcolm’s willingness to say national morality without the reactive counter the unsaid: Having the nerve to say the unsaid squares force of white resistance." with Reed’s sense of freedom. The third presentation, received by fax from Pondering the novelist’s aims and dilemmas, Barbara Smith, was read by moderator Safiya Harris noted: "And I think you kind of wonder why Bandele, director of the Medgar Evers College Reed sort of ends up with this image of himself as the Center for Women’s Development. Ms. Smith serpent in the garden, as the nay sayer. And he says wrote that she is a writer and activist, specifically nay and it delights him to say nay and no; but he’s a Black feminist activist, devoted to confronting also a writer who’s affirmative and his affirmation is racism, capitalism, imperialism, sexual oppression, the affirmation of the African American tradition. Both 14

©SIUE|siue.edu/digialcollections traditions, Black writers and Black American most difficult task that any writer will face. "I am culture, [are things] about which he has been convinced that it is moral fiction that suffers most at consistent throughout his career." the hands of publishers, editors and academics," he Moving back to his topic, "The Slave said. Also, it is almost impossible for moral fiction to Narrative As A Moral Guide," Harris side-stepped take hold in an immoral or amoral society such as the the earlier textual examples and focused instead on one we live in [America] today. He noted that much Reed’s neo-slave narrative Flight To Canada, moral fiction is labeled subversive or protest. Though which Harris called "neo-fiction or neo-fiction once acclaimed by parts of the American literati, slave narrative." Flight To Canada is a re-writing protest is now seen in a viciously negative light. Also in fiction form of the slave narrative set in the what moral fiction can teach is not limited as much as seventies (1976). "It’s a work that grows very censored; and censorship is but another tool of much out of the seventies," Harris noted, "as oppression, he said. Frederick Douglass’ work of course grows out of Much of the literature that reaches us is a the pre-Civil War years. I want to provide this reflection of how well the literature is being censored, simple but very crucial definition of what a slave Williams declared, pointing out that, "Oppression, no narrative is. Most of us have probably read the matter how subtle, is only one, one single aspect of Frederick Douglass narrative and it has become our lives. And it seems to be of little concern to the classic American Literature. The simple definition gate keepers. We can sing other songs, we do sing of the slave narrative that I want to play with other songs, but we are to be the only ones that seem today and to use as a focus and light... the slave to be able to recognize them." He strongly urged all of narrative is a tale of bondage and freedom written those in the audience to encourage broader attendance by a former slave." at this and other conferences on Black literature. Most According to Harris, bondage and freedom of all, he said, our people must be reminded to can be described in many different ways. Bondage continue to read and write. He thanked the struggling and freedom take on more than just physical black owners of book stores who face numerous manifestations. The other important aspect of the obstacles similar to the African American writer. Their narrative that Harris discussed was that it must be struggles and victories, he noted, are part of the reason a recorded first hand experience of a slave and not why African American writers are receiving some be an altered or second hand account of what it national recognition lately. feels like to be a slave or an oppressed African In a statement read by Safiya Bandele, Barbara American. Mr. Harris declared that, "in many Smith asserted that historically all Black art has had an ways the slave narrative is the beginning of at least ethical, teaching and inspirational function. The work our written... tradition." However, he was of our best Black writers has inspired activism, unresolved as to whether the physical method of documented our communities’ political struggle, and Douglass, or the deceptive method of others, was been instrumental in the struggle for Black freedom. more effective for African Americans at the Smith’s role as a writer is to continue this struggle. present time. A pioneer in Black women’s literary activism, John A. Williams’ tone and thrust differed Smith said: "Since the 1970’s Black women writers from Harris’, but there were echoes of each in the have written critically about the negative impact upon other. According to Williams, "A nation such as our community as a whole of male domination, ours cannot have been founded on the proposition misogyny and sexual violence, among the many topics that ’All men are created equal’ and then proceed they address. Too often they have been castigated for to build temples of laws and...legal works denying not putting forth a proper public image of Black this proposition without incurring unimaginable people. Black lesbians and gay men such as...myself psychological, physiological and economical have been even more vilified for our honesty in damage to itself, it’s people and the world." writing from our own experiences and addressing the Williams then set out to portray the difficulty tragically divisive effects of heterosexism and that writers, and particularly black writers, face homophobia within our communities. This is when attempting to write and publish morally moralism at its worst," said Smith who co-edited centered literature; which is, he suggested, the Home Girls: A Black Feminist Anthology.

©SIUE|siue.edu/digialcollections She spoke of a crucial statement about judgmental and exclusionary nature of morality, heterosexism in the Black literary community particularly in the U.S. and more specifically in its which received wide spread support at the last self-prescribed "New World Order." She pointed to Black Writers Conference (1988). The statement the old white male supremacist order as being the was issued by herself and Joseph Beam, who died primary benefactor of the presently accepted morality. in December of 1988 of AIDS. One project that She spoke of how truth must not only be truth but it was not completed by Beam before his death was must also be told. a gay anthology titled Brother To Brother. Bandele quoted from W.E.B. Dubois’ However, it was finished by Essex Hemphill and autobiography: "‘Teach us forever deed; there is no released in April by Alison Publications. She read dream but deed; there is no deed but memory.’ These from the introduction to Beam’s first anthology, In are lessons we need to learn, and of course we know The Life, in which he spoke of the full that it’s not exactly the changing role; that it’s cyclical participation of gay black men in the black and what we are seeing now was before and that there community. He also stated that 2,500 black men is really nothing new under the sun. It is only a had died of AIDS in 1986. Ms. Smith pointed out question of relationships.. .how we are going to relate that present U.S. Census statistics place that figure to each other, how we are going to relate to the earth, at 36,729 Black men. Beam wrote of gay men as how we are going to relate to every living thing and performing, "many and very important roles non-animate thing on the planet. It’s a challenge how within our community. Together we are creating we are going to relate. . .it is the power of the word and naming a new community while extending a also; the power of the deed. It is what we do with our hand to the one from which we have come. We lives in this changing world and what we do with our are bringing into the light the lives which we have lives to change the world as well as what we say with led in the shadows." Smith said that gay and our mouths and how we dream. All of this is lesbian writers are not attempting to assault the important." She concluded on a note about the striking larger community’s morals by revealing their interrelatedness of all of the comments at the sexuality but do so in an effort to maintain their conference. "One common theme was the idea of own integrity inspired by an ethical commitment to people having the internal strength to open their mouth tell the truth. and, ’say the unsaid.’ Black writers need to say the In her opening remarks, Bandele apologized unsaid, ’to sing other songs’ as John A. Williams put for the panelists unable to attend, stating that she it. There must be room for all of us in our world. On was very, very sorry, especially since everything the issue of visibility there must be a safe place for all had been confirmed for a year. With Barbara of us to be heard. We must most importantly Smith, there had been a medical emergency. "She remember who is calling the words to the tune to faxed her statement last night." Haki R. which we march." Madhubuti was snow bound in Chicago. Doris Jean Austin lives in Brooklyn and if she should come before the panel is finished she would participate. Bandele recalled remarks made by Dr. Brenda Green during another panel in which the speaker had talked about seeing writers as mirrors; unless this image is true, she said, then we really can’t talk about getting inclusive. Bandele asked the question, "Which writer is voicing my reality?" She said the topic, "Literature As A Source For Finding A Moral Center," found meaning for her in that George Bush used it in claiming victory in the Gulf. She questioned the whole definition of morality; who’s doing the defining; what does the definer get out of people buying into the definition? She also questioned the

16 ©SIUE|siue.edu/digialcollections Panel III: THE USE OF BLACK HISTORICAL FACT IN LITERATURE Moderator: Brenda Greene Reporter: Lynn A. Casmier-Paz Panelists: Charles Johnson John Edgar Wideman Paul Carter Harrison Henry Louis Gates, Jr. It is ironic that the panel, "The Use of Black second speaker, and he unfolded his large, powerful Historical Fact in Literature," which focused on frame from behind the panel’s table. Standing tall the application of history, met at a conference before the microphone, Wideman began by questioning whose theme was the future, and at a college in the Eurocentric idea of history as a linear progression Brooklyn, N.Y. named for Medgar Evers, the backward or forward in time. He preferred the West civil rights leader who was murdered over 25 African notion of "Great Time," which, he explained, years ago in Mississippi. The seeming "is like swimming in a medium of past, present and contradiction of these circumstances and stated future, all at the same time.” objectives serve to underscore the unresolved He described his vision of history as a sky full of issues at the core of the panel presentations. stars, where the stars represent the actual historical After a delay of 25 minutes, during which facts. As in a starfilled sky, the historical novelist is video cameras were focused and brilliantly hot overwhelmed by the sheer number of stars, and cannot lights were aimed upon four men and one woman attempt to name them all. In fact, he does not even try (the moderator) seated behind the long table of a to identify them all, but instead names groups of stars, small stage, Charles Johnson, award-winning or facts, much as an astronomer named one group of author of Middle Passage, spoke first. In a stars "Orion." However, there is a critical difference, languid, leisurely drape across the podium, and he quickly added, when a black historical novelist from behind round spectacles, he began by approaches the star-filled sky of historical facts addressing the question: How do historical writers because few of those stars can tell him about himself, do what they do when writing about characters or his story in the United States. For this reason, who are placed in a time frame which is 100 years Wideman suggested that the black novelist in search of old? He revealed that his strategy involved the history, or, his-story, must concern himself with the time-consuming task of hunting down details: "spaces between the stars." He observed that "these "What kind of cup would the slave drink from?" spaces of historical fact--which suspend the stars--are Johnson said he had culled historical documents to just as important, and maybe more interesting" to the find all the appropriate props to dress the set. "I’m black historian who seeks the facts with which to looking for the concrete specifics which drive [the create a novel. The spaces between the stars are where reader and characters] back into the 19th century." an understanding of the African American past lies: He spoke to the issue of technique, but failed these spaces are the witnesses who testify to the facts. to address the broader political issues surrounding The black novelist, therefore, has less concern for the the missing facts which characterize the African dates, figures or names which signify a Eurocentric American in history: How do historical novelists conception of history. extrapolate from the Eurocentric historical Paul Carter Harrison, playwright, educator and information that material which helps to reveal the author of The Drama of Nommo, used his address to black experience in the United States? Johnson’s direct a searing criticism toward literary historians presentation on technique made the African who would resurrect certain African American artifacts American historical novelist’s work seem much as representations of the collective black experience. like that of an antique-seeker. He cited the current Lincoln Center production of the Novelist John Edgar Wideman, author of the play "Mule Bone" by Langston Hughes and Zora critically acclaimed Philadelphia Fire, was the Neale Hurston as an example of an African American 17

©SIUE|siue.edu/digialcollections work of art that would have been better off left for The two novelists—Johnson and Wideman—also dead. "’Mule Bone’ is a critically myopic made it abundantly clear that there is no one collective depiction of African American folk life," he black experience that any artist could possibly seek to began, as his fiery assault caused him to reposition create, as evidenced by their different perspectives and large, square glasses and peer still closer down uses of historical fact. Where John Edgar Wideman into his text. "Not everything minted from the past seemed concerned more with the witnesses to historical is worth salvaging." events, or the characters which the historical events Henry Louis Gates, Jr., author of The acted upon, Charles Johnson focused more upon the Signifying Monkey and Figures In Black, and details and properties which render authenticity to the general editor of the thirty-volume Schomberg historical novel. Library Series of Nineteenth Century Black Women Although neither artist spoke specifically to Paul Writers, put aside his cane, and carefully carried Carter Harrison’s concern for legitimate representation his slight frame from behind the long table. He of the collective African American experience, each raised his head high to peer out just above the saw legitimizing of black culture as a primary goal, or microphone and answered the criticism of aim, in their writing of historical novels. This Harrison by admitting, first of all, that it was he legitimizing drive of the marginalized artistic voice who had been part of the resurrection of "Mule was also the primary concern of Henry Louis Gates, Bone," and then charged that Harrison’s criticism Jr., who cautioned readers that would censor or deny amounted to nothing less than an effort to censor voices which spoke the multilingual vernacular of the African American artists and literary historians. African American experience: "Readers who expect Gates considered "Mule Bone” a work of art, and the artist to assume responsibility for writing the text for this reason, it deserved to be heard. Whether of blackness in order to counter white racism are it represents the collective experiences of African engaging in the intellectual equivalent of ideological Americans is not relevant, he offered, for it does prior restraint." He believes that the artist must be not stand as black historical fact, but rather as the allowed to offer her or his vision to the reader without vision and age of the artists who created it. concern for historical authenticity, or the legitimizing Gates observed that the past, historical fact or of the African American experience. Black writers, he otherwise, is subject to interpretation by whoever feels, must not be censored by an African American seeks to work with whatever it offers--especially community which fears the backlash of a white racist when that historical understanding or knowledge is dominant culture. "After all," he observed, "white found in the hands of the artist. He argued that the racists don’t rush out to read Beloved in order to learn black historical novelist is wrongly charged with a how to hate black people." responsibility for, as James Baldwin called it, In the end, the few questions offered from the "writing the text of blackness," or creating audience following the presentations did not resolve representations of the collective African American the critical issue of an artist’s responsibility to present experience. "The artist’s central function," a vision of the collective "text of blackness." As the according to Gates, "is not to hold a mirror up to men rose to indicate an end to the session, it was clear a projected or imagined past, but is to create both that the issue would certainly follow African American the mirror and the projection." The black artist literature and criticism into the 21st century and must be released from any responsibility to portray beyond. a collective African American experience. Such a responsibility assumes that there is a collective black experience which can be retrieved and presented via any art form. "The past, to an imaginative author, is always a tabula rasa, a blank slate onto which the author inscribes her or his contours, as well as the contours of her or his age," said Gates. "There is no black past back there, waiting whole, waiting out there or back there to be recovered whole."

©SIUE|siue.edu/digialcollections Panel IV: THE USE OF FOLKLORE AND THE CREATION OF MYTH IN BLACK LITERATURE Moderator: Norman Loftis Reporter: Jabari Asim Panelists: Quincy Troupe Arthur Flowers Trudier Harris Eugene Redmond Frances-Anne Solomon We don’t live in places where we can hear those stories anymore; parents don’t sit around and tell their children those classical, mythological archetypal stories that we heard years ago.... —Toni Morrison Morrison suggests in the passage quoted above African-American writers and artists have always that literature (and specifically the novel) must judged themselves and others by the ability to fly. To begin to take the place of oral tradition regarding fly within the imagination through folkloric sayings the transmission of cultural values through myth such as "the brother and sister are out there" indicates and folklore. The role of folklore and myth and its the use of flying as metaphysical mythmaking. Troupe use in a changing African-American society is a showed that this saying can be used to express a question being pondered by many other artists as variety of meanings: 1) to indicate a person is crazy, well. It was the topic of discussion during Panel perhaps dangerously so, and should be handled IV of the NBWC. with caution; 2) to indicate a person is avant garde, Poet-journalist Quincy Troupe (Miles: The heavy or deep, referring to a sort of interior flying Autobiography) concentrated on "flying" imagery rather than an outward one; 3) finally, to indicate a and the multiple meanings a single fragment of person so brilliant, so absolutely gifted, that he/she is language can contain. He also addressed the looked at with awe. problems some of our most creative writers often Troupe wrapped up his presentation by linking the face. flying phenomenon to the condition of contemporary Henry Dumas’ short poem "America" African-American literature. Usually the concept of describes the plight of an eagle imprisoned on the flying is used by African-Americans to indicate back of a coin: "That coin will spin./That coin respect. Because America refuses to imaginatively or will flutter,/But the eagle will never fly (from spiritually fly, African-American artists who are Knees of a Natural Man).' Troupe noted that the flying-or who are "out there"-often find themselves eagle represents America, and its inability to fly at odds with their own homeland. Paradoxically, the derives from racism and the various resultant American eagle never flies. Take James Baldwin and corrupt diseases that afflict the nation. For Dumas Jimi Hendrix as examples, Troupe urged. They both and other African-American artists this inability to had to leave the country to be recognized-before they fly also comes from America’s lack of spirituality could "fly." which fuels creativity, according to Troupe. Part of the reason our "flying" artists are often "Creative artists tend to see flying as an compelled into exile can be traced to the apathy of interior journey, one that can transcend the African-Americans, according to Troupe. Walter non-spirituality of the country," he said. Moseley (Devil In A Blue Dress) and other Consideration of folklore and myth runs African-American artists who fly are not often counter to what America is about, he asserted, embraced by their own communities. The most because most of what is supposed to be excellent imaginative, avant garde artists are not being in American literature reflects a detachment from supported, he said; therefore we are in danger of the ore of folklore or myth. losing them. In African-American myth those who 19

©SIUE|siue.edu/digialcollections flew the farthest, who were "out there," are geographically from the community. They are often oftentimes discovered much later. burdened with distinctive physical characteristics such "At this juncture in our lives we cannot afford as red eyes, or one black and one blue eye. Harris to embrace second and third-rate writers over cited Aunt Peggy in Chestnutt’s "The Conjure first-rate ones," Troupe warned, refusing to name Woman" as an example of a typical conjurer. The names despite audience members urging him to do Hairy Man of traditional African-American folklore is so. also a good example. The spells such conjurers invoke According to novelist Arthur Flowers (De often involve shapeshifting and transformation. Mojo Blues), conventional mythology concerns Examples are men being changed to wolves and white gods/characters who represent the minds of a men becoming black men. culture and whose actions teach survival and Harris showed how certain black women writers manifest themselves as understandings of historical have altered conventional treatment of conjurers by reality. Examples of the passing on of survival removing their distinctive physical characteristics and knowledge include the Brer Rabbit tales, which firmly placing them within the confines of the can be said to symbolize techniques utilized by community. She pointed to Toni Cade-Bambara’s slaves to outwit their captors. Minnie Ransom (The Salt Eaters) and Gloria Naylor’s Flowers stated that a writer who uses eponymous Mama Day as conjurers who work for the characters from mythology is using personae good of the community. Further, their conjuring acts already chosen and accepted by the culture. Such are actually witnessed by community members, writers dig deeply into the race consciousness of whereas in traditional mythology conjurers derive their the tribe, and if successful, speak on a level that’s power from the community’s blind faith in their deeper than truth, that transcends the limitations of abilities. Morrison’s Sethe (Beloved) possesses an fact. He offered the Bible as an example of such unnamed power which allows her to do unnamable transcendence. Because myth is by definition things. Her daughter Beloved, although a ghost, is also eternal, stories must deal with issues that a conjurer. supersede time and space to become part of the According to Harris, Morrison, Naylor and larger mythology of the people. Flowers predicted Bambara all assign a power to a black woman that has that LaBas, the mythological figure derived from never been hers in real life—the power to transcend all the Voudoun deity Legba, and Hurston’s Janey obstacles and restrictions. and Teacake, among other characters, will Alice Walker, Harris contends, continues this transcend the literary canon and become part of tradition with Lissie, the shapeshifting heroine of The the larger mythology, because they deal with Temple Of My Familiar. She believes the current fundamental human concerns. popularity of Morrison and Walker brings with it a Writers are mythmakers whether consciously paradox. Despite their successful re-working of or not, a point supported and illustrated in a conventional literary genres, these writers are unable subsequent presentation by panelist Frances-Anne to escape the label of "black woman writer," which Solomon. Harris views as restrictive. Their popularity also raises Flowers said stories incorporating myth and a number of questions for Harris. How far can women folklore often encompass issues concerning life writers go with the conjure theme? Will it still and its struggle, the relationship between work/be interesting in 2010? man/woman and God, man and the universe, and Harris’ questions were certainly man and nature. He views Henry Dumas as the thought-provoking. Only time can answer them. ultimate mythmaking writer. Eugene Redmond is Professor of English at Trudier Harris is J. Carlyle Sitterson Professor Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville and of English at the University of North Carolina and associate publisher and poetry editor of Literati author of Fiction and Folklore: The Novels of Toni Internazionale. The Eye in the Ceiling, his sixth book Morrison. She devoted her presentation to a of poetry, will be published this fall. His talk provided discussion of conjurers. an examination of the double-directional motion within Traditional literary treatment of conjurers African-American literature, which he defined as a places them in settings that are isolated two-pronged application of myth and folklore as both

©SIUE|siue.edu/digialcollections pejorative and positive. According to Redmond, 0 fly away home fly away this idea was popularized in the 1960s by the phrase "myth-making and image-breaking." The Compare those lines from Hayden to these written by best African-American writers simultaneously use Toni Morrison: folklore/myth as a vehicle of destruction and Solomon done fly, Solomon done gone resurrection. Solomon cut across the sky, Solomon gone home. Example of double-directional expression (306) include everyday phrases such as "making a way He didn’t need no airplane. He just took off; out of no way," and "if it wasn’t for bad luck, I’d got fed up. All the way up! No more cotton! have no luck at all,” both of which advocate, as a No more bales! No more orders! No more shit! character in Song of Solomon advises, "taking He flew, baby. Lifted his beautiful black ass advantage of disadvantage." As Flowers alluded up in the sky and flew on home. to in his citation of the Brer Rabbit tales, this (332) amounts to extracting essential survival skills from adversity itself. Redmond continued with examples culled from the Successful employment of the writings of Henry Dumas, referred to earlier by double-directional enables African-American Arthur Flowers as the ultimate mythmaker. He spoke writers to transcend the of the Dumas short story "Ark Of Bones" which Greco-Roman-Hebraic-Christian restrictions derives its imagery from the biblical valley of dry imposed upon them by the expectations of the bones and features as its protagonist a young majority culture. This transcendence has been prophet/conjurer named Headeye. "Will The Circle Be achieved by Black writers from Ptahhotep to Unbroken," another Dumas short story, draws from a Phillis Wheatley to Henry Dumas, Redmond concept of music as a great primeval force capable of believes. both creation and destruction. The "way out of no "The folkloric and mythological context in way" theme continues to be delineated by younger which African-American writers duke it out with writers as well, according to Redmond. He cited my their influences, impulses, plots, points-of-view, own poem "For Harold Washington" as an example, characters, voices, verses, rhythms and languages the last stanza of which reads: is also quite multicultural due to broad and myriad But death does not demand despair, extensions, cross-fertilizations and for the seeds of our ascendance transformations," Redmond said. are planted several million strong. He supported this observation by referring to 1 sensed the sprouting, Paule Marshall’s short story "Barbados" as a tale felt the roots take hold in which qualities of double-directional expression as I rode my shield to the Resting Place. and mythmaking are woven into the narrative. Marshall actually employs what one might call an Frances-Anne Solomon is a producer with BBC Afro-centric classical allusion in which the Radio Drama. "I Is A Long-Memoried Woman," her narrative voice refers to James Weldon Johnson’s video based on the poems of Grace Nichols, won the "Creation" in the description of a key female Gold Award at the 1991 New York Film Festival. She character. spoke briefly of her encounters with myth and folklore He also demonstrated that Robert Hayden’s while directing the video. She echoed Flowers’ "O Daedalus, Fly Away Home" and Toni statement by saying her ambition is to transform the Morrison’s novel Song of Solomon are classic past into a new art that reflects contemporary reality examples of using folklore to achieve a and speaks to the future. She also echoed Flowers’ double-directional purpose. In both cases the myth assertion that writers (artists) are mythmakers (whether of the flying African is utilized as a vehicle for consciously or not) when she told of choosing to place escape from unbearable oppression. masks on her female performers, not realizing that Night is an African juju man masks play a principal role in the mythology of many weaving a wish and a weariness together African cultures. She felt it necessary to use masks to to make two wings. symbolize her belief that Black women’s faces reflect

21 ©SIUE|siue.edu/digialcollections their being forced to deny their experience. we shall shoot words with hooves that kick clouds SUMMARY: fire eaters from the sun This panel covered a diverse and extensive we shall lay the high white dome to siege range of subjects all thoroughly considered and cover screams with holy wings, in those days clearly relevant to the central topic. Many of the we shall be terrible. presentations led me to think of other poems and works that were not mentioned. For example, This is not to suggest that any of the presentations Harris’ discussion of shapeshifters brought to mind were somehow incomplete. Rather, they stimulated "the shapeshifter poems" by Lucille Clifton in memory and imagination while passing on essential which she uses the conjuring of bad magic as a information, and that’s as much as anyone could ask wistful explanation of child molestation: for. the legend is whispered in the women’s tent how the moon when she rises full follows some men into themselves and changes them there the season is short but dreadful shapeshifters they wear strange hands they walk through the houses at night their daughters do not know them. Or Ishmael Reed’s "Railroad Bill, A Conjure Man”: Railroad Bill, a conjure man Could change hisself to a tree He could change hisself to a Lake, a ram, he could be What he wanted to be. Similarly, Redmond’s discussion of double-directionals recalled these lines from June Jordan’s "Oughta Be A Woman”: A way outa no way is flesh outa flesh Courage that cries out at night A way outa no way is flesh outa flesh Bravery kept outa sight A way outa no way is too much to ask Too much of a task for any one woman. Finally, so much discussion of flying imagery sent me rushing back to Dumas’ "Black Paladins," which combines primeval, medieval, and African-American mythology to create a winged vision of apocalypse and redemption: we shall be riding dragons in those days black unicorns challenging the eagle

©SIUE|siue.edu/digialcollections Panel V: NEW DIRECTIONS FOR BLACK WRITERS IN THE 21st CENTURY Moderator: Keith Gilyard Reporter: Evon Udoh Panelists: Trey Ellis (Platitudes) Michele Wallace (Black Macho and the Myth of the Superwoman) Louis Reyes Rivera (Who Pays the Cost) J. California Cooper (A Piece of Mind) Mary Helen Washington (Memory of Kin: Stories about Family by Black Writers) Keith Gilyard (Voices of the Self). Praise words, accolades, plaudits and amens America, Rivera called for support of the many filled the Bedford auditorium of Medgar Evers alternative African American publishing companies, College as academicians, ruminators and writers and hundreds of Black writers who are "in concert who served on NBWC’s fifth panel-"New with us and not against us." Directions for Black Writers in the 21st Common sense advice and bouncy witticism Century "-reaffirmed their dedication to African endeared the audience to the next panelist, J. American solidarity and advancement. Indeed, California Cooper. Cooper reminded the gathering of consciousness-elevation, re-imaged responsibility the best guidance given more than 4000 years ago and and Black Liberation/self-determinaiton formed the which hasn’t been surpassed by anything since: "God nucleus of the center star in each panelist’s gave us ten simple one liners on sin, and the world is cosmos. During the course of the spirited in a mess because we have broken them all." The presentations, questions and responses, several challenge to African American writers-and standing ovations inundated the room. everyone-to examine their values, principles and The first panelist, Louis Reyes Rivera, was beliefs prefaced much of Cooper’s speech. Asking us introduced by Gilyard as having led a prolific life to examine who we are and what we believe in, she as a lecturer. He lived up to this introduction as he then delighted the audience by saying, "I am very drove home his message on the evils of "absolute happy to be Black. What color is childbirth? What corruptibility," a phrase attributed to the late color is death?" These elements of life are not color novelist and NBWC originator, John Oliver coded, she noted. Cooper’s sermonical urge that we let Killens, Rivera’s mentor and father-in-law. Rivera love and truth direct our literary paths gained her a charged that "some of our latest wave of fiction robust standing ovation. Hers were heartfelt gems of writers today choose to seek the career side of wisdom. writing instead of the vocational side of During his introduction of Trey Ellis, Gilyard ("nommo") the word. They choose as well not to spoke of his youthful age. If youth has anything to do study and not to question beyond what is with the supreme confidence that Ellis displayed at the acceptable to someone else’s agenda-that is at the podium, let’s have it for the young! He examined root of our capacity to be as, Killens said, possible future directions for contemporary African ‘absolutely corrupted.’ No serious study, equals no American written art forms, noting that, "We need to serious concerns, equals a literature that lacks bring our blackness to our art, or we will perish with substance-lacks historical content-equal s a the culture that spawned it first, and is dying along contract with Random House." He cautioned with it." He mentioned that the 1991 release of writers not to "abandon your long tradition of thirteen films directed by African Americans will be a social responsibility to African American people. world’s record. Rap, he told conference attendees, will Silence, in the face of injustices imposed by this be the wave to the future in fiction writing. More and country, and lies we harbor are acts of treason more Black writers are being influenced by rap like against ourselves, our communities and life itself." they previously were by jazz. Already, he said, rap is Recognizing attempts by major publishing houses being used by poets such as Paul Beatty. Protest to suppress and direct the voices of Black literature, he predicted, will take on a wit and strength 23

©SIUE|siue.edu/digialcollections never experienced before as writers are inclined During the question and answer period, the issue towards the rappers’ form of protest. Black of male misogyny in works by African American novelists, Ellis offered, will have to take a subtle women quickly rose and died when panelist Mary path to soul, in order to bring the Black aesthetic Helen Washington, along with various members of the to the language. He then reinforced this idea with audience, pointed out Black female authors who have the comment, "I think of Ellison, I think of developed balanced male images in their works. This August Wilson, I think of Toni Morrison, I think is an issue (if you can call it that) which I am sure will of Charles Burnett in his films Killer Sheep and To correct itself to the extent that "correcting" is possible Sleep With Anger as examples of an innovative, in the future as more and more Black writers, females yet subtle, soul that has not been mined by us." and males alike, struggle to define their own beauty. As for Michele Wallace, "one of the biggest If the NBWC confluence of hundreds of fiesty, and most important new directions for the 21st literary-minded Afrocentric souls was anything to go century has to do with this conference [NBWC]." by, the claim to a second literary renaissance coming Following this opening, Wallace shared her to growth was more than confirmed by the panelists. personal feelings of frustrations and doubt at the Cultural Nationalist/Black Aesthetic regenerative rejection of her semi-autobiographical novel, Ain’t designs for the 21st century were omnipresent. Nobody’s Business, by major publishing houses. The work fictionalizes the various experiences she had after writing Black Macho and the Myth of the Superwoman. As a result of her battles, she feels that crucial contemporary events are being suppressed. She called for more autobiographical writing to enlighten future generations of Black authors. Wallace listed poetry, African American cultural criticism and visual art as areas neglected in publishing, but which should be areas of concern for the Black writer now and into the 21st century. The "problem of the visual" (Black stereotyped imaging), she said, could be worked out through affirmative action-increasing the numbers of African American aritists in the areas currently dominated by the Eurocentric culture. Mary Helen Washington, the consumate teacher/writer, said that when she thought over what she would talk about for the 21st century, she knew immediately to go to a story she felt "represented the future." Washington referred us to the "Adventures of the Dread Sisters," an autobiography by Alexus DeVeaux, published in her recent anthology, Memory of Kin: Stories about Family by Black Writers. Deveaux’s story, she noted, is characterized by a mother/daughter relationship which breaks with the traditional image of suppressed women in the family. Instead, it presents women characters who express their equality, thereby offering the reader new wishes, new demands, new goals and even new future experiences. Washington said Alexus Deveaux does what she has found difficult to do: open up (in her autobiographical writing) about family.

©SIUE|siue.edu/digialcollections Panel VI: THE BLACK WRITER: PUBLISHING, DISTRIBUTION, MARKETING Moderator: Cheryl Williams Johnson Reporter: Jabari Asim Panelists: Marie Brown, literary agent Erroll McDonald, publisher Toni Banks, distribution agent Joe Johnson, editor Participants at the 1988 National Black Joe Johnson, poet, editor, professor and one-third Writers Conference revealed that there were less of the famous Reed, Cannon and Johnson publishing than ten Black editors in major publishing houses troika, focused his presentation on alternatives to in New York. The continuing ghettoization of traditional publishing. A pioneer of the independent Black writers vis a vis publishing in 1991 indicates publishing movement that flourished in the 60s, that little has changed in the way of significant Johnson urged aspiring authors to pursue alternative African-American input. Panel VI of this year’s methods of getting their work to the marketplace. He conference addressed the topic of publishing and referred to Shaharrazad Ali’s self-published The its multitudinous implications. Blackman's Guide to Understanding the Blackwoman Erroll McDonald, controversial "bad boy" as a prime example of reaching one’s readership executive editor of Pantheon books, began with an without relying on the "major" publishers. overall view of the publishing industry. The major Johnson declined to comment on the controversial houses produce more than 60,000 titles annually, views espoused by Ali since they were not relevant to generating revenues of $30 million. Books his discussion. He convincingly argued that her produced are categorized into one of three areas: success demonstrates that "self-publication allows you hardcover, trade paperback and mass market. to control the ideological content of your book as well McDonald offered an apologia of sorts for the as the economic circumstances." Johnson cautioned all industry by citing the general population’s alleged writers to make a decision about the issues they want disinterest in reading as the determinant factor in to address and be certain to do so in a manner that the publishing industry’s relative inaccessibility. reflects their own identities. "America for the most part is a country of non His insistence that authors find alterative readers," he said, implying in the process that his publishing sources could have been fortified by a brief statement applies, "for the most part," to Black listing of such sources. It would be helpful to know America as well. This is hard to swallow, the operational status and/or policies of Black however, when one considers the swelling publishing pioneers such as Broadside Press, Lotus population of attendees at booksignings, readings Press and Third World Press, as well as the condition and book fairs across the country, as well as the of newer entities such as Harlem River Press and increasing success of Black book clubs. Africa World Press. McDonald offered no other explanation for his Marie Brown, a 24-year veteran of the industry, colleagues’ apparent disinterest in Black writers expounded on the role of the literary agent. Expressing (save for a few prominent women writers and even what could be seen as a refutation of McDonald's fewer men) other than to say "Black culture is assertions, she stated that African-Americans are very, very precarious in this country today." Even buying and selling books in record numbers. Brown if this were true, one could contend that such supported her contention by recalling her experience at precariousness presents even more compelling an African-American children’s book fair in Stamford, motivation to embrace the scribes of the culture. Conn., during which $24,000 worth of books were But it’s not true—it would have been more sold in a six-hour stretch. accurate, perhaps, to state that appreciation of She stressed that perseverance must become Black culture is insufficient, although that too is second nature for writers and book industry debatable where our audience is concerned. professionals, since "dealing with rejection is a normal 25

©SIUE|siue.edu/digialcollections part of what this work is about." She cited the SUMMARY: endurance of Black-owned presses as a This panel was very interesting, and perhaps more contributing factor to the survival of Black writers, importantly, informative as well. The Brown and along with the efforts of independent booksellers Banks presentations contained the most useful and around the nation. Brown made it clear that the relevant information and appeared to be more carefully financial rewards resulting from dealing with conceived and less off-the-cuff than the other two. The Black presses are usually slim, but challenged her panel could have been improved by the inclusion of an audience to "keep in mind the real reason for active small press operator. Information regarding the getting published." That reason, she continued, set-up and maintenance of such an operation would involves invoking the written word to celebrate definitely have been appreciated by the eager audience. ourselves. According to Brown, Blacks who wish All writers, especially African-American ones, could to participate and succeed at any level of the certainly benefit from learning more about owning and publishing industry must be willing to meet controlling means of production, since such ownership increasingly high standards of performance. is inextricably linked to controlling one’s artistic "We have to do more and we have to do more destiny. better," she said. Toni Banks is manager of telemarketing sales at McGraw-Hill and a veteran of 25 years in book-related enterprises. She began her presentation by challenging statistics released by the Book Industry Study Group. Banks believes the figures fail to reflect accurately the readership of African-Americans. She further asserted that books for Blacks are generally poorly marketed, a problem which could be solved by the writers themselves. Banks emphasized that a writer’s work is not done when his or her manuscript has been completed. Hardly. According to Banks, the work has just begun because the writer must enter the marketing mode at the beginning of the publishing process. The bookseller is the best possible person to begin with, she said. She offered several suggestions writers can utilize to increase sales. Among them: 1) Plan events, readings and displays. 2) Target study groups, writers workshops, etc. 3) Buy books from your publisher to send samples everywhere. 4) Target Black book clubs and send signed review copies. Banks introduced novelist Grace Edwards-Yearwood, whose In The Shadow of The Peacock was helped considerably by the author’s aggressive, self-initiated marketing campaign.

©SIUE|siue.edu/digialcollections CONFERENCE WRAP UP PANEL: A Summary of Summaries Moderator: Elizabeth Nunez-Harrell Reporter: Darlene Roy Panelists: Steve Cannon Safiya Bandele Brenda Greene Norman Loftis Keith Gilyard Cheryl Williams Johnson The mission of the "Conference Wrap Up Panel" was to distill the voluminous data imparted by the distinguished writers and scholars, who made up the six central panels, into succinct and precise statements highlighting the essences of those panels. Elizabeth Nunez-Harrell, conference director and author of When Rocks Dance, moderated this master panel, composed of the moderators of the previous panels. PANEL I: either through direct confrontation, trickery or other "The Black Writer In A Pluralistic Society" techniques to suit the situation. Williams suggested that (Arnold Rampersad, Mari Evans, Les Payne, the Black writer should be working on behalf of a Stanley Crouch and Marlene Nourbese Philip). moral imperative. Smith, a lesbian, feminist and Keith Gilyard reported for moderator Steve radical, sees her works and that of other writers, who Cannon. The issue of a pluralistic society was have taken on the challenge of depicting and waltzed around by panelists and then left sitting by questioning the range of oppressions within the Black the wall in favor of a romp with the realism of community, as the logical continuation of the African racism which was examined from both a historical American tradition of protest and struggle. Writers like and modern perspective. Nourbese Philip said that Ishmael Reed and Barbara Smith, reaching back to Black writers have to write particular stories about Malcolm X, have the nerve to say the unsaid. The particular characters before there can be movement challenge remains for Black writers to provide a place toward universal acceptance of their works. Payne for all of these voices to be heard, she cautioned. encouraged the use of investigative reporting to develop current topics and issues, triumphs and PANEL III: tragedies, into fiction. In these times of increased "The Use of Historical Fact In Black Literature," consciousness of our Afrocentric heritage, there (Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Charles Johnson, John Edgar are those Black writers, like Crouch, who view Wideman, Marita Golden, Paul Carter Harrison). Eurocentric writings as superior models, the Moderator Brenda Greene noted Marita Golden’s standards by which other Black writers are absence but gave no explanation for it. Johnson said measure and admonished for trying to pass off the that Black writers must encapsulate history in our "contents of slop jars for ambrosia." Such writers stories and develop it through our characters. were charged with "hustling" Blackness. Wideman saw historical facts as being colorless and universal like the sky. Writers must pull elements from PANEL II: the sky to make the appropriate connections and create "Literature As A Source For Finding The our fiction. However, Gates warned that there is a Moral Center In A Changing World" (Haki danger in fictionalizing history because we may create Madhubuti, William Harris, Doris Jean Austin, a distortion of history. The purpose of Black fiction is Barbara Smith and John A. Williams). Safiya to create a mirror on which to project our culture and Bandele was the moderator. She said that traditions; to do otherwise is to create texts that are Madhubuti, Austin and Smith did not attend the not authentic. The past is constantly an object under conference. However, Smith submitted (faxed) a construction and deconstruction. paper which Bandele read. The slave narratives were used by Harris as examples of moral guides PANEL IV: to the issue of freedom and how it is obtained "The Use Of Folklore And The Creation Of Myth

©SIUE|siue.edu/digialcollections In Black Literature" (Quincy Troupe, Arthur steps to be taken to get published. The point was Flowers, Trudier Harris, Eugene Redmond, emphasized that the publishing industry is driven by a Frances-Anne Solomon). Norman Loftis served as profit motive; therefore, if a book will sell, it will be moderator. Troupe determined that American published. Rather than working solely towards being culture does not readily foster myth and that Black published by one of the major houses, writers were writers go against the grain when they use myth to encouraged to publish and promote their own books. capture the essence of our people. Flowers Some self promotion may be required even if the observed: the idea that myth transcends truth, and writer is published by a major publishing house. There as a consequence is multiplied, is even more seems to be a stronger tendency for Blacks to buy important when talking about particular people or books since the advent of the book fair. even humanity in general. The original concept of Nunez-Harrell fielded questions and acknowledged the "double direction" of folklore myth was comments, explaining that all of the moderators had introduced by Redmond who used poetry and been highly committed to the planning and prose as examples of how the pejorative implementation of this conference. They also worked implications of myth can be deconstructed and without release time or extra pay. She said that there then reconstructed in modern literature and made had been a series of five pre-conference events and positive. Harris found the tendency of some lectures held in the New York area prior to the Third women writers to go against the grain, to write, NBWC, and that these activities had involved fifteen for example, about mothers killing daughters or other writers, junior and senior high school students, women loving women, to be interesting. These educators and the general public. Planners are hoping situations force us to look at life in a different to expand on this concept by having pre-conference light. events across the country prior to the next jamboree. She suggested that literary organizations interested in PANEL V: sponsoring programs submit a proposal before the end "New Directions For Black Writers In the 21st of 1991. Century" (Trey Ellis, Michele Wallace, Louis A reception was held on Saturday evening, March Reyes Rivera, J. California Cooper, Mary Helen 23, to salute the premiere issue of Literati Washington). Keith Gilyard moderated this panel Internazionale, a multicultural journal of literary and which examined where Black writing is headed visual arts, published by Lincoln T. and A. C. and what its responsibilities are. Although a highly McGraw-Beauchamp and Eugene B. Redmond. volatile panel with frequently clashing opinions, Nunez-Harrell reminded the audience that several issues and ideas, the participants did agree that writers in attendance at this confab (herself included) there needs to be a multiplicity of perspectives, were published in Literati Internazionale. She allowing writers to express themselves variously encouraged conferees to visit the booth and purchase and letting their readers be the judge. The positive a copy. values of self-love, getting self-published writers Someone inquired about the possibility of changing more widely considered and included in academic the conference format so that conferees could attend all curricula, the need for fuller development of Black of the panels [It now takes place Friday evening characters (especially Black males) in literature, through Sunday noon]. Nunez-Harrell said that this the emergence of a new Black Aesthetic and the would not be possible because the conference would decentralization of cultural criticism were dominate have to last longer and cost more. Another question themes in this session. The final analysis was that concerned the need to find a larger space. In response, no concrete conclusion could be drawn regarding she noted the historical and political importance of a new direction for Black writers. holding the conference at Medgar Evers College even though there would not be enough space to house all PANEL VI: of the activities in one campus location. "The Black Writer: Publishing, Distribution, Marketing" (Marie Brown, Erroll McDonald, Toni Among other observations and comments: Bankes and Joe Johnson). Cheryl Williams --The $25.00 dollar registration fee was nominal for Johnson, moderator, said panelists discussed the such a well planned and rewarding conference.

28 ©SIUE|siue.edu/digialcollections However, a better time schedule should be NOTES ON CONTRIBUTORS designed for bus transportation in the future. Jabari Asim is a freelance writer who lives in St. -Black literary agents ought to be invited to the Louis. He has published in Front Lines, Literate next NBWC so that writers can network with and Internazionale, and other journals, and is the editor submit materials to them. of BOP and the arts and leisure section of Take 5. —A panel of book store owners should be considered for the next conference agenda because Georgene Bess teaches English at Georgia Southern at this time writers are only given the publishers’ University, where she is the editor of the African perspectives. There needs to be a forum for direct and African American Faculty and Staff Newsletter. exchange between writers and book dealers. Her work has appeared in Literate Internazionale. -The open mike readings ought to be made more central to the conference instead of being held at Lynn Casmier-Paz teaches composition at Southern 9:00 p.m. when everyone is too tired to enjoy Illinois University at Edwardsville. She and her them fully. The exposure of the new works is husband live west of St. Louis and are raising three important because both new writers and children. established writers are encouraged by the feedback offered through these readings. Ira B. Jones works as a Habilitation Specialist with -The need for a panel on rap music and lyrics was the mentally handicapped and is the co-founder of stressed. the St. Louis Black Man’s Think Tank. He has -A young woman editor ftom Dell Books published in Break Word With The World, Front approached Eugene Redmond for assistance in Lines, and other journals. locating young Black poets for an anthology being planned by that company. Elizabeth Nunez-Harrell, a novelist, is a Professor of -Members of the Eugene B. Redmond Writers Humanities at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, Club of East St. Louis will compile a booklet NY. She is the author of When Rocks Dance, and summarizing conference panels and key addresses. the director of the National Black Writers’ Inquiries can be made to Elizabeth Nunez-Harrell. Conference. Her short story appears in Literate After a final request for completed evaluation Internazionale. forms, Nunez-Harrell thanked all conference participants and extended an invitation to the Eugene B. Redmond is a professor of English at Fourth NBWC, scheduled for 1994, the fifth one Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. He in 1997, and onward to the year 2000, when the was the editor of the recent anthology Break Word spectacular turn-of-the-century NBWC will be With The World, associate editor of Literate held. On that upbeat note, the conference was Internazionale and the Chicago Blues Annual, and adjourned. is the founding editor of Drumvoices Revue. I experienced mixed emotions with the closing of the Third NBWC. On the hone hand, I felt Darlene Roy, co-founder and president of the Eugene relief from the sustained mental calisthenics B. Redmond Writers Club of East St. Louis, is an involved in absorbing and processing the speeches administrator with the Illinois Department of Public and panels; on the other hand, I regretted that I Aid. Her works have been published in Break would have to wait another three years for such Word With The World and the original Chicago high level literary networking (or would I?). The Blues Annual, as well as other journals. whole experience had been a mind opening Evon Udoh, a speech pathologist in the East St. Louis excursion into my soular gloriousness. I departed Public schools, is a member of the Board of New York with a sense of urgency—and Directors the EBR Writers Club. Her work has eagerness—to tool up to meet new writing appeared in the special Henry Dumas issue of the challenges and to plot my own literary course into Black American Literature Forum and Break Word the 21st century. with the World.

Frances-Anne Solomon

E. Redmond, E. Udoh, G. Bess, C. Johnson, L. Kennedy, I. Reed, L. Casiraer-Paz J. E. Windeman. P. Robinson, D. Roy ©SIUE|siue.edu/digialcollections ©SIUE|siue.edu/digialcollections Ira Jones, Fabari Asim, Kevin Powell

Alice Walker, Elizabeth Nunez-Harrell Trudier Harris, Hortense Thornton ©SIUE|siue.edu/digialcollections Herbert Boyd Mary Helen Washington, F. California Cooper, Michelle Wallace

Front Row: Helen Nourlese-Philip, Les Payne, Stanley Crouch Back Row: Mari Evans, Steve Canon, Arnold Rampersad ©SIUE|siue.edu/digialcollections © SIUE | siue.edu/digialcollections Henry Louis Gates, Jr. & Charles Johnson

Mari Evans John Edgar Wideman

CLASHING HARMONIES & UNIVERSAL PARTICULARS: A WORKSHOP ON THE 3rd NATIONAL BLACK WRITERS CONFERENCE Medgar Evers College, Brooklyn NY, March 22-24, 1991

"/ think a writer has a possibility of becoming universal only if you tell a very particular story. Marlene Nourbese Philip

' The difference between literary writers and journalists is the difference between fine wine and water - but everyone drinks water. * Les Payne

"Dealing with rejection is a normal part of what this is about. . . We have to do more and we have to do more better." Marie Brown

"The whole idea of bringing together folklore and myth... runs counter to what this country is about, because if we look at what is supposed to be excellent in American literature, for the most part we re talking about a detached voice that is not rich in folklore or myth." Quincy Troupe

"The Eurocentric notion that history is a calibrated movement backward or forward in time is an insane idea...I prefer the West African idea of ’Great Time’...[where we are} swimming in a medium of past, present, and future...and it is possible, at any given time, to bump into an ancestor." u John Edgar Wideman n "’Mule Bone’ is a critically myopic and frivolous replication of black experience as black life...it is a cannibalized mule— consumed from the rear.' Paul Carter Harrison i "Readers who expect the authors to assume the responsibility for writing the text of blackness in order i to counter white racism are engaging in the intellectual equivalent of ideological prior restraint... ’ Henry Louis Gates, Jr. i "It is also work that has revolutionary potential because of it’s desire to make connections between all peoples and their struggles for freedom. All of us are aware of the marvelous diversity that has always ■ existed among African people and within the neighborhood of the African American diaspora. The art I believe in is not moralistic but ethical. I believe in writing that is inclusive and not judgmental of anything except for cruelty, exploitation and oppression. Such work captures all of the nuances and beauty of what it means to be Black and human. It is this kind of writing that will prepare us to face with courage the i challenges and triumphs of the 21st century." Barbara Smith a