June 10, 2017 3-4:30 PM
Quraysh Ali Lansana and Georgia A. Popoff will discuss “The Whiskey of our Discontent: Gwendolyn Brooks as Conscience and Change Agent.”
About the book: Poet, educator, and social activist Gwendolyn Brooks was a singular force in American culture.
The first black woman to be named United States poet laureate, Brook’s poetry, fiction, and social commentary shed light on the beauty of humanity, the distinct qualities of black life and community, and the destructive effects of racism, sexism, and class inequality.
A collection of thirty essays combining critical analysis and personal reflection, “The Whiskey of Our Discontent,” presents essential elements of Brooks’ oeuvre—on race, gender, class, community, and poetic craft, while also examining her life as poet, reporter, mentor, sage, activist, and educator.
About Quraysh Ali Lansana: Quraysh Ali Lansana has written and edited more than a dozen books to include “BreakBeat Poets: New American Poetry in the Age of Hip Hop.” He teaches writing at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
About Georgia A. Popoff: Georgia A. Popoff is a poet, educator, and editor, whose third collection is “Psalter: The Agnostic’s Book of Common Curiosities.” She coauthored “Our Difficult Sunlight: A Guide to Poetry, Literacy, and Social Justice in Classroom and Community,” with Quraysh Ali Lansana.