Contra Costa County Public Library: Black Poets You Should Know 

Press release from the Contra Costa County Public Library:

February 19, 2021

If you watched Amanda Gorman’s poetry reading at the Presidential Inauguration, then you saw how powerful poetry can be. Whether you’re a seasoned poet yourself or just getting interested in the scene, we’ve got some great resources for you. 

First, check out these three amazingly talented Black women poets: 

Audre Lorde is an OG political activist/poet/feminist. Her work may be years old, but it’s easy to see why it still resonates today. You can find her work here. 

Morgan Parker’s poetry book “There Are More Beautiful Things Than Beyonce” is a crazy gorgeous collection with the common theme of Black womanhood demonstrated by none other than queen Bey herself. You can find her work here. 

Mahogany L. Browne is the author of “Black Girl Magic” which is like a picture book for teens and adults, filled with beautiful illustrations and powerful words. Her new book, “Chlorine Sky” is a novel in verse (basically a story told in a set of poems) about a Black teen finding her way in the world. You can find her work here.  

We’ve also put together more poetry inspired by Amanda Gorman’s performance. Check out the list here. 

There are two events coming up that celebrate poetry and Black History Month: 

First up, a conversation between poet and emcee Tyson Amir and Ciera Javae, Richmond’s first female Black poet laureate on February 20. Find out more here. Then, a two-part workshop with Tyson Amir, where he will use poetry and hip hop to teach a curriculum based in Black history and his lived experience on February 23 and March 2.  Find out more here. Both events will be recorded for later viewing and can be found on our YouTube and Facebook pages.  

This press release was produced by the Contra Costa County Public Library. The views expressed here are the author’s own.