Poet Norman Jordan to headline African-American Literature Celebration

Poet Norman Jordan to headline African-American Literature Celebration

The 2014 African-American Literature Celebration, held in the Norman L. Fagan Theater in the Culture Center, Capitol Complex, on Friday, February 7, 2014, 6:00–7:30 PM, will feature Norman Jordan, an internationally published poet and West Virginia’s most-published African-American poet. Jordan’s poetry has been anthologized in 41 books, the most recent being Make a Joyful Sound: Poems for Children by African-American Poets, In Search of Color Everywhere: A Collection of African-American Poetry and Wild Sweet Notes: Fifty Years of West Virginia Poetry 1950-1999.

Jordan, co-founder and director of the African American Heritage Family Tree Museum in Ansted and president of the West Virginia African American Arts and Heritage Academy, will read his poems and discuss the Black Arts Movement, his self-publishing experiences and the art form of “Stick Poetry.” He will also talk about one-time Fayette County resident Carter G. Woodson and his significance to Black History Month.
Affrilachian poet and Charleston resident Crystal Good will join Jordan and share her poetry with the audience. West Virginia author and filmmaker Danny Boyd will attend the reading as well.

A reception in the West Virginia Library Commission’s J.D. Waggoner Reading Room will follow the event. Books by Jordan, Crystal Good and Danny Boyd will be available for sale and the authors will be available for autographs.

The African-American Literature Celebration is held each February as part of Black History Month. The event is sponsored by the West Virginia Center for the Book, an affiliate of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, and a project of the West Virginia Library Commission in partnership with the West Virginia Humanities Council. The West Virginia Center for the Book promotes the importance of books and reading and highlights the state’s unique literary heritage, from its earliest storytellers to modern novelists and poets.

The West Virginia Library Commission serves the people of West Virginia and encourages lifelong learning, individual empowerment, civic engagement and an enriched quality of life by enhancing library and information services for all West Virginians. More information is available at www.librarycommission.wv.gov.

Captitol Reads

January's Capitol Reads was As the Crow Flies  by Craig Johnson.

Walt Longmire doesn’t have time for criminals. His daughter is getting married in two weeks and the wedding locale arrangements have just gone up in smoke signals. He needs to find a new site for the nuptials—fast. Unfortunately, his expedition to the Cheyenne Reservation is derailed by a grisly death. It’s not Walt’s turf, but he’s coerced into the investigation by Lolo Long, the beautiful new tribal police chief.

Newest Library Update Available to View

 A new episode of Library Update is up on YouTube. This is part one of Episode 24, Accessibility Apps. Make sure to catch parts 2 and 3 of the episode as well.

The West Virginia Library Commission is committed to promoting, assisting, and supporting high quality library services and information resources to all West Virginia residents. This includes getting relevant information out to library directors, their staff, and patrons through various formats. Currently the Library Commission uses its website, Facebook, Twitter, Blog, e-bulletins and now YouTube to disseminate information. 

WVLC plans on bringing you current programs, topics, and trends. This broad spectrum includes partnerships, training, programming, and service. We want this program to be a useful, entertaining resource for you. If you ever have any questions or comments regarding topics on this show, please do not hesitate to call us at 1-800-642-9021. 

This program is not intended to act as a calendar of events, but as a vehicle of ideology and practical tips. Specific event information can always be found on our website www.librarycommission.wv.gov and at your local libraries.

The video in this post is the first segment of the episode. Check it out, then view parts 2 and 3. Make sure you subscribe to the West Virginia Library Commission YouTube channel so you don't miss the newest episodes!

Capitol Reads

December's Capitol Read is Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross.

For a thousand years her existence has been denied-- Pope Joan, the woman who disguised herself as a man and rose to rule Christianity. Now this compelling novel animates the legend with a portrait of an unforgettable woman who struggles against restrictions her soul cannot accept.

When her older brother dies in a Viking attack, the brilliant young Joan assumes his identity and enters a Benedictine monastery where, as Brother John Anglicus, she distinguishes herself as a scholar and healer. Eventually drawn to Rome, she becomes enmeshed in a dangerous mix of powerful passion and explosive politics that threatens her life even as it elevates her to the highest throne in the Western World.

More information about Capitol Reads selections can be found on the WVLC website. 

November Capitol Read

November's Capitol Read was The Midwife of Hope River by West Virginia author Patricia Harman.

Midwife Patience Murphy has a gift: a talent for escorting mothers through the challenges of bringing children into the world. Working in the hardscrabble conditions of Appalachia during the Depression, Patience takes the jobs that no one else wants, helping those most in need—and least likely to pay. She knows a successful midwifery practice must be built on a foundation of openness and trust—but the secrets Patience is keeping are far too intimate and fragile for her to ever let anyone in.

Honest, moving, and beautifully detailed, Patricia Harman's The Midwife of Hope River rings with authenticity as Patience faces nearly insurmountable difficulties. From the dangerous mines of West Virginia to the terrifying attentions of the Ku Klux Klan, Patience must strive to bring new light and life into an otherwise hard world.

Capitol Reads

October's Capitol Read is The Ballad of Tom Dooley by Sharyn McCrumb.

The Ballad of Tom Dooley is a literary triumph—what began as a fictional re-telling of the historical account of one of the most famous mountain ballads of all time became an astonishing revelation of the real culprit responsible for the murder of Laura Foster

Hang down your head, Tom Dooley…The folk song, made famous by the Kingston Trio, recounts a tragedy in the North Carolina mountains after the Civil War. Laura Foster, a simple country girl, was murdered and her lover Tom Dula was hanged for the crime. The sensational elements in the case attracted national attention: a man and his beautiful, married lover accused of murdering the other-woman; the former governor of North Carolina spearheading the defense; and a noble gesture from the prisoner on the eve of his execution, saving the woman he really loved. 

With the help of historians, lawyers, and researchers, Sharyn McCrumb visited the actual sites, studied the legal evidence, and uncovered a missing piece of the story that will shock those who think they already know what happened—and may also bring belated justice to an innocent man. What seemed at first to be a sordid tale of adultery and betrayal was transformed by the new discoveries into an Appalachian Wuthering Heights. Tom Dula and Ann Melton had a profound romance spoiled by the machinations of their servant, Pauline Foster.

Bringing to life the star-crossed lovers of this mountain tragedy, Sharyn McCrumb gifts understanding and compassion to her compelling tales of Appalachia, and solidifies her status as one of today's great Southern writers.

More information about Capitol Reads selections can be found on the WVLC website. 

2013 Nobel Prize in Literature

Congratulations to Alice Munro, recipient of the 2013 Nobel Prize in Literature.

For more about Alice Munro, and to view a list of her works, go to WV InfoDepot to access the NoveList database. Then check with your local library to see what Munro titles they have available to borrow.