Black Poetry Program 417 Original Airdate: 1/30/1975 Subject Keywords Afro-American children Afro-American poets Afro-American women Afro-Americans - Attitudes Afro-Americans in the performing arts Mime Oral interpretation of poetry Poetry Poetry and children Subject Genre Public Affairs: Current Events Personal Names Johnson, Fred (Halim Adbur Rashid) Lewis, Elma Spellman, A.B. Corporate Names Boston Jazz Society - Boston - Massachusetts Peace Corps Program Description Program is divided into two halves: the first featuring a 30-minute in-studio poetry reading by Elma Lewis, the second of magazine-style segments. Elma Lewis, Director of the National Center of Afro-American Artists, seated with children around her, talks about what poetry is, what a poem can make you feel, and why people used to write in rhymes. Lewis focuses on two African American poets, Langston Hughes (who is "of this time") and Paul Lawrence Dunbar, and reads selections from each. The second half contains the following segments: a mime performance by Halim Adbur Rashid (Fred Johnson) titled "The Writer," "Access" (with A.D. Saunders, who describes the Boston Jazz Society), "The Word" (with professor and historian A.B. Spellman, who comments on Black History Week), the "Community Calendar," "Information" (on Minority Recruitment Month for the Peace Corps), and "Commentary" by Producer Marita Rivero. Original air date estimated. Producer Marita Rivero Associate Producer Barbara Barrow Director Conrad White Writer Dighton Spooner Guests Elma Lewis A.B. Spellman Performers Fred Fred Johnson (Halim Adbur Rashid) (mime) Others Boston Art Ensemble (theme music) Lloyd Cogell (still photography) June Cross (community coordinator) Stephen Farrier (community coordinator) Henry Johnson (filmmaker) Vickie Jones (production assistant) Huntley Nicholas Jr. (film sound) Dighton Spooner (researcher) Formats Master (WGBH program) 2" videotape A2-03295 Preservation master beta SP cassette AP-00466 Preservation master D3 cassette AD3-00544 Viewing copy 3/4" cassette -1 (item number not yet assigned) Viewing copy 3/4" cassette -2 (item number not yet assigned) The Say Brother Collection Web site is a production of the WGBH Archives. ©2001 WGBH Educational Foundation.