JMU to celebrate Black poets with Furious Flower Poetry Conference

James Madison University’s fourth decennial Furious Flower Poetry Conference is scheduled for Sept. 18-21.

The landmark conference will also include a banquet on Wednesday, September 18 that will honor several poets with lifetime achievement awards.

“The Worlds of Black Poetry” includes more than 50 renowned poets and scholars and will be celebrated at various locations on JMU’s Harrisonburg campus.

The first Furious Flower Poetry Conference was a historic gathering in 1994. Convened by former JMU English professor and Furious Flower Poetry Center founder Dr. Joanne V. Gabbin to celebrate eminent poet Gwendolyn Brooks, the conference was the largest of its kind, drawing more than 30 acclaimed Black poets and more than 1,000 audience members. Two more conferences were held in 2004 and 2014.

In 2005, the Furious Flower Poetry Center was chartered at JMU, establishing the nation’s first academic center dedicated to Black poetry. The center has facilitated programming on the local, regional and national levels, with a commitment to nurture, promote and pass on the rich and ongoing legacy of Black poets. The conference remains its flagship event, and Furious Flower IV is set to be the largest yet, with more than 700 expected attendees.

“We are in a moment when Black poets, Black poetry and Black literary institutions are flourishing,” said Lauren K. Alleyne, executive director of the Furious Flower Poetry Center. “All art has power, and poetry is art in words; words have the power to change the world. We are so excited to celebrate the worlds of Black poetry together.”