FOR RELEASE FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2005

CONTACT: M. Renée Ahee for Marygrove College

313.927.1446 or rahee@marygrove.edu

DETROIT POET LAUREATE HEADLINES FEBRUARY 24

“DEFINING DETROIT” SERIES AT MARYGROVE COLLEGE

Detroit—Detroit’s Poet Laureate, Naomi Long Madgett, will be this year’s presenter at the “Defining Detroit” series on Thursday, February 24, 2005, beginning at 7:30 p.m. at Marygrove College.

Madgett was named poet laureate in 2001 and has eight volumes of her own poetry and works included in more than 180 anthologies. A published poet for 64 years, she wrote her first book of poetry at the age of 15. Among her most recent collections are Remembrances of Spring: Collected Early Poems (Michigan State University Press) and the award-winning Octavia and Other Poems (Third World Press), which is required reading by Detroit high school students.

This prolific poet’s awards are many, including the Robert Hayden Runagate Award from Heritage House in 1985, the Creative Achievement Award from the College Language Association in 1988 for Octavia and Other Poems, and the American Book Award as an editor-publisher in 1993, three honorary degrees and induction into three halls of fame.

“Defining Detroit” is an interdisciplinary series of public exhibits, lectures, performances, readings and discussions that explore different aspects of Detroit life. Previous presenters include novelist Joyce Carol Oates, historian Thomas Sugrue, poet Philip Levine and musical conductor and choirmaster Brazeal Dennard. This “Defining Detroit”event is presented jointly by the Institute for Detroit Studies, the Division of Student Affairs and the Department of English and Modern Languages at Marygrove College. Marygrove established this unique Institute for Detroit Studies to broaden recognition of Detroit’s contributions to American culture, interrogate standard definitions and popular versions of the city, and provide opportunity for cross-disciplinary analysis of issues important to the metropolitan area. The city on “the strait” celebrated its 300^th year in 2001.

Madgett's poems are personal, even when addressing larger cultural and political issues. Her poems are often affirmative, equally concerned with family, community and the uniqueness of the individual.

Naomi Long Madgett will read from her works in Alumnae Hall, Madame Cadillac Building on Marygrove’s campus, 8425 West McNichols Road at Wyoming in Detroit. A book signing will follow the presentation. Admission is free to the public.

An excerpt from Naomi Long Madgett’s civil rights era poem, Alabama Centennial:

They said, "Wait." Well, I waited.
For a hundred years I waited
In cotton fields, kitchens, balconies,
In bread lines, at back doors, on chain gangs,
In stinking "colored" toilets
And crowded ghettos,
Outside of schools and voting booths.
And some said, "Later."
And some said, "Never!"

For more information, please contact Professor Frank Rashid at (313) 927-1448.