Today's Thoughtful Thursday presents a cool poetry combo: "We Real Cool", a classic from Gwendolyn Brooks (1917-2000), our first national Black Poet Laureate, and a poem inspired by this classic, "Because it looked hotter that way" by Camille T.Dungy (1972-), an award winning poet who teaches at San Francisco State University. Dungy's poem is an acrostic which uses each [...]
We celebrate Labor Day, the first Monday in September, as the end of summer, and the return to work or school. But how did it come to be? Labor Day is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It was established in 1894 as a holiday to pay [...]
In honor of this being the first day of African-American Music Appreciation Month, Thoughtful Thursday is dedicated to poetry about Black music. We've got a tribute to the blues by Langston Hughes (and yes, that rhyme was on purpose); award-winning poet Quincy Troupe commemorating the day Duke Ellington ascended to the pearly gates; and poet and composer James Weldon [...]
Last week GCP had the pleasure of attending Eagle Academy Foundation's annual awards breakfast where they celebrate the boys of their Eagle Academy schools and honor people who inspire their boys. The Eagle Academy Foundation supports a network of six all male, grades 6-12 college preparatory schools in challenged urban communities in the five boroughs of Manhattan and Newark. [...]
Today's Thoughtful Thursday celebrates Earth Day with poems from three wonderful and accomplished poets: Jane Yolen, Joy Harjo, and Lucille Clifton. In addition to being a celebrated poet, Jane Yolen (b.1939) is a science fiction and fantasy writer, editor and children’s author, whose stories use rhythm and rhyme in conjunction with elements of folklore and fantasy. Critically acclaimed poet [...]
Some Life Lessons from the Oscars last night for us to pass on to our sons (and daughters): The importance of telling our stories: Tarrell Alvin McCraney, who along with Barry Jenkins won the Oscar for best adapted screenplay for “Moonlight”, dedicated their Oscar to “all those black and brown boys and girls and non–gender conforming who don’t see [...]
Holiday vacation time with the kids! At some point they are going to come up for air after playing with their new toys. When they do, grab the opportunity for some family fun by breaking out the board games. It is a great way to spend time together without any screens, and a good way to build skills, confidence, [...]
We at GCP were so excited to see poetry included in the opening ceremonies of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, we just had to make this the subject of this week's Thoughtful Thursday. Oprah Winfrey (who funded the museum's auditorium) and Will Smith gifted us with some mighty thoughts in a poetry battle. You can [...]
The National Museum of African-American History and Culture in Washington D.C. opened its doors to the public this weekend, and the celebration was glorious. Presidents Obama along with President George W. Bush (who signed the bill authorizing funds to build the museum thirteen years ago) spoke eloquently about the importance of this museum and its place in American history. [...]
Greetings from London! GCP is on the road, checking in on globetrotting children. Since we are here on Thoughtful Thursday, today our focus is on Black British poets. From the many talented poets we present here just a few: Benjamin Zephaniah ("Dis Poetry") is a British Jamaican writer and dub poet who was included in The Times 2008 list [...]