2009 National African American Read-In

Celebrate the Twentieth Year for the National African American Read-In:

• Sponsored by the Black Caucus of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and NCTE
• For this year only, the National Director has extended the African American Read-In for the entire month of February.
• Schools, churches, libraries, bookstores, community and professional organizations, and interested citizens are urged to make literacy a significant part of Black History Month by hosting and coordinating Read-Ins in their communities. Hosting a Read-In can be as simple as bringing together friends to share a book, or as elaborate as arranging public readings and media presentations that feature professional African American writers.
• Accessed on January 28 from http://www.ncte.org/action/aari/packetinfo

Inauguration Poem

Poet Elizabeth Alexander was selected to compose and deliver a poem at President Barack Obama’s Inauguration Ceremony at the United States Capitol on January, 20, 2009. She is the fourth poet in history to be so honored. She delivered her poem after President Obama’s Inaugural Address. Accessed on 1.12.09 from http://www.elizabethalexander.net/events.html

Read "Praise Song for the Day" Inaugural Poem by Elizabeth Alexander from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/20/us/politics/20text-poem.html

Other sites of interest:

• http://www.elizabethalexander.net/home.html
• http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/245
• http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/17/AR2008121702027.html?hpid=topnews
• http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/books/01/12/alexander.poet.inaugural/index.html
• http://www.pic2009.org/pages/schedule