Presentation: Historical Context for “Porgy and Bess”

Authors: Tyree Daye, Angel C. Dye, Adrienne Danyelle Oliver

Target Group: Undergraduates 

This slideshow is designed to accompany a lecture that provides historical context on the theatrical performance of Porgy and Bess in order to complement a class discussion of “The ‘S’ in I Loves You, Porgy,” by Nabila Lovelace. The presentation invites students to consider how a more thorough knowledge of context and cultural references helps to “enter” the poem and consider the nuances and layers of meaning in Lovelace’s work.

Link to presentation slides

Presentation: Lecture on Craft (Ekphrasis, Epistolary Poems, and Haikus)

Authors: Mary Beth Cancienne, Meta DuEwa Jones, Carmin Wong, Dave Wooley

Target Group: High School, Undergraduates

This slideshow is designed to accompany a lecture on craft, with an emphasis on ekphrastic poetry, epistolary poetry, and haikus. Centering craft in the discussion of Black poetics with respect to form, this presentation also considers performance techniques with the inclusion of audio and video clips. Poets considered within this lesson on craft are Alan W. King, Brenda Marie Osbey, Nikki Giovanni, Natasha Trethewey, and Yalie Kamara. This presentation includes images and multiple examples that situate the selected poems within the context of Black cultural references and traditions.

Link to presentation slides COMING SOON!