Think Black

Brooks proclaimed that a younger generation of artists—including Knight, Sanchez, Madhubuti, and Giovanni—were “turning Black poetry around” by writing with new energy about Black life and experience. She lauded their self-awareness, their fresh perspectives on long-standing issues, and the urgency and directness with which they wrote and performed. Brooks both supported and learned from these young artists: she joined them for readings in parks, housing projects, prisons, and taverns, thus connecting with previously unreached audiences. Many of the volumes shown here are from Brooks’s own library and include personal inscriptions to the poet by her mentees.