Step into a world where words dance off pages and emotions paint the air. Join us at Sankofa on Saturday Night for an unforgettable evening of poetry, where every verse whispers secrets of the soul and every stanza spins tales of love, loss, and the beauty in between.

About the book: Laid to the Side is a landmark collection of hair stories exploring the meaning of hair and Black women's identity development within the context of schools. Through these poignant stories, readers are invited to understand and appreciate the profound significance of hair in educational settings, and to consider how these insights can inform the creation of more inclusive and empowering educational experiences. This book not only illuminates the critical role of educators and caregivers in recognizing and celebrating the importance of hair in the empowerment of Black girls--it also serves as a guide to designing educational opportunities that honor and are informed by the unique hair narratives of Black girls and women. "Laid to the Side" is an essential read for anyone committed to fostering an educational environment where every aspect of identity is a source of strength and empowerment. About the Contributors: Dr. Afiya Mbilishaka is an Ivy League and HBCU-educated clinical psychologist, natural hairstylist, educator, and research scientist. Dr. Afiya is the founder of “PsychoHairapy,” which uses hair as an entry point for mental health services in beauty salons and barbershops. She is also the principal investigator of the PsychoHairapy Research Lab, and she has published over twenty journal articles, ten book chapters, and two books. Dr. Afiya has testified nationally on behalf of the CROWN Act, an anti-discrimination law to protect Black hair, for which she has been identified as a subject matter expert by the Senate and House of Representatives. Dr. Danielle Apugo is a proud Louisiana native who professionally engages the world as a multi-talented educator and writer. Dr. Apugo co-wrote and executive produced the short film “Policing Joy” (2022), a research-based documentary about Black women and girls’ encounters with hair bias in schools. Danielle’s scholarly contributions explore critical themes throughout black women’s K-12 to College educational experience. Laid to the Side is her second book centering the educational journeys of Black women. Dr. Iyelli Ichile is a Professor of African, African American and African Diaspora History and Director of the African American Studies Institute at Prince George’s Community College. She has a PhD in African Diaspora History from Howard University, and a Master’s in African American Studies from Columbia University. Her most important education, however, took place in her mother’s home. Her work examines the ways in which culture, art, aesthetics, relationship-building and spirituality inform Black liberation. She supports political and cultural work in our community in as many ways as she can, and she is the mother of a more amazing daughter than she prayed for.

About the book: A refreshing, insightful, sacrilegious take on African American history, Crazy as Hell explores the site of America's greatest contradictions. The notables of this book are the runaways and the rebels, the badass and funky, the activists and the inmates--from Harriet Tubman, Nina Simone, and Muhammad Ali to B'rer Rabbit, Single Mamas, and Wakandans--but are they crazy as hell, or do they simply defy the expectations designated for being Black in America? With humor and insight, scholars and writers V. Efua Prince and Hoke S. Glover III (Bro. Yao) offer brief breakdowns of one hundred influential, archetypal, and infamous figures, building a new framework that emphasizes their humanity. Including an introduction by MacArthur Fellow Reginald Dwayne Betts and peppered with little-known historical facts and PSAs that get real about the Black experience, Crazy as Hell captures the tenacious, irreverent spirit that accompanies a long struggle for freedom. About the author: Hoke S. Glover III (Bro. Yao) is a poet, nonfiction writer, and the chair of the department of language, literature, and cultural studies at Bowie State University. About the host: Greg Carr is an Associate Professor of Afro-American Studies at Howard University. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the Howard School of Law. He is First Vice President of the Association for the Study of Classical African Civilizations and Editor of The Compass: The Journal of ASCAC. A former board member of the National Council for Black Studies, Dr. Carr has twice been named national “HBCU Male Faculty Member of the Year” by HBCU Digest and has been voted "Professor of the Year" several times by Howard students. He led the team that designed the curriculum framework for the School District of Philadelphia’s mandatory high school African American History course and, during his time as the District's Program Specialist on Race and Culture, co-founded Philadelphia Freedom Schools. His writing has appeared in books, academic and popular journals and he serves as a contributor to and/or commentator in a wide range of media. He is a weekly panelist on the daily digital news show “Roland Martin Unfiltered” and co-hosts Karen Hunter’s weekly Saturday YouTube series, “In Class With Carr.” His commentaries on the 50th anniversary of the Black Panther Party and the opening of the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture appeared in the August and September 2016 issues of Ebony Magazine.Dr. Carr’s chapter, “Re-Literacy and African Power in the Trump Era,” appears in Not Our President, Third World Press’ book-length commentary on the Trump presidency. He tweets at @AfricanaCarr and blogs at drgregcarr.com

About the book: A woman journeys into a submerged world of gods and myth to save her home in this powerful historical fantasy that shines a light on the drowned Black towns of the American South. "Our home began, as all things do, with a wish." Jane Edwards hasn't spoken since she was eleven years old, when armed riders expelled her family from their hometown along with every other Black resident. Now, twelve years later, she's found a haven in the all-Black town of Awenasa. But the construction of a dam promises to wash her home under the waters of the new lake. Jane will do anything to save the community that sheltered her. So, when a man with uncanny abilities arrives in town asking strange questions, she wonders if he might be the key. But as the stranger hints at gods and ancestral magic, Jane is captivated by a bigger mystery. She knows this man. Only the last time she saw him, he was dead. His body laid to rest in a rushing river. Who is the stranger and what is he really doing in Awenasa? To find those answers, Jane will journey into a sunken world, a land of capricious gods and unsung myths, of salvation and dreams made real. But the flood waters are rising. To gain the miracle she desires, Jane will have to find her voice again and finally face the trauma of the past. About the author: For more from Leslye Penelope, check out The Monsters We Defy. Leslye Penelope, who also writes as L. Penelope, has been writing since she could hold a pen and loves getting lost in the worlds in her head. She is an award-winning author of fantasy and paranormal romance. Her debut novel Song of Blood & Stone was chosen as one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time. The novel also won the inaugural award for Best Self-Published Fiction from the Black Caucus of the American Library Association. Her 2022 novel The Monsters We Defy won the 2023 Audie Award for Best Fantasy Audiobook. She was born in the Bronx, not long after the birth of hip hop, but left before she could acquire an accent. Equally left and right-brained, she studied film production at Howard University and minored in computer science. This led to a master’s degree in multimedia and a career in website development. She’s also an award-winning independent filmmaker, co-founded a literary magazine, and sometimes dreams in HTML. Leslye is an alumna of VONA/Voices and Hurston/Wright Writers Workshop. She has spoken and taught at conferences and festivals around the country including the Baltimore Book Festival, Romance Writers of America, Writers Digest Annual & Novel Writing Conferences, and the Historical Novel Society. Her podcast, My Imaginary Friends, is a journal of her publishing life, perfect for readers and writers alike. Leslye lives in Maryland with her feline dependents.

Everything you wanted to know about writing and publishing your book! Calling all authors! We are excited to welcome author Kwame Alexander as he spends an hour answering questions about the publishing industry and how to write and publish your book! Kwame will be signing books after this discussion!

About the book series: Neo and Nubia is a children’s picture book series for young readers (ages 5 to 10) and their families. Cleverly written and beautifully illustrated with a trio of brilliant young explorers. Set in present-day, where a wise man, Nnamdi, is one of the last living keepers of the world's oldest scrolls on which all knowledge is recorded. Unfortunately, his health is declining. So he sends his eight-year-old grandkids, Neo and Nubia, and their schoolmate, Emeka, on a secret quest to save human history from being lost. They go back in time to witness and document our most significant scientific discoveries and developments. From the great migration out of Africa and the first seafaring vessels to the invention of written language, the construction of the pyramids, and more. Together, the kids experience, learn, and grow through these incredible journeys. It’s a world of science and community where the triumphs of our past and the truth of our future connect. This series has been created by a global team of researchers, writers, and illustrators from many waves of the African Diaspora. About the authors: Chinwe Onyeagoro and Oby Onyeagoro are the creators of the Neo & Nubia series. Just like their main characters, they are siblings with roots in Nigeria who grew up in the United States and traveled the world learning about the contributions of the African Diaspora throughout history. Now, with six of their own kids, they are excited to share those same stories with the next generation. Chinwe lives in the Washington D.C. area and runs a technology company. She is a Harvard University graduate with a degree in Economics. Oby lives in London and works in finance. He studied Electrical Engineering and has a dual masters from Harvard Business School and Harvard School of Education.

About the book: Say it with her now: "I love my people!" In rhythmic prowess, Kim Singleton recounts the beauty and legacy of Black people who are "too many to name, from the corners of obscurity, to the highest of fame." I Love My People is a poetic tribute to African American history-makers and culture-shakers, complete with nostalgic photography and vibrant, playful illustration. In the vein of Gill Scott-Heron's poetry of the 1970s, author Kim Singleton invites us into call-and-response and brings a refreshing cadence to the page that captures every decade of Black joy in all its resilient, diverse, and excellent splendor. "We were told that our bodies weren't built for this art. Rhythmic movement we mastered flowing straight from the heart." Singleton shines a light on virtually every facet of Black community life, and unapologetically declares her people good--from the street corner to the White House and everything in between. "In 1827, Freedom's Journal was born. Black content, Black operated, Black staff, Black owned." By the end, you'll be chanting Singleton's anthem, too: "I LOVE MY PEOPLE!" About the author: Kimberly Singleton is a filmmaker, writer, and poet. She earned a BS from Howard University and an MBA from NYU, forging a twenty-year career in media. Singleton's love for the arts led her to study at Frederick Douglass Creative Arts Center, Gotham Writers Workshop, and African Voices Writers Workshop. Singleton is the executive producer and host of the online program Consider It Blacklit, winner of the Public Media Award of Excellence in 2018 and 2019. She is an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and a former international president of the Howard University Alumni Association. Singleton lives in New York City.