The Furious Flower Poetry Center (FFPC) is the first academic center in the United States devoted to Black poetry, housed by

James Madison University James Madison University (JMU, Madison, or James Madison) is a public university, public research university in Harrisonburg, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1908, the institution was renamed in 1938 in honor of the fourth president of the ...

. Dr. Lauren Alleyne is the current executive director. Even beyond its decennial conferences, the FFPC is very active, both on and off campus. The many activities it hosts include poetry camps during the summer for the youth, workshops, and visits for poets. Aside from its substantial collection of Black poetry, the center also has an online journal titled ''The Fight and the Fiddle''.Jordan, Latoya
"Furious Flower Grows in Virginia"
''Poets & Writers Magazine'', vol. 47, no. 5, 2019, pp. 16+. Gale Academic Onefile. Retrieved November 30, 2019.

History

The Furious Flower Poetry Center (FFPC) was established by Joanne V. Gabbin in 1999 at

. The name of the center comes from the

Gwendolyn Brooks Gwendolyn Elizabeth Brooks (June 7, 1917 – December 3, 2000) was an American poet, author, and teacher. Her work often dealt with the personal celebrations and struggles of ordinary people in her community. She won the Pulitzer Prize for Poet ...

poem "Second Sermon on the Warpland". In the poem, Brooks writes:

''The time'' ''cracks into furious flower''. ''Lifts its face'' ''all unashamed''. ''And sways in wicked grace.''

Gabbin was the director of the James Madison University's Honors Program. She hosted the first Furious Furious Flower Poetry Conference in 1994. It was the United States' first scholarly conference on Black poetry. After the success of the second Furious Flower Conference in 2004, James Madison granted FFPC its charter. Through this charter, FFPC became the first academic center in the United States devoted to Black Poetry. Today the center is committed to "cultivating, honoring, and promoting the diverse voices of African-American poets by making the genre accessible to a wide audience and collaborating with educational and cultural institutions, literary organizations, and artists."

Conferences

Since its establishment, the FFPC has held four decennial conferences: ''A Revolution in African American Poetry'' (1994), ''Regenerating the Black Poetic Tradition'' (2004), ''Seeding the Future of African American Poetry'' (2014), and ''Worlds of Black Poetry'' (2024). Each conference features poet and scholar readings, performances, and academic presentations.

''A Revolution in African American Poetry''

The first conference included more than 30 poets. Among these were

Nikki Giovanni Yolande Cornelia "Nikki" Giovanni Jr. (June 7, 1943 – December 9, 2024) was an American poet, writer, commentator, activist and educator. One of the world's best-known African-American poets, her work includes poetry anthologies, poetry recor ...

Amiri Baraka Amiri Baraka (born Everett Leroy Jones; October 7, 1934 – January 9, 2014), previously known as LeRoi Jones and Imamu Amear Baraka, was an American writer of poetry, drama, fiction, essays, and music criticism. He was the author of numerous b ...

, and

Sonia Sanchez Sonia Sanchez (born Wilsonia Benita Driver; September 8, 1934) is an American poet, writer, and professor. She was a leading figure in the Black Arts Movement and has written over a dozen books of poetry, as well as short stories, critical essays ...

. This event sparked the beginning of a contemporary Black renaissance.

''Furious Flower: Regenerating the Black Poetic Tradition''

The second conference by the FFPC was held on September 22–25, 2004. This conference was held ten years after the first. Dr. Joanne Gabbin dedicated the conference to

and

, architects of the

Black Arts Movement The Black Arts Movement (BAM) was an African Americans, African-American-led art movement that was active during the 1960s and 1970s. Through activism and art, BAM created new cultural institutions and conveyed a message of black pride. The mov ...

. More than 50 poets and scholars shared their work and spoke on Black poetry. After this conference, James Madison established the Furious Flower Poetry Center and Gabbin became the executive director.

''Seeding the Future of African American Poetry''

The third conference held by FFPC was September 24–27, 2014, at James Madison. The FFPC dedicated the conference to

Rita Dove Rita Frances Dove (born August 28, 1952) is an American poet and essayist. From 1993 to 1995, she served as United States Poet Laureate, Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress. She is the first African American to have bee ...

. The conference also recognized literary trailblazers

Toi Derricotte Toi Derricotte (pronounced ''DARE-ah-cot'' ) (born April 12, 1941) is an American poet. She is the author of six poetry collections and a literary memoir. She has won numerous literary awards, including the 2020 Frost Medal for distinguished lifet ...

Michael Harper Michael or Mike Harper may refer to: * C. Michael Harper (1927–2016), American businessman * Michael Harper (priest) (1931–2010), English charismatic Anglican, later an Orthodox priest * Michael S. Harper (1938–2016), African-American poet * ...

Yusef Komunyakaa Yusef Komunyakaa (born James William Brown; April 29, 1941) is an American poet who teaches at New York University and is a member of the Fellowship of Southern Writers. Komunyakaa is a recipient of the 1994 Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award, for '' ...

Marilyn Nelson Marilyn Nelson (born April 26, 1946) is an American poet, translator, biographer, and children's book author. She is a professor emeritus at the University of Connecticut, and the former Poet Laureate of Connecticut. She is a winner of the Ruth ...

Ishmael Reed Ishmael Scott Reed (born February 22, 1938) is an American poet, novelist, essayist, songwriter, composer, playwright, editor and publisher known for his Satire, satirical works challenging American political culture. Perhaps his best-known wor ...

, and

Quincy Troupe Quincy Thomas Troupe, Jr. (born July 22, 1939) is an American poet, editor, journalist and professor emeritus at the University of California, San Diego, in La Jolla, California. He is best known as the biographer of Miles Davis, the jazz musi ...

with Lifetime Achievement Awards. More than 300 scholars traveled to JMU's campus to attend the FFPC's third conference, consisting of concerts, readings, gallery receptions, panels, and group discussions. The university was also very involved in the event, contributing more than ⅓ of the budget. In addition to financial resources, many students, teachers and faculty members devoted their time to the event.

''Celebrating the Worlds of Black Poetry''

The fourth conference was held September 18-21 with an estimated 750 people in attendance. The emphasis for this conference was on Black poetry from around the globe as well as the United States. Elizabeth Alexander and

Kwame Dawes Kwame Senu Neville Dawes (born 28 July 1962) is a Ghanaian poet, actor, editor, critic, musician, and former Louis Frye Scudder Professor of Liberal Arts at the University of South Carolina. He is now Professor of English at the University of N ...

gave the keynote reading and conversation, hosted by

Terrance Hayes Terrance Hayes (born November 18, 1971) is an American poet and educator who has published seven poetry collections. His 2010 collection, ''Lighthead'', won the National Book Award for Poetry in 2010. In 2014, he received a MacArthur Fellowship ...

and

Shara McCallum Shara McCallum is an American poet. She was awarded a 2011 National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship for Poetry.open mics, and scholarly presentations showcased the work of more than 50 featured poets and scholars. Featured poets included

Jericho Brown Jericho Brown (born April 14, 1976) is an American poet and writer. Born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana, Brown has worked as an educator at institutions such as the University of Houston, the University of San Diego, and Emory University. Hi ...

Camille Dungy Camille T. Dungy (born 1972) is an American poet and professor. Career Born in Denver, Colorado, Dungy graduated from Stanford University (BA) and the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, where she earned her MFA. She is the author of four ...

, Alexis Pauline Gumbs,

Malika Booker Malika Booker (born 1970)"Malika Booker"
at Forward Arts Foundatione. is a British writer, ...

Patricia Jabbeh Wesley Patricia Jabbeh Wesley is a Liberian (African Diaspora) poet and writer and Professor of English and Creative Writing at Penn State University. She is a Liberian Civil War survivor who immigrated to the United States with her family in 1991, ...

Tyehimba Jess Tyehimba Jess (born 1965 in Detroit) is an American poet. His book '' Olio'' received the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. Biography Early life Tyehimba Jess was born Jesse S. Goodwin. He grew up in Detroit, where his father worked in that city' ...

, Remica Bingham-Risher, Lillian Yvonne Bertram, John Keene,

Cornelius Eady Cornelius Eady (born 1954) is an American writer focusing largely on matters of race and society. His poetry often centers on jazz and blues, family life, violence, and societal problems stemming from questions of race and class. His poetry is o ...

Nikky Finney Nikky Finney (born Lynn Carol Finney on August 26, 1957, in Conway, South Carolina) is an American poet. She was the Guy Davenport Endowed Professor of English at the University of Kentucky for twenty years. In 2013, she accepted a position at ...

Matthew Shenoda Matthew Shenoda (born July 14, 1977) is an Egyptian-American poet, writer, and professor based in the United States. Born July 14, 1977 in California to Coptic parents who immigrated from Egypt, Matthew Shenoda is a writer and educator whose poems ...

Ross Gay Ross Gay (born August 1, 1974) is an American poet, essayist, and professor of English at Indiana University who won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Poetry and the Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award for his 2014 book ''Catalog of Unabashed ...

, Erica Hunt, francine j. harris, Roger Reeves, DaMaris Hill, Efe Paul Azino,

Merle Collins Merle Collins (born 29 September 1950 in Aruba) ...

Danez Smith Danez Smith is an American poet, writer and performer from St. Paul, Minnesota. They are queer, non-binary and HIV-positive. They are the author of the poetry collections '' nsertBoy'' and ''Don't Call Us Dead: Poems'', both of which have receive ...

Tara Betts Tara Betts is the author of three full-length poetry collections: ''Refuse to Disappear,'' which was published in June 2022 with The Word Works, ''Break the Habit'', which was published in October 2016 with Trio House Press, and her debut collect ...

A. B. Spellman Alfred Bennett Spellman (born August 1935) is a poet, music critic, and arts administrator. Considered a part of the Black Arts Movement, he first received attention for his book of poems entitled ''The Beautiful Days'' (1965). In 1966, he publis ...

Lorna Goodison Lorna Gaye Goodison (born 1 August 1947)Ring, Deborah A. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 11 September 2013. is a Jamaican poet, essayist and memoirist, a leading West Indian writer, whose career spans four decades. She is now Professor Emerita, English ...

E. Ethelbert Miller Eugene Ethelbert Miller (born November 20, 1950) is an African-American poet, teacher and literary activist, based in Washington, DC.Hayley Garrison Phillips"Local Legend E. Ethelbert Miller Isn't Going Anywhere" '' Washingtonian'', February 6, 2 ...

, Haryette Mullen,

Kei Miller Kei Miller (born 24 October 1978) is a Jamaican poet, fiction writer, essayist and blogger. He is also a professor of creative writing.Frank X Walker, Shara McCallum,

Tim Seibles Tim Seibles (born 1955) is an American poet, professor and the former Poet Laureate of Virginia. He is the author of seven collections of poetry, most recently, ''Voodoo Libretto: New and Selected Poems'' (Etruscan Press, 2022). His honors inclu ...

, Anastacia-Renée,

Gregory Pardlo Gregory Pardlo (born November 24, 1968) is an American poet, writer, and professor. His book '' Digest'' won the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. His poems, reviews, and translations have appeared in ''The American Poetry Review'', ''Callaloo'', '' ...

, Terrance Hayes,

Evie Shockley Evie Shockley is an American poet. Shockley received the 2012 Hurston/Wright Legacy Award in Poetry for her book ''the new black'' and the 2012 Holmes National Poetry Prize. She was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2018. Early life and education ...

Niyi Osundare Niyi Osundare is a Nigerian poet, dramatist, linguist, and literary critic. Born on 12 March 1947, in Ikere-Ekiti, Nigeria, his poetry is influenced by the oral tradition of his Yoruba culture, which he hybridizes with other poetic traditions o ...

, Canisia Lubrin, Patricia Smith, and Kwame Dawes. A laureate reading featured

Angela Jackson Angela Jackson (born July 25, 1951) is an American poet, playwright, and novelist based in Chicago, Illinois. Jackson has been a member of the Organization of Black American Culture (OBAC), a community that fosters the intellectual development ...

(Illinois), Curtis Crisler (Indiana), Amanda Johnston (Texas), avery r. young (Chicago, IL), and Glenis Redmond (Greenville, SC), and was hosted by Rita Dove (Poet Laureate of the United States, 1993-1995).

Brittney Spencer Brittney Spencer (born September 8, 1988) is an American country singer–songwriter. In 2020 Spencer received notable attention following a viral Twitter video showing Spencer singing a cover of a song by the Highwomen. The video drew praise fro ...

gave a finale concert at the Forbes Center for the Performing Arts.

Partnerships

In 2022, Furious Flower and JMU Libraries were awarded a $2 million, 4.5 year grant from the

Mellon Foundation The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, commonly known as the Mellon Foundation, is a New York City-based private foundation with wealth accumulated by Andrew Mellon of the Mellon family of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is the product of the 1969 merger ...

: Flowerings Project Phase II: Seeding and Tending Furious Flower’s Digital Archives and Infrastructure. The grant will provide for archival description, digital preservation, and global access to the Furious Flower archives in JMU Libraries Special Collections. Bringing the celebration of Black poetry along with it, the FFPC celebrated its 25th anniversary at the opening of The Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture's fall programming. Black poets such as

, and the Swazi Poets of South Africa performed some of their pieces. In addition to this, the FFPC hosted workshops and discussions to further recognize Black literature. There were also opportunities to purchase the works of these writers at the event. The FFPC held a tribute to the late poet

Lucille Clifton Lucille Clifton (June 27, 1936 – February 13, 2010) was an American poet, writer, and educator from Buffalo, New York. From 1979 to 1985 she was Poet Laureate of Maryland. Clifton was a finalist twice for the Pulitzer Prize for poetry. Life ...

, a prestigious Black female writer and a recipient of the 2000 National Book Award for Poetry. The event was also another partnership with an outside organization, Virginia Tech Steger Poetry Prize. Director Joanne Gabbin personally worked with Nikki Giovanni to plan this tribute. Beautifully coordinated, 73 poems were read to commemorate each year of the Clifton's life. In addition, the Center called on other Black women poets to read her work, showcasing the tradition of Black women intellect. Target Stores, Inc. partnered with the FFPC,

Maya Angelou Maya Angelou ( ; born Marguerite Annie Johnson; April 4, 1928 – May 28, 2014) was an American memoirist, poet, and civil rights activist. She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, and is credi ...

and the

Poetry Foundation The Poetry Foundation is a United States literary society that seeks to promote poetry and lyricism in the wider culture. It was formed from ''Poetry'' magazine, which it continues to publish, with a 2003 gift of $200 million from philanthrop ...

to create an online curriculum where students could have public access to a collection of Black literature. They also hosted several King Day Events throughout the United States with a goal of raising the recognition of Black achievements and societal contributions. One of these events was hosted at Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA, King's alma mater. The FFPC is included in a partnership with the

University of Kansas The University of Kansas (KU) is a public research university with its main campus in Lawrence, Kansas, United States. Two branch campuses are in the Kansas City metropolitan area on the Kansas side: the university's medical school and hospital ...

to create another academic center that will spur the recognition of Black literary intellect. A grant of $189,000 from the National Endowment for the Humanities was given to the University of Kansas to fund an institute that would focus on the teaching and appreciation of African-American poetry. The FFPC partners with KU by sharing its collection of Black literature with the institute. The two collaborated again to create a federally funded three-week program within the institute, "Don't Deny My Voice: Reading and Teaching African American Poetry". Twenty-five teachers were selected to attend.

Poetry Prizes

Furious Flower has offered a poetry prize to emerging writers since 2019. Winners receive a cash prize and are invited to James Madison University for a reading. Winners, honorable mentions, and finalists are also published in the journal ''Obsidian''. Past winners and honorable mentions include: Furious Flower also sponsored the Quarantine Kwansaba Contest in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 quarantine. The winner was Angel C. Dye and runners up were Glenis Redmond and Sherese Francis.

Publications

* * * * * * * ''Rita Dove's "Ode to My Right Knee" Broadside'', Virginia Arts of the Book with Furious Flower Poetry Center 2014.

References

External links

Official site Furious Flower Poetry Center Records
{{Authority control 1999 establishments in Virginia African-American poetry James Madison University Organizations established in 1999 Poetry organizations based in the United States