The Department of Afroamerican and African Studies proudly presents a poetry reading by poet and 2011 National Book Award winner Nikky Finney. Nikky Finney was born in South Carolina, within listening distance of the sea. A child of activists, she came of age during the civil rights and Black Arts Movements. At Talladega College, nurtured by Hale Woodruff's Amistad murals, Finney began to understand the powerful synergy between art and history. Finney has authored four books of poetry: Head Off & Split (2011); The World Is Round (2003); Rice (1995); and On Wings Made of Gauze (1985). The Guy Davenport Endowed Professor in the Department of English at the University of Kentucky, Finney also authored Heartwood (1997) edited The Ringing Ear: Black Poets Lean South (2007), and co- founded the Affrilachian Poets. Finney's fourth book of poetry, Head Off & Split was awarded the 2011 National Book Award for poetry.
Book signing after the reading.
Finney’s visit was made possible due to the generous support of the following co-sponsors: , The College of Literature, Science and the Arts, The Department of English, The MFA Program in Creative Writing, The Residential College of Literature, Science and the Arts, The Institute for the Humanities, The Institute for Research on Women and Gender (IRWG), The Department of Women’s Studies, The Department of American Culture, The Rackham Dean’s Strategic Fund, the Center for World Performance Studies and The Understanding Race Theme Semester.
In addition to her reading, Finney will also lead a roundtable discussion at 2 PM in the English Department’s Hopwood Room located on the first floor of Angell Hall in room 1176.
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