October 22, 208

New Orleans-based educator, filmmaker and writer to present poetry

Kalamu ya Salaam, the former executive director of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation and editor of The Black Collegian magazine, will perform at 7 p.m. in Fowler Hall. He is the founder of the Neo-Griot workshop, an African-American writers workshop focusing on text, recordings and videos.

Salaam is the director of Listen to the People, a New Orleans oral history project; co-founder of Rumagate Multimedia, a publicity company; leader of Word Band, a poetry performance ensemble; and moderator of e-Drum, a listserv for African-American writers.

He is the author of numerous books, including the anthology "From a Bend in the River: 100 New Orleans Poets" and "360: A Revolution of Black Poets." He also is co-director of Students at the Center, a writing program in the New Orleans Public Schools.

The poetry reading is part of the Black Cultural Center's semester-long examination of the impact of Hurricane Katrina on the retention of African-American culture and art. Established in 1969, the Black Cultural Center is nationally recognized and acknowledged by the Association of Black Cultural Centers as one of the best centers of its kind. The center helps the community gain a greater understanding of African-American heritage and supports and enhances cultural diversity on campus and the community.

Writer: Clyde Hughes, (765) 494-2073, jchughes@purdue.edu

Source:  Renee A. Thomas, (765) 494-5346, rathomas@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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