Event: Chicago African Festival of the Arts

Spread the Word!

16th Annual African Festival of the Arts
Labor Day Weekend, September 2-5, 2005
Visit the festival website for full schedule of musical performances http://www.africainternationalhouse.org

African Festival of the Arts Book Pavilion
Please join the African Festival of the Arts Book Pavilion as we feature some of the country's best authors as well as up and coming writers. There will be networking opportunities with award-winning authors, readings, discussions, exhibits, signings, giveaways and much more. Each day beginnning at noon the writers will hit the stage prepared to share fun and thought-provoking literary works. The book pavilion is facilitated by the Say It Loud! Readers and Writers Series, a community organization dedicated to promoting literacy www.speakloudly.com Spread the Word!

Friday, September 2, 2005 – Meet the Authors
Host: Third World Press Foundation
Activities: Book pavilion authors network with festival goers and media.
5:30 p.m. Refreshments, readings, signings and music. Book release Yellow Black: The First 21 Years of a Poets Life by Haki R. Madhubuti www.thirdworldpressinc.com

Saturday, September 3, 2005 – Children’s Day
Host: Open Book Program and Say It Loud! Readers and Writers Series
Activities: Book discussions, readings and signings with local and nationally recognized children’s authors. Open Book Program book bags and Say It Loud! bookmarks with purchases
Noon Lynette Velasco, author of Zinzi
1:00 p.m. Dr. Vincent Johnson, author Of Cornsilk and Black Braids, www.marzettabooks.com
2:00 p.m. Natasha Tarpley, author I Love My Hair, Bippity Bop Barbershop, Destiny’s Gift and Joe-Joe First Flight
3:00 p.m. Jan Spivey Gilchrist, award-winning illustrator and author of numerous books www.janspiveygilchristbook.com
4:00 p.m. Cheryl and Wade Hudson, publisher and authors of numerous children’s books www.justusbooks.com
5:00 p.m. Quincy Troupe, award winning poet, educator and author of Little Stevie Wonder and numerous other books

Sunday, September 4, 2005 – Telling Our Story
Host: Open Book Program
Activities: Book discussions, readings and signings with local and nationally recognized authors.
Noon Book exhibits and author signings
1:00 p.m. Kalisha Buchanon, author Upstate, www.Kalisha.com and Ivory Achebe Toldson, author Black Sheep, www.toldson.com
2:00 p.m. Anthony Asadullah Samad, author 50 Years After Brown, http://www.anthonysamad.com
3:00 p.m. Melda Beaty, editor and contributing writers read from My Soul To His Spirit: Soulful Expressions from Black Daughters to Their Fathers www.mysoultohisspirit.com
4.00 p.m. Herb Boyd, author We Shall Overcome? A History of the Civil Rights Movement, http://www.tbwt.org Sponsored by Open Book Program
5:00 Bob Nash lead book discussion Cotton Field of Dreams: A Memoir by Janis Kearney www.writingourworldpress.com

Monday, September 5, 2005 – Spoken Word Poetry
Host: Say It Loud! Readers and Writers Series
Activities: Book discussions, readings and signings with local and nationally recognized authors.
Noon Chicago State University MFA Creative Writing students and graduates
1:00 p.m. Open Mic with host MC April Preyar
2:00 p.m. Heathe Renee, author Black Girl: Reflections, Expressions and Confessions, www.earthmotherpress.com , Shahari Moore, editor Violets, www.moorepress.com, Stephany Rose, author Stilettod Rose Bleed, www.stephanyrose.com
3:00 p.m. Dasha Kelly, Jamila, Triple Blak and Toni Asante Lightfoot
4:00 p.m. Conversation with Abiodun Oyewole of the Last Poets, author and world renown performance poet of several books and CD’s. http://www.jambetta.com