Collections : [James Madison University]

Arranged alphabetically with the exception of the Exhibit of Participants materials and the magnesium letterpress die plates which are located at the end of the series due to their size. Note that the numbering system for the letterpress die plates is sequential based on each poem's order in the publication Furious Flower: A Revolution in African American Poetry. As such the first folder/four-flap enclosure in box nine is labeled 9:21b. This is the plate for page two of the 21st poem in the publication. Materials in this series primarily document the planning and implementation of the 1994 Furious Flower Poetry Conference: A Revolution in African American Poetry. Records include travel and lodging reservations, correspondence with participating poets, financial documentation and budgets, and mailing lists. Marketing and promotional items such as posters and brochures are included. Conference evaluations completed by attendees and folders labeled "Positive Responses" document the overwhelming success of the conference. Of particular interest are exhibit components from the 1994 conference that include text labels and images of each participating poet. The photographs for these panels were taken by C. B. Claiborne. Copy 225 of 300 of Furious Flower: A Revolution in African American Poetry is located in box 2, folder 5. The magnesium letterpress die plates used to print this collection of poetry are also included here. Each plate is individually housed in a four-flap enclosure and then boxed in order of appearance in the publication. Of significance are the video recordings documenting conference proceedings and interviews with Black poets.