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In Case You Missed It: Spring 2019 Event Webcasts

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Authors Tananarive Due, N.K. Jemisin, and poet Airea D. Matthews discuss the origins and extensions of Afrofuturism in a discussion moderated by Sheree Renée Thomas, February 12, 2019. Photo by Shawn Miller.

Missing your regular dose of literary programming this summer? While you’re anxiously awaiting the announcement of our 2019-2020 event season (coming soon!), you can catch up on or re-watch previous events anytime—they’re archived and available as webcasts on the Library’s site.

Watch our spring 2019 events, now available as streaming video:

On January 30, poet Ada Limón read and discussed her work with Ron Charles, book critic for The Washington Post, as part of the Life of a Poet series. Watch the event here.

On February 6, poet Ross Gay read and discussed his work with Ron Charles, book critic for The Washington Post, as part of the Life of a Poet series. Watch the event here.

On February 12, author/playwright Tananarive Due, novelist N.K. Jemisin, and poet Airea D. Matthews discussed the origins and extensions of Afrofuturism in a conversation moderated by writer Sheree Renée Thomas. Watch ”What Was, What Is, and What Will Be: A Cross-Genre Look at Afrofuturism” here.

On February 28, Canadian poets Aisha Sasha John, Brecken Hancock, and Erín Moure shared their work and participated in a moderated discussion with Rob Casper, head of the Poetry and Literature Center. Watch the event here.

On March 20, Science writer Peter Brannen and internationally acclaimed novelist Amitav Ghosh joined 2018 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction winner Annie Proulx in a discussion about pressing issues of environmental change and a writer’s responsibilities to them. Watch ”Climate Change, Nature, and the Writer’s Eye” here.

On April 4, Regional Youth Poets Laureate Kara Jackson (announced during the event as the 2019 National Youth Poet Laureate!), Haviland Nona Gai Whiting, Jackson Neal, Azura Tyabji, and Maren Wright-Kerr read their work as part of the 2019 National Youth Poet Laureate Commencement. Poet Mahogany L. Browne hosted the event, which also featured Washington, D.C. and Prince George’s County Youth Poets Laureate. Watch the event here.

On April 15, 22nd U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith celebrated the conclusion of her laureateship in a conversation with state, city, and county poets laureate Jeanetta Calhoun Mish (Oklahoma), Kealoha (Hawaii), Adrian Matejka (Indiana), Tina Chang (Brooklyn, NY) and Vogue Robinson (Clark County, NV). Jennifer Benka, president and executive director of the Academy of American Poets, moderated the discussion. Watch “American Celebration” here and below.

Happy summer from the Poetry and Literature Center!