DURHAM, NC - Maurice Glenn, formerly of Durham, North Carolina, spoke to the Aspiring Eagle Academy students on August 14, 2009 about his latest book.  “Reflections:  Creative Writing from the African-American Aesthetic.”  The students were greatly involved in the event, which was part of the 2009-2010 Lyceum series.  They constructed imaginative and informative posters which were viewed by the author and persons in the community who attended the event.  The students also actively participated in a lively and informed discussion about eh need to remember back history, the topic of the event.

Glen posed the question:  Do we need to remember African-American or Black History?  He then focused on the important of black history in relationship to perception, money and control.  He also quoted George Santayana who said, “Those who do not remember the past are condemned to relive it.  “Then he quoted Winston Churchill who state.  “Whoever controls the history controls the future.”  Glen then related the lives of Outstanding African-Americans in history and current times to those themes.  The famous black persons are depicted in his book, “Reflections and it allows readers to discover and rediscover the accomplishments of hundreds of African-Americans.  He said that the hopes “This book will encourage students to achieve, to understand the dynamics of past and current situations, along with helping them to develop positive self-concepts.”

The large audience was in the Miller-Morgan Building Auditorium on the campus of NCCU when Glen referred to the Cheek Alumni House and Mr. Cheek having been principal of Pearson Elementary School when the students listened to a recording of Marion Anderson singing “Lift Every Voice and Sing,”  the Black National Anthem, which was recorded in the 1950s.  He then traced the history of African people form the first Homo sapiens or the San People through India to Europe.  Glen also spoke on the Black Codes and the Jim Crow Era of America history and how the US Senate had issued an apology for those years of hardship and injustice to African-American. In the talk with students, Glenn reminded the students of efforts of African-Americans to publish books and newspapers.

In “Reflections” as in his talk with the students, Glen describes in interesting narrative verse the lives of such African-Americans as John Punch, Harriet Jacobs, David Walker, Ida B.Wells, Coretta Scott King, Lewis Lattimer, and Granville Woods.  He also discussed Walker White, the “40 acres and a mule” initiative, and Oscar Micheaux.  Glenn wrote about and discussed the origin or the N-word, the “Wilmington race riot” of another century when white mobs rioted against black persons and businesses.  He also spoke of the “New York draft riot” when white mobs lynched hundreds of black person on the streets of New York City during the Civil War

The book includes rhyme verse, free verse and prose poetry to interestingly tell the history of black people.  While being more than bland dates and events, the poems vary in length and themes.  There are inspirational and romantic poems along with satirical poems that are sophisticated and funny.  Yet, “Reflections” also poignantly describes lynching in a prose poem of the same name, “Lynching.”  There is another evocative prose poem.  “To Be Black Is.” which describes beautifully the black experience in America.