Black poets from the early twentieth century and onward come together for a moving anthology, edited and organized by the late, revered poet June Jordan. First published in 1970, soulscript is a poignant, panoramic collection of poetry from some of the most eloquent voices in the art. Selected for their literary excellence and by the dictates of Jordan’s heart, these works tell the story of both collective and personal experiences, in Jordan’s words, “in tears, in rage, in hope, in sonnet, in blank/free verse, in overwhelming rhetorical scream.” Soulscript features works by Jordan and other luminaries like Gwendolyn Brooks, Countee Cullen, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Nikki Giovanni, Langston Hughes, Gayl Jines, James Weldon Johnson, Audre Lorde, Claude McKay, Ishmael Reed, Sonia Sanchez, and Richard Wright, as well as the fresh voices of a turbulent era’s younger writers. Celebrated spoken-word poet Staceyann Chin, an original cast member of Def Poetry Jam on Broadway , has also added an introduction that speaks to Jordan’s legacy, helping to further cement soulscript as a visionary compilation that has already become a modern classic. “In political journalism that cuts like razors, in essays that blast the darkness of confusion with relentless light; in poetry that looks as closely into lilac buds as into death’s mouth . . . she has comforted, explained, described, wrestled with, taught and made us laugh out loud before we wept . . . I am talking about a span of forty years of tireless activism coupled with and fueled by flawless art.” — Toni Morrison, on June Jordan Assembled by the late, great, award-winning poet June Jordan, and first published in 1970, Soulscript is a poignant and panoramic collection of Black poetry by the most eloquent voices in the art. Selected for their literary excellence and by the dictates of Jordan s heart as a woman, activist, and incomparable poet, these works tell the story of the Black experience in tears, in rage, in hope, in sonnet, in blank/free verse, in overwhelming rhetorical scream. Soulscript features poems by such luminaries as Gwendolyn Brooks, Nikki Giovanni, Langston Hughes, James Weldon Johnson, Audre Lorde, and Ishmael Reed, as well as the fresh voices of that turbulent era s younger writers, presenting a truly visionary compilation that has already become a modern classic, and that will appeal to fans of spoken word and literary poetry. Black poets from the early twentieth century and onward come together for a moving anthology, edited and organized by the late, revered poet June Jordan. First published in 1970, "soulscript is a poignant, panoramic collection of poetry from some of the most eloquent voices in the art. Selected for their literary excellence and by the dictates of Jordan's heart, these works tell the story of both collective and personal experiences, in Jordan's words, "in tears, in rage, in hope, in sonnet, in blank/free verse, in overwhelming rhetorical scream." "Soulscript features works by Jordan and other luminaries like Gwendolyn Brooks, Countee Cullen, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Nikki Giovanni, Langston Hughes, Gayl Jines, James Weldon Johnson, Audre Lorde, Claude McKay, Ishmael Reed, Sonia Sanchez, and Richard Wright, as well as the fresh voices of a turbulent era's younger writers. Celebrated spoken-word poet Staceyann Chin, an original cast member of "Def Poetry Jam on Broadway, has also added an introduction that speaks to Jordan's legacy, helping to further cement "soulscript as a visionary compilation that has already become a modern classic. JUNE JORDAN was an internationally recognized and beloved writer, teacher, and activist. The author of many books of poetry and essays, including Kissing God Goodbye , Haruko/Love Poems , Some of Us Did Not Die , and Affirmative Acts , she died from breast cancer in 2002. Harlem Moon Classics Series Advisor: Gina Dent, Associate Professor of Women’s Studies and History of Consciousness, University of California, Santa Cruz. MY PEOPLE by Langston Hughes The night is beautiful, So the faces of my people. The stars are beautiful, So the eyes of my people. Beautiful, also, is the sun. Beautiful, also, are the souls of my people. UNCLE BULL-BOY by June Jordan His brother after dinner once a year would play the piano short and tough in white shirt plaid suspenders green tie and checked trousers. Two teeth were gold. His eyes were pink with alcohol. His fingers thumped for Auld Lang Syne. He played St. Louis Woman Boogie, Blues, the light pedestrian. But one night after dinner after chitterlings and pigs' feet after bourbon and rum and rye after turnip greens and mustard greens and sweet potato pie Bullboy looking everywhere realized his brother was not there. Who would emphasize the luxury of ice cream by the gallon who would repeat effusively the glamour not the gall of five degrees outstanding on the wall? Which head would nod and then recall the crimes the apples