Celeste Bateman & Associates

September 4, 2009
For Immediate Release
Contact: Celeste Bateman
973.705.8253

Committee Hosts 75th Birthday Celebration for
Literary Giant Amiri Baraka
October 3-9, 2009

Newark, NJ – A group of community activists, performers, educators, civic organizers, arts administrators and others have begun meeting to plan the 75th birthday celebration of renowned poet, author and community activist Amiri Baraka. Baraka turns 75 on Wednesday, October 7, 2009.

The celebration will center around Baraka’s social activism and his life-long involvement in the arts and politics. There will be poetry readings, performances, an art exhibition, a gala and other ancillary programs. All activities will take place in the city of Newark. “It is only right that we honor one of America's greatest national treasures, Amiri Baraka, our native son of Newark," says planning committee chair David Muhammad.

Amiri Baraka was born Everett LeRoi Jones in 1934 in Newark, NJ. After leaving Howard University and the Air Force, he moved to the Lower East Side of Manhattan in 1957 and co-edited the avant-garde literary magazine Yugen and founded Totem Press which first published works by Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac and others.

His reputation as a playwright was established with the production of Dutchman at the Cherry Lane Theatre in New York on March 24, 1964. The controversial play subsequently won an Obie Award (for "Best off-Broadway play") and was made into a film. (The play was revived by the Cherry Lane Theatre in January 2007 and has been reproduced around the world).

In 1965, Jones moved to Harlem, where he founded the Black Arts Repertory Theatre/School. The BARTS lasted only one year but had a lasting influence on the direction of African American arts.

In 1966, when the BARTS was dissolved, Baraka returned to Newark, his hometown and set up with his wife, Amina Baraka, (who was a founder of Newark’s “Loft” a local venue of contemporary art), Spirit House and the Spirit House Movers, which brought drama, music and poetry from across the country.

During this period, the Barakas founded the Committee for Unified Newark (CFUN) and the Congress of Afrikan People which led to the election of Kenneth A. Gibson as the first Black mayor of a major northeastern city spearheaded by the 1972 Convention in Gary, IN. In 1968, he co-edited Black Fire: An Anthology of Afro-American Writing with Larry Neal.

Baraka and his wife Amina edited The Music (Meditations of Jazz & Blues (Morrow) and Confirmation: An Anthology of African-American Women which won an American Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation. The Autobiography of LeRoi Jones/Amiri Baraka was published in 1984. Other publications include Y’s/Why’s/Wise (3rd World 1992), Funk LoreLittoral 1993), Eulogies (Marsilio 1994), Transbluesency (Marsilio 1996), Somebody Blew Up America & Other Poems (Nehesi 2002).

Amiri Baraka's numerous literary honors include fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts, the PEN/Faulkner Award, the Rockefeller Foundation Award for Drama, the Langston Hughes Award from The City College of New York, and a lifetime achievement award from the Before Columbus Foundation. He was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 1995. In 1994, he retired as Professor of Africana Studies at the State University of New York in Stony Brook, and in 2002 was named Poet Laureate of New Jersey and Newark Public Schools. His recent book of short stories, Tales of the Out & The Gone (Akashic Books) was published in late 2007. Home, his book of social essays, was re-released by Akashic Books in early 2009 along with Digging: The Afro American Soul of Classical Music(Univ. of California). Amiri and Amina Baraka have been married over 40 years and have five children including the late Shani Baraka.


Amiri Baraka’s 75th Birthday Celebration

Saturday, October 3
The first Jazz Vespers of the 2009-2010 season at Bethany Baptist Church, 275 West Market Street in Newark, Saturday, October 3 at 6:00 p.m. is dedicated to Baraka and will feature renowned pianist/composer Randy Weston. Amiri grew up in Bethany where his parents served on the Deacon Board for many years. Admission is free.

Tuesday, October 6
There will be an exhibition of Baraka’s drawings at aljira: a Center for Contemporary Art. The opening reception will be held Tuesday, October 6 , 6:00-8:00 p.m. at 591 Broad Street. Admission is Free.

Wednesday, October 7
A birthday jam will be held Wednesday, October 7, 7:00-11:00 p.m. at the WISOMMM Cultural Center, 15 James St. in downtown Newark featuring a jazz jam session with local and nationally renowned musicians. Tickets are $50 which includes a light buffet, live entertainment and complimentary wine.

The house band includes Steve Colson (piano), Pheeroan Aklaff (drums) and Andy McCloud (bass), and will be joined by a host of singers and musicians among them Saxophonists David Murray, Rene Mclean, Bradford Hayes and Leo Johnson; Trombonist Dick Griffin; Bassist Henry Grimes, and Vocalists Carrie Jackson, Iqua Colson, Joy Foster, Dwight West, Gene Goldson, Gil "Bebop" Benson and Yvette Glover.

Thursday, October 8
A literary event, “Baraka Book and Birthday Bash” hosted by The Newark Public Library, 5 Washington St. will take place Thursday, October 8. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and will include poetry readings by young poets Margie Johnson, Gerald Arthur, K. Desiree Milwood and poet/filmmaker Bryan Green; short film screenings and a book signing with Amiri Baraka.

Friday, October 9
On Friday, October 9, a symposium, The Political Evolution of Amiri Baraka, will be held at Central High School Auditorium, 246 18th Avenue in Newark at 6:00 p..m. Panelists include, Amina Baraka; reporter, poet and activist Felipe Luciano, an original member of the Last Poets and founding member of the Young Lords and Komozi Woodard, author of A Nation Within a Nation. Al-Tariq Shabazz will serve as moderator. Admission is free and open to the public.

Updated information on all events will be posted on the official website at www.Amirib75.com. The National Black United Fund serves as fiscal agent for the planning committee. For additional information, please visit the website at www.AmiriB75.com or call David Muhammad at (973) 698-9504.

Honorary Committee

Miguel Algarin, Poet
Dr. Maya Angelou, Author and Activist
Ed Bullins, Activist and Author
Ben Caldwell, Writer
Jayne Cortez, Artist
William Cosby, Jr., D.Ed. Actor and Comedian
Ruby Dee, Actress and Activist
Mel Edwards, Artist
Danny Glover, Actor and Activist
Balozi Harvey, Activist and Entrepreneur
Rev. William Howard, Pastor, Bethany Baptist Church, Newark, NJ
Clifford Janey, PhD, Superintendent, Newark Public Schools
Felipe Luciano, Reporter, Activist, Founding Member of the Last Poets
Haki R. Madhabuti, PhD Activist, Author, Poet, Educator and Publisher
James Mtume, Artist, Activist, Co-host, 98.7 Kiss FM, Open Line
Gil Noble, Host of WABC TV Show, Like It Is
Rep. Donald Payne, NJ Congressman
Kevin Powell, Author and Activist
Sonia Sanchez, Poet, Author and Activist
Ntozake Shange, Playwright
David Shakes, Educator
Hon. Cleopatra Tucker, NJ Assemblywoman
Cornel West, PhD Author, Civil Rights Activist and Professor
Marvin X, Activist and Author

Planning Committee

David Muhammad, Chair
Celeste Bateman
Fredrica Bey
Akili Buchanon
Richard Cammarieri
Margaret Cammarieri
Risasi Dais
Victor Davson
Juba Dowdell
Herbert D. Glenn
Roy Hargrove, Jr.
Mae Jackson
Larry Johnson
Rachel Johnson
Ben Jones
Kellie Jones
Woody King, Jr.
Barbara J. Kukla
Theresa Marshall
Kevin Maynor
Herbie Morgan
Pamela Morgan
Linwood J. Oglesby
Clement A Price, Ph.D.
Leon Purdie
S. George Reed
Antoinette B.Richardson
David Shakes
Philip S. Thomas
Richard Wesley
Valerie Wilson Wesley
Dwight West
Sandra L. West
Junius Williams, Esq.
Baye Wilson
Komozi Woodard


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Umoja Dance Company Presents
Third Annual WOFABE: African Dance and Drum Festival in
Newark, New Jersey
Friday through Sunday, October 24-26, 2008

Newark, NJ - Umoja Dance Company (Umojadance.com) a New Jersey-based, multi-cultural company of dancers founded in 1993 by Karen Love, will present Wofabe: African Dance and Drum Festival 2008 at Science Park High School, 260 Norfolk Street, Newark, New Jersey. In celebration of the third anniversary, the festival will be held three days from Friday, October 24 through Sunday, October 26, 2008. The event, presented in collaboration with Performing Arts Services, is the only African dance and drum festival of its kind in the state. Renowned choreographer, Baba Chuck Davis, Founder and Artistic Director of the African American Dance Ensemble, will serve as host.

The mission of Wofabe: African Dance and Drum Festival is to share and preserve the finest traditions of African dance and drumming; to encourage cross-cultural understanding; to celebrate traditional African culture, aesthetics and values, and to utilize the resources and information gathered to further promote African art forms to the younger generation.

“I am pleased to have the opportunity to celebrate African dance and culture in Newark,” says Ms. Love. “The community at large can only benefit from this experience. It is equally important to pass on the tradition and culture to our young people and it is our goal to keep the culture growing not just in October but 365 days a year.”

Wofabe: African Dance and Drum Festival will examine traditional African dance, how traditions have evolved and how they have been interpreted by contemporary artists. There will be African dance classes with emphasis on movement from Guinea, Ghana and the Caribbean and drumming classes in the djembe and djun djun drums, both of which are prevalent in West African dance and music and a panel discussion.

On Friday, October 24, dance and drum classes take place from 6:00 to 9:15 pm with a special late night master class for all levels with Baba Chuck Davis from 9:30 to 10:45 pm.

On Saturday, October 25, the day begins with a yoga warm up class from 9:30 to 10:45 am. Dance and drum classes for all levels begin at 12:45 and end at 5:45 pm with a free class for children from 12 noon to 1:00 pm. Saturday culminates with a rousing dance and drum concert from 7:00 to 10:00 pm featuring Forces of Nature Dance Theatre (New York), Asase Yaa African American Dance Theatre (New York) and Kulu Mele African American Dance Ensemble (Philadelphia).

On Sunday, October 26, there will be a free panel discussion on “Teaching African Dance” from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. Dance and drum classes on all levels begin at 1:15 pm and continue through 6:15 pm.

Wofabe will sponsor an African marketplace held throughout the festival that features a variety of vendors offering merchandise from the African Diaspora. The African Marketplace is open to the general public and provides an excellent opportunity for pre-holiday shopping. The deadline for vendor registration is October 22nd. Vendor applications can be obtained online at www.Wofabe.com.

Wofabe: African Dance and Drum Festival is open to dance, drum, and music instructors, students and the general public, hence the name Wofabe which is Sou Sou (a language of Guinea, West African) for “everybody come.” Dance and drum classes are $12 in advance and $15 at the door ($12 for seniors, students and children under 12). Drum rentals (by reservation) are available for $5. The Saturday night concert tickets are $25 ($15 for seniors and children under 12).

Wofabe: African Dance and Drum Festival is sponsored by Umoja Dance Company, Performing Arts Services and Science Park High School. This program is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts and administered by the Essex County Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs.

Concert tickets, group discount packages and additional information may be obtained at www.Wofabe.com or call Karen Love at (973) 674-0285 or (888) 667-5531. Organizers can also be reached via email at Wofabe08@aol.com.

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