Akron, Ohio — City of Black Poets

More than the Birthplace of NBA’s LeBron James

Rita Dove, of Akron, Ohio, (Photo — Gage Skidmore — Creative Commons License)

When I would pass through the rest stops on the Ohio Turnpike near Akron, Ohio, for 11 years when I worked in the Midwest, LeBron James’ jerseys graced the snack shop. This was both before he left Cleveland for South Beach, and especially so when he returned. In Akron, LeBron James, born and raised in Akron, is still King.

But Akron, Ohio is not just LeBron James’ city. It is a working class manufacturing city long in decline. And it is a city of two of America’s best poets. Rita Dove and A. Van Jordan. I have been lucky to meet them both and most especially, become good friends with Van Jordan.

Rita Dove

Ms. Dove came into my psyche when I was a young poet finding my way. She had just won the Pulitzer Prize for her book, Thomas and Beulah. She was made now. The highest of the high institutions that respected writing had selected her work. Dove was always a very good poet before that but it does help in America when one of its institutions stamps you as amazing. She was.

Over the years, Dove has shown her versatility. She has her own voice and vision and she writes about the things she finds important. Her latest book, Playlist For the Apocalypse, over 30 years after Thomas and Beulah, is one of my new…