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Black Women, Black Love
Two African American writer-mentors on my mind today
Haki Madhubuti
There are few Black writers more important to me than Marita Golden and Haki R. Madhibuti. Both are writers and institution builders. They have been involved with the African American struggle for freedom and dignity in the United States all of their adult lives. They have done it mostly through their writings.
I met “Baba Haki” in 1988 in Washington D.C. He immediately embraced me and has supported what I do as a poet ever since. He published my first book of poetry, elvis presley is alive and well and living in harlem in 1993. He and I have remained in touch ever since. Whenever I am in Chicago, I try to catch up with him.
Marita Golden
I met Marita Golden in 1987. She was a rising star writer in the U.S. In Washington D.C., she was already a star. She had two books come out right away back then — A Woman’s Place, a novel, and Migrations of the Heart, a memoir. Her career took off and she never looked back. Not long after she and I met I joined the African American Writer’s Guild. Marita and others had formed the organization to support Black writers in the Washington D.C. area. Eventually, I became Treasurer for the organization and got to know many more great writers such as…
