THE
BOOGAH MAN
"The Boogah Man" is a poem written by Paul Laurence Dunbar and first published in his collection of poetry, Lyrics of Love and Laughter in 1903. The short-film adaptation features a performance by Aneesa Neibauer with original music written by Jt Neibauer.
BLACK AND UNKNOWN BARDS:
A POETICAL EXPIENCE
Black and Unknow Bards: A Poetical Experience, a one-woman performance curated and presented by Aneesa Neibauer, weaves together the poetry of America’s most celebrated and most unsung Black authors. Consisting of poetry spanning three centuries, Black and Unknown Bards: A Poetical Experience is a historic journey showcasing the humanity of the enslaved and the perseverance of the oppressed. This visceral, intimate performance features the poems of James Weldon Johnson, Phillis Wheately, Alice Dunbar Nelson, Georgia Douglas Johnson, George Moses Horton, and many more.
30 Days
30 Poems
"30 days, 30 Poems" is an annual poetry reading series presented online through Instagram. The theme of 2022's series was Poems from The Crisis Magazine. ​
View the full series here
Monologues froM
Rachel, a play written by Angelina Weld Grimké in 1916, examines the psyche of its titular character as she grapples with the inescapable blight of racism that haunts her family's past and threatens its future. In a new series, Black and Unknown Bards adapts three monologues from Angelina Weld Grimké's gripping play into a collection of short films.
Angelina WEld Grimke's
Rachel
Violets
Alice Dunbar-Nelson was a poet, essayist, diarist, and activist. Her writing openly addressed themes of race, oppression, gender, and sexuality. As such, her work was often rejected by mainstream publications. This did not hinder her activism or journalistic aspirations. Dunbar-Nelson contributed to The Women's Era, the first newspaper created by and for African-American women, worked actively with the NAACP, organized for the woman's suffrage movement, and spoke to audiences across the country on topics of social equality. Her first book, Violets and Other Tales, was published in 1895 when she was just 20 years old. Dunbar-Nelson remained passionately involved in activism and jounalism throughout her life until her passing on September 18th, 1935.
Song of the Moon
"Song of the Moon" was written by Priscilla Jane Thompson in 1907. Born in 1871 to parents who escaped slavery, her poetry would come to serve as influence and inspiration to the artists of the Harlem Renaissance. Priscilla self-published two books of poetry, Ethiope Lays (1900) and Gleanings of Quiet Hours (1907). She wrote that in her poetry she strove to exemplify the "patience, fortitude, and forbearance" of her race.​