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Quraysh Ali Lansana

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Quraysh Ali Lansana (born Ron Myles [1] September 13, 1964, Enid, Oklahoma)[2] is an American poet, book editor, civil rights historian, and professor.[3][4][5]

Early life and education

Born Ron Myles in Enid, Oklahoma on September 13, 1964,[2] he graduated Enid High School in 1982.[6][1] Prior to focusing on poetry, in the 1980s he studied broadcast journalism[7][5] at the University of Oklahoma and worked as an assignment editor at KWTV.[1] After spending a year living in Medicine Park, Oklahoma, Lansana decided to move to Chicago in 1988.[7] There he worked as an editor for Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, and founded Nappyhead Press.[7]

Lansana grew up in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, but changed his name to Quraysh Ali after converting to Islam in 1993,[7] and adopted the last name Lansana upon marriage to now ex-wife Emily Hooper in 1996.[7] He practiced Islam until 1999,[1] later also turning to African faiths such as Yoruba[7] and attending Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.[1]

He decided to return to school in 1996, earning his B.A. in African American Studies at Chicago State University[5] where Gwendolyn Brooks was his mentor.[1] Lansana holds an M.F.A. in creative writing from New York University.[2]

Teaching career

Lansana has taught at the Juilliard School,[3] the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Oklahoma City University,[6][2] and was the director of the Gwendolyn Brooks Center for Black Literature and Creative Writing at Chicago State University.[6][2]

Awards

In 1999 he won the Wallace W. Douglas Distinguished Service Award[3] and the Henry Blakely Award,[2] was nominated for the NAACP Image Award in 2012,[3] and was named the Chicago Black Book Fair's Poet of the Year in 2000.[2] He also received a Tulsa Artist Fellowship[4] to create radio program entitled Focus: Black Oklahoma[5] for NPR affiliate KWGS.[5]

Works

Poetry collections

  • The Skin of Dreams: new and collected poems 1995-2018 (2019)[5][8]
  • A Gift from Greensboro Penny Candy Books. (2016) [3]
  • with Christopher Stewart, The Walmart Republic Mongrel Empire Press (2014)[2]
  • mystic turf Willow Books (2012)[2]
  • They Shall Run: Harriet Tubman Poems Third World Press (2004)[2]
  • Southside Rain Third World Press (2000)[2]

Chapbooks

  • reluctant minivan (2014)[3]
  • bloodsoil sooner red. (2009)[3]
  • Greatest Hits: 1995-2005 (2006) [3]
  • cockroach children: corner poems and street psalms (1995)[3]

Children's books

  • The Big World Addison Wesley (1999)[2]

Editor

  • African American Literature Reader Glencoe/McGraw-Hill. (2001)[3]
  • I Represent Gallery 37, Chicago, IL (1996)[3]
  • dream in yourself Gallery 37, Chicago, IL (1997)[3]
  • with Georgia A. Popoff, Our Difficult Sunlight: A Guide to Poetry, Literacy & Social Justice in Classroom & Community Teachers & Writers Collaborative (2011)[3]
  • The Breakbeat Poets: New American Poetry in the Age of Hip Hop Haymarket Books (2015)[2]
  • Medina, Tony., Bashir, Samiya A, and Lansana, Quraysh Ali. Role Call : A Generational Anthology of Social and Political Black Art & Literature. Chicago: Third World, 2002.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Medley, Robert (12 February 2012). "Oklahoma-born poet recognized nationally for literary work". The Oklahoman. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "About Quraysh Ali Lansana". Academy of American Poets. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Quraysh Ali Lansana". The Poetry Foundation.
  4. ^ a b "Poet QURAYSH ALI LANSANA". Tulsa Artist Fellowship. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Medley, Robert. "Tulsa poet, black historian to read works in Norman Tuesday". The Oklahoman. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
  6. ^ a b c Zorn, Phyllis (12 April 2014). "Enid grad returns to give back to Enid". Enid News & Eagle. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
  7. ^ a b c d e f Marsh, Michael (13 April 2000). "The Making of a Poet". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  8. ^ "Quraysh Ali Lansana May 15". Magic City Books. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
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