Join us for a celebration of words, music, and dance, as we launch The Drinking Gourd Poetry Prize Chapbook Series. Renowned poet Ed Roberson, author of eight books of poetry and winner of the Iowa Poetry Prize, will be joined by poet and playwright, Kristiana Rae Colón, winner of the inaugural Drinking Gourd Prize. The evening will include readings from their newest books, Closest Pronunciation and promised instruments; live vocal performances of the great coded songs of the underground railroad and other African American spirituals 
by Timothy McNair, bass at the Bienen School of Music; and contemporary dance with original choreography by Devin Buchanan of Giordano Dance Chicago.
Thursday, January, 31
7:00 P.M.
Poetry Foundation
61 West Superior Street
Free admission
The Drinking Gourd chapbook poetry prize is a first-book award for emerging poets of color, combining the efforts of Northwestern’s Poetry and Poetics Colloquium and Northwestern University Press in celebrating and publishing works of lasting cultural value and literary excellence. For more information visit our page.