Conversation

Books have the power to inspire, entertain, and inform. They are also targets of parent groups, school officials, and sometimes entire governments who see them as dangerous or offensive. These book challenges and outright bans often claim to protect younger readers; however, objecting to a book’s subject matter frequently crosses over into issues of freedom of speech, leading to legal battles and, in recent years, social media attacks on writers, teachers, and librarians. Maureen Corrigan, NPR’s Fresh Air book critic and Distinguished Professor of the Practice in Literary Criticism at Georgetown, wrote and filmed a Wondrium/ Great Courses lecture series on banned books, and will lead this conversation with a group of award-winning writers, including Michael Cunningham, Margot Douaihy, and Jewelle Gomez. Included in the conversation will be readings from the panelists’ favorite banned books.

Kalamu ya Salaam is one of New Orleans’ most prolific writers and activists, as well as a venerated retired teacher. He is the author of five books of poetry, over a dozen plays, numerous essays, as well as documentaries. He is known for his work with the independent writing program, Students at the Center, as well as founding BLACKARTSOUTH in 1968, a community writing and acting workshop for Black poets and playwrights. He also founded the NOMMO Literary Society, a New Orleans-based Black writers’ workshop whose work led to the creation of Runagate Press, which is still published in partnership with the University of New Orleans Press. A great lover of music, ya Salaam’s latest work is a debut novel, Walkin’ Blues, a speculation and meditation on the life and legend of bluesman Robert Johnson.

He is joined in conversation by writer and publisher, Michael Allen Zell.