The African American Library/Museum
hosts
Academy of Da Corner
Read in/teach in
Book Party
4/23/10
Dear Friend,
On Saturday, May 15, 2 pm, we will celebrate the release of my latest book The Wisdom of Plato Negro, Parables/Fables by Marvin X.
I am requesting your presence at this event that is also a benefit for Black Bird Press. Most of my twenty books are out of print, plus new titles await publication. Actually, funds are needed for a proper run of The Wisdom of Plato Negro. A limited edition costs nearly twenty dollars per book to print. So funds are urgently needed.
As one of the founders of the Black Arts Movement, we are attempting to advance the cultural revolution. Black Bird Press is my contribution, but I need your support at this time.
The Wisdom of Plato Negro is priced at $100.00 to benefit the BBP book projects.
As many of you know, over the past three or four years, we have given away copies of my books at 14th and Broadway, downtown Oakland (retail value $20,000.00). But this is an investment in educating and saving our people, adults and youth.
I was so happy to hear youth tell me recently that reading one of my books changed their lives. A young sister said my book empowered her, she didn’t know she had that much power. Mothers and fathers have purchased my books for their at-risk sons and daughters. Even senior brothers tell me they learn something from my books. So I’m convinced I’m on the right path.
Your support is needed. If you can’t attend the benefit celebration at the African American Library/Museum on Saturday, May 15, 2 p.m., 14th and Martin Luther King, Jr., downtown Oakland, please send a generous donation of any amount to Black Bird Press, 1222 Dwight Way, Berkeley CA 94702. With a donation of one hundred dollars or more, you will receive a autographed copy of The Wisdom of Plato Negro.
To celebrate the publication of The Wisdom of Plato Negro, Parables/Fables, I am asking poets, writers and community people to join in reading from the parables/fables. The following are especially invited to read:
Ishmael Reed
Cecil Brown
devorah major
Ayodele Nzingha (confirmed)
Linda Johnson
Phavia Khujichagulia
Tureada Mikel
Paradise (confirmed)
Art Sheridan
Aubrey LaBrie
Duke Williams
Rev. George Murray
Charile Walker (confimed)
Will Ussery
Al Young
Geoffery Grier (confirmed)
Ptah Allah El (confirmed)
Ramal Lamar (confirmed)
Suzzette Celeste(confirmed)
James W. Sweeney(confirmed)
Abdul Sabry
Nathan Hare
Marcel Diallo,
Dr. Julia Hare
Danny Glover
Jimmy Garrett
Rehemah Bah
Hunia Bradley,
Michael Lange
Jerri Lange
Benny Stewart
Opal Palmer Adisa
Donald Lacy
Greg Bridges
Davey D
Chinaka Hodge
Ise Lyfe
Marc Barmuthi Joseph
Fritz Pointer
Avotcja
Naru Kwina
Amir Sulaiman
Wanda Sabir (confirmed)
Lee Hubbard
Adam Turner
Roxanne,
Dr. Oba T'shaka
Timothy Simon
Kweli Tutashinda
Latifa Simon
Lige Dailey
J. Vern Cromartie (confirmed)
Alona Clifton (confirmed)
Ken Johnson (confirmed)
Gregory Fields (confirmed)
Timothy Reed (confirmed)
Michelle LaChaux (confirmed)
James Moore (confirmed).
For my reading/performance, I will be accompanied by singer Rashidah Sabreen. If you missed us on KPFA this past Monday, please go to the archives www.kpfa.org/transitionsontradition.
Sincerely,
Marvin X, Publisher, editor, author
Black Bird Press
1222 Dwight Way, Berkeley CA 94702
www.parablesandfablesofmarvinx.blogspot.com
Book price $100.00
309 pages
If you can't make the party, the book is available from:
1222 Dwight Way,
Berkeley CA 94702
Please support one of the founders of the Black Arts Movement. Advance the cultural revolution!
Congratulations! on your wondrous achievements.
--Rudolph Lewis, founding editor, Chickenbones, A Journal
Parables/Fables
Marvin X
“Is Marvin X a parable or fable? We doubt a Marvin X exists! We double doubt there is a Plato Negro!”
—Amiri Baraka
"He's the USA's Rumi!""Jeremiah, I presume! I am sure these parables are a first in America exploiting this literary category. People will wonder where to place these parables and fables. You have expanded contemporary literature. I suspect there is nothing like them in post-modern American literature."
Rudolph
Lewis, Founding Editor
ChickenBones: A Journal
"If you want to learn about motivation and inspiration, don't spend all that money going to workshops and seminars, just go stand at 14th and Broadway, downtown Oakland and watch Marvin X at work. He's Plato teaching on the streets of Oakland."
--Ptahotep A. El (Trace 101)
Mail order only
The truth is priceless, freedom is not free.
Suggested donation: $100.00 (one hundred dollars)
What is the value of truth? The actual value of a hamburger
is $200.00 when factored in the slave labor of tomato, lettuce and cucumber field workers, also the health problems of workers subjected to fields sprayed with pesticides and fertilizers. Also hormone grown beef affects the health of consumers.
Black Bird Press
1222 Dwight Way, Berkeley CA 94702
www.blackbirdpressnews.blogspot.com
jmarvinx@yahoo.com
Introduction by Ptah Allah El
Preface: A Dialogue—Ishmael Reed, Dr. Nathan Hare, Dr. Rodney D. Coates
Parables and Fables
Parable of Love 1
Fable of the Donkey 6Fable of the Elephant 7
Parable of the Heart 9Parable of the Black Brotherhood 11
Parable of King Tut 13Parable of the Sacred 16
Parable of the Poor Righteous Teacher 19Parable of the Parrot 21
Parable of a Happy Dope Fiend 23Parable of the Man who loved his Mama 24
Parable of the Madpoet 28Parable of the Witchdoctor 31
Parable of the Preacher’s Wife 37Parable of the Rabbit 40
Parable of the Black Bourgeoisie 43Parable of Iraq 46
Parable of the War that is not War 50Parable of the Colored People 52
Parable of the Man Who Left the Mountain 55Parable of the Girl Ignut of Men 60
Parable of the A Students 63Parable of the Good Children 66
Parable of Man, Beasts, Ancestors, Nature 68Parable of the Drunk Man 70
Parable of the Hustler 73Parable of the Woman at the Well 76
Parable of the Gambler 78Parable of Letting Go 79
Parable on Death of Dreams 80Parable of the Bar 83
Parable of the Table 84Parable of the Bitter Bitch 86
A Dialogue on Bitch 88Parable of the Weather 94
Parable of the City of God 95Parable of the Sick Soul 96
Parable of the Criminal Society 99Parable of Monks and Ministers 102
Parable of the Dirty South 103Parable of the No People 105
Fable of the Black Bird 106
Parable of the Real Woman 108
Parable of the Cell Phone 110
Parable of the Man With the Gun in Hand 114
Parable of the Gangsta 116
Fable of the Rooster and the Hen 118
Parable of the Pit Bull 120
Parable of Black Man and Block Man 122
Fable of the Sleeping Lion 124
Parable of the Baby Carriage 125
Parable of the Woman in the Box 127
Parable of the Fire 129
Parable of the Basket 131
Parable of the Man Who Wanted to Die 133
Parable of Neo-colonialism at University of California, Berkeley 137
Parable of What Right? 142Parable of the Cross and the Lynching Tree 144
Parable of Who Killed Chauncey Bailey 147Parable of the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea 149
A Platonic Negro Dialogue on the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea 153
Parable of the Oakland Police Gang 170
Parable of the Family 172Parable of the North American African as Haitian 176
Parable of Same Sex Marriage, Straight Men, Prostitution 180Parable of Zionism and National Insanity 182
Parable of Obama Drama 186Parable of the Green Revolution 190
Parable of Gang Violence and Political Power 192Parable of who asks the Negro? 196
Parable of broken systems, broken minds 199Parable of Cornel West as angry black man 203
Parable of the Sub-prime Negro 204Parable of the Man Who Talked with Cows 206
Parable of A Day in the Life of Plato Negro 207A Dialogue on White Supremacy 212
Parable of the Grand Denial 217Parable of Imagination 221
Parable of Dope, Mamas and Preachers 231Parable of the Fall of America 234
Parable of Evil in the World 235Parable of American Gangsta J. Edgar Hoover 238
Parable of Sobriety 242Parable of Michael Jackson 246
Parable of Suicide 248Parable of Message to the White Man 250
Parable of the Ash Cloud 258Parable of One Million School Dropouts 260
Parable of Tiger Woods and the Mythology of Dick 264Parable of the Dick Slave 266
Parable of Toxic Love 268Parable of Rape 270
Parable of the Dick and Gun 274Parable of the Mythology of Dick and Pussy 275
Parable of Gay and Lesbian Youth 293Parable of Creativity and Sexuality 300
Parable of the Old Lovers 303Parable of Desirelessness 306
www.parablesandfablesofmarvinx.blogspot.com
Advance the Cultural Revolution
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