Included in this extraordinary volume are the poems of 43 of
America's most talented African American wordsmiths, including
Pulitzer Prize-winning poets Rita Dove, Natasha Tretheway, Yusef
Komunyakaa, and Tracy K. Smith, as well as the work of other
luminaries such as Elizabeth Alexander, Ishmael Reed, and Sonia
Sanchez. Included are poems such as "No Wound of Exit" by
Patricia Smith, "We Are Not Responsible" by Harryette
Mullen, and "Poem for My Father" by Quincy Troupe. Each is
accompanied by a photograph of the poet along with a first-person
biography. The anthology also contains personal essays on race such
as "The Talk" by Jeannine Amber and works by Harry
Belafonte, Amiri Baraka, and The Reverend Dr. William Barber II,
architect of the Moral Mondays movement, as well as images and iconic
political posters of the Black Lives Matter movement, Malcolm X, and
the Black Panther Party. Taken together, Of Poetry and Protest
gives voice to the current conversation about race in America while
also providing historical and cultural context. It serves as an
excellent introduction to African American poetry and is a must-have
for every reader committed to social justice and racial harmony.