Gwendolyn Brooks: the work of a poet in community

/“Gwendolyn Brooks: A Poet's Work In Community/” celebrates the life and work of American poet Gwendolyn Brooks (1917-2000). Although Brooks is generally known for her poetry, few people recognize her broad social and political impact. The first black author to win a Pulitzer Prize in any category, Brooks has had a decades-long career marked by her commitment to the fight for racial justice. Her early writing focused on the people she grew up with and observed on the streets of Bronzeville, a predominantly black neighborhood in Chicago. As his ties to this community grew alongside international struggles against anti-black racism, so did the reach of his poetry and his influence. This back-and-forth between poet and community opened surprising spaces of learning, empowerment, and institution-building.

This exhibition was presented at the Morgan Library & Museum in New York from January 28 to June 5, 2022.

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