Carl Sandburg Festival Writer’s Workshop

The “Slam Papi” of Poetry Slams, Marc Kelly Smith, will be leading a writer’s workshop on Saturday, April 27 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Carl Sandburg State Historic Site as part of the Carl Sandburg Festival in Galesburg.  Writers of all levels will receive tips on writing and writing poetry.  There will also be time for questions.

Marc Kelly Smith is a poet, writer and founder in 1984 of the poetry slam movement, for which he received the nickname Slam Papi. Smith was born in 1949 and grew up on the southeast side of Chicago. Smith spent most of his young life as a construction worker, but has written poetry since he was 19. In addition to poetry he has written and produced two stage plays. He serves on the artistic boards of several Chicago based performing arts companies.  He wrote and has performed in Galesburg his highly acclaimed Sandburg to Smith, a musical adaptation of Carl Sandburg’s poems and stories performed in concert.  For more information visit his website http://www.marckellysmith.net/

The writer’s workshop featuring Marc Kelly Smith on April 27 is free and will be in the Sandburg State Historic Site’s Barn at 313 E. Third Street in Galesburg. The workshop is sponsored by the Carl Sandburg Festival, the Carl Sandburg Historic Site Association, and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

Claire Hartfield has just received the 2019 Coretta Scott King Book Award for her recently published book A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919.  She will be appearing as part of the Carl Sandburg Festival on Thursday, April 25 at Carl Sandburg College (Room C102) from 12:00 noon until 1 p.m.  She will be discussing her writing and community activism.  At the Galesburg Public Library that same day from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m., Hartfield will be signing her book.  Both appearances are free and open to the public.  Carl Sandburg reported on the Chicago Race Riot of 1919.

Claire Hartfield’s career has centered on providing underprivileged children with the opportunity to achieve their potential through education.  After graduating from Yale University and University of Chicago Law School, she oversaw development of school desegregation plans for the cities of Chicago and Rockford.  More recently, she has led a non-profit organization that develops leaders for elementary and secondary education.  In addition to her public appearances in Galesburg on April 25, Hartfield will also speak to students at Galesburg High School.  Her website is http://clairehartfield.com/.

The Carl Sandburg State Historic Site in Galesburg is operated by the Illinois Department Natural Resources.