Marvin X's 2007 Book Tour Report
PHILADELPHIA

Marvin X's East coast book tour got off on anunfortunate note when Poet Sonia Sanchez had topostpone hosting her book party for Marvin because shesuffered a fall and was hospitalized a few days beforethe scheduled event. So the tour began with a reading(accompanied by Elliot Bey on piano) at the Universityof Penn's WEB DUBOIS center, sponsored by AfricanAmerican Studies, African American Resource Center andthe Women's Center. The event was a poetry reading bylocal spoken word artists, especially those connectedwith Maurice Henderson's National Black Poetry Tour. Marvin was asked to join the tour, and he agreed,especially after hearing the poets. "The poets whoread today have renewed my faith in the power ofpoetry to free our people. In the beginning was theword—if these poets and others like them can get theirmessage to the people, it will cause a paradigm shiftin the hood—things will never be the same, just as theBlack Arts Movement helped change consciousness in the60s. Conscious spoken word and poetry can refocus ourpeople on liberation, personal and political, asopposed to the bitch, ho, and motherfucker message ofmuch rap." Later than evening at Robbins Book Store, Marvin X wasgiven a proper introduction by poet Lamont Steptoe,winner of the Pew award. He quoted from an interviewby Lee Hubbard, Marvin X Unplugged, see AALBC orChickenBones He also quoted from the preface toMarvin's collection of essays, In the Crazy HouseCalled America, which called for a national generalstrike. The poet dialogued with hip hop journalist Justin SoulOne Bedford, a Philly native, who recently interviewedSpike Lee. But much of Marvin's comments were directedto the two young males traveling with him, aged 16 and25. "All that I am doing now is to save these youngmen and others like them. We must surround them withlove to save their lives. We have formed a dream teamto save them, composed of their mother, uncles andaunt." He suggested other parents, relatives, andcommunity members do the same with their young males. As per young females, Nisa Ra, Marvin's friend, formerwife and mother of his daughter, Muhammida, isconsulting with him to write a book on how she raisedtheir daughter, a Howard University graduate,entrepreneur and filmmaker, Hip Hop: The New WorldOrder, go to www.suninleo.com. Muhammida is filmingher father's tour for a documentary on the Black ArtsMovement and Hip Hop. On Thursday, she will dialogue with her father atthe Medgar Evers College film series, 7pm. It ispossible there will be a screening of Marvin's filmTHE KINGS AND QUEENS OF BLACK CONSCIOUSNESS, a videodocumentary he produced from the 2001 concert at SanFrancisco State University, featuring Amina and AmiriBaraka, Dr. Cornel West, Julia and Nathan Hare, Kalamuya Salaam, Rev. Cecil Williams of Glide Church,Ishmael Reed, Askia Toure, Marvin X, and many others. Marvin was totally surprised to learn one audience member was his comrade from the 60s liberationstruggle, Muhammad Ahmad (Max Stanford, Jr.), leaderof Revolutionary Action Movement (RAM ). Marvin was totally humbled when Muhammad introduced himself andexchanged his recently published WE WILL RETURN IN THEWHIRLWIND, a history of Black Radical Organizations.* * * * *

Marvin X East Coast Tour

Ishmael Reed says "Forget about spending hundreds ofdollars for motivational and prosperity seminars. Justgo stand next to Marvin X and watch him sell hisbooks."

Little may be known in the mainstream of poet/writer Marvin X but within circles of radical and independentartists and thinkers, he remains an icon! "Marvin X is one of the founders and innovators of the Black Arts Movement." --Amiri Baraka

This month, the Bay area legend heads east for a booksigning/reading tour of his latest release, Beyond Religion-Toward Spirituality: Essays on Consciousness.Longtime friends/associates/ comradessuch as Sonia Sanchez, Amiri Baraka, and Ed Bullins host Marvin X onthe road. He will also bridge the gap with dialoguefrom the new generation of young writers, journalistsand activists.

Philadelphia
Friday, April 6 : 7pmHosted by Sonia SanchezPrivate. Contact rsvp@suninleo. com for details
Saturday, April 7
WEB DuBois Center--University ofPenn,
3pmBridging the Gap- dialogue with writer Justin SoulOne Bedford Introduction by poet Lamont B. SteptoeRobin's Bookstore 108 S. 13th Street 7pmNewark,

New Jersey
Sunday, April 8 : 6pmHosted by Amiri & Amina Baraka
808 S. 10th Street, Newark

Brooklyn

Wednesday, April 11 : 7pm
Bridging the Gap- dialogue with Cuban Hip Hopactivist, Ariel FernandezHosted by Sun in Leo @ House of Van Buren 145 Van Buren Street, Bed-Stuy

April 12, 7pmMedgar Evers CollegeFilm Series
Marvin X dialogue with daughter,filmmaker Muhammida El Muhammida

Boston
Sunday, April 15 : 6pmHosted by Ed Bullins and Askia ToureAfrican American Gallery76 Atherton, Jamaica Plains, MAHartford,

Connecticut
April 20 Hosted by novelist Dana Rondel265 Oxford Street, Hartford

Brooklyn

April 27 : 6:30pmSista's Place -Nostrand & Jefferson

Washington DC
April 28Hosted by Baba LumumbaUmoja Gallery -2015 Bunker Hill Rd, NE

For more information, please contact events@suninleo.com 718-574-6331 www.marvinxwrites.blogspot