The Writer's Voice Martha Collins

Martha Collins   
PhD, Poet, Retired Faculty, 
University of Massachusetts-Boston and Oberlin College 

In her recent books, Martha Collins has used her talent with the written word to illuminate the horrific crimes historically suffered by the African American community. One of the works she reads in this presentation is about the lynching of an African-American man her father witnessed when he was five years old. In delving into this aspect of American history, Dr. Collins uses a kind of “mixed media” of writing techniques – poetry, articles, quotations, and timelines, both narrative and lyric. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including fellowships from the National Endowment of the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities. Here, she reads from her most recent book, “Admit One: An American Scrapbook” (2016, Pittsburgh), and another book, “Blue Front” (2006, Graywolf). 

Recorded: October 4, 2016