Black Performance Poetry

Black performance poetry can be a crucial aid in the teaching of English. It encourages a positive view of black language and culture, and illustrates the links between the oral and literary traditions. This study of eight black performance poets looks at their childhood and school experiences (both Caribbean and English), how and when they started writing and performing, their favourite poets, how they write and what they think of publishing. The significance of performance poetry is discussed, along with its great potential for the teaching of English.