First Annual African American Literary Festival

phati'tude Literary Magazine is hosting its 1st Annual African American Literary Festival in celebration of Black History Month.

The event is being held at the Queens Library's Langston Hughes Community Library & Cultural Center in Corona, New York, on February 26, 2011 from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., which is free and open to the public.

The Festival will promote literacy and increase the awareness of African American literature with a day-long celebration that includes workshops, panel discussion, poetry readings, a musical performance, a short-film premiere and book signings. Additionally, the Winter issue of phati'tude Literary Magazine, "Celebrating Black History Through Literature: From the Harlem Renaissance to Today" will be unveiled, featuring emerging and established writers Amiri Baraka, Quincy Troupe, Ishmael Reed, Shonda Buchanan, devorah major, Yusef Komunyakaa, Stephani Maari Booker, Tony Medina, Askia Toure, Haki Madhubiti, among others. The cover was done by African American abstract-expressionist painter, Danny Simmons.

The Festival kicks off with three workshops, 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.: The Key to Good Writing by Louis Reyes Rivera; Community Publishing by Ron Kavanaugh; and /Writing for Young Readers is "Something Beautiful" by Sharon Dennis Wyeth. The workshops are free, but seats must be reserved by registering on Eventbrite, here. Please register to reserve your seat today!

Activities continue at 12:00 noon with a panel discussion, moderated by Gabrielle David, founder/editor of phati'tude Literary Magazine, which will cover issues pertaining to African American Literature and feature panelists historian and scholar, Louis Reyes Rivera; and poet and writer Reginald Harris; award winning children's author Sharon Dennis Wyeth; and publisher of Mosaic Magazine, Ron Kavanaugh.

Special guest, poet, teacher and activist, Tara Betts, will discuss the relevancy of African American literature and will read some of her works. Performance by Urban Word NYC; presentations by National Writers Union (NWU) and Poetry Club for Kids; will be followed by the premiere of the short film DUST, written, produced and directed by poet Shane Book. The poets from phati'tude Literary Magazine will also read from their works, with books and copies of the magazine available for sale during the event.

The Langston Hughes Library is located at 100-01 Northern Boulevard, Corona, New York, 718-651-1100.

This event is co-sponsored by Queens Library's Langston Hughes Community Library and Cultural Center, with grants received from the New York State Council on the Arts, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, New York City Council Discretionary Grant from Councilmember Julissa Ferreras, Queens Library, Library Action Committee of Corona-East Elmhurst, Inc. and private donations and contributions.

The Intercultural Alliance of Artists & Scholars, Inc. (IAAS) is sincerely grateful for its sponsors: National Writers Union (NWA), HarperCollins Publishers, Scholastic, Inc., Duke University Press, Pepsi Bottling Company of New York and Frito-Lay, with funding made possible, in part, by the Queens Council on the Arts with public funding from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, and private donations and contributions.