Chicago Poetry Tour Podcast

South Side Community Arts Center Established in 1940 by the WPA's Federal Art Project, the South Side Community Art Center has provided a second home for the city's African-American artists. Haki Madhubuti, founding editor of Third World Press, reads.

Tue, 19 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Established in 1940 by the WPA's Federal Art Project, the South Side Community Art Center has provided a second home for the city's African-American artists. Haki Madhubuti, founding editor of Third World Press, reads.

Hall Library One of the 20th century's most significant poets, Gwendolyn Brooks wrote about race in America, often from the perspective of her Bronzeville neighborhood.

Tue, 05 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0600

One of the 20th century's most significant poets, Gwendolyn Brooks wrote about race in America, often from the perspective of her Bronzeville neighborhood.

Bronzeville Margaret Walker's signature poem "For My People" encompasses the strengths and struggles of blacks not only in Chicago but throughout America.

Tue, 21 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Margaret Walker's signature poem "For My People" encompasses the strengths and struggles of blacks not only in Chicago but throughout America.

DuSable Museum The DuSable Museum is one of the nation's premier institutions dedicated to the history, art, and culture of the African diaspora. Quraysh Ali Lansana reads from his collection They Shall Run: Harriet Tubman Poems.

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0600

The DuSable Museum is one of the nation's premier institutions dedicated to the history, art, and culture of the African diaspora. Quraysh Ali Lansana reads from his collection They Shall Run: Harriet Tubman Poems.

Pilsen Pilsen was a diverse neighborhood in Chicago long before anybody used the word "diversity." Stuart Dybek and Ana Castillo read poems inspired by their childhoods there.

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Pilsen was a diverse neighborhood in Chicago long before anybody used the word "diversity." Stuart Dybek and Ana Castillo read poems inspired by their childhoods there.

The Green Mill Marc Smith conceived the worldwide phenomenon of slam poetry at the Green Mill in the 1980s. Audience participation encouraged.

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Marc Smith conceived the worldwide phenomenon of slam poetry at the Green Mill in the 1980s. Audience participation encouraged.

Danny's Tavern The neighborhood of Bucktown is home to Danny's Tavern and Myopic Books, two hot spots in the local poetry scene. Srikanth Reddy and Peter O'Leary read.

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0600

The neighborhood of Bucktown is home to Danny's Tavern and Myopic Books, two hot spots in the local poetry scene. Srikanth Reddy and Peter O'Leary read.

The Newberry Library The Newberry Library is an independent research library, and has twice served as the home for Poetry magazine during its prestigious and often surprising past.

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0600

The Newberry Library is an independent research library, and has twice served as the home for Poetry magazine during its prestigious and often surprising past.

New Chinatown Li-Young Lee grew up in this immigrant neighborhood, and his poem "The Cleaving" depicts his struggles with identity, violence, and universality.

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Li-Young Lee grew up in this immigrant neighborhood, and his poem "The Cleaving" depicts his struggles with identity, violence, and universality.

Graceland Cemetery This tour stop includes poetry addressed to graves in Chicago's ritzy Graceland Cemetery. Carl Sandburg, Vachel Lindsay, and Harriet Monroe meditate on mortality and what should, or should not, be memorialized.

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0600

This tour stop includes poetry addressed to graves in Chicago's ritzy Graceland Cemetery. Carl Sandburg, Vachel Lindsay, and Harriet Monroe meditate on mortality and what should, or should not, be memorialized.

Maxwell Street Home to street venders and musicians alike, Maxwell Street was one of Chicago's most vibrant gathering places. Michael Anania pays homage with a poem and a touch of the blues.

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Home to street venders and musicians alike, Maxwell Street was one of Chicago's most vibrant gathering places. Michael Anania pays homage with a poem and a touch of the blues.

The Velvet Lounge Sterling Plumpp dubs the Velvet Lounge a "shrine to jazz," and explains how jazz fuels his sense of poetic craft.

Tue, 18 May 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Sterling Plumpp dubs the Velvet Lounge a "shrine to jazz," and explains how jazz fuels his sense of poetic craft.

Chess Records The Great Migration gave birth to a new brand of blues in Chicago, and Chess Records helped make it famous. Sterling Plumpp and Tyehimba Jess read their bluesy poetry.

Tue, 04 May 2010 00:00:00 -0600

The Great Migration gave birth to a new brand of blues in Chicago, and Chess Records helped make it famous. Sterling Plumpp and Tyehimba Jess read their bluesy poetry.

Stock Yard Gate Union Stock Yard Gate is all that remains of the mile-wide livestock market that provided Carl Sandburg with his famous epithet for Chicago, "Hog Butcher for the World."

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Union Stock Yard Gate is all that remains of the mile-wide livestock market that provided Carl Sandburg with his famous epithet for Chicago, "Hog Butcher for the World."

Haymarket Monument Featuring Bucky Halker, Wobblies, and Studs Terkel, this segment explores the dynamic poetry and songs reflecting Chicago's industrial labor movements.

Tue, 06 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Featuring Bucky Halker, Wobblies, and Studs Terkel, this segment explores the dynamic poetry and songs reflecting Chicago's industrial labor movements.

The El Train The El, or the elevated train system, is one of Chicago's most distinctive features, "the sound of the city." Reginald Gibbons and members of the Speak Easy Ensemble share their El-inspired poetry.

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0600

The El, or the elevated train system, is one of Chicago's most distinctive features, "the sound of the city." Reginald Gibbons and members of the Speak Easy Ensemble share their El-inspired poetry.

Harold Washington Library Harold Washington was elected as Chicago's first African American mayor in 1983. Gwendolyn Brooks, Edward Hirsch, and Albert Goldbarth read an array of poems celebrating progress and the pleasures of reading.

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Harold Washington was elected as Chicago's first African American mayor in 1983. Gwendolyn Brooks, Edward Hirsch, and Albert Goldbarth read an array of poems celebrating progress and the pleasures of reading.

Walking to Harold Washington Library In 1912, Harriet Monroe founded Poetry magazine as a forum for modernist poetry. Featured are poems by George Dillon and John Frederick Nims, former editors of Poetry.

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0600

In 1912, Harriet Monroe founded Poetry magazine as a forum for modernist poetry. Featured are poems by George Dillon and John Frederick Nims, former editors of Poetry.

Fine Arts Building Renovated in 1898 to create studios for musicians, artists, and writers, the Fine Arts Building was a hotbed of artistic activity, home to magazines such as the Dial and the Little Review, and the offices of Frank Lloyd Wright and Edgar Lee Masters.

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Renovated in 1898 to create studios for musicians, artists, and writers, the Fine Arts Building was a hotbed of artistic activity, home to magazines such as the Dial and the Little Review, and the offices of Frank Lloyd Wright and Edgar Lee Masters.

Cliff Dwellers Club In the early 20th century, the Cliff Dwellers Club hosted poets at all stages of their careers, from the towering figures of Ezra Pound and William Butler Yeats to young unknown Carl Sandburg.

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0600

In the early 20th century, the Cliff Dwellers Club hosted poets at all stages of their careers, from the towering figures of Ezra Pound and William Butler Yeats to young unknown Carl Sandburg.

Art Institute of Chicago The Art Institute was surrounded by railyards when it was first built, emblematic of Chicago's roots in industry and the arts. Stuart Dybek, Lisel Mueller, W.S. Di Piero, and others read.

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0600

The Art Institute was surrounded by railyards when it was first built, emblematic of Chicago's roots in industry and the arts. Stuart Dybek, Lisel Mueller, W.S. Di Piero, and others read.

Chicago Cultural Center Originally the Chicago Public Library, the Cultural Center provides an ideal atmosphere for this brief history of Chicago poetry, featuring a variety of the city's poets.

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Originally the Chicago Public Library, the Cultural Center provides an ideal atmosphere for this brief history of Chicago poetry, featuring a variety of the city's poets.