Report from Part One

by Gwendolyn Brooks

Miss Brooks relates the events of her life to her ongoing struggle to freely express the ideas and emotions of an African-American poet

Genres: Nonfiction, Poetry, African American

215 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 1972

About the author

Gwendolyn Elizabeth Brooks is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Annie Allen and one of the most celebrated Black poets. She also served as consultant in poetry to the Library of Congress—the first Black woman to hold that position. She was the poet laureate for the state of Illinois for over thirty years, a National Women’s Hall of Fame inductee, and the recipient of a lifetime achievement award from the National Endowment for the Arts. Her works include We Are Shining, Bronzeville Boys and Girls, A Street in Bronzeville, In the Mecca, The Bean Eaters, and Maud Martha.

Reviews

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a Billie Holiday album called "Gallant Lady," a title that justly fits the once poet-laureate of Illinois, Gwendolyn Brooks. Ms. Brooks was also the first African American poet to win a Pulitzer Prize. She is a very gallant lady.
"Report from Part One" is her autobiographical journal which tells of her childhood, family and her joys, sorrows and struggles as a writer.
Gwendolyn Brooks began rhyming at the age of seven and never stopped.
It is amazing that I reviewed this book for the Courier-Journal back in 1973. Back then I was as green as the grass and the future seemed to extend into the horizon forever.
Buy this book; read this book. You will be glad that you did. Then, read all of Ms. Brooks' poetry.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading Liesl Olson's new book, "Chicago Renaissance" got me re-interested in Chicago literature, particularly Af-Am.
It is hard to classify this as an "autobiography" - it is rather a pastiche of pieces, some redundant. With blank pages, 2 intro pieces, nearly 25 pp of photos counted as pages, reprints of 3 interviews, "marginalia", and notes on part of a trip to Africa, this volume is slimmer than its 215 pp, and rather unfocused.
Published in 1972, Brooks in 1967 had become "radicalized" (I believe there is a connection here to the death of her long time, white, editor at Harper), yet in 1968 she was named Poet Laureate of IL - a post she held until her death in 2000. In today's political atmosphere I doubt if her nomination would have been approved, or if it was, she would be forced to resign shortly thereafter for the truly radical views she held.
Interesting that little about her online goes into any detail about her post 1967 politics, and how they changed in the years thereafter until her death. Some of these views are of the period, particularly the "back to Africa" movement. OTOH, some of her ideas are still valid - the necessity of a world wide Black cultural identification.
She is obviously a woman who suffered fools poorly. The interviews are interesting as at times, the interviewer tries to pigeonhole her into white male academia - uncomfortable. But in those same interviews at times she seems to be attempting to dismiss her earlier work - now that she has accepted a new perspective.
Not sure I will read the second volume of her autobio, but I already have another book of her poetry on ILL at our local public library, and will probably read her lone novel. Brooks is an author well worth reading, and consideration. She was also an outstanding individual - teaching classes of youngsters, and often using her own money to set up literary prizes.

[Mills College Library]

811.54 B8733q 1972