The Sweet Breath of Life: A Poetic Narrative of the African-American Family
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About this ebook
From the first publication of The Sweet Flypaper of Life by Langston Hughes and Roy DeCarava in 1967, to Crowns: Portraits of Black Women in Church Hats, collaborations between writers and photographers have been important in African American culture. These books examine the issues of identity and representation that have been so central to this group's efforts to thrive.
The Kamoinge Workshop photographers who contributed their work to this inspiring collection consist of names that have appeared in The New York Times, National Geographic, the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), and more. Names such as Anthony Barboza, Adger W. Cowans, Ming Smith Murray, Beuford Smith, John Pinderhuges, and many others. The Workshop’s mission was a response from the bias portrayals of African Americans in the media. They sought to shed positive light on their subjects, as well as to demystify Black life in America. And The Sweet Breath of Life does exactly that.
Ntozake Shange
Ntozake Shange (1948–2018) was a renowned playwright, poet, theater director, and novelist. Her body of work includes Obie Award–winning for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf, Some Sing Some Cry with Ifa Bayeza, and the posthumous Dance We Do: A Poet Explores Black Dance and I Am an Old Woman. Among her numerous accolades are the Langston Hughes Medal for Literature, a Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship, the Pushcart Prize, the Poetry Society of America’s 2018 Shelley Memorial Award and three AUDELCO awards. Ms. Shange’s work has been nominated for a Grammy, a Tony, and an Emmy.
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The Sweet Breath of Life - Frank Stewart
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The Sweet Breath of Life
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
www.SimonandSchuster.com
Copyright © 2004 by Frank Stewart and Ntozake Shange
Photography copyright © 2004 by Kamoinge Inc.
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information address Atria Books, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
ISBN 0-7434-7897-5
eISBN 978-1-4516-1634-7
First Atria Books hardcover printing October 2004
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
ATRIA BOOKS is a trade mark of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Designed by Dana Sloan
The list of illustrations appears on pages 173–74
Manufactured in China
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Also by Ntozake Shange
If I Can Cook/You Know God Can
Sassafrass, Cypress & Indigo
Liliane: Resurrection of the Daughter
Love Space Demands: A Continuing Saga
Betsy Brown
For Colored Girls Who’ve Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf
Also by Frank Stewart
Sweet Swing Blues: On the Road a Year with Wynton Marsalis and His Septet
Smokestack Lightning
Romare Bearden: Photographs by Frank Stewart
with great admiration and love
for these three women who let me know
in no uncertain terms who and what i come from:
to my grandmother, viola benzena murray owens
to my great aunt, effie owens josey
and to my great aunt, mary owens
i lived long enough to be held by you all.
love, ntozake
This book is dedicated to