Poet J. Joy Matthews Alford (Sistah Joy) and her grand-daughter, Jordan, made Saturday's D.C. Public Library marathon (5/2/09) a family adventure.

Michon Boston
Project Director
2009 Big Read - D.C.

Greetings All,

I am happy to share this article (link from my AuthorsDen website blog http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewblog.asp?authorid=56467) of my participation in DC's BIG READ at the MLK, Jr. Memorial Library this past Saturday (May 2, 2009).

Please share the link with friends you feel would be interested. I've also included a few photos from Saturday below. Enjoy!

Sistah Joy & Jordan, about to head out for our "Big Read" adventure
at the MLK, Jr. Memorial Library! (5/2/09)

Excited to be riding the train to the MLK Library!

Checking out a game of Chess at the MLK, Jr. Memorial Library

Sistah Joy reads Carson McCullers' The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter
at DC's "Big Read" at MLK, Jr. Memorial Library (5/2/09)

Blessings, Sistah Joy

Oral History Workshop @ The Historical Society of Washington, DC

The Historical Society of Washington, D.C. and The Veteran’s History Project will present an oral history workshop, Saturday, May 8 from 10 am until 12 noon.

The Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress’American Folklife collects and preserves the remembrances of American war veterans. This free oral history workshop offered at the Historical Society of Washington, D.C. will give you a chance to work with experts from the Veterans History Project and learn methods and techniques for collecting and preserving the stories of veterans from your family and in your community.

The Historical Society of Washington, DC is located at 801 K Street, NW (zip - 2001). Closest Metro is Mt. Vernon/Convention Center.

For information Ph. (202) 383-1830 Email education@historydc.org

Larry Neal Writers Competition Awards Ceremony - this Friday!

Friday, May 8 at 6 PM, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities presents its Larry Neal Writers Awards from its annual writers competition named for the poet, journalist, playwright, essayist and former DCCAH executive director. The annual competition is open to emerging and professional writers of all ages residing in the District of Columbia.

This year, the Commission is awarding a Big Read-D.C. Special Recognition Award for Creative Expression as part of DC’s 2009 Big Read celebration of author Carson McCuller’s The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. This special prize will be given in each age group to writers who composed an essay on the theme of courage. The 2009 Big Read – D.C. honorary chair George Pelecanos will present the awards.

The awards ceremony will take place in Theater J at the Washington DC Jewish Community Center, 1529 16th Street, NW at Q – 16th Street Entrance. [Note: the venue is changed from the earlier versions of the Big Read – D.C. schedule.]

The ceremony is presented in partnership with the PEN/Faulkner Foundation. The event is free and open to the public. RSVP – Email RSVP to artsawards@dc.gov, or call (202) 724-5613, TDD (202) 724-4493.

To learn more about Larry Neal and his influence on the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s and 1970s, visit the dcarts.dc.gov website or our competition blog post on the Big Read – D.C. blog .