Sunday April 21, 2-3pm, Henry L. Jones, Poet Laureate of Hendersonville, TN, will read his poetry and talk about his books. There will be some copies of his latest book available.
Henry will be online, but you can come into the store for the reading or join via Zoom
Henry L. Jones is an award-winning poet, artist, and playwright. Also an actor and activist, when Jones writes and paints, he's inspired by his cultural roots and heritage of the Black Diaspora. He's the author of Black Skillet Blues: Poetry without Cornbread (2023 release, Beatlick Press), Run into Blackness: Feeling My Poetic Gumbo (2010, Pneuma Publishing International), and Tell Me No Lies (chapbook).
Some literary activities include: 2021 Inducted as First Poet Laureate of Hendersonville, Tennessee; 2021-2022 Converge Poetry Fellow for the Fort Negley Master Plan, 2021-2022 Poet-in-Residence Hendersonville Public Library; and 2019-2020 Art Wire Fellow of The Porch Writers Collective & OZ Arts Nashville.
Forthcoming and recent anthologies include: In the Fullness of the Word: An Anthology of Black Poet Laureates, American Graveyard, A Call to End Gun Violence (Read and Green Books), SINEW: 10 Years of Poetry in the Brew (April Gloaming Publishing), 20/20 Vision the Czech Republic: A Poetic Response to Photography (The Rockvale Review), and Freedom Papers (Flatrock Poetry).
His poetry has appeared in a number of anthologies, journals, films, magazines, and newspapers. His poetry appeared recently in Chapter 16, Word Peace Journal, The Willow Review, Hendersonville Lifestyle Magazine, Ice Flow Press, Art Wire Journal Film, Hendersonville Standard News and other publications.
Jones is sought after for interviews and features. Recent interviews include: NPR about his art and poetry exhibit Kindred Links at the Parthenon Museum and filmed interview An Evening with Henry L. Jones by Sondrea Tolbert, Dir. of the Scarritt-Bennett Center. Some featured poet events include: Chapter 16 of Humanities Tennessee; San José Poetry Center's Beautiful Black Books; Poets Corner of Scarritt-Bennett Center; Line Breaks Literary Reading Series of The Global Education Center; National Black Poetry Day of Po Boys and Poets;William Edmondson Festival; Kentucky LINKS Arts Appreciation; Literary Luncheon Les Gemmes of Nashville; Poets from the Neighborhood, Poets of Tennessee; Folk & Bluegrass Festival, Historic Rock Castle; Hendersonville Lifestyle Magazine feature article; NPM Smartphone Series, Tishomingo Arts Council; Nashville Visionaries an arts installation by Carl Pope at Tennessee State University; and The African Male Museum Series with photographer Carlton Wilkinson; Celebration of Cultures.
His honors and recognition are numerous for both his literary and visual art work. He's participated in many National Endowment for the Arts grant funded projects as a lead artist which have included fellowships, residencies, received awards for his dedication to the arts and talent. His most treasures award is the Dr. Harriette Bias-Insignares Award for Poetry. He won that award and felt honored and connected to the late Dr. Bias-Insignares. She was his close friend and Nashville's first Poet Laureate and Ambassador of Letters.
Jones currently is painting for upcoming exhibits, completing his books, organizing community based arts projects and tightening the nuts and bolts for a play and film projects. Also, this busy arts guy will soon start another residency program. He's a graduate of Fisk University. Jones lives and works in middle Tennessee with his wife. They have three adult children.
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