Reginald Jackson

Reginald Jackson Poems

Reginald Jackson Biography

Mr. JACKSON In 2008 was nominated for the Lambda Literary Award for Poetry for his poet debut: HEJIRA: From Cradle To grave (www.Outskirtspress.com/reginaldtjackson) . In 1994 was named a National Shakespeare Pioneer by the New York Shakespeare Festival of the Joseph Papp Public Theater for his groundbreaking and strikingly innovative adaptation of KING LEAR as a Black Drag Queen dying of AIDS, entitled: HOUSE OF LEAR. He has also received a New York City Mayor's Citation and a Arts and Cultural Foundation Award for his work in Arts-In-Education - teaching creative writing throughout the New York City School System. He has served as the Education Director for the Foundation of The Dramatists Guild’s Young Playwrights Festival, and an Arts-Educator/creative writing instructor for the New York City High School Division of the New York City Board of Education; where he authored the only official curriculum for playwriting which continues to be used by the New York State Regents Board for Regents Certification in Theatre. He has also worked as an Arts-Educator/creative writing instructor for Arts Partners Program, Arts Connection, The New York State Council On The Arts and Henry Street Settlement. He is a certified “Cultural Treasure” of New York City by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. He has been a guest lecturer at Stoneybrook College, Antioch University, Brown University and New York University. He has been a founding member of the OTHER COUNTRIES: Black Gay Men’s Writing workshop for the past fourteen years. He was the poetry editor for their second anthology SOJOURNER: Black Gay Men Respond To AIDS, and was co-editing their new anthology OTHER COUNTRIES: Voices Rising. His play “ LOVE SICKNESS” is a permanent teaching tool for freshman students at New York University. He is a graduate of the New York based Downtown Television Documentary and video programs and the THIRD WORLD NEWSREEL Film program. He has had film works in the Frameline and New Film Festivals. He is legendary for his appearances in the films TONGUES UNTIED, AHTEM and AFFIRMATIONS by Critically acclaimed filmmaker MARLON RIGGS, a close personal friend who he also assisted with the technical and production aspects of each film. As a writer/director he has presented productions at the following prominent theaters: the National Black Theater, The New York Shakespeare Festival at the Joseph Papp Public Theater, the Intar Theater, The Painted Bride Performing Arts Center of Philadelphia, The Directors’ Company Theater, The Ernie Martin Studio Theater, The Schomburg Center for African American Research and Culture, The Young Playwrights Festival, Dance Theater Workshop, New York Theater Workshop, PS 122 Performing Arts Space, Musical Theater Workshop, H.E.R.E. Theater, La Mama Etc, The Juilliard School. As an independent writer his literary works have appeared in many many publications including; the anthology Brother To Brother, edited by Essex Hemphill on Alyson Publications, the anthology Flesh and The Word 2, edited by John Preston on Plume Books, BlackOut Magazine edited by Angela Bowen on Boston Towne Press, the anthology Sojourner edited and published by OTHER COUNTRIES, BGM Magazine edited by Sidney Brinkley on Blacklight Press, OUTWEEK Magazine edited by Sarah Pettit, American Writing Magazine, The Pyramid Poetry Periodical, Pyramid Periodical, etc. He has completed two novels entitled: LOVE SICKNESS and MY HOMEBOY LOVE. He is the author of more than a dozen plays and six screenplays. His play “ STRAIGHT BOYS” was named the best gay play of the decade by the New York City Gay Cable Network. He was commissioned by the St. Pauli Theater of Hamburg, Germany to write and direct a musical based on the life of Soul singer Aretha Franklin entitled: ARETHA! QUEEN OF SOUL. He was also commissioned to write a Broadway musical based on the life of 70’s Soul Singers The Emotions entitled: BIGGER THAN BUBBLE GUM. Currently he continues to be the founder and artistic director of RAINBOW REPERTORY THEATER which is now eighteen years old. He is a staff writer for the national magazines: FLAVALIFE magazine and FLAVALMEN magazine. He is also a regular contributor to the national magazine: CLIK magazine. He will be prominently featured in the upcoming reprint of the legendary Essex Hemphill anthology BROTHER TO BROTHER. AS an AIDS and Community activist he has worked for over twenty years in the New York and national community. He has partnered with Gay Men of African Descent, Gay Men’s Health Crisis, People Of Color In Crisis and many other organizations to educate and advocate for people with HIV and AIDS.)

The Best Poem Of Reginald Jackson

Me Too...

Me too…

I, too, sing Africa in America.

I am the sweeter brother.
They send me to eat in the closet
When company comes,
But I smile
And live well
And grow bolder.

Tomorrow,
I’ll be on the frontlines
When company comes,
Nobody’ll dare
Say to me
“Live in our shadows”
quiet, complicit, glamorously tragic
then.

Remorsefully,
They’ll admit how important I am
And they will be ashamed
Of images like lawn jockeys in aunt jemima hair does
Or jim crow caricatures cakewalking in Diana Ross heels

They will hunger for me
Like water from a whites only fountain
They will ask for me
Like the sound of wars drums in rhythm with heartbeats
And I will come like morning, revolution,
Deferred dreams rescued from callous time.

I, too, am Africa in America.

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