The Poem WV Officials Wanted To Ban: Grace Pritt reciting Black Diamonds by Crystal Good

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

A young poet named Grace has been asked to read for this year's Governor's Arts Awards at the Culture Center, an annual gala honoring exceptional artists throughout West Virginia.
In planning for the event, Grace chose the piece "Black Diamonds," by Afrilachian poet Crystal Good, for her reading.

The poem pays tribute to widows of the 29 miners who died in an explosion, as a result of flagrant safety violations in Massey Energy's Upper Big Branch mine in 2009. With the four-year anniversary of the tragedy coming up in a few weeks, it would have been a fitting and moving choice for the event.

Grace has been practicing and planning for the reading for some time, but, on Monday, just three days before the event, she received a message (pictured right), relaying instructions from Randall Reid-Smith, the Commissioner of the West Virginia Division of Culture, asking her to chose another piece, because "your poem deals with coal and many state representatives will be there."

More: http://www.wvablue.com/diary/7840/wv-division-of-culture-commissioner-bans-poem-paying-tribute-to-upper-big-branch-widows

[Downwinder]

1. UPDATE: 3/11/14 - 11:00 a.m.

It looks like the situation has been resolved, and they are now allowing her to do the piece.

Received this response from Deputy Commissioner Caryn Gresham:

"We look forward to Grace Pritt performing a poem of her choice at the Governor's Arts Award ceremony on Thursday, March 13. The Division of Culture and History's Arts Director is clarifying this with Grace. In the past, the student who delivered a poem as a representative of Poetry Out Loud at this program recited poems from the national Poetry Out Loud anthology that they performed at past competition. This was not, however, a requirement for this performance. "

http://www.wvablue.com/showDiary.do;jsessionid=5D783D6BBBFB50B30EB544AB3484E048?diaryId=7840

[sorechasm]

2. Nice performance Grace Pritt!

West Virginian's can be hard edged as a result of pragmatic economics. Virtually everyone's salary depends on the few corporations that own all the natural resources. They have to hide they're emotions away.

Not Grace Pritt. Her performance reminds me of the young preacher in the movie Matewan.

[randr]

3. She will be addressing the very people who most need to hear this message

If only they had the ears to hear

[valerief]

4. And the heart. Unfortunately, all they have are wallets for hearts.

Deaf coal-clogged ears, poisoned fracked minds, and leathery worn wallet hearts.