Margaret Walker Alexander: Poet, Writer, Voice of Civil Rights

photo from wikipedia.com 'Let a new earth rise. Let another world be born. Let a bloody peace be written in the sky. Let a second generation full of courage issue forth; let a people loving freedom come to growth.'' (From "For My People" qtd. here ) American poet Margaret Walker (1915-1998) was initially an important part of the Chicago Black Renaissance, which emerged following the demise of the Harlem Renaissance in the 1930s. Stemming from Chicago's South Side, the Renaissance brought together a notable cadre of well-known writers including Richard Wright, Lorraine Hansberry, Arna Bontemps, and Gwendolyn Brooks. Perhaps not as nationally heralded as the Harlem Renaissance, the Chicago Renaissance did not have the same backing by white patrons, and struggled due to the geographic distance from New York City's publishing houses ( 1 ). Nonetheless, the Renaissance brought forth a new generation of inspiring writers, fresh talent, and new foc...