A. B. Spellman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
A. B. Spellman
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| Born | Alfred Bennett Spellman August 12, 1935 Nixonton, North Carolina, US |
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| Alma mater | Howard University |
| Period | 1965–present |
| Genre | |
| Literary movement | Black Arts Movement |
| Notable works | Four Lives in the Bebop Business (1966) |
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Alfred Bennett Spellman, born in August 1935, is a talented poet, a music critic who writes about music, and an arts administrator. He is known for being part of the Black Arts Movement. He first became well-known for his book of poems called The Beautiful Days, published in 1965.
In 1966, he released a book about the history of jazz music. It was titled Four Lives in the Bebop Business, also known as Black Music: Four Lives. From 1975 to 2005, he worked for the National Endowment for the Arts. There, he helped support jazz music across the United States. In 2024, a recording he worked on, called Passion for Bach and Coltrane, won a Grammy Award. This recording featured Spellman's narration with Jeff Scott and the Imani Winds.
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Early Life and Education
Alfred Bennett Spellman was born on August 12, 1935. His hometown is Nixonton, North Carolina. His parents were both teachers. He went to P.W. Moore High School in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. While in high school, he played basketball. He was also part of the glee club and the speaking club.
After finishing high school in 1953, he went to Howard University. At Howard, he sang in the chorus and acted in plays with the Howard Players. This is also where he started his writing career. During his time there, he became friends with Leroi Jones. Jones's interest in promoting black art greatly influenced Spellman. In 1956, Spellman earned a degree in political science. He then continued his studies in law school at Howard.
Writing and Music Career
In 1959, Spellman began writing about music. He wrote for magazines like Metronome and Down Beat. He reviewed jazz music and musicians. His first book of poems, The Beautiful Days, came out in 1965. This book was very popular and made him a more recognized writer.
His reputation grew even more with his first full-length book. It was called Four Lives in the Bebop Business (also known as Four Jazz Lives). Published in 1966, this book explored the lives of jazz musicians. These musicians included Cecil Taylor, Ornette Coleman, Herbie Nichols, and Jackie McLean. Spellman's deep knowledge of jazz has always shaped his poetry. In 2016, poet Joy Harjo called him "one of the major ancestors of jazz poetry." During the 1960s, Spellman also wrote notes for several Blue Note Records albums.
Arts Administration and Later Works
In 1967, Spellman toured the country with other African-American poets. After that, he joined Rhythm Magazine. He wrote poems and political essays there until 1969. After leaving the magazine, he gave many lectures at universities. These included Morehouse College, Emory University, Rutgers University, and Harvard.
Spellman also started the Atlanta Center for Black Art. This center was part of a movement to develop arts in black communities. It aimed to reach beyond colleges and universities. The Center was independent but worked with local university staff. They offered art classes and performances, from poetry readings to plays.
In 1973, Spellman moved to Washington, DC. He became the director of a project for the National Endowment of the Arts (NEA). Three years later, he became the director of the NEA's Arts Endowment Expansion Program. He held this job for eight years. From 1994 to 1996, he worked as an associate deputy at the NEA. Then he became the director of the NEA's Office of Guidelines and Panel Operations. In 1998, he was made deputy chairman for another NEA office. He stayed there until he retired in 2005.
In 2008, he released a new collection of poetry. It was titled Things I Must Have Known and published by Coffee House Press. Spellman has spoken about how important small publishing companies are for poetry. He believes that without them, many poets would not be able to share their work. Larger companies often publish very little poetry.
Family Life
A. B. Spellman married Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) activist and producer Karen Edmonds Spellman. They got married on October 14, 1969. They have two daughters. One is Toyin Spellman-Diaz, who plays the oboe for the Imani Winds. The other is Kaji Spellman Douša, who is a Senior Pastor. A. B. Spellman was also married before to artist Danielle Ryvlin Spellman. Their son is Hollywood writer and producer Malcolm Spellman.
