Eugene B. Redmond facts for kids

Eugene B. Redmond was born on December 1, 1937, in St. Louis, Missouri. He is an American poet and a respected teacher. His poems are deeply connected to the Black Arts Movement and the city of East St. Louis, Illinois.

About Eugene B. Redmond

His Early Life and Education

Eugene B. Redmond grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. He went to Southern Illinois University (SIU) and earned his first degree in 1964. Later, he received his master's degree from Washington University in St. Louis in 1966. Both of his degrees were in English Literature.

A Career in Teaching and Writing

After college, Eugene Redmond started working as a teacher and counselor. He taught at a special program at Southern Illinois University in East St. Louis. His mentor, Dr. Edward W. Crosby, guided him there until 1969.

He then taught at Oberlin College for a year. After that, he became an English professor at California State University, Sacramento. In 1985, he returned to East St. Louis. He worked for the East St. Louis School District, helping with cultural and language arts until 1989. He also taught at Wayne State University for a short time. Later, he joined Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE). Today, he is an emeritus professor of English there, which means he is retired but still honored by the university.

Poet Laureate and Editor

Eugene Redmond has written many poems. He has published a small poem booklet and six collections of his poetry. He has also written for many journals and other books.

In 1976, he was given a special honor. He was named the Poet Laureate of East St. Louis. This means he was recognized as the city's official poet.

Redmond has also edited two collections of African-American poetry. He has edited eight books by another writer named Henry Dumas. Henry Dumas was a teacher who was sadly shot in a New York subway. Dr. Crosby encouraged SIU to publish Dumas's writings. He also asked Redmond to edit these important works, which Redmond continues to do.

Preserving History

In 1976, Redmond published a major book called Drumvoices: The Mission of Afro-American Poetry, A Critical History. This book looks at 200 years of African-American poetry. He also started a literary journal called Drumvoices Revue. This journal shares different kinds of literature and is published by Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

Eugene Redmond has given his personal collection to the SIUE Lovejoy Library. This collection includes his books, writings, photos, and other items. Some parts of his collection are available online for everyone to see. Other papers are kept at the University of Illinois at Springfield.

Awards and Recognition

Eugene B. Redmond has received many important awards for his work:

• National Endowment for the Arts Creative Writing Fellowship
• Lifetime Achievement Award from Pan-African Movement USA
• Pushcart Prize: Best of Small Presses
• Tribute to an Elder from the African Poetry Theater of NYC
• 1993 American Book Award for his book The Eye in the Ceiling: Selected Poems

His Published Works

Books and Contributions

Eugene Redmond has contributed to several important books. He wrote "Epigrams for My Father" in a book called An Ear to the Ground. He also contributed to SOS-Calling All Black People: A Black Arts Movement Reader. In this book, he shared his memories of Miles Davis, Henry Dumas, and Katherine Dunham in East St. Louis.