Eugene B. Redmond facts for kids

Eugene B. Redmond (born December 1, 1937, in St. Louis) is an American poet and a university professor. His poetry is closely connected to the Black Arts Movement and the city of East St. Louis, Illinois. He is known for his deep understanding of African-American poetry and for helping to share the works of other important writers.

Life and Career

Eugene B. Redmond was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He went to Southern Illinois University (SIU), where he earned his first college degree in 1964. He then got his master's degree from Washington University in St. Louis in 1966. Both of his degrees were in English Literature.

After college, he became a teacher and counselor at SIU's Experiment in Higher Education in East St. Louis. He worked there with Dr. Edward W. Crosby, who was a very important mentor to him.

Teaching and Writing Journey

In 1969, Redmond left SIU to teach at Oberlin College for a year. Later, he joined the faculty at California State University, Sacramento as an English professor. He returned to East St. Louis in 1985. There, he worked for the East St. Louis School District until 1989, helping with cultural and language arts programs.

He also taught at Wayne State University before joining Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE). He is now an emeritus professor of English at SIUE, which means he is a retired professor who still holds an honored title.

Redmond has written many poems and published six collections of his own poetry. He has also contributed to many journals and books. He has edited two collections of African-American poetry. He also edited eight works by Henry Dumas, another important writer. Dumas had taught at a nearby college before he was sadly killed in a New York subway due to mistaken identity. Dr. Crosby encouraged SIU to publish Dumas's writings, and Redmond continues to edit these works today.

In 1976, Eugene B. Redmond was honored as the Poet Laureate of East St. Louis. This means he was recognized as the city's official poet.

Literary Contributions

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 multicultural literary journal called Drumvoices Revue. This journal is published by the English Department at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and the Eugene B. Redmond Writers Club.

Redmond has given his personal collection of books, writings, photos, and other items to the SIUE Lovejoy Library. Parts of this collection are available online in the EBR African American Cultural Life collection. Other important papers are kept at the University of Illinois at Springfield.

Awards and Recognition

Eugene B. Redmond has received many 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 The Eye in the Ceiling: Selected Poems

Published Works

Contributions to Anthologies

• Marie Harris, Kathleen Aguero, eds (1989), "Epigrams for My Father", An Ear to the Ground, University of Georgia Press. ISBN: 0-8203-1123-5
• John H. Bracey Jr., Sonia Sanchez, and James Smethurst, eds (2014). "DA-DUM-DUN: A BAM Triumvirate of Conch/Us/Nest: Miles Davis, Henry Dumas & Katherine Dunham in East St. Louis, Illinois (Reminiscence)". SOS-Calling All Black People: A Black Arts Movement Reader. University of Massachusetts Press. ISBN: 978-1-62534-031-3.