Kalamu ya Salaam

About the Author

Kalamu Ya Salaam is an American poet, author, film-maker, and teacher from the 9th Ward of New Orleans. A well-known activist and social critic, Salaam has spoken out on a number of racial and human rights issues.

Includes the names: Val Ferdinand, Kalamu ya Salaam, Kalamu ya Salaam (editor)

Works by Kalamu ya Salaam

Popular Recent

Paul Chan: Waiting for Godot in New Orleans: A Field Guide (2010) 12 copies, 1 review

What Is Life?: Reclaiming the Black Blues Self (1994) 10 copies

360: A Revolution of Black Poets (1998) — Editor; Contributor — 10 copies

From A Bend in the River: 100 New Orleans Poets (1998) 9 copies

Be About Beauty (2018) 6 copies

Our women keep our skies from falling: Six essays in support of the struggle to smash sexism, develop women (1980) 5 copies

The Magic of Juju: An Appreciation of the Black Arts Movement (1998) 4 copies, 1 review

"He's the prettiest" : a tribute to Big Chief Allison "Tootie" Montana's 50 years of Mardi Gras Indian suiting, July 12-August 31, 1997 (1997) 4 copies

I Am New Orleans: 36 poets revisit Marcus Christian's definitive poem (2020) 3 copies

Buddy Bolden (short story) 2 copies

Can You Wear My Eyes (short story) 2 copies

Revolutionary love : poems & essays 2 copies

Cosmic Deputy: poetry & context: 1968 2019 (2020) 2 copies

Iron flowers : a poetic report on a visit to Haiti 2 copies

Trance 1 copy

Word Up: Black Poetry of the 80s From The Deep South 1 copy

Ibura : poetry and fiction 1 copy

Can we be we 1 copy

Bush mama : a poem 1 copy

Hofu ni kwenu = My fear is for you 1 copy

Pamoja tutashinda = Together we will win ... 1 copy

My Story, My Song 1 copy

Our Music is No Accident 1 copy

Ibura 1 copy

Ghosts! : 5 poems 1 copy

Work Explorer

Associated Works

Octavia's Brood: Science Fiction Stories from Social Justice Movements (2015) — Contributor — 793 copies, 13 reviews

Dark Matter: A Century of Speculative Fiction from the African Diaspora (2000) — Contributor — 594 copies, 11 reviews

Dark Matter: Reading the Bones (2005) — Contributor — 230 copies, 4 reviews

In Search of Color Everywhere: A Collection of African-American Poetry (1994) — Contributor — 107 copies

Brotherman: The Odyssey of Black Men in America (1995) — Contributor — 104 copies

Dark Dreams: A Collection of Horror and Suspense by Black Writers (2004) — Contributor — 67 copies, 7 reviews

This Is the Honey: An Anthology of Contemporary Black Poets (2024) — Contributor — 66 copies, 1 review

Trouble the Water: 250 Years of African American Poetry (1997) — Contributor — 63 copies

Crossroads: Tales of the Southern Literary Fantastic (2004) — Contributor — 55 copies, 2 reviews

When Race Becomes Real: Black and White Writers Confront Their Personal Histories (2002) — Contributor — 49 copies

Catch the Fire!!!: A Cross-Generational Anthology of Contemporary African-American Poetry (1998) — Contributor — 35 copies, 1 review

The Ringing Ear: Black Poets Lean South (2007) — Contributor — 34 copies

Doomed Romances: Strange Tales of Uncanny Love (2024) — Contributor — 28 copies

So Much Things to Say: 100 Poets from the First Ten Years of the Calabash International Literary Festival (2010) — Contributor — 26 copies, 1 review

Black Theater USA : 45 Plays By Black Americans : 1847-1974 (1974) — Contributor — 24 copies

Beyond the Frontier: African American Poetry for the 21st Century (2002) — Contributor — 18 copies

Streetlights: Illuminating Tales of the Urban Black Experience (1996) — Contributor — 13 copies

These Hands I Know: African-American Writers on Family (2002) — Contributor — 8 copies

Another South: Experimental Writing in the South (Modern & Contemporary Poetics) (2002) — Contributor — 6 copies

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Main Associated

Common Knowledge

Other names: Ferdinand, Vallery, III (birth name)
Ferdinand, Val
Birthdate: 1947-03-24
Gender: male
Education: Delgado College (AA)
Occupations: writer
artist
actor
activist
photographer
Organizations: Nommon Literary Society (founder, director)
U.S. Army
BLACKARTSOUTH (founder)
Bright Moments
Relationships: Salaam, Kiini Ibura (daughter)
Nationality: USA
Places of residence: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Associated Place (for map): Louisiana, USA

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Reviews

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2 reviews

denisebarry 80 reviews

The Magic of Juju: An Appreciation of the Black Arts Movement by Kalamu ya Salaam

Best book I've read in years. Written by an absolutely brilliant man from New Orleans. Not easy to read, this book is only for bright people (no offense to anyone!). I learned so much about the history of the Black Arts Movement. I would highly recommend it!

Nov 20, 2018

Asperula 56 reviews

Paul Chan: Waiting for Godot in New Orleans by Kalamu ya Salaam

A beautiful book detailing the effort to bring theater to post-Katrina neighborhoods in New Orleans. Through essays, photos, interviews, and scraps, the effort is brought forth so well.

Jan 9, 2011