Georgia Douglas Johnson

In honor of National Poetry Month, SANKOFA Reading Group would like to spotlight a lesser known poet, Georgia Douglas Johnson
She was a musician, playwright, fiction writer, mother, wife, friend, mentor, intellectual and gracious host, and  a creative woman of her time.  One of the most loved and cherished participants of the Harlem Renaissance period, Georgia Douglas Johnson was the nurturer who gave to others not just her cadenced words, but much of her heart.  While acknowledging the oppressed position of women in her lifetime and documenting how this stiffled the creative spirit, she nevertheless proudly wore the mantle of the woman poet and fully embodied this restriction for herself.

Georgia Douglas Johnson is remembered for her considerable energy in fostering community among writers, and her deep commitment to honoring writing.  The various workshops (such as the Sterling Brown one which meets in Brown's last home), and literary organizations (such as Hurston-Wright Foundation) and even gathering places (such as Sisterspace & Books), that continue to nurture community among Black writers, artists and intellectuals in the Washington, DC area all have their roots in the Saturday Nighters. Douglas Johnson set the blueprint for how intellectual and creative talent could be nurtured and supported and her legacy here continues. Georgia Douglas Johnson died in her home at 1461 S Street NW on May 14, 1966.

Some poems I recommend include:
"Your World"
"I Want to Die While You Love Me"
"The Heart of A Woman"


Source: http://washingtonart.com/beltway/gdjohnson.html