FOCUS: Two dozen authors to be at Saturday’s Black Ink book festival

By Stephen Hoffius, special to Charleston Currents  |  More than 25 African-American authors will gather at Burke High School on Sept. 17 to take part in Black Ink: A Charleston African-American Book Festival. The event will take place from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

Marcus Amaker, recently named the first poet laureate of the City of Charleston, is the keynote speaker. He’s excited about the festival: “Charleston could use more events that celebrate the literary arts.” He is the author of seven books, the most recent of which, Mantra, is also an app, featuring audio, video, and new poems. Marcus’s poems have been featured on the PBS Newshour, the Huffington Post, several journals, and poetry collections.

Along with Amaker, participants will include novelists, historians, memoirists, children’s authors, inspirational writers and more. They will all set up tables offering their various books for sale.

In addition, the organizers have scheduled poetry readings and a panel discussion to share comments about writing and publishing: the value of putting one’s ideas on paper and the need to address the inevitable challenges.

Barbara Gathers, who has published the memoir From Back da Green: Stories from the Heart, is the coordinator of the group planning the event. “This is important for everyone in the community who reads—old and young,” she says. “It will be both inspiring and fun. Whatever kind of book people like to read, they’ll find copies there.”

Amaker adds that Black Ink will be “a great way to connect to the community.” He and poet Christine Gretch will address young readers in a special break-out session.

Among those writers who will take part are Ron Daise, actor, singer, and author of several books of Gullah-Geechee history and culture; Dr. Bernard Powers, coauthor of We Are Charleston about the Emanuel A.M.E. massacre; Sybil Nelson, author of a number of “Priscilla the Great” novels for young adults; and Savannah J. Frierson, who has published several books on romantic fiction.

Sponsoring groups include the Charleston Friends of the Library, the Cannon Street YMCA, the YWCA of Greater Charleston, and the Tri-County Women’s Project, Inc.