or Race, Class, Gender, Generation, Geography, and Love as the Ultimate Fallback Positions.  The Poet Celebrates Thirty (30!) Years of Publish Work by Indulging in an Orgy of Reading: With Obligitory Self-Critical-But-Amusing Comments, Explanations, and Elaborations

A pioneer in children's literature, Arnold Adoff created many anthologies introducing children and young adults to African-American Literature and poetry. The authors he included in these anthologies–Langston Hughes, Laurence Dunbar, Countee Cullen, Arna Bontememps, and Nikki Giovanni–continue to influence literature and the creation of contemporary culture. Well regarded as a poet and writer in his own right, Adoff creates picture books depicting biracial families in a natural manner, and is himself included in every major source addressing children's authors.

Adoff's poetic style incorporates visual elements–word and verse arrangement, page design, and print format interacting with graphic images–leading to surprise twists and emphases of meaning exploring the power of words.

Excerpt from All the Colors of the Race—
This book is a presentation of power and love.
Celebrate the meaning music
of your lives.

Stand free and take control.

Cosponsored by: College of Education, Graduate School of Library and Information Science, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Department of Educational Organization and Leadership, Department of Educational Policy Studies, Department of Special Education, Afro-American Studies and Research Program, Bureau of Educational Research, Education and Social Sciences Library, African-American Cultural Program, Champaign Public Library