The First Grammy for Best Spoken Word Poetry

Album Includes Powerful Tribute to Victims of May 14th Racist Fueled Massacre in Buffalo

For decades, the Grammys' spoken-word awards have gone to audio books.

This year, poets had their own category : Best Spoken Word Poetry Album.

And although The Grammys was big news in February we heard very little if anything about this newly created category or its prolific consciously-rooted winner, poet J. Ivy .

Chicago born Ivy has the distinction of not only being the first winner of the Grammy for Best Spoken Word Poetry Album, but thanks to his lead, the category was created. J. Ivy's winning entry, The Poet Who Sat By The Door, was released in 2022. The title is a nod to Sam Greenlee's 1969 novel The Spook Who Sat by the Door, a classic in the Black Power movement that was also made into a film in 1973.

Ivy's album is a collection of his poems, which he performs over beats and interpolates with singing by Sir The Baptist, Slick Rick and his wife Tarrey Torae among others. The lyrics are about defiance, endurance, love, passion, oppression, faith, healing and redemption.

One of the most poignant selections, “Buffalo Soldier," is a powerful tribute to the May 14th Tops supermarket massacre of 10 innocent Black people in Buffalo last year.

In Loving Memory. From Top, Geraldine Talley age 62 & Celestine Chaney age 65 ; Middle , Heyward Patterson age 67 , Ruth Whitfield age 86, & Roberta A. Drury age 32; Above, Andre Mackneil age 53, Pearl Young age 77; Aaron Salter age 55, Katherine Massey age 72, and Margus D. Morrison age 52; ware Ave. Carriage House Featured honored guests will include:

• Dr. Sabrina N’Diaye , a social worker, storyteller, peacebuilder, and activist

• Dena Adler, Art Therapist, who will facilitate individual and collective healing.

• Dr. Carol Penn, MD, dancer/choreographer (formerly with Alvin Ailey Dance Theater), of Movement is My Medicine (tentatively scheduled).

All three are faculty at the Center for Mind-Body Medicine, a worldwide center for helping communities and individuals develop the tools they need to heal from population-wide trauma, and build resilience.For details go to linktr.ee/wnypeace

Canisius College features Rev. Bryan N. Massingale, Saturday, May 13 , at 7 p.m. in the Montante Cultural Center. Free and open to the public. Presented as part of the city’s “5/14 Remembrance Weekend (See Page 7) Earlier on Saturday, May 13, “Turning Trauma into Triumph,” The day-long event includes conference sessions, a reading by Poet Jillian Hanesworth, a musical performance by Drea D'nur, African drummers and more.

5K Run and Marathon sponsored by Lt. Aaron Salter Memorial Scholarship Foundation at 8 a.m. @ Canisius College ending at Delaware Park. 5K run/walk begins at

9:30 a.m. in the Park. $35 for the 5K, $80 for half marathon, $320 for 4-member relay team. To register or volunteer go to bflo5145k.com

SUNDAY, MAY 14 Moment of Remembrance

2 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tops Friendly Market on Jefferson Avenue. The moment of remembrance will be led by Mayor Brown and followed by church bells chiming at 2:28 p.m.

Memorial Service for Healing and Hope. A memorial church service featuring Pastor Jamal Harrison Bryant, pastor of the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta Georgia. The worship service will take place at 6 p.m. at Elim Christian Fellowship 70 Chalmers Avenue, Buffalo.

Commemorating May 14, 2022 and Honoring Pappy Martin Legacy Jazz Collective's Annual Betty Carter Birthday Celebration True Bethel Baptist Church 907 E. Ferry Street, Buffalo.

Turn Your Lights On...

Columnist Eva M. Doyle is asking people to join her on the weekend leading up to the First Anniversary of the Tops Massacre by turning on their porch lights in Memory of the Victims who were murdered last May 14th. Dr. Doyle would like to encourage everyone to turn on their porch lights in the evening of May 12th, 13th and 14th.

The prolific, griot/historian/poet, delivers one of the few messages that places the tragedy in honest historical context; illuminating the endless chain of violence perpetrated upon Africans in America for the last several hundred years. Ivy speaks passionately to us in part:

Once again, the evil ensues

Protrudes from the heart of man

Upstate

Rifle in hand

A terrorist who’s free to roam this Land

Here he is yet again

Firing

Yet again

Killing again

The innocent

Who were guilty for nothing more

Than being draped in the color of Their skin

When will the insanity end

When will this news no longer cycle

When will this horror no longer trend…

Buffalo Soldier Why they come for you again

Come for you again?

Buffalo Soldier Why they shot you down again Shot you down again

Shot you down…

They called her Sweet Pearl

For so many she was the bit of peace

They needed to get through this cruel World

While you were busy being addicted

To the pain inflicted

She was busy gifting the less Fortunate

It’s unfortunate she won’t be here to Feed the village the love she served Up This sweet old lady who dedicated Her life to a lifetime of service

Got her family planning a premature Service

It wasn’t her time

She was just walking the aisles of the Store before she got in line Groceries in her hand

The people on her mind

Didn’t know she would be caught in The storm of America’s favorite Pastime

She was just on her knees watching George Floyd

Praying this would be the last time

Sweet Pearl is just one of many fallen soldiers I pray this is the last time…

Be sure to add this album to your collection. It’s available on Amazon Music.com, Apple Music, Spotify and other platforms.