A talented community of Black writers have thrived in Washington\, DC for over 100 years\, nurturing a rich traditio n of African American intellectualism and literature predating the Harlem Renaissance. In \;No More Worlds to Conquer\, local poet \;Brian Gilmore \;sh ares this history\, writes his own life story as a poet in DC\, and makes the case for the nation&rsquo\;s capital as a center of American literatur e.
\nDuring this book talk\, Gilmore\, in conversation Holly Bass\, will trace the literary life\, politics\, and influence of DC&rsquo\;s Bla ck poets to understand the history and culture of the city. Whether you&rs quo\;re a poetry enthusiast\, DC scholar\, or interested in the city&rsquo \;s Black culture and history&mdash\;this book talk is for you!
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ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
\;
Born and rais
ed in Washington DC\, \;Brian Gilmore \;is the author of four cele
brated collections of poetry including \;Come See About Me Marvin
\;(Wayne State University Press)\, a Michigan Notable Book for 2020 and&nb
sp\;We Didn&rsquo\;t Know Any Gangsters \;(Cherry Castle Publishing LL
C)\, a 2014 NAACP Image Award nominee \;and a 2015 Hurston-Wright Lega
cy Award nominee. His latest book\, \;No More Worlds To Conquer: The B
lack Poet in Washington\, DC \;(Georgetown University Press\, 2026) is
a cultural history of the African American poetry scene in Washington DC
since the time of Paul Laurence Dunbar. A literary and legal scholar and p
ublic interest lawyer\, he served as Clinical Law Professor for 16 years\,
practiced public interest law for 25 years\, and is now Senior Lecturer i
n the Law and Society Program at the University of Maryland &ndash\; Colle
ge Park.
Holly Bass \;is a multidisciplinary performance artis t\, choreographer\, and writer whose work explores themes of American hist ory\, generational labor\, and liberation. Her mediums include dance\, the ater\, poetry\, photography\, installation\, video and performance. Her wo rk is in the permanent collections of the National Gallery of Art and the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. She is the 2025-2026 Roman J. Witt Visiting Artist at the University of Michigan. Bass studied modern dance u nder Viola Farber and creative writing at Sarah Lawrence College before ea rning her MA in Journalism from Columbia University.
\nFounded in 1894\, the \;DC Hist ory Center \;deepens understanding of our city&rsquo\;s past to connec t\, empower\, and inspire. As the only community-based nonprofit focused o n the District&rsquo\;s history\, our vision is to engage with neighborhoo ds across DC and elevate the stories of Washington&rsquo\;s diverse people \, communities\, and institutions. The DC History Center&rsquo\;s \;co llection \;is focused on local DC as opposed to federal Washington but encompasses the city limits and areas that have a direct relationship to individuals\, locations\, and events within the District\, including histo rical connections with Maryland and Virginia. \;We are the caretakers of these materials\, donated by families\, organizations\, businesses\, ne ighborhoods\, and other communities that comprise Washington\, DC.
\nThe \;People&rsquo\;s Archive \;a t DC Public Library is home to the dynamic collections that preserve and s hare the stories\, histories\, and voices of Washington\, D.C.&rsquo\;s di verse communities\, as well as the Black experience in the Unites States. It features materials&mdash\;such as photographs\, oral histories\, docume nts\, and more&mdash\;that highlight the vibrant local\, national and inte rnational history of DMV residents\, grassroots movements\, and cultural m ilestones\, making it a valuable resource for researchers\, historians\, a nd anyone interested in learning more about the city&rsquo\;s past and pre sent.
\nREGISTRATION AND ACCESSIBILITY
\ nRegistration is free\, and walk-ins are welcome.
Seating \;is
first come\, first served.
All books must be purchased through regis
tration.
To request a reasonable accommodation for this program\, ple
ase contact \;DCPLaccess@dc.gov \;or call (202) 727-2142.
We
are committed to making events accessible for all participants.