Local Authors Event When: February 17, 2018
Written by Betty Miller Buttram
Turner Chapel A.M.E. Church (Reverend Kenneth Christmon) opened its doors and extended an invitation to local African American authors to share their voices with those in attendance to celebrate Black History Month. Ten authors responded to the invite, bringing their books, posters, business cards, and individual voices. They had something to say.
The authors aroused the curiosity of the audience by the articulation and vocalization of their thought-provoking words. The audience heard about a son’s perseverance because of his memories of his father and his father’s teachings; mental health problems and racism being a part of this illness; historical data on two powerful African American activists who wanted the same thing for their people only by obtaining this goal in different directions; a historical story about Fort Wayne’s first female firefighter; Christian based stories; a series of children’s books; a parental/children guide; poems about slavery; and a woman who manipulates lies to get what she wants and is in need of salvation.
Here’s a shout out to those authors: John Dortch, George Middleton, Sharon Tubbs, Clifford F. Buttram, Jr., Carol Butler, Angela ‘SunToucher’ Patterson, John J. Foster, Jimella Harris, Linda Gibson and Betty Miller Buttram. The church hopes to do this again because “YES, WE CAN!”
Photos: Jimella Harris, Clifford F. Buttram, Jr., Authors Sharon Tubbs and Betty Buttram [Photos: Courtesy]