The sillerman first book prize for african poetry is an annual prize thats awarded to an african poet who has not yet published a first collection of poetry. Everyone knows that the best part of participating in a literary prize is winning. Mar 08, 2019 we are thrilled to unveil gbenga adeoba as the winner of the 2019 sillerman first book prize for african poets for his manuscript exodus. Oct 30, 2019 she was winner of the 2016 sillerman first book prize for african poets and a 2018 arab american book award. The zambianborn poet cheswayo mphanza has been awarded the 2020 sillerman first book prize for african poets, for his manuscript the rinehart frames. African poets, the brunel university prize and the sillerman. Mar 01, 2019 this dazzling debut announces a notsonew voice. In her dedication, elhillo writes, the january children are the generation born in sudan under british occupation, where children were assigned birth years by height, all given the birth date january 1. Elhillo is the recipient of the 2015 brunel international african poetry prize and fellowships from cave canem, the conversation, and space on ryder farm. Sudanese by way of washington, dc, she is a 2016 pushcart prize nomine, cowinner of the 2015 brunel international african poetry prize.
Oct 30, 2018 the sillerman first book prize for african poets is judged anonymously. Sillerman, she is a founder of the sillerman center for the advancement of philanthropy at brandeis university, where she serves as consultant. Elhillo is a pushcart prize nominee, receiving a special mention for the 2016 pushcart prize, and recipient of the 2015 brunel international african poetry prize and. She spoke to us about her poetry, unique sensory experiences, war and fruit. We are thrilled to unveil gbenga adeoba as the winner of the 2019 sillerman first book prize for african poets for his manuscript exodus. He is the winner of the 2017 brunel international african prize for poetry, his manuscript my body is no miracle was shortlisted for the 2017 sillerman first book prize for african poets, and his poem metamorphosis was shortlisted for the inaugural brittle prize for poetry. Embedded in her poems are colors, elements, and sensations that evoke painful memories related to deepseated remnants of trauma, war, and diaspora.
Safia is a pushcart prize nominee, cowinner of the 2015 brunel university african poetry prize, and winner of the 2016 sillerman first book prize for african poets. Sudanese by way of washington, dc, she is a 2016 pushcart prize nomine, cowinner of the 2015 brunel international african poetry prize, and listed in forbes africas 2018 30 under 30. Ladan osman is the author of exiles of eden coffee house press, 2019 and the kitchendwellers testimony university of nebraska press, 2015, winner of the sillerman first book prize. He is currently a resident scholar at dunster house, an institute of. Writers who have edited and published an anthology or a similar collection of other. Stray by bernard farai matambo meet your next favorite book. Matambo deconstructs the tense and often contradictory immigrant experience in his excellent debut collection, winner of the sillerman first book prize for african poets.
In january, elhillos debut collection, the january children sillerman first book prize for african poets university of nebraska press, brought her poems to my doorstep, and many others, as it became amazons top new release in african poetry. Sudanese, by way of washington, dc, elhillo is the cowinner of the 201 brunel university african poetry prize and winner of the 2016 sillerman first book prize for african poets. A chapbook box set tatu, from the african poetry book fund with akashic books. The authors name should not appear on the manuscript. Sudanese by way of washington, dc, she holds a ba from nyus gallatin school of individualized study and an mfa in poetry from the new school. Apbf supports african poets by promoting the writing and publication of african poetry. Apr 11, 2018 the january children, by safia elhillo 2017 this book won the sillerman first book prize for african poets. Opportunity for poets enter for the 2019 sillerman first. The sillerman is awarded annually to an african poet who has not yet published a collection of poetry. The january children, published by university of nebraska press march 2017, is her first fulllength collection, and is the winner of the sillerman first book prize for african poets.
The girls and women in these poems are not mere objects. The sillerman first book prize for african poets is awarded to african poets who have not previously published a booklength collection. Nov 26, 2017 the sillerman first book prize for african poets is taking submissions through december 1. She has received fellowships from cave canem, the conversation, and crescendo literary and the poetry foundations poetry incubator. Tjawangwa dema wins sillerman first book prize for african. I had the chance to chat with elhillo about her collection and to discuss what it means to be. Safias first fulllength collection, the january children, is forthcoming from university of nebraska press in 2017. With fatimah asghar, she is coeditor of the anthology halal if you hear me haymarket books, forthcoming 2019. Gbenga adeoba, has been announced winner of the 2019 sillerman first book prize for african poets, making him the first nigerian awardee of the prestigious award. The poems mythologize family histories until they break open, using them to. She is a recipient of the 2015 brunel international african poetry prize and the 2016 sillerman first book prize for african poets.
Winner of the sillerman first book prize for african poets, zimbabwean writer bernard farai matambos poems in stray favor a proseshaped line as they uncover the contradictory impulses in search of emotional and intellectual truth. Meet first nigerian to win prestigious sillerman book prize. The january children is elhillos first fulllength collection and depicts the experiences of navigating the postcolonial world as a stranger in ones own land. She was winner of the 2016 sillerman first book prize for african poets and a 2018 arab american book award. The sillerman first book prize for african poets will only accept first book submissions from african writers who have not published a book length poetry collection. The january children depicts displacement and longing while also questioning accepted truths about geography, history, nationhood, and home. African poets, the brunel university prize and the. Submissions for the 2019 sillerman first book prize for african poets have begun. His entry for the prize was his manuscript, exodus, which is a compilation of some of his poems. Safia elhillos collection the january children was the winner of the 2016 sillerman first book prize for african poets. Elhillo is the author of the january children university of nebraska press, 2017, and recipient of the 2016 sillerman first book prize for african poets and a 2018 arab american book award. Safia elhillo is author of the january children, recipient of the 2016 sillerman first book prize for african poets, and winner of the 2018 arab american book award. At short story day africa mahtem shiferraw talks about seeing poems in color, gender identity, and whats on her bedside table ethiopianamerican poet mahtem shiferraw won the 2015 sillerman first book prize for african poets for her manuscript, fuchsia, now published.
Kudos to the organizers and backers of the sillerman first book prize for african poets and congrats to elhillo. Safia elhillo is the author of the january children university of nebraska press, 2017, which received the 2016 sillerman first book prize for african poets and a 2018 arab american book award, and the chapbook the life and times of susie knuckles 2012. African poetry prize 20 golden baobab prize, ghana short stories for african children 20 sillerman first book prize for african poets usa 20 annual chair. The sillerman first book prize for african poetry is an annual prize thats awarded to an african poet. The sillerman first book prize for african poets is awarded to african poets who have not previously published a book length collection. She was a cowinner of the 2015 brunel university african poetry prize, won the 2016 sillerman first book prize for african poets, and has received fellowships and residencies from cave canem, the conversation, 11 and space on ryder. She is a cofounder of the african poetry fund and series with kwame dawes and the underwriter of the sillerman first book prize for african poets. Safia elhillo is the author of the january children university of nebraska press, 2017. Safia elhillo is the author of the january children university of nebraska press, 2017, recipient of the 2016 sillerman first book prize for african.
Oct 31, 2016 safia is a pushcart prize nominee, cowinner of the 2015 brunel university african poetry prize, and winner of the 2016 sillerman first book prize for african poets. Please include a cover page listing only the title of the manuscript not the authors name, address, telephone number, or email address. Meet first nigerian to win prestigious sillerman book prize for african poets by lazygoldm. Safia elhillo is the author of the january children university of nebraska press, 2017, winner of the 2016 sillerman first book prize for african poets. Matambo is the fifth poet to win the annual sillerman prize, following 2016 winner safia. Dec 07, 2018 safia elhillo is author of the january children, recipient of the 2016 sillerman first book prize for african poets, and winner of the 2018 arab american book award. This includes selfpublished books if they were sold online, in stores, or at readings. The poems of the january children are laced with smoke, the perfumed smoke of incense entangling itself in a womans curls, the tender smoke of cigarettes at. A zimbabwean national has won the 2017 sillerman first book prize for african poets. African poetry book fund sillerman prize for african poetry.
The sillerman first book prize for african poets is taking submissions through december 1. Sometimes poems come to me not in the shape of poetry. Mahtem shiferraws debut collection called fuschia won the prestigious sillerman first book prize for african poets in 2015. Safia elhillo is the author of the january children university of nebraska press, 2017, recipient of the 2016 sillerman first book prize for african poets. Stray not only captures the essence of identity but also eloquently articulates the pain of displacement and speaks to the vulnerability of. Safia elhillo on her sillerman prizewinning collection. Elhillo read some of her work in assembly and participated in an onstage discussion with via phillips 20, samantha saunders 21, and gabby harris. Safia is a pushcart prize nominee, receiving a special mention for the 2016 pushcart prize and. The sillerman first book prize for african poetry is awarded annually to an african poet who has not yet published a collection of poetry. Mar 10, 2019 gbenga adeoba, has been announced winner of the 2019 sillerman first book prize for african poets, making him the first nigerian awardee of the prestigious award.
Sudanese by way of washington, dc, she received an mfa in poetry at the new school. So big congrats to sudaneseamerican poet safia elhillo, who recently won the sillerman first book prize for african poets the african poetry book fund made the announcement, in collaboration with prairie schooner, earlier this month. Meet first nigerian to win prestigious sillerman book. The collection will be part of the new generation african poets. The january children are the generation born in sudan under british occupation, where children were assigned birth years by height, all given the birth date january 1. Cheswayo mphanza wins 2020 sillerman best first book prize. Shes an nyu graduate and is a pushcart prize nominee, cowinner of the 2015 brunel university african poetry prize, and winner of the 2016 sillerman first book prize for african poets. Tjawangwa dema is the winner of the sillerman first book prize for african poets 2018 is for her collection, the careless seamstress.
Elhillo comes out the winner in a tight race with five other brilliant poets. She is currently working on her first fulllength collection, the january children, which is. Safia elhillo is a sudanese poet who grew up in washington d. The january children are the generation born in sudan under british occupation, where children were assigned birth years by.
With fatimah asghar, she is coeditor of the anthology halal if. Elhillo has been nominated for the pushcart prize, receiving special mention for the 2016 pushcart prize. Her chapbook, ordinary heaven, appears in seven new generation african poets, slapering hol. Safia is a pushcart prize nominee, receiving a special mention for the 2016 pushcart prize and won the 2016 sillerman first book prize for african poets. The careless seamstress by tjawangwa dema overdrive. Safia elhillo is the author of the january children, recipient of the 2016 sillerman first book prize for african poets. The apbf also sponsors two prizes each year in collaboration with prairie schooner, the longrunning literary journal at the university of nebraska. Nov 08, 2015 the sillerman first book prize for african poetry. Matambo, born and raised in zimbabwe, is visiting assistant professor creative writing at oberlin college. Winner of the sillerman first book prize for african poets, ethiopian american mahtem shiferraws fuchsia examines conceptions of the displaced, disassembled, and nomadic self.
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