Black History Month: Linton Kwesi Johnson October 5, 2010

What: Lecture

Where: Lady Hale Lecture Theatre

Who for: Everyone

How much: Free

More info: www.lintonkwesijohnson.com

Linton Kwesi Johnson was born in Chapelton, Jamaica. He came to London in 1963, and later studied Sociology at Goldsmiths' College, University of London. Whilst still at school he joined the Black Panthers, helped to organise a poetry workshop within the movement and developed his work with Rasta Love, a group of poets and drummers. In 1977 he was awarded a C Day Lewis Fellowship, becoming the writer-in-residence for the London Borough of Lambeth for that year. He went on to work as the Library Resources and Education Officer at the Keskidee Centre, the first home of Black theatre and art.

Johnson's first volume of poems, Voices of the Living and the Dead, was published in 1974. In 1975, his second collection, Dread Beat An' Blood, was published and was also the title of his first LP. That year also saw the release of Dread Beat An' Blood a BBC documentary on Johnson's work.

In 2002 Linton Kwesi Johnson became only the second living poet and the first black poet to have his work published in Penguin's Modern Classics series, under the title Mi Revalueshanary Fren: Selected Poems.

Linton Kwesi Johnson has toured the world from Japan to the new South Africa, from Europe to Brazil. His recordings are amongst the top-selling reggae albums in the world and his work has been translated into Italian and German. Unsurprisingly, he is known and revered as the world's first reggae poet.

How to book: The University's Arts Programme is taking bookings for Black History Month events.

Please book by emailing [email protected], call 0161 295 9003