Frederick-Douglass Knowles II
Hartford Poet Laureate
Frederick-Douglass Knowles II is an Educator and Activist fervent in achieving community augmentation through literary arts. He is the inaugural Poet Laureate for the City of Hartford. His works have been selected as a finalist for the New England Association of Teachers of English (NEATE) Poet of the Year Award, as well as a nominee for a Pushcart Prize. He is a recipient of the Nutmeg Poetry Award, and the 2020 Connecticut of The Arts Fellow in Artist Excellence for Poetry/ Creative Non-Fiction. Frederick-Douglass is the author of BlackRoseCity, and a Professor of English at Three Rivers Community College in Norwich, CT.
#BeatLit
Imagine a young poetic voice that is powerful, yet fearful. It fears that no one wants to hear about its innermost vulnerabilities due to a cultural absence of empathy. Or a powerful young voice that is fully aware of its magnitude, but unaware of how to articulate its experience utilizing literary techniques designed to amplify its story. Now imagine those same voices expressing themselves to the heartfelt rhythm of #BeatLit.
Mission:
#BeatLit illustrates an interactive, creative writing campaign designed to amalgamate the literary and performing art of poetry. #BeatLit combines the element of active reading with generative creative writing exercises to compose literary and/or performance poetry in order to improve the competency and confidence of aspiring writers.
Vision:
#BeatLit establishes working relationships with local schools, libraries, community organizations and institutions, as well as, artistic venues throughout Greater Hartford to encourage young writers to achieve their literary dreams.
2020 Tour
Due to COVID-19, please revisit this site for Zoom and live video chat readings.
Videos
Poem: Secrets (@ the 3:30 minute mark in the video)
Hartford Independence Day 2020. First Night Hartford.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=314942919666029
Poem: Twin-Cotton Skin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8GdAL86SAI&feature=youtu.be
Poem: Emerie Enters Her Grandmother's Garden
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3tAdtfU3Cc&feature=youtu.be
Interviews
"Talk Back With Sheila Horvitz."
"Teachers Make A Difference" with Bob Greenburg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4BlwWIL0RQ&feature=youtu.be
"YourArtsyGirl" Podcast with Christina Querrerr
https://yourartsygirlpodcast.com/episodes/episode-44-frederickdouglass-knowles-ii-s1!1937c
Links
Commencement Speaker: Three Rivers Community College 54th Commencement Ceremony:The Day Newspaper: https://www.theday.com/article/20190522/NWS01/190529788?fbclid=IwAR0WwtYrjyrrDxBQzVBFrkH7XTVhMGZa0jwnM484nTtuUkfRrCtN7mku0zs
Commencement Speaker: Three Rivers Community College 54th Commencement Ceremony:Norwich Bulletin Newspaper: https://www.norwichbulletin.com/news/20190522/three-rivers-grads-urged-to-cultivate-your-community
2019 Nutmeg Poetry Award Winner: "Sunday School in the 90's"
Three Rivers Community College 2018-2019 Commencement Speaker:
Poem: "Emerie Enters Her Grandmother's Garden"
Article: Who Is Frederick-Douglass Knowles II, Hartford's First Poet Laureate?"
Hartford Courant.
Article: Hartford Poet Laureate. New London Day:
Article: Hartford Poet Laureate. Hartford Courant:
Presentations
Featured Speaker: Connecticut College Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship (MMUF) Lecture Series. "Journey in the Academy and Research." September 11, 2017 7pm.
Featured Speaker: Nichols College First Year Experience Hip-Hop Forum. The Sociopolitical Power of Hip-Hop: Tupac Shakur 'Martyr or Menace?' September 26, 2017.
Host: 4th Annual Men Against Domestic Violence (MADV) Artistic Expression. Three Rivers Community College. BlackRoseCity (Norwich), CT. October 24, 2017.
Presenter: Wheelock College 2016 National Race Amity Conference: The Impact of Law and Finance on The Other Tradition. "The Sociopolitical Power of Hip-Hop: Tupac Shakur Martyr or Menace?' (November 2016).
Presenter: 51st Annual Two Year College English Association Northeast (TYCA) Conference: Making Connections: Creative Collaborations for Critical Literacy. "The Sociopolitical Power of Hip-Hop: Tupac Shakur 'Martyr or Menace?' (October 2016).
Teaching Fellow: Cambridge Writer's Workshop 2016 Summer Writers' Workshop Summer in Granada (Spain) Writing Retreat. "The Sociopolitical Power of Hip-Hop: Tupac Shakur 'Martyr or Menace?' (August 2016).
Presenter: Three Rivers Community College: Learning Across The Board (LAB) Lecture Series. "The Sociopolitical Power of Hip- Hop: Tupac Shakur 'Martyr or Menace?' (April 2016).
Session Chair: 2016 National Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC). "The Archival Turn in Rhetoric and Composition: Avenues for Research and Methodology" (March 2016).
Presenter: 10th Annual Trinity College International Hip Hop Festival. "The Sociopolitical Power of Hip-Hop: Tupac Shakur 'Martyr or Menace?' (April 2015).
Presenter: Connecticut College (host) Black Man Can Institute (TBMC): “Social Responsibility of Individual Behavior. (November 2014).
Presenter: 49th Annual Conference of the Two-Year English Association Northeast Region (TYCA) Conference. "Creative Space: Innovation in Building Conversations with an Adjunct Community" (October 2014).
Contact
Phone: 860.222.5524 (c)
860.215.9444 (0)
Email: