WASHINGTON
Seattle
MARATHON READAROUND OF RALPH ELLISON'S FORTHCOMING NOVEL, 'JUNETEENTH' FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC JUNE 19, 1999, 10AM - 10PM - Drop in and read or listen awhile, or stay all day! LANGSTON HUGHES CULTURAL ARTS CENTER, Seattle, Washington. The publication of Ralph Ellison's forthcoming great novel, 'Juneteenth,' is THE American literary event of the twentieth century's latter days. We are celebrating it in Seattle with a readaround that will go on all day from 10am straight through to whenever the reading is finished. Our readaround will be open to everyone in the Seattle area who wants to come read passages from Juneteenth aloud, or who just wants to hear others read from the book as it’s passed around. People will be free to come and go -- to stay the whole time (as I will) or just drop in for half an hour. Many visitors from nearby Juneteenth celebrations, which will be going on all day and into the evening, are likely to drift in and out during the course of the marathon. Me: I'm just an English teacher who loves African American literature and is committed to excellence in teaching it. I'm also a sometime reviewer of poetry books and am currently honored to be writing a n article on 'Juneteenth.' I hope a public marathon readaround of a major African American classic can become an annual Juneteenth event in cities everywhere -- for example, in Seattle next year I hope there will be a readaround of Ellison's 'Invisible Man.' judy_lightfoot@lakeside.sea.wa.us http://www.lakeside.sea.wa.us/people/homepages/lightfoot/default.htm