Rose Chapel Gives Fort Worth Artists A Stage Against Banned Books

Arlington TX

27 April, 2022

5:30 PM

Description

By Cristian ArguetaSoto, Fort Worth Report April 26, 2022 Fort Worth poet Brentom Jackson, 37, performed excerpts April 25 from banned book "The Undefeated" by Kwame Alexander and Kadir Nelson, in The Rose Chapel. Jackson also reads to his 2-year-old son, Langston Jackson. "During the pandemic, reading has been the only way he's had any influence from the outside world," Jackson said at the chapel, 1519 Lipscomb St. "Just knowing that simple books that I had a lot of touching moments with my son are banned in school from other children. That was important to me to stand up and speak out against them." Jackson was one of 15 performers — some of whom sang folk songs, read poetry and simply gave speeches — fighting back against a "war" on reading at the Right to Read Community Celebration. The book list organizers referred to is state Rep. Matt Krause's, R-Fort Worth, banned book list. To read the full article, click here. Fort Worth Report is a nonpartisan, nonprofit news organization that produces factual, in-depth journalism about city and county government, schools, healthcare, business, and arts and culture in Tarrant County. Always free to read; subscribe to newsletters, read coverage or support our newsroom at fortworthreport.org.