is was a
name that once reverberated throughout Black America, for he was a
novelist, essayist, social critic, activist, teacher, playwright and
screenwriter whose work dealt powerfully, truthfully with what it was to
be Black in America.
Yet,
in the years since his death in 1987, Dr. John Oliver Killens’ name has
somewhat faded from view, to the detriment of the Black community and
society at large, for he was a man with much of value to say, who knew
how to say it.
That is why it was tremendously apt that Dr. Killens was honored
posthumously at a recent City Council meeting. As Council Member Yvette
Clarke brought his widow, daughter, granddaughter and other family
members forward to accept a proclamation in his behalf, she declared:
"This is a truly historic day in our chambers. Dr. Killens strove in
all his work to distill and express the Black experience in this
country. In doing so, he reached an audience that transcended boundaries
of race and color to express common denominators in human nature. It is
with great pleasure that we present to the family this proclamation in
honor of all that he has given to our city, state and nation."
The proclamation touched on many of the important highlights of Dr.
Killens’ amazingly full and productive life. It told of his "prodigious
intellect and equally vast imaginative powers" that made him a mentor to
many of this nation’s most preeminent writers, including Maya Angelou,
John Henrik Clarke, Nikki Giovanni, Audre Lorde and Amiri Baraka.
[columns/ad_middle.htm]It said,
too, that Dr. Killens’ generosity of spirit was displayed each time he
entered a classroom. During the 1970’s he served as the
Writer-in-residence at Howard University’s prestigious Institute for the
Arts and Humanities. He also taught at Fisk, Columbia, Bronx Community
College and the New School for Social Research before spending his final
years as Writer-in-residence at Medgar Evers College.
Dr. Killens was a Pulitzer Prize nominee who believed in the
revolutionary and redemptive power of writing and the need for people of
color, young and old, to make their stories known. Putting that belief
into action, he was Co-founder and Chairman of the Harlem Writers Guild
and Vice President of the Black Academy of Arts and Letters.
The proclamation concludes: "With clarity, talent and a fierce
conviction in the written word, Dr. Killens managed to inform our
culture. He opened up the African American experience to wider social
and critical discourse and in doing so added to our present day
expression of cultural significance. Now, therefore, let it be known
that the Council of the City of New York posthumously honors Dr. John
Oliver Killens for his distinguished contributions to culture."
Speaking
for the entire family, Dr. Killens’ daughter, Barbara Killens Rivera,
thanked the City Council for awarding the proclamation to her father.
She then went on to say that Dr. Killens fought in World War II
against fascism and came home to join the struggle for peace, justice,
equality and freedom. "He would commend this council for standing up
along with so many others who oppose the invasion of Iraq," she stated.
"It would please him to know that this council has joined over 250 other
cities in opposing the Patriot Act. He would say that we must all
continue the long-distance struggle not to give in to tyranny and fear.
We need to continue to work for fair housing, full employment, equality
in public education and healthcare for our citizens regardless of class,
color or creed."
Clearly, this was a very well chosen proclamation, and we can all
thank the City Council for bringing this most deserving man to our
attention once more.
