Tennessee has a long history of producing some of the country’s most well-known and talented authors, with many using poetry as a form of expression.
Ciona Rouse is a poet and teaching artist. She is the author of the chapbook Vantablack (Third Man Books, 2017). A frequent collaborator with various artists, her poetry is featured on NPR’s Turning the Tables in a collaborative project with poets Adia Victoria and Caroline Randall Williams and is guest co-curator of the Kara Walker: Cut to the Quick exhibition, originating at Frist Art Museum (2020). Rouse lives in Nashville, Tenn., where she frequently curates poetry experiences.
Gabriel Seals received his MA in English from Belmont University. His poetry has appeared in BOAAT, Frontier Poetry, Zone 3, Rockvale Review, The Tennessee Magazine, and the anthologies ‘20/20 Focus on Scotland’ and ‘Backyards & Boulevards: Words from the Neighborhoods of Nashville.’ He served as a senior poetry editor for Typehouse Literary Magazine, received retreat scholarships from Sundress Academy for the Arts, and was nominated for a Best of the Net in 2018. Most recently, he was a 2022-2023 Art Wire Fellow at Oz Arts Nashville.
Ami` Hanna-Huff is a poet and watercolorist, and she received her M.A. in English with a creative emphasis from Belmont University. A Fisk University alumna, she received her B.A. in English with a minor in Women and Gender Studies. A confessional surrealist, her art and poetry’s primary goal is to translate feelings into tangible visions revolving around my experiences against the world. She has poetry and art in the online and print publications Coffee People Zine, Drunk Monkeys, and Moody Zine.
This event will take place in the Digital Learning Center at the Tennessee State Museum. If you show your Eventbrite ticket you will receive a 10% discount on your book purchase in the Museum store.
And, coming to TSM on Thursday, April 18 12 Noon – 1pm, The Battle of Shiloh: Two Days That Changed the Course of the Civil War, presented by Richard White. The two-day battle of Shiloh was the largest ever fought on the North American continent, at that time. The Battle of Shiloh changed the course of the American Civil War. It convinced many leading figures that the war would not be a short one. This program will explore the events leading up the battle, the battle and tactics employed, and describe how veteran groups assisted in the preservation and public memory of the battle and the battlefield.
Richard White, Chief Curator, who manages the curatorial team, directs artifact acquisition and interpretation, engages with the public, and generally assists in the management and conservation of the collection. Richard has more than eight years of experience with the Tennessee State Museum, is a native of Nashville and attended Hillwood Comprehensive High School. He holds a B.A. in History from Belmont University and a master’s degree in History from Middle Tennessee State University.
