On Thursday, April 18th, Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA), joined When the Smoke Cleared: Attica Prison Poems & Journal Conversations, organized by the Sing Sing Prison Museum at the Ossining Public Library. In celebration of National Poetry Month, the evening featured a compelling conversation between Dr. Celes Tisdale and Mark Nowak about the influential role of poetry in prison reforms during the 1970s.
Dr. Tisdale, the first African American to teach a poetry class in an American prison, shared his experiences at Attica Correctional Facility shortly after the 1971 uprising. Based on the rediscovery and republication of Dr. Tisdale’s 1974 book, When the Smoke Cleared: Attica Prison Poems and Journal, the event also featured readings from the book. Three RTA alumni, Dayvon Underdue, Jose Robles, and Lorenzo Chambers, recited poems from the book drawing on the themes of freedom, oppression, and humanity within the carceral system.
Lorenzo Chambers shares a poem from When the Smoke Cleared
More than a celebration of poetry, the event highlighted the transformative power of artistic expression in personal and social change. Attendees left with a deeper understanding of poetry’s role in advocating for prison reform and human rights.
RTA is thankful to everyone who brought this meaningful event to fruition and to everyone who joined us!
