Kalamu ya Salaam

Kalamu ya Salaam photo

Kalamu ya Salaam is a 3-Time AALBC.com Bestselling Author

photo credit Lynda Koolish from her book African American Writers: Portraits and Visions Kalamu ya Salaam is the founder of NOMMO Literary Society.  NOMMO is  a New Orleans-based creative writing workshop whose members are published in national anthologies such as Dark Eros, Kente Cloth, Catch the Fire, and 360° A Revolution of Black Poets.  He is also a founder of Runagate Press, which focuses on New Orleans and African-heritage cultures worldwide.

Salaam is the leader of the WordBand, a poetry performance ensemble that combines poetry with blues, jazz and other forms of music.   Salaam’s work includes the spoken word CD My Story, My Song (AFO Records) and his latest book What Is Life?.

Born March 24, 1947, Salaam’s awards include national and regional awards for poetry, play writing, literary criticism, cultural criticism, and radio production.  Salaam has served on numerous panels and boards, including NEA Literature panels.  He has read his poetry and lectured at universities, community programs and institutions worldwide. 

Salaam is also moderator of eDrum, a listserv of Black writers and diverse supporters of literature. Kalamu also runs one of the best Blogs on the web, the Neogriot.

Kalamu Ya Salaam - Educator for Change by Respectful Revolution

In New Orleans, Kalamu Ya Salaam is a writer, a filmmaker and an educator. All his life, Kalamu has been motivated by a burning passion for empowering young people with both thinking and writing skills. More than a teacher, he is a mentor who’s been inspiring generations of students into finding meaningful paths for their lives through creative expression.  The video above was fimed at the Community Book Center, Bayou Road, New Orleans, LA.

Read Salaam’s Overview of the Black Arts Movement


Additional Books of Poetry Published

  1. The Blues Merchant (1969)
  2. Hofu Ni Kwenu/My Fear Is For You (1973)
  3. Pamoja Tutashinda/Together We Will Win (1974)
  4. Ibura (1976)
  5. Revolutionary Love (1978)
  6. Iron Flowers (1979)
  7. A Nation Of Poets (1989)

Listen to Kalamu read his poetry on a radio program recorded in 1998 to promote 360° A Revolution of Black Poets a seminal poetry event which was the first national festival of contemporary Black poetry.

Second Selection, “No Ordinary Waterfall”

Second Selection, “The Call of the Wild”

Learn more at Kalamu ya Salaam’s official website


Kalamu ya Salaam has Written 2 Book Review(s) for AALBC.com
Kalamu ya Salaam Has Written 6 Article(s) for AALBC.com

9 Books by Kalamu ya Salaam