Chicago’s Third World Press Celebrates 55 Years of Publishing

Haki-Madhubuti
Haki-Madhubuti

 

Chicago’s Third World Press Celebrates 55 Years of Publishing 

 
There is a reason why in 2022 Americans are still learning about the many contributions of individual Black people for the first time. For centuries, the history of America has been to tell his-story and keep African American contributions hidden.

For 55 years, Haki Madhubuti--poet, editor, publisher, educator and activist--has pursued the singular mission of letting readers share the Black experience in America from the perspective of Black writers. Next month, the octogenarian celebrates the 2nd oldest independent Black-owned book publishing company in the United States. In 1967, Madhubuti started Third World Press with $400 and a mimeograph machine from his Englewood apartment on Chicago's South Side.

Since then, TWP has published hundreds of authors such as Mari Evans, Derrick Bell and Gil Scott-Heron; producers and playwrights Ruby Dee, Ossie Davis and Christine Houston; renown psychiatrists Frances Cress Welsing, Carl Bell and Bobby E. Wright; historians Chancellor Williams, John Henrik Clarke and Jacob Carruthers; poets Amiri Baraka, Sonia Sanchez, Illinois Poet Laureate Angela Jackson and the first African American Pulitzer Prize winner Gwendolyn Brooks and Madhubuti, who has published more than 36 books.

The publisher's interest in books started as a teenager in Detroit when his mother ordered him to the public library to check out Black Boy by Chicagoan Richard Wright. Madhubuti said he was so taken by the vivid descriptions of Black life in the South that he read it in a day. The next day he went back to the library and checked out everything written by Wright.

Although TWP is not as widely known as some of its white counterparts, the Chicago-based publishing company has a loyal following of national and international writers and readers. In recent years, COVID-19 protocols forced TWP to limit the number of books it has published.

"We are committed to publishing culturally progressive and politically insightful works of fiction, poetry, nonfiction and works for children that may or may not get published elsewhere," says Madhubuti. "In October, we will publish six new titles highlighting local and national authors. All of them will be available at our anniversary celebration."

This year's 55th anniversary celebration will take place Saturday, October 8, 2022, starting with an open house at TWP, 7822 S. Dobson Ave., from noon - 1 p.m., followed by a program at the Institute of Positive Education, on the same campus at 7823 S. Ellis from 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. 

Poets Useni Eugene Perkins and Angela Jackson will be honored as representatives of the fine tradition of poets and writers of TWP contributors over its 55 years. Perkins and Jackson's first books were published by TWP in the early 1970s. Both poets will be with at the celebration, as well as many local and national TWP writers.

For more information about Third World Press, visit the website at www.thirdworldpressfoundation.org.

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