ALTOONA, Pa. — Patricia Jabbeh Wesley will offer a reading from her works at 12:15 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 9, in the Titelman Study of the Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts at Penn State Altoona.
Jabbeh Wesley, professor of English, creative writing, and African literature at Penn State Altoona, is the author of six critically acclaimed books of poetry: “Praise Song for My Children: New and Selected Poems,” published in 2020 by Autumn House Press; “When the Wanderers Come Home,” “Where the Road Turns,” and “The River is Rising,” among others. She also authored the children’s book, “In Monrovia, the River Visits the Sea.”
Her works are known around the world as an exploration of the Liberian civil war, the Liberian and Grebo cultures, and a voice for women. Most recently, her poems, short stories, and creative nonfiction articles have appeared in magazines and anthologies, including “Harvard Review,” “Harvard Divinity Review,” “Transition,” “Prairie Schooner,” “The New York Times Magazine,” and “Cutthroat.” Her poetry has been translated in Italian, Spanish, Hebrew and Finnish. Some of her awards include a 2002 Crab Orchard Award for her second book, “Becoming Ebony,” a Wise Women Literary Arts Award from Blair County, and most recently, a Pushcart nomination, and a Best of the Net award nomination for her poetry.
The event is free and open to the public. Masks must be worn indoors at all times.