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Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm

Furious Flower Poetry Center

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Furious Flower Poetry Center

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A department of James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA Established on October 28, 1999, the Center is dedicated to the memory of poet Gwendolyn Brooks.

We bring the diverse voices of African American poets to a wide audience by collaborating with educational and cultural institutions, literary organizations, and artists. A department of James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, the Furious Flower Poetry Center is committed to being a resource to both the campus and the nation through education, research, and publishing. We enact our mission by hosting visiting poets for readings at JMU and nearby venues; sponsoring workshops for emerging poets; holding an annual poetry camp for rising third to eighth graders; producing texts, videos, DVDs and other materials on African American poetry; and gathering poets and scholars for panels, seminars, and conferences.

10/15/2026

Join us next Thursday for an unforgettable interdisciplinary event!

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month and Día de los Mu***os, Furious Flower is partnering with the Madison Hispanic Caucus, , , , and to present Crafting Local Commemorations: Honoring Día de los Mu***os in the Shenandoah Valley. Join us on October 22 at Memorial Hall Forum for an evening of festivities, including a viewing of the exhibit Hostile Terrain 94, a performance by The Lua Project, and a poetry reading with Mexican American Poet Ariana Brown. Festivities begin at 5:30 PM, and the poetry reading begins at 7 PM.

Registration is free, and free parking will be available at Memorial Hall for the duration of the event. You can find the registration link in our bio!

This event is just one in a group of collaborative offerings. We hope you'll support the entire series and explore all three events happening October 20-22.

***os

10/08/2026

Exhibits and music and poetry, oh my!

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month and Día de los Mu***os, Furious Flower is partnering with the Madison Hispanic Caucus, CMSS, JMU Student Life, and JMU Libraries to present Crafting Local Commemorations: Honoring Día de los Mu***os in the Shenandoah Valley. Join us on October 22 at Memorial Hall Forum for an evening of festivities, including a viewing of the exhibit Hostile Terrain 94, a performance by The Lua Project, and a poetry reading with Mexican American Poet Ariana Brown. Festivities begin at 5:30 PM, and the poetry reading begins at 7 PM.

Registration is free, and free parking will be available at Memorial Hall for the duration of the event. You can find the registration link in our bio!

This event is just one in a group of collaborative offerings. We hope you'll support the entire series and explore all three events happening October 20-22.

***os

10/01/2026

This semester is off to a very special start. Two weeks ago, our first reading at Carrier Library did not disappoint! It was a full house for the 2026 Furious Flower Poetry Prize Reading, where we honored our Poetry Prize winner, Wes Matthews; Honorable Mention, Sherina Rodriguez Sharpe; and our acclaimed judge, Major Jackson. We ended the night with a book signing and BBQ reception!

You can view the full reading now, on our YouTube Channel! The link is in the bio.

The following Friday and Saturday, Major also facilitated two workshops on and off campus, rounding out the week by teaching others how to tell their own stories through poetry.

This incredible first week of programming was just the beginning of what Furious Flower has to offer this semester. We can't wait for you to see what else we have in store!

Photo Credit: Olive Santos

09/14/2026

What do birds, a grandmother's tales of days gone by, travel, Minnesota, and an 1800s legal battle all have in common? They are all points of inspiration for The Fight & The Fiddle's most recent featured poet, Sean Hill!

In this issue, Sean focuses on his 2013 collection, "Dangerous Goods", and speaks with Gbenga Adesina about places, beings, and the voices that have shaped his work.

You can read the entire interview, a critical essay on Hill's work, and previously unpublished poems at the link in our bio. When you're done, don't forget to find your own sites of inspiration using the issue-inspired writing prompt!

09/12/2026

You still have time to sign up for Major Jackson's Community Workshop and Open Mic next Saturday, September 19th, 11 AM–1 PM!

This special collaboration with the Shenandoah Valley Black Heritage Project includes a light lunch, and afterward you can read your own work aloud to friends and family at the 1:30 PM open mic.

This will take place at the Northeast Neighborhood Community Center, 491 Broad Street, Harrisonburg

Registration link in our bio!

Swipe for two more chances to catch Major Jackson this week: an on-campus workshop for JMU students, faculty, and staff, and the 2026 Poetry Prize reading. All events are open to the poetry-curious; no experience necessary!

09/04/2026

Poet Major Jackson will offer two workshops during his time in Harrisonburg, VA!

If you're a JMU student, faculty, or staff member, we invite you to the on-campus workshop on Friday, September 18, from 12 to 1:15 PM in the Gwendolyn Brooks Reading Room at Carrier Library.

Jackson is also taking poetry off-campus, in a special workshop and open-mic collaboration with the Shenandoah Valley Black Heritage Project! Join us on Saturday, September 19, from 11:00 AM to 1 PM for a workshop and light lunch at the Northeast Neighborhood Community Center, 491 Broad Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22802. Participants will also have the opportunity to read their work aloud to friends and family at the 1:30 PM open mic!

You can find registration links for the workshops in our bio!

Major Jackson is the guest judge for the 2026 Poetry Prize and will read alongside our winner and honorable mention on Thursday, September 17, at 5:30 PM in Room 1011 at Carrier Library on JMU's campus, followed by a book signing and reception. Free parking will be available at Grace Street Parking Garage across from Carrier Library.

All of these events are open to the poetry-curious, no experience necessary.

09/03/2026

Please join us in welcoming two new team members to Furious Flower this semester: our undergraduate assistant, Ruqayyah Byrd, and our graduate assistant, Katharine Benson!

We're so excited for the many ways these two incredible students will contribute to the Center this school year!

08/27/2026

Join us, Thursday, September 17, at 5:30 PM in Carrier Library Room 1011, for our 9th annual Poetry Prize reading featuring acclaimed prize judge Major Jackson!

Bask in a poetry-filled evening as we honor the Poetry Prize Winner, Wes Matthews, and Honorable Mention recipient, Sherina Rodriguez Sharpe.

The reading will conclude with a book signing with Major Jackson at the reception in the Gwendolyn Brooks Reading Room and Furious Flower Suite. This event is free and open to the public, and we openly welcome the poetry-curious. Free parking will be available across the street in the Grace Street Parking Garage.

For those looking for more poetry engagement, Major Jackson will offer two workshops, on and off campus.

On Campus - Furious Flower Poetry Workshop with Major Jackson
Friday, September 18 | 12-1:15 PM | Gwendolyn Brooks Reading Room - Open to JMU Faculty, Staff, and Students

Off Campus - Tell Your Story: FFPC X Shenandoah Valley Black Heritage Project Community Poetry Workshop and Participant Open Mic with Major Jackson
Saturday, September 19 | Workshop 11AM | Open Mic 1:30PM | Northeast Neighborhood Community Center - open to the public!

Registration for the workshops is highly advised, but not required. You can find registration links in our bio!

08/26/2026

Welcome back to school, Dukes! As you get acclimated (or reacclimated) to campus, Furious Flower invites you to visit us in our new suite on the second floor of the wonderfully renovated Carrier Library. Swipe left for a sneak peek at this semester's programming calendar.

We've got lots of readings, workshops on and off campus, and more. Between events, come view our browsing library, broadside collection, or just say hi and study by our floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking campus and the gorgeous Shenandoah Valley.

It's a new chapter for us, and we're so glad you get to be part of it!

Happy school year & Go Dukes! 💜💛

Photo in the first slide courtesy of James Madison University

06/22/2026

It's official! Furious Flower moved into the historic and newly renovated Carrier Library today! We can't wait to share our new space with you in August, but for now, the work of unpacking begins. Stay tuned for more details.

Address

880 Madison Drive
Harrisonburg, VA
22807

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+15405688883

Website

http://www.jmu.edu/furiousflower

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