These photographs were taken at All of My Bones Remember, a three-day celebration of poet Lucille Clifton’s life and legacy.
Clifton was born on June 27, 1936, and the first day of programming began on that anniversary. Additional events were held throughout the weekend, during which there were performances, readings, and heartfelt conversations.
All of My Bones Remember was hosted at The Clifton House, the original Baltimore family home of Clifton, her late husband, Fred James Clifton, an artist and activist, and their six children: Sidney Clifton, Frederica Clifton, Graham Clifton, Gillian Clifton Monell, Channing Clifton, and Alexia Clifton.
In the 1980s, the Cliftons lost the home to foreclosure. However, Sidney Clifton, the oldest daughter, reclaimed it in 2019. Since then, it has been remodeled and transformed into a nonprofit that acts as a community resource and hub for artists and creative activists.
On June 28, organizers held a poignant but hopeful discussion with Sidney and Gillian in dialogue with Joël Díaz, Director of Programs. Sidney opened the talk with an excerpt from “The Collected Poems of Lucille Clifton 1965-2010,” where she read the book’s last lines.
“I stand here before you having survived 3 bouts with cancer,
kidney transplant, the loss of my husband and two of my children
and arthritis like you wouldn’t believe. Indeed won’t you celebrate with me?”
The daughters recalled living in, losing, and reclaiming their family home. They reflected on Lucille as a poet, a mother, a wife, and a woman of her time. When the panel was opened for questions, a guest asked the daughters what sounds they remembered about their mother in their home while growing up, to which Gillian answered “Humming” and “the sound of her typewriter.”
The conversations humanized Lucille Clifton and allowed folks who have read her poetry to connect the dots of the real-life experiences that influenced her work.
There was also a powerful discussion with Joyce J. Scott, Phylicia Ghee, and Kennedy Yanko about the influences of Clifton’ s poetry on other mediums of art and the art community. The day ended with a poetry performance by Lady Brion and keynote speaker Nikky Finney conversing with Honorée Jeffers.
To support The Clifton House’s critical work, donate. Visit their website at thecliftonhouse.org, and follow them on Instagram @Clifton House Baltimore to keep up with programming like All My Bones Remember.