By Joshua Robinson – 

In a special event on Saturday 27th April, Michelle Scally Clarke, Colin Grant, and Alex Wheatle will explore the poetry, music, and legacy of Benjamin Zephaniah (15th April 1958 – 7th December 2023).  

Poet, novelist, playwright, musician, actor, TV, radio presenter, and professor of creative writing, Dr Benjamin Obadiah Iqbal Zephaniah was born and raised in Birmingham. His mission was to take poetry everywhere, from his first collection Pen Rhythm (1980) to inspiring a generation of rappers with his Reggae and Dub Poetry recordings. He also wrote children’s and YA books; his novel Refugee Boy was adapted for the stage by Huddersfield Literature Festival Patron Lemn Sissay. 

To learn more about Benjamin Zephaniah, please visit: https://benjaminzephaniah.com/  

Event Details:

• Date: Saturday 27th April  
• Time: 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm
• Venue: Small Seeds, Castlegate (New Street junction), Huddersfield HD1 2UD
• Tickets: £5, online tickets: £2
• Age Guidance: 16+ 

Book tickets here: https://www.huddlitfest.org.uk/event/benjamin-zephaniah/. This is a hybrid event, offering both in-person and online attendance options.

About Michelle Scally Clarke:

Michelle Scally Clarke is a poet, author, actor, and playwright. She has worked alongside other poets from Lemm Sissay, Linton Kwesi Johnson, and Benjamin Zephaniah himself.

She is the author of two memoirs: I Am and She Is. Originally a theatre actor, Michelle has toured her plays, First Cut and Suitcase throughout Yorkshire schools, and was commissioned by the NHS to write, tour, and film a play: Jeans, Whose Genes?  

About Colin Grant:

Colin Grant is the author of six books. They include: 

• Negro with a Hat: The Rise and Fall of Marcus Garvey
• A group biography of the Wailers, I & I, The Natural Mystics
• His memoir, Bageye at the Wheel, was shortlisted for the Pen/Ackerley Prize, 2013
• Grant’s history of epilepsy, A Smell of Burning, was a Sunday Times Book of the Year 2016
• Homecoming: Voices of the Windrush Generation, was a BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week
• His latest book is a memoir: I’m Black So You Don’t Have to Be. 

Grant is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and Director of WritersMosaic, a division of the Royal Literary Fund.

About Alex Wheatle:

Alex Wheatle spent most of his youth in the notorious Shirley Oaks children’s home and his youth was portrayed in Oscar Award-winning director Steve McQueen’s Small Axe series.

His first novel, Brixton Rock, was published in 1999 to critical acclaim and was followed by further YA and adult novels and memoirs. He has won several awards and in 2008 was awarded MBE for services to literature. His latest book is the memoir: Sufferah: Memoir of a Brixton Reggae Head.

Huddersfield Literature Festival (HLF) is an award-winning two-week Festival held annually in the spring. A blended Festival of around 70 digital, outdoor and venue-based events held online and at accessible spaces in Huddersfield, HuddLitFest champions accessibility, diversity and under-represented groups.

Showcasing emerging writers and artists alongside major names, the Festival offers a diverse programme of author talks, workshops, discussion topics, performance poetry, multi-arts performances, wellbeing projects, events for young people and family-friendly events. Click here or on the logo below to check out the latest updates from the festival on our dedicated page!

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