
March 22, 2018 – In response to the Blackout Poetry event hosted by the Diversity and Inclusion, the Barton Art League created a Zine to document the event. A zine is an improvised magazine made on a copy machine. During the event students created poetry by adapting famous texts by civil rights leaders. Participants “blacked out” certain words, leaving others in place and adding their own unique flare to the works. The remaining text was recited out loud as in a poetry reading. After everyone shared their pieces, members from the Barton Art League scanned the completed poems. Once the poetry was digitized, the work was compiled into the booklet by Art League students Reina Abruzzo, Nicola Macdonald, Abby Wade and Angel Webb. The mission of the Barton Art League is to use art to encourage interrelationships between clubs on campus and further establish a strong creative community at Barton College. The Blackout Poetry zine includes a statement from the Diversity and Inclusion Club, information about the event, as well as the poems created by Barton students, faculty, and staff, including one from Dr. Searcy. Copies are available in the Barton Art Galleries, in Hackney Library and in the CAB office in the Student Center.
by Reina Abruzzo
Contributing writer