The Griot Collective Poetry Contest for West Tennessee Students
The Griot (pronounced “gree oh”) Collective of West Tennessee and the West Tennessee
Examiner celebrates Black History Month with its annual poetry contest for all school
age children throughout west Tennessee. Poems can be of any length, style or subject.
Cash prizes will be awarded to winners in the following categories: Grades 1 through 5,
Grades 6 through 8 and Grades 9 through 12. Winners will receive their prizes on March
18 th during a special ceremony at the Come Unity Café.
The Griot Collective is a 501c(3) literary arts organization that sponsors monthly poetry
workshops for adults, poetry contests, open mics and a Visting Writers Series. The Come
Unity Café is located at 218 East Main Street in downtown Jackson
GRIOT COLLECTIVE’S BLACK HISTORY MONTH POETRY CONTEST:
1) Open to all students throughout West Tennessee
2) Poems may be on any subject, length or style
3) ONE POEM PER STUDENT
4) Poems must be typed or legibly printed
5) All poems MUST include in the upper right hand corner: student’s name,
address, home phone number, school name and teacher’s name
6) Poems must be mailed to: The Griot Collective, P.O. Box 1203, Jackson TN.,
38302.
7) Contest winners will be selected from Grades 1-5, Grades 6-8 and Grades 9-
12. First place winners in each category will receive $30, second place
winners in each category $20 and third place winners in each category $10
8) Contest opens February 1st and ends February 28 st . All poems must be
postmarked by February 28 th 2017. ENTRIES RECEIVED AFTER THE 28 TH
ARE INELIGIBLE
9) Winners will be contacted the second week in March 2017
10) Winners will receive their awards at a special ceremony on March 18 th at the
Come Unity Café at 1 p.m.
11) First place winners will have their poems published in the March issue of
Good News, a supplement of the West Tennessee Examiner
12) Contest to be judged by James Mayo, professor of English at Jackson State
Community College.
13) Contest guidelines are also available on Facebook at: The Griot Collective of
West Tennessee
