In 1958, Esquire magazine commissioned Art Kane, a young photographer, to photograph as many of the luminaries of the New York jazz scene as possible together. The group included Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey, Thelonius Monk, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Charles Mingus, Gerry Mulligan, Count Basie, and many other notable artists. The photo would be used for Esquire's 1959 Golden Age of Jazz edition as a way to highlight and celebrate the soundtrack of America. Over the years, other facets of Black America's cultural landscape would be commemorated in similar ways: A Great Day in Hip Hop (1998), A Great Day in Hollywood (2018).

In keeping with this tradition, Kwame Alexander has organized A Great Day in Poetry, with event primarily taking place on February 1, 2024 - Langston Hughes' birthday. Coinciding with the publication of his 40th book, This Is The Honey: An Anthology of Contemporary Black Poets, A Great Day in Poetry will feature various contributing poets gathering in select bookstores across the country including Washington, DC, Charleston, SC, Boston, Chicago, and Los Angeles, reading from their work and paying homage to the legacy, and future, of African-American poetry.

Kwame kicks off these special events with an appearance at the Montclair Public Library hosted by Watchung Booksellers. Kwame's guests will include Reginald Harris, Jacqueline Johnson and Chris Slaughter.

Tickets are $5 and proceeds will benefit Howe House.