The Black Zine Fair presents...

Black Fire!!: Legacies of Black American Publishing in the 20th Century

In this talk, print scholar Nic Caldwell focuses on the history of Black publishers in the 20th Century, specifically the Harlem Renaissance (1920s) and Black Arts Movement (1960-70s). These two movements, nearly fifty years apart, both initiated radical shifts from the predominantly white mainstream art world, allowing Black artists to create their own metrics for what was considered art. Their publications included multimedia, multimodal, and collaborative works. These Black publishers were engaged in creating a Black material culture that we can see clearly in today’s world of zine-making and independent publishing. Their publications jumped from the pages to the streets with creativity, multidimensionality, and political savvy, involving the community in their creation. In discussing the history and hopes of Black creators who came before us, looking back at these eras can show us paths to the future of Black publishing. The talk will zoom in on two moments: the publication of the magazine FIRE!! A Quarterly Devoted To Younger Negro Artists (1926) in Harlem and the Black Arts Movement publications of the 1970s in Chicago nearly 50 years later. We will look at how the dreams, work, and challenges of these publishers as they changed the literal landscape of Black art and culture. The talk will end with a brief creative writing exercise and open discussion on Black publishing infrastructures today.

Meet the workshop facilitator

Nic Caldwell (he/they) is a memory worker, scholar, and printmaker, invested in making museums and libraries more accessible to marginalized communities. His approach to memory work is to challenge the boundaries of who has access to knowledge, who creates history, and whose stories get to be told. Born and raised on the Southside of Chicago, Nic is currently located in New York City where in 2022 he curated the exhibition “Gwendolyn Brooks: a Poet’s Work in Community” at The Morgan Library and Museum. Most recently, Nic was a 2023 Book Art Research Fellow at The Center for Book Arts. Nic is a graduate of New York University, with a Masters in Library and Information Science and a Masters in English Literature, concentrating in Special Collections and African American literature.

Make a donation

The Black Zine Fair is free and open to the public, although donations are appreciated. We suggest a donation between $5-20 depending on your financial ability. We encourage established professionals and people with intergenerational wealth/savings to consider donating more or becoming sustaining members.

The fair is organized by Sojourners for Justice Press co-directors Neta Bomani and Mariame Kaba. We’re committed to creating a free platform for Black zine makers who otherwise wouldn’t have access to zine/art/book fairs and festivals. We rely primarily on individual donors to fund and sustain our work. Thank you for your support!

Accessibility information

Zoom, the online video conferencing platform where virtual workshops for the Black Zine Fair take place, will include live captioning and scheduled breaks.

Learn more

The Black Zine Fair is a celebration of all things Black and independent publishing in New York City! We invite Black exhibitors and educators to gather, trade or sell zines, and exchange knowledge surrounding zine-making, publishing, and do-it-yourself culture. The fair takes place virtually and in-person from April 13 to May 11. Visit our website and instagram to learn more.