Research Catalog

Title

The wisdom of Sun-Ra : Sun Ra's polemical broadsheets and streetcorner leaflets / compiled and introduced by John Corbett.

Author

Sun Ra

Publication

Chicago, Il. : WhiteWalls, c2006.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

Corbett, John, 1963-

Description

141 p. : facsims.; 25 cm.

Summary

"From the Arkestra to his experiments with synthesizers, Sun Ra was one of the most inventive jazz musicians in history. Yet until now, there has not been a collection of his earliest writings that reveal the beginnings of his work as philosopher, mystic, and Afro-Futurist. This new volume unveils over forty newly discovered typewritten broadsheets on which Sun Ra expounded his wholly unique philosophical message. While in Chicago during the mid-1950s, Sun Ra preached on street corners and occasionally created scripts to accompany his lectures--intricate texts that invoke science fiction, Biblical prophecy, etymology, and black nationalism. Until this point, the only broadsheet known to exist was one given to John Coltrane in 1956. These newly unearthed writings attest to the provocative brilliance that inspired Coltrane. Sun Ra annotated many of them by hand, and together the sheets reveal fascinating new aspects of his worldview. The Wisdom of Sun Ra is an invaluable compendium of writings by one of the most intriguing and influential jazz figures of the century."--Publisher's website.

Alternative Title

Sun Ra's polemical broadsheets and streetcorner leaflets

Subjects

• Sun Ra
• Criticism, interpretation, etc
• African Americans > Illinois > Chicago > Philosophy > History and criticism
• African Americans > Illinois > Chicago > Intellectual life > History and criticism
• Sun Ra > Criticism and interpretation
• Sun Ra > Philosophy

Genre/Form

Criticism, interpretation, etc.

Note

• Facsimiles of broadsheets, typewritten in Chicago in the mid-1950s, including transcriptions.

Processing Action (note)

• committed to retain

Contents

One of everything : Blount hermeneutics and the wisdom of RA / John Corbett -- Broadsheet images -- Transcriptions -- What America should consider -- Jesus said, "let the Negro bury the Negro." -- Language of gods -- Spo de o de ... hoc way ... -- A spook sho' is a dragg, man ... he's a dragg ... -- Satan is the god of the spooks : Negroes are the children of the "devil" -- The Negro is a burden to the white man! -- Message to the spook ... -- Negroes are not men -- Jacob in the land of U.S. -- There's a nigger in the woodpile -- The way of the cross -- There are two Ethiopias -- Days of vengence! -- The light IsG -- The true way to life -- Wake up! wake up! wake up! -- The Bible was not written for Negroes!!!!!!! -- The great whore -- Little I's I love you -- I don't give a hoot -- Big brother left you holding the bag! -- The stumbling block -- Moms & pops -- The poor little rich one : the prince of this world ... -- Neptune is Rex ... the ruler with the iron fork ... -- Johnny one note -- "A nigger is a mess" -- Why don't you turn again! -- The God of Israel -- United States at the crossroads -- Solution to the Negro problem -- [Illegible title] it is time to discuss -- Basic truths -- Humpty Dumpty -- Keys to understanding the hidden meaning of the Bible -- The wisdom of RA -- The reach for a better world -- What must Negroes do to be saved -- The truth -- The truth about Jesus -- I have set before you life and death -- choose life -- Lucifer means light bearer -- Zoroastrianism -- Satan -- The end.

ISBN

• 0945323077 (pbk.)
• 9780945323075 (pbk.)

OCLC

70635267

Owning Institutions

Harvard Library