BestknownforhisanthologiesonBlackliteratureandhisscholarshiponBlacklifeandculture,RichardA.Long’sowncreativewritingwouldhaveremainedobscureandunderrepresentedhaditnotbeenforEleanorTraylor,SterlingBrownProfessorandGraduateProfessorofEnglishatHowardUniversity,whoaskedThirdWorldPresstoproduceacommemorativeeditionofAscendingandOtherPoems.AsatributetoLongandtohislegacy,thisslimvolumeofverseintroducesthispoettoanentirelynewaudience.AscendingandOtherPoemsoriginallyproducedthroughtheDuSableMuseumofAfricanAmericanHistoryundertheguidanceofMargaretBurroughsengagedhisfollowersinthemid1970s.Todayalmostthirtyyearslater,itstillengagesandchallengesreaderswithprofoundrevelationsandalluringlanguage.
