From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Reginald Dwayne Betts
Reginald Dwayne Betts
Reginald Dwayne Betts is an American poet, memoirist, • Shahid Reads His Own Palm. Alice James Books. 2010.
and teacher. He is author of A Question of Freedom: A Me- ISBN 9781882295814.
moir of Learning, Survival, and Coming of Age in Prison (Pen- • Near burn and burden: a collection of poems. Warren
guin/Avery, 2009), and Shahid Reads His Own Palm (Alice Wilson College. 2010.
James Books, 2010), winner of the 2010 Beatrice Hawley • A Question of Freedom: A Memoir of Learning, Survival,
Award. He is a 2010 Soros Justice Fellow.[1] and Coming of Age in Prison. Penguin. 2010.
ISBN 9781583333969. http://books.google.com/
Life books?id=noZS3qRgbVEC&pg=PT4&dq=reginald+dwayne+betts&hl=
According The Washington Post, Betts was an excellent stu-
dent who veered off-course in high school, and landed
References
himself in more trouble than he had ever imagined. He [1] http://www.soros.org/initiatives/usprograms/
was sixteen years old and an honors student and class focus/justice/programs/justice_fellows/grantees/
treasurer at Suitland High School, when he and a friend betts-2010
carjacked a man who had fallen asleep in his car. Betts [2] The Washington Post > From Inmate to Mentor, Through
was charged as an adult and spent more than eight years Power of Books > by Lonnae O’Neal Parker > October
in prison, where he completed high school and began 2, 2006
reading and writing poetry. After his release from prison, [3] Author Page > Reginald Dwayne Betts > Alice James
he found a job working at Karibu Books in Bowie, Mary- Books
land, where he was eventually promoted to store manag- [4] Ploughshares Blog > December 11, 2008 > New Voices:
er and founded a book club for African American boys, Reginald Betts
while attending Prince George’s Community College in [5] USA Today > Life > Books > R. Dwayne Betts: A Mind
Largo, Maryland.[2] Unconfined by Jail by Craig Wilson
Since then, his honors include a Bread Loaf Writer’s [6] Ploughshares > Authors & Articles > Reginald
Conference scholarship and the Holden Fellowship to at- Dwayne Betts
tend the M.F.A. program at Warren Wilson College. He [7] Author Page > Reginald Dwayne Betts > Alice James
is a Cave Canem Workshop fellow, and was a full schol- Books
arship student at the University of Maryland, where he
earned his B.A. He currently teaches poetry with the DC
Creative Writing Workshop at Hart Middle School.[3][4]
External links
According to USA Today, he is also the national • Author’s website
spokesman for the Campaign for Youth Justice, and • Author Page > Reginald Dwayne Betts > Alice James
speaks out for juvenile-justice reform. He also visits de- Books
tention centers and inner-city schools, and talks to at- • The Washington Post > From Inmate to Mentor, Through
risk young people.[5] Power of Books > by Lonnae O’Neal Parker > October 2,
His poems have been published in literary journals 2006
and magazines including Ploughshares, [6] Crab Orchard Re- • USA Today > Life > Books > R. Dwayne Betts: A Mind
view and Poet Lore.[7] Unconfined by Jail by Craig Wilson
• Video: Reading & Interview > USA Today > Reginald
Dwayne Betts
Works • Audio Interview: NPR > Arts & Life > Books > Author
• "A Conversation", Beltway Poetry Quarterly, Volume 7, Interviews > Ex-Convict Writes About ’A Question of
Number 2, Spring 2006 Freedom > Reginald Dwayne Betts Interviewed by
• "let me tell you bout the night i died"; Scott Simon
"Misunderstood"; "Soldier’s Song", The Drunken Boat, • Audio Interview: WAMU American University > The
Cave Canem Issue 2008 Vol.8 Issues III-IV, Reginald Kojo Nnmadi Show > Coming of Age in Prison Interview
Dwayne Betts and Reading > Reginald Dwayne Betts
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reginald_Dwayne_Betts"
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Reginald Dwayne Betts
Categories: American poets, Living people, University of Maryland, College Park alumni, People from Maryland, Writ-
ers from Maryland, American schoolteachers
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