Poet and Students to Present on MLK Day

Poet Terry Carter and Stoneham High School students will present their verse at the Martin Luther King Celebration on Monday, Jan. 21, at the Stoneham Boys & Girls Club.

Carter, visiting poet at Stoneham High, has conducted four workshops with students, who will perform in the 10-a.m. program honoring Dr. King and his values.

The holiday program, free and open to all, is centered on “welcoming the newcomer.” Stories and music will highlight Dr. King’s dream of “the beloved community,” open to all, including immigrants.

Terry Carter is a classically-trained poet whose literary influences range from Shakespeare to the Harlem Renaissance. He graduated Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Fisk University with a bachelor’s degree in English.

He is also a husband, father, teacher, visual artist and jazz aficionado. These experiences permeate his poems and “poetic stories.”

Carter has authored four volumes of poetry. His most recent was Brown Skin and the Burden of Proof: A Poet’s Revelation, published in 2018. Carter currently directs elder services for the West Medford Community Center and is involved in a range of youth and community programs.

The poetry workshops at Stoneham High School were arranged by Krista Stevens, English program supervisor, and Paula Sampson, social studies program supervisor. They are supported by a grant from the Stoneham Business & Community Educational Foundation.