Poet and Musician George Edward Tait made his transition to Ancestors at 11:35 P.M. on Sunday, November 5, 2017. He died from after a long bout with cancer. He passed peacefully at home in the company of his loving wife Akosua Tait.
George Edward Tait was born in Oakland and raised in Harlem. He graduated from Pace University in 1968 with a B.A. in English Language and Literature and a minor in French Language and Literature after being a member of the literary society and The Pace Press. From 1968-1972, he taught and tutored English at Queens College while conducting Creative Writing workshops. Defining music as the poetry of sound, Tait became a bandleader and from 1972 to 1975 spearheaded a group called Black Massical Music In 1975, Tait founded The Society of Afrikan Poets and produced a seven year series of weekly poetry readings entitled Black Words for a Wednesday Night which ended in 1982. While teaching at Malcolm-King College (1981-1986), his first volume of poetry At War was published in 1983, the same year he was named The Poet Laureate of Afrikan Nationalism by leaders of the nationalist community, a title he still holds 34 years later.
George Edward Tait, the multi-talented musician, educator, and activist, is also known as The Poet Laureate of Harlem. He has performed his poetry thousands of times for several decades and, ultimately, utilized his genius as a weapon of culture and a tool of liberation. He leaves behind his wife Akosua Tait and 3 sons Damani, Sekou and Kamani.
Messages of condolence can be sent by email to welovetamerry@aol.com or by mail to Akosua Tait 6647 Chircahua Drive, Lithonia GA 30038.
Via JBJR
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