Duane Deterville - An Oakland, CA resident, Duane Deterville, founder of the Sankofa Cultural Institute, is coauthor of the book Black Artists in Oakland.
Deterville is a visual artist, writer and co-founder of Sankofa Cultural Institute. Duane has lived in Oakland, California since 1979. A graduate of California College of Arts and Crafts (Class of 1982) he has participated in the thriving Oakland arts scene. As Director of Sankofa Cultural Institute he has organized three symposiums on the topic of Jazz and served as moderator. The centerpiece of the Sankofa Jazz Symposium Series is in depth discussions with scholars, musicians and writers. The latest symposium entitled The Sacred Jazz Symposium was covered by the San Francisco Chronicle and other media outlets. Duane is currently doing graduate studies at the California College of the Arts in the Visual Criticism program.
Jerry Thompson - Jerry Thompson is an Oakland, CA resident and co-author of Black Artists in Oakland.
Thompson, was born and raised in the New Jersey/New York area. He traveled across country on Greyhound for a year before settling in the Bay Area. He is an accomplished violinist, playwright and poet. Before his 18th birthday he produced a series of one act plays that would be mounted in New Jersey and New York. His works have appeared in Zyzzyva, James White Review, and In the Life Edited by Joesph Beam. He was the owner of Black Spring Books, an independent full service bookstore that closed in 2001. He is the creator and organizer of the original Sister Circle Reading Series in San Francisco. He is writing a new book entitled, Nobody Knows I'm Here.
Jerry Thompson and Duane Deterville discuss Black Artists in Oakland.
Oakland's famous and vibrant arts heritage is known throughout the country, but many people are unaware of the extent of this city's contribution to the national stage in terms of music, dance, visual arts and literature. Black Artists in Oakland celebrates this amazing story over the past half century- Books Inc.