Bradford Johnson, president of the Black Student Alliance, introduced him as a “provocative, political analyst.”

Johnson was referring to Amiri Baraka, a well-known political activist, playwright, educator, and poet of the Black Arts Movement. Baraka, born LeRoi Jones, has taken much criticism and caused quite an uproar recently after being named the poet laureate of New Jersey, as well as his controversial work titled “Someone Blew Up America.”

Baraka told the crowd of nearly 300 in the Sun Room of the Memorial Union Thursday, he knew there would be slack about him being named poet laureate.

“Well, I am the poet laureate of New Jersey,” said Baraka. “When I was named that, I asked the man, ‘do you know what you’re doing?'”

His poems have been accused of instigating many riots, which occurred in New York during the 1960s. In one incident, a judge even read one of his poems and tried to sentence him to three years in prison, Baraka said.

“He tried to say that black people would read my poetry, then go out and fight,” Baraka said.

It was during that time that Baraka said he was so disturbed by the assassination of Malcolm X, he changed his name to Imamu Amiri Baraka.

“My name was given to me by the person who buried Malcolm X,” said Baraka. “It was an Arabic name.”

He went on to discuss his views on the “counterfeit president” and the “fake democracy” of the United States.

“We need one house, one person, one vote,” Baraka said. “We need direct democracy.”

Baraka also commented on the state of America, including the problems of voter apathy in the black community.

“Why is it they run after you if you don’t pay your taxes, but you don’t have to vote?” Baraka said. “For black people and other minorities not to vote is criminal, especially after [people] have died for that right.”

In terms of the arts, Baraka said he believes poetry is alive and well.

“I feel better about poetry than anything,” Baraka said. With venues like Russell Simmons’ Def Poetry Jam, people are able to discover great talent, Baraka said. However, he said colleges should explore more real literature than what is customarily taught.

“We have to create a nation-wide circuit of venues,” Baraka said. “We need to bring back some of the ideas of the 1960s – we need another cultural revolution.”

Drumming on the podium, Baraka read some of his poetry, old and new, in a song-like rhythm. Among the poems was “Africa,” in which he recited, “my brothers and sisters, at the bottom of the Atlantic ocean is a railroad of human bones, black ivory, black ivory . we were slaves – they threw our lives away.”

Baraka also recited “Why Is We Americans,” in which he posed the question, “If Elvis Presley is king, who is James Brown? God?”

Finally, Baraka read the poem that has sparked a national debate and clouded his award with controversy. “Who is making money from the war?” he asked in “Someone Blew Up America”.

Baraka said he believes the criticism directed toward his work is unfounded and encouraged the audience to examine political and social issues carefully.

“You have to be free to criticize people the way you want to without being slandered,” Baraka said. “That’s why I’m going to sue these bastards.”

Donnell Bivins, graduate student in interdisciplinary studies, attended the lecture. Bivins said Baraka’s work encourages him to analyze the media in a critical fashion.

“He’s a true researcher,” Bivins said. “If you don’t investigate, you don’t have the right to speak.”