Colgate students and faculty gathered last week to listen to a wide-ranging talk by Ishmael Reed, the novelist, poet, essayist, and playwright who is often called one of the most influential African American writers of his generation.

Reed's well-known works include Mumbo Jumbo, Yellow Back Radio Broke-Down, and The Freelance Pallbearers. Besides his writing, Reed also has a passion for music. He plays piano and has collaborated with jazz musicians on three CDs, Conjure 1,2,3