Boardside Press
In the 1960s and beyond Detroit's Broadside Press distinguished itself as one of the nation's leading small presses. The child of Dudley Randall, Broadside Press specialized in publishing young Black poets, and became a leading force in the Black Arts movement of the era.
Randall himself was uniquely suited for this role. A librarian by education and vocation, Randall's true love was poetry. He himself wrote poetry but more importantly, he was gifted with an eye that could see talent in young people.
Randall's Broadside Press became a critical vehicle for various young Black poets who otherwise found it difficult to publish. Randall is particularly remembered because of his willingness to publish the work of women, who if anything were even more underrepresented than their Black male counterparts. Significant female poets such as Gwendolyn Brooks found their first public outlet through the pages of Broadside Press.
Broadside Press quickly emerged as a national voice. The Clarke Library holds a virtually complete run of the publications of this very important Michigan publisher, as well as a growing body of scholarly literature about Randall and the press he founded.