Troupe read some of his poems and spoke about illiteracy and the importance of books in society. Hyland said part of the cause behind the increasing illiteracy rate among black teenagers is they are not taught literature that reflects them. Despite the growing minority population in Minnesota as well as nationally, some of the people present at the read-in believe black literature remains largely overlooked by high school curriculums across the country. Most teachers are not taught how to introduce students to African-American literature.
Students also say they received minimal exposure to minority cultures before they reached college.
Other performances Sunday included musical storytelling, poetry reading, singing and lectures about the African-American cultures. Toki Wright performed spoken-word poetry that dealt with racism and delinquency. Hyland said there is a long tradition of combining word and music in the African-American culture. You have to have respect for the culture and the community.