June Jordan was born in Harlem, New York on July 9, 1936. Jordan fostered a love of literature and writing poetry as a child. She attended Barnard College and University of Chicago. June Jordan married in 1955 and had one child. A poet, novelist, essayist, editor and children's author, Jordan published her first poetry collection, , in 1969. Jordan was a visiting scholar/poet at many institutions, including MacAlester College, City College of the City University of New York, University of Pennsylvania and Yale University. The Prix de Rome Environmental Design Award, American Institute of Architecture Award, Best Young Adult Books Selection from the American Library Association, National Book Award Finalist, and a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship are among her numerous accolades and awards. June Jordan died of breast cancer on June 14, 2002.

E. Ethelbert Miller was born November 20, 1950 in New York, New York. He completed a BA from Howard University in 1972. A poet, essayist, editor and educator, Miller has published poetry collections and has edited several anthologies. Miller is a member of the PEN American Center, Associated Writing Program, Institute for Policy Studies, National Writers Union, Cultural Alliance of Greater Washington, Alliance of Greater Washington, Community Humanities Council of Washington, DC and is the director of African-American Resource Center at Howard University.