Eloquently Speaking About Taking Off The Mask!

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Mark Goggins was born in Charleston, S.C. on October 13, 1966 during the latter stages of the Civil Rights movement and during the birth of what became known as the Black Power movement.

He graduated from Middleton high school in 1985 and joined the U.S. Army where he served four years as a cavalry scout trained in reconnaissance and surveillance. He began writing poetry seriously in the early 1990's as a way to express his innermost feelings about the racism and discrimination he encountered and saw others encounter.

Several years earlier he was introduced to a recording of Malcolm X by a fellow soldier in the army and it was love at first listen. However, Malcolm was dead and Mark felt dismayed that he knew of no living Black person who spoke the way Malcolm spoke. That is until he heard the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan around 1992. Farrakhan's delivery of Elijah Muhammad's teachings resonated so deeply that Mark decided to incorporate some of those teachings into poetry form.

Mark had always loved hip-hop, but, hated the direction hip-hop was headed as "gangsta rap" started to dominate the airwaves. Mark was a frequent attendee at Nation of Islam mosques in S.C. and became the radio-voice of the Nation in the months preceding the Million Man March which Mark attended.

Mark was also an activist in Charleston participating in marches and protests. He was also a contributing writer of poetry and articles for the Charleston Chronicle for over a decade. It was after the Million Man March that Mark committed to doing a book of poetry highlighting the plight of the suffering Black masses.

His dream of writing a book of poetry finally came true in April 2005 in the form of his debut book, "Catalyst For A Black Revolution." The debut book was critically-acclaimed and garnered Mark numerous radio interviews, awards, book signings, and speaking engagements. Never one to rest on his laurels, Mark released the highly-anticipated follow-up in June 2007, titled, 'The Revolution Ain't Dead!', which also won him praise.

Out of a desire to give back to the poetry world, Mark created an internet on-line poetry forum called, The Black Poetry Cafe in March 2005. www.theblackpoetrycafe.com Since that time, the site has had as many as 4,000 members join its ranks and has become one of the most widely-known and successful poetry forums on the web. Dissatisfied with just an internet connection for the BPC poets, Mark created what is now known as 'BPC Poetry Fest'. These annual spoken word events gathers poets from the BPC, as well as from around the world to a designated host city. Mark went on to host an internet radio show called, 'The Black Experience' from 2007-2008, where he featured poets, spoken word artists, and also dealt with issues affecting the Black community. Mark is currently hard at work on his third book scheduled for release in the Fall of 2010, and intends to release his debut spoken word CD titled, 'The 3rd Eye-Opener' this spring(2010). The lead track, 'The Dumb-Down' has already earned Mark praises from many and heightens the anticipation for the CD release.

He is also the CEO of The Black Poetry Cafe and the newly-created BPC Entertainment, LLC, a new venture created to host spoken word shows around the country. Late in 2010, Mark is also scheduled to partner with poet and author, George Hunt, on a book of poetry geared toward Black women.

Biography by Mark Goggins.

BtW: Thank you for accepting the invitation and Welcome to the Choice Coach, Mark Goggins! We’re at it again ladies and gentlemen BtW is in the presence of divine greatness! Why Greatness one may ask…well relax as you read and prepare to be educated, enlightened, and as always inspired to grow higher as we welcome the founder and CEO of The Black Poetry Cafe and BPC Poetry Fest!

BtW: Mark, I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing a variety of talented, interesting, and motivational authors, poets, and people thus far. But none of which supplied their biography and history of their movement…..Thank you! This provides a lot of necessary material and cuts down on some of the introduction etc. But for those who don’t know where you’re from or what you do please let our readers know, specifically about The BPC (Black Poetry Café) and BPC Poetry Fest.

Mark: Let me begin by thanking you BtW for the invitation and hosting this forum that allows open and uninhibited dialogue. I’m honored to share a part of myself that I call an (inner-view). I was born in Charleston, South Carolina, in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement and the burgeoning Black Power Movement. Both designed to better our conditions as a people and both were instrumental in my worldview and influential in my work. As for The Black Poetry Cafe, it was born on March, 3, 2005, out of a sincere desire to see poets freed from the shackles of censorship, membership fees, and self-righteous criticisms and condemnations.

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