No More Worlds to Conquer

A history of Black poets in Washington, DC, reveals how they have reflected and transformed American cultural discourse

Washington, DC, has long been home to a dynamic and vibrant African American literary community, despite often being overshadowed by the literary worlds of New York and Chicago. In No More Worlds to Conquer, the local poet Brian Gilmore uncovers the buried legacy of Black poets in Washington. He traces the literary life and politics of Black poets in the nation’s capital since Paul Laurence Dunbar, showing how well-known American poets, such as Sterling Brown and Jean Toomer, were mentored in DC by poets like May Miller and Georgia Douglas Johnson and making the case for the city as a center of American literature.

Gilmore draws on meticulous research, personal interviews, and his own deep knowledge of the local literary community to connect generations of writers and document a poetic community that transcends Washington. He reveals the intricate intersections, networks, and influences that have shaped the city’s poets and how they have influenced American poetry for a century.

More than a historical account, No More Worlds to Conquer is a personal exploration that bridges the past and the present. Gilmore, who was born and raised in DC, illuminates this history and reflects on his own place in its literary tradition. This multigenerational account will resonate with poetry enthusiasts, local DC scholars, and anyone interested in the rich traditions of African American literature.

Author Biography

Brian G. Gilmore is the author of four books of poetry—elvis presley is alive and well and living harlem; Jungle Nights and Soda Fountain Rags: Poem for Duke Ellington; We Didn’t Know Any Gangsters, an NAACP Image Award nominee and a Hurston-Wright Legacy Award nominee; and come see about me marvin, a Michigan Notable Book Award recipient. He is a public interest lawyer and a senior lecturer at the University of Maryland – College Park.