Jon's Newswriting

On Thursday afternoon a diverse crowd gathered in the Morgan State University bookstore for a reading of "Midnight" a new novel by renown urban story teller, activist, recording artist and author Sista Souljah.

Seana Jefferson a senior Psychology major from Montgomery County, Md was one of the many Morgan students in attendance. Jefferson said that she was present because of her affinity to Souljah's previous work "The Coldest Winter Ever," but admitted that "'Midnight' is the favorite between' The Coldest Winter Ever' because it gives a background to 'The Coldest Winter'".
And adds that she felt that there was not much advertisement on campus.

The audience was a mix of current students facility and community members. Also in the audience were a College tour group from the Bronx, NY. Fred from New York said that the group "just stumbled on the [event]" and thought that Morgan was "mean"

As the time approached and pasted 4:00 the audience started to fill up with late commers or early birds since Sista Souljah had yet to arrive. While waiting the audience exchanged small talk about which of of Sista Souljah books they preferred, what is her delay, and the fact that the books should be made into a feature film, mixed in with topics not related to the book signing.

Once she arrived Sista Souljah greeted the group warmly and was received by a round of applause. After giving a few ground rules dealing with no photography or video recording until after the reading was over since she said:"we are hear for a good time of bonding." Sista Souljah explained her tardiness on the fact that she had never been to the New Student Center.

Sista Souljah explained her motivation for writing the new novel Midnight. Since the only background was the secondary information from The Coldest Winter Ever. She stated that Midnight the title charcter was a case study as to why black males are the way that they are.

She then goes into a reading of a chapter from Midnight. Listening to her voice though it is prose her delivery seems that of a seasoned poet in the Hip-hop griot tradition with much force, power, and emotion of someone from the Public Enemy era.


After the reading the floor was open to a disscussion. With positive feedback that people have lost fact what it is to be a man. Which Sista Souljah gives as her reasoning for doing a prequal of the Midnight.

When asked if she saw the book as a movie Sista Souljah replied that: "[she] saw the book a movie when writing the nove " because of the many charcters and voices and people were seen and would be a great film.Sista Souljah in conclusion said that her main purpose when writing or any project is to have a mirror put to the reader and have them take an honest look at themselves and the hope that the future artist will have "more feelings rather than raw stimulation."

On the above note Sista Souljah ended with the argument that the college generation has to make up a set of rules to live by and do better for their races and community. And leaves with the final parting shot of it being "up to the college students to change the dialogue" to better society.