By SALINA POST
A Salina native and longtime educator will return to her hometown this weekend for a special poetry reading and historical presentation at Ad Astra Books and Coffee.
Dr. Jennifer Rodgers Gordon will present work from her collection, Sheheroes Unsung: Women of My Village, and debut a new piece titled Say Their Names: 100 Colored Citizens of Saline County on Saturday, April 26, at 3 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Ad Astra Books and Coffee is located at 135 N. Santa Fe Avenue in downtown Salina.
Gordon, who began writing poetry in high school more than 50 years ago, has had her work published in the Salina Journal and The Kindred Spirit. After decades working in education—including 23 years with Topeka Public Schools—she is now in a phase of renewed creative energy, participating in open mic events and preparing new projects.
Her upcoming work aims to highlight Black history in Kansas, particularly the untold stories of Salina’s African American residents. Her family research includes tracing her ancestry to Black Exodusters who migrated to Dunlap, Kansas, alongside Benjamin “Pap” Singleton.
Gordon holds advanced degrees in education and has raised seven children with her husband, Loring, during their 50 years of marriage. Her future plans include publishing children’s books and a comprehensive account of Black history in Salina.