Sojourner Kincaid Rolle Raises Up a Bit of Sky in Santa Barbara

 Melinda Palacio

Rod Rolle, Sojourner Kincaid Rolle, Salud Carbajal

Sojourner Kincaid Rolle is a 24th US Congressional District 2021 Woman of the Year. Congressman Salud Carbajal recognized Santa Barbara poet and activist for her work that raises awareness of diverse cultural history, especially of African-Americans in Santa Barbara and her involvement in Juneteenth Santa Barbara, among many other community activities. 

       Sojourner is no stranger to sharing poetry and culture. When she was five years old, she was invited to recite a poem she knew by heart to classes at her future school. She was then invited to recite the poem to more classes and schools, thus a life of poetry, speaking, and community service was set into place; and she hasn’t stopped using her voice since her childhood in Marion, North Carolina. 

       She arrived in Santa Barbara in 1985, during what was supposed to be a one year stint while her husband, photographer and musician Rod Rolle, finished his studies at Brooks Institute of Photography. Within days, she was introduced to a vibrant African-American community in Santa Barbara and participated in the city’s Martin Luther King parade. Someone took her picture from the middle of the crowd and she somehow found herself front and center of the city’s newspaper. She’s been in the public eye ever since. The affluent city known as the Riviera of the Central Coast is that much richer for Sojourner Kincaid Rolle’s presence in the community. 

Sojourner continues her educational work and finds she cannot escape notice thanks to her dedication to the community. She has brought poetry to underserved schools and has helped establish the Santa Barbara Poet Laureateship, of which she served as Poet Laureate for two years in 2015. She's a playwright, environmental activist and peace educator. In addition to the Congressional Record and receiving  a Congressional pin, Sojourner has received an Arts and Culture award from Juneteenth SB, and a Vision Award from Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. Her books several chapbooks and the full-length poetry collections Common Ancestry and Black Street. 

Up next for the decorated poet is her upcoming children’s book, Free At Last, a Juneteenth Poem (Sterling Books May 2022) with illustrations by Alex Bostic. The book is based on Sojourner’s Juneteenth poem that went global last year, prompting readings of the poem all over the world and including a short film. Of the notoriety her poem has received, she says: “I feel like I am raising up the sky and helping to educate the world about Juneteenth.” 

    Next year will certainly be exciting for Sojourner Kincaid Rolle with the release of her book and Juneteenth being a national holiday.