MACNOLIA Poems Author:A. Van Jordan "Jordan is a wizard at capturing vernacular in both conventional forms and his own invention."Black Issues Book Review — In 1936, teenager MacNolia Cox became the first African American finalist in the National Spelling Bee Competition. Supposedly prevented from winning, the precocious child who dreamed of becoming a doctor wa... more »s changed irrevocably. Her story, told in a poignant nonlinear narrative, illustrates the power of a pivotal moment in a life.« less