This interview with Lyrae Van Clief-Stefanon was conducted in 2014 by Matt Blakley as part of the Poetry and Literature Center’s online Interview Series. The series featured emerging and established literary writers in dynamic and thought-provoking conversation. Though the series is no longer active, From the Catbird Seat is reprinting these interviews to bring them new light.
Join us for a stimulating conversation with former U.S. Poet Laureate Rita Dove and educator Melissa Alter Smith. Dove will discuss her own approach to writing, share and discuss specific poems, and allow ample time for Q&A.
Manuscript Division curator Barbara Bair explores the life and work of Maya Angelou, including the poet's recitation of "On the Pulse of Morning" at President Bill Clinton’s inauguration in 1993.
On Thursday, Feb. 18, at 7 p.m. ET, Peniel E. Joseph ("The Sword and the Shield") and Tamara Payne ("The Dead Are Arising") will discuss their books on Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. in a National Book Festival Presents virtual program with Eric Deggans, NPR's TV critic and media analyst-contributor for MSNBC and NBC News.