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Posted by: Peter Armenti
Among the many materials in the Library’s Rare Book and Special Collections Division that focus on book design and fine printing are nearly two-dozen small chapbooks popularly known as Robert Frost‘s “Christmas Cards.” The chapbooks, first issued in 1929 and annually from 1934-1962, are collectible curiosities. While you might expect each one to feature a …
Posted in: Collections, Poets Laureate
Posted by: Peter Armenti
In the first-half of the 20th century, “newspaper poets” such as Edgar A. Guest and Anne Campbell published massively popular syndicated poetry columns that touched the lives of millions of readers. In succeeding decades the written poem, subject to a variety of cultural and technological changes, gradually faded from the pages of mainstream print media …
Posted in: Digital Resources, News and Events, Poets Laureate
Posted by: Peter Armenti
By now readers of this blog are probably well aware of the swift rise and fast fall of erstwhile North Carolina Poet Laureate Valerie Macon. Macon was appointed North Carolina Poet Laureate by Governor Pat McCrory on July 11. The selection immediately drew criticism from North Carolina’s literary community, and soon afterwards by other state …
Posted in: Poets Laureate
Posted by: Peter Armenti
Shortly after I published Friday’s post on recent state poet laureate happenings I received an email alert that North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory had just appointed Valerie Macon the new N.C. poet laureate. So much for my timing! Macon succeeds Joseph Bathanti in the two-year position and is the state’s eighth poet laureate. Several media …
Posted in: Poets Laureate
Posted by: Peter Armenti
Since my last post on state poets laureate there have been only two significant state poet developments. First, on June 27 Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe appointed Ron Smith, Writer-in-Residence at St. Christopher’s School in Richmond, the poet laureate of Virginia. Smith succeeds Sofia Starnes in the post, and is Virginia’s 18th poet laureate. Second, Florida …
Posted in: Poets Laureate
Posted by: Peter Armenti
The death of American poet, writer, and civil rights activist Maya Angelou has been widely covered by mainstream media, and thousands of heartfelt tributes and expressions of sorrow from admirers worldwide continue to pour in through social media. While all aspects of Angelou’s varied career have been the subject of recent discussion—including her early performances …
Posted in: Poets Laureate
Posted by: Peter Armenti
Several readers submitted questions to me after my recent blog post on state poets laureate. They were surprised that their own state was one of only six—Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, and Pennsylvania—that does not have a state poet position, and wanted to know how they could help establish one. While I can’t …
Posted in: Poets Laureate
Posted by: Peter Armenti
It’s been a while since I provided an update on current state poets laureate. As of this writing, forty-two states have an official position of state poet laureate, while two states, Alaska and Idaho, have a position for “State Writer Laureate” and “Writer-in-Residence,” respectively. The position of state poet laureate or state writer is occupied …
Posted in: Poets Laureate
Posted by: Peter Armenti
The following guest post is by Andrew Weber, a legislative information systems manager at the Library of Congress. It is cross posted on the Law Library’s blog, In Custodia Legis. Earlier this week, I made a trip to the attic of the Thomas Jefferson Building to see the Poetry and Literature Center of the Library …
Posted in: Digital Resources, Guest Posts, Poets Laureate