Poet Laureate of the United States Joy Harjo, June 6, 2019. Harjo is the first Native American to serve as poet laureate and is a member of the Muscogee Creek Nation. Photo by Shawn Miller/Library of Congress
Joy Harjo Is Named U.S. Poet Laureate for a Second Term
The first Native American to hold the position, Harjo will be developing an interactive map of contemporary Native poets.
Joy Harjo has been appointed to a second term as the nation’s poet laureate, the Library of Congress announced on Thursday.
A member of the Muscogee Creek Nation, Harjo is the first Native American and the 23rd poet to hold the post, joining writers such as Tracy K. Smith, Rita Dove and Louise Glück.
During her first year in the role, Harjo focused on expanding her digital presence, connecting with other Native poets and highlighting the intersection between music and poetry.
“That synergy was something that we wanted her to continue and add to,” Carla Hayden, the librarian of Congress, said. “It broadens your concept of poetry. When you hear lyrics of a song, that’s poetry.”
