National Poetry Month 2022: United States Poet Laureate

The United States Poet Laureate is appointed for a term by the Librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden. During their term, the Poet Laureate helps raise national awareness to reading and writing poetry, and may launch a poetry project. Joy Harjo, member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, is the nation's 23rd Poet Laureate, and has been appointed for three terms. Harjo is a multi-talented artist from Tulsa, Oklahoma who has authored nine books of poetry, several plays, children's books, and two memoirs, as well as produced seven award winning music albums. Her work is influenced by First Nation storytelling and histories, feminism, social justice, and the country's landscape. For her second term, Harjo will launch her poetry project, which is a new Library of Congress collection and online map featuring Native poets and poetry ("U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo"). Harjo has received many notable literary awards and has held academic positions at UCLA and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.