Each U.S. Poet Laureate brings a unique voice to their role as "official poet" of the United States. The three most recent laureates contribute a particularly rich range of voices, infused with distinctive cultural and life visions.
Joy Harjo's Inaugural Reading as U.S. Poet Laureate - Joy Harjo, the first Native American poet to serve as U.S. poet laureate, is an enrolled member of the Muscogee Creek Nation.
Joy Harjo: Interview and profile - PBS NewsHour.
Tracy K. Smith's Inaugural Reading as U.S. Poet Laureate - Tracy K. Smith, the fifth African-American to serve as Poet Laureate, has taken poetry on the road around the nation, focusing primarily on rural areas where most writers are unlikely to visit.
Tracy K. Smith: Interview and profile - PBS NewsHour.
Juan Felipe Herrera's Inaugural Reading as U.S. Poet Laureate - Juan Felipe Herrera was the first Mexican-American to serve as Poet Laureate, and his experiences as the child of migrant farmers have strongly shaped his work.
Juan Felipe Herrera: Interview and profile - PBS NewsHour.
Poets Laureate - The homepage of the Poet Laureate, which is a position within the Library of Congress. Use the various links to learn about the history and role of the U.S. Poet Laureate position, review a list of all the poets who have served, and learn about the current Poet Laureate.
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