Cornelius Eady named to Academy of American Poets Board of Chancellors

Today, the Academy of American Poets named Cornelius Eady and Gabrielle Calvocoressi as New Chancellors. The Board of Chancellors "is an elected group of distinguished poets who advise the Academy of American Poets on artistic matters, judge its largest legacy prizes, and serve as ambassadors for poetry."

The current chancellors are: Jericho Brown, Gabrielle Calvocoressi,  Natalie Diaz, Cornelius Eady, Nikky Finney, Carolyn Forché, Kimiko Hahn, Joy Harjo, Ilya Kaminsky, Ed Roberson, Diane Seuss, Patricia Smith, Tracy K. Smith, Natasha Trethewey, and Afaa Michael Weaver.

We've come a long way from 1998, when Fred Viebahn led a public critique of the Academy of American Poets for not having any Black poets on the Board. Black poets have appeared on the board since 1999. During the 2010s, multiple African American poets were selected to serve.

Related:

• Black Poets and the Academy of American Poets

• A Notebook on prizes, awards & fellowships