Academy of American Poets

Academy of American Poets
Name	Academy of American Poets
Founded	0 1934
Founder	Marie Bullock
Location	New York City, New York
Key people	Ricardo Alberto Maldonado (President & Executive Director)
Focus	Poetry
Website	poets.org

Academy of American Poets is a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting American poets and fostering the appreciation of contemporary poetry. Founded in 1934 by arts patron Marie Bullock, it has grown into a national institution with a mission to promote the art form through a wide array of public programs, awards, and educational resources. The organization is widely recognized for establishing National Poetry Month and for maintaining the definitive free website, Poets.org, which serves as a vital digital archive and educational hub. Its work is guided by a board of chancellors composed of distinguished poets who help shape its artistic vision and advocacy efforts.

History

The organization was established in 1934 in New York City by Marie Bullock, who served as its president for nearly six decades, building its endowment and national profile. Its early years were marked by efforts to secure financial stability for poets, leading to the creation of its first major award, the Academy of American Poets Fellowship, in 1946. A significant early project was the publication of the popular Poetry Pilot newsletter, which evolved into the magazine American Poet. Throughout the mid-20th century, it expanded its reach by organizing readings across the United States, featuring influential figures like Robert Frost, Marianne Moore, and Langston Hughes. The organization's commitment to archiving and accessibility culminated in the launch of its pioneering website, Poets.org, in 1996, which coincided with its successful founding of National Poetry Month that same year.

Programs and initiatives

A cornerstone initiative is National Poetry Month, observed every April in coordination with publishers, booksellers, and libraries nationwide, including events at the Library of Congress. The organization's website, Poets.org, provides extensive free resources such as thousands of poems, biographies, essays, and lesson plans for educators. Its Poem-a-Day series distributes new poems by contemporary poets to a vast digital subscriber list, while the Teach This Poem series offers weekly curriculum materials for K–12 classrooms. Other key programs include the Poets Forum in New York City, which gathers poets for public conversations, and the University and College Poetry Prize program, which partners with hundreds of academic institutions across the country to recognize emerging student poets.

Chancellors and board members

The artistic leadership is vested in a board of chancellors, a rotating group of eminent poets who consult on artistic matters and judge major awards. Past and present chancellors constitute a who's who of American poetry, including luminaries such as W. H. Auden, Elizabeth Bishop, John Ashbery, Lucille Clifton, Rita Dove, Joy Harjo, and Forrest Gander. The board of directors, which includes individuals from the fields of publishing, philanthropy, and law, provides governance and financial oversight. The current executive leadership is headed by President and Executive Director Ricardo Alberto Maldonado, who succeeded Jennifer Benka.

Publications

The organization is a significant publisher of poetry and related materials, both in print and digitally. Its flagship publication is the membership magazine American Poet, which features essays, interviews, and new poems. It also publishes the Poets.org website, which functions as a major digital anthology and archive. Through partnerships with entities like Graywolf Press and Alice James Books, it has co-published collections by award-winning poets. The organization frequently produces free, downloadable educational materials and anthologies, such as the popular Poem in Your Pocket PDFs distributed during National Poetry Month.

Awards and prizes

It administers one of the largest suite of poetry prizes in the United States, providing crucial financial support and recognition. The oldest is the Academy of American Poets Fellowship, a substantial monetary award given for distinguished poetic achievement. Other major awards include the Wallace Stevens Award for proven mastery, the James Laughlin Award for a superior second book by a poet, and the Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize for the most outstanding book of poetry published in the United States. It also oversees the Harold Morton Landon Translation Award, the Raiziss/de Palchi Translation Awards, and the Aliki Perroti and Seth Frank Most Promising Young Poet Award, among several university and college prizes.

Impact and legacy

The organization has profoundly shaped the landscape of American poetry by providing sustained financial support to poets, increasing public engagement, and ensuring the art form's accessibility. Its creation of National Poetry Month has become a cultural fixture, celebrated by millions in schools, bookstores, and communities. The vast digital repository at Poets.org has made poetry a freely available public resource globally. Through its advocacy and awards, it has elevated the careers of generations of poets from Gwendolyn Brooks to Ocean Vuong, ensuring the vitality and continuity of the poetic tradition within American arts and letters.

Category:American poetry organizations Category:Non-profit organizations based in New York City Category:Literary organizations based in the United States