Academy of American Poets

Academy of American Poets is a prestigious organization dedicated to supporting American poetry and poets such as Edna St. Vincent Millay, Langston Hughes, and Sylvia Plath. Founded in 1934 by Marie Bullock, the organization has been instrumental in promoting the work of renowned poets like Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, and Walt Whitman. With its headquarters in New York City, the organization has been a driving force behind the development of contemporary poetry, working closely with institutions like the Library of Congress, Poetry Foundation, and National Endowment for the Arts. The organization has also collaborated with notable poets like T.S. Eliot, Wallace Stevens, and Elizabeth Bishop to advance the art of poetry.

● History

The history of the organization dates back to 1934, when Marie Bullock established it with the goal of supporting American poets like Ezra Pound, William Carlos Williams, and H.D.. Over the years, the organization has undergone significant transformations, with notable milestones including the establishment of the National Poetry Month in 1996, which was launched in partnership with the Poetry Society of America, American Poetry Review, and The Paris Review. The organization has also been influenced by the work of prominent poets like John Ashbery, Adrienne Rich, and Derek Walcott, who have all contributed to the development of modern poetry. The organization's archives are housed at the New York Public Library, which also holds the papers of notable poets like Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, and Gregory Corso.

● Organization

The organization is governed by a board of directors, which includes notable poets and literary figures like Mark Doty, Rita Dove, and Tracy K. Smith. The organization's staff works closely with partners like the National Book Foundation, PEN America, and The Academy of Arts and Letters to advance the mission of supporting American poetry and poets like Gwendolyn Brooks, Robert Lowell, and Anne Sexton. The organization is also supported by a network of volunteers and donors, including the Lannan Foundation, Whiting Foundation, and Guggenheim Foundation, which provide critical funding for programs and initiatives. The organization's headquarters are located in New York City, with satellite offices in Los Angeles and Chicago, and it has partnerships with institutions like the University of California, Berkeley, Harvard University, and Columbia University.

● Programs

The organization offers a range of programs and initiatives to support American poets like Kay Ryan, Billy Collins, and Mary Oliver. These include the Poets in Schools program, which brings poets like Naomi Shihab Nye and Jimmy Santiago Baca into classrooms across the country, and the Poetry and the Creative Mind series, which features readings and discussions with notable poets like Frank Bidart and Jorie Graham. The organization also offers a range of online resources, including the Poets.org website, which features the work of poets like Muriel Rukeyser, Randall Jarrell, and John Berryman, as well as a comprehensive database of American poetry and poets like Countee Cullen, Claude McKay, and Langston Hughes. The organization has also partnered with institutions like the Smithsonian Institution, Library of Congress, and National Archives to develop educational programs and resources.

● Awards

The organization presents several awards to recognize and support American poets like Philip Levine, Mark Strand, and Louise Glück. These include the Wallace Stevens Award, which is given annually to a poet like John Ashbery or Adrienne Rich in recognition of their outstanding contributions to American poetry, and the Academy Fellowship, which is awarded to poets like Gwendolyn Brooks and Robert Frost who have demonstrated a significant impact on the literary landscape. The organization also presents the Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize, which is awarded to a poet like Mary Oliver or Billy Collins for their outstanding collection of poetry, and the James Laughlin Award, which is given to a poet like Mark Doty or Rita Dove for their debut collection. The organization's awards are supported by partners like the National Endowment for the Arts, PEN America, and The Academy of Arts and Letters.

● Publications

The organization publishes a range of materials to support American poetry and poets like T.S. Eliot, Wallace Stevens, and Elizabeth Bishop. These include the American Poets magazine, which features the work of poets like John Ashbery, Adrienne Rich, and Derek Walcott, as well as essays and reviews by notable critics like Helen Vendler and Harold Bloom. The organization also publishes a range of anthologies and collections, including the Norton Anthology of Poetry, which features the work of poets like Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman, and Robert Frost, and the Oxford Book of American Poetry, which includes the work of poets like Edna St. Vincent Millay, Langston Hughes, and Sylvia Plath. The organization's publications are supported by partners like the Guggenheim Foundation, Whiting Foundation, and Lannan Foundation.

● Notable Members

The organization has a long history of notable members, including Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, and Walt Whitman. Other notable members include T.S. Eliot, Wallace Stevens, and Elizabeth Bishop, as well as John Ashbery, Adrienne Rich, and Derek Walcott. The organization has also been supported by notable patrons like Marie Bullock, Ezra Pound, and William Carlos Williams, who have all played a significant role in shaping the organization's mission and programs. The organization's members have included a wide range of poets, from Gwendolyn Brooks and Robert Lowell to Anne Sexton and Sylvia Plath, and have worked closely with institutions like the Poetry Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, and The Academy of Arts and Letters to advance the art of poetry. The organization's notable members have also included Kay Ryan, Billy Collins, and Mary Oliver, who have all contributed to the development of contemporary poetry. Category:American poetry