Joy Harjo

Joy Harjo, born on May ninth, nineteen fifty-one, is a distinguished American poet, musician, playwright, and author. As the first Native American to serve as the United States Poet Laureate from two thousand nineteen to two thousand twenty-two, she made history as only the second poet to hold the position for three terms. A proud member of the Muscogee Nation, Harjo is a seventh-generation Monahwee daughter, also known as Menawa, and she belongs to Oce Vpofv, or Hickory Ground.

Harjo's literary journey began at the Institute of American Indian Arts, followed by an undergraduate degree from the University of New Mexico in nineteen seventy-six, and an MFA from the University of Iowa's creative writing program. She is a pivotal figure in the second wave of the Native American Renaissance, contributing significantly to the literary landscape with ten poetry collections and three children's books, including her latest work, Remember, released in two thousand twenty-three.

In addition to her writing, Harjo has taught at various universities across the United States and has performed internationally, showcasing her poetry and music. Her notable works include Weaving Sundown in a Scarlet Light, Catching the Light, Poet Warrior, and An American Sunrise, among others. Throughout her career, she has received numerous accolades, including the two thousand twenty-four Frost Medal and the two thousand twenty-three Bollingen Prize for American Poetry.

As a chancellor of the Academy of American Poets, Harjo has been inducted into several prestigious halls of fame and has been recognized as the fourteenth Oklahoma Cultural Treasure. Her signature project as Poet Laureate, Living Nations, Living Words: A Map of First Peoples Poetry, aimed to highlight Native Nations poets and their contributions to American literature. Beyond her literary achievements, she founded For Girls Becoming, an art mentorship program for young Mvskoke women, and has served on the board of the Native Arts & Cultures Foundation.