New York, NY (January 16, 2013) – The Academy of American Poets announced today that poets Marilyn Nelson, Claudia Rankine, and C.D. Wright have been elected Chancellors of the Academy of American Poets, joining an illustrious group of some of the most distinguished poets in the United States to have previously held the position, including John Ashbery, W.H. Auden, Elizabeth Bishop, Lucille Clifton, and Adrienne Rich. Nelson, Rankine, and Wright were selected by the 15 members of the Academy’s current Board of Chancellors, and each will serve for a period of six years. They will act as ambassadors of poetry in the world at large, advocate for the programmatic work of the Academy, consult with the organization on matters of artistic direction and programming, and elect award recipients. They will fill the seats vacated by Lyn Hejinian, Sharon Olds, and Carl Philips, whose terms as Chancellors have concluded.
Marilyn Nelson was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1946. She is the author of over 24 books, including several award-winning books for young adults and translated works. Her latest publication is Faster Than Light: New and Selected Poems, 1996-2011 (Louisiana State University Press, 2012). In 2012, Nelson was awarded the Poetry Society of America’s Frost Medal for distinguished lifetime achievement in poetry. She is a National Book Award finalist and a Los Angeles Times Book Award finalist. Other honors include two creative writing fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, a Fulbright Teaching Fellowship, and a fellowship from the Guggenheim Foundation. Nelson is a former Poet Laureate of the State of Connecticut and a professor emerita of English at the University of Connecticut.
Academy Chancellor Arthur Sze praised her selection, saying: “Marilyn Nelson’s poetry is remarkable for its sheer range of voice and style, for its historical roots, and for its lyrical narratives that, replete with luminous details, unfold with an emotional force that, ultimately, becomes praise. …She is a vital ambassador of poetry.”