Poet is the first to be honored for her exceptional work
Poet Elizabeth Alexander, the author of four collections of poetry, is the first recipient of the $50,000 Jackson Poetry Prize. The prize is sponsored by the Poets & Writers organization and made possible by a donation from the Liana Foundation.
Elizabeth Alexander is also an essayist, playwright and professor at Yale University. Her books of poetry include American Sublime (a finalist for the 2005 Pulitzer Prize), The Venus Hottentot, Antebellum Dream Book, and Body of Life. Her collection of essays is The Black Interior.
The Jackson Poetry Prize honors an exceptional American poet who has published at least one book of poems of literary merit but who has not yet received national acclaim. Poets cannot apply for this award. They are nominated by an anonymous panel of their peers. Three nationally recognized judges make the final decision.
Congratulations to Elizabeth Alexander!
