Tag Archives: Josephine Baker

Margaret Danner: Ethereal Strength

Margaret Danner (1915-1984) began winning poetry awards in the eighth grade.  In 1945 she won second prize in the Poetry Workshop Award at Northwestern, and went on to win such awards as a John Hay Whitney Fellowship (1951), the Harriet … Continue reading

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Elizabeth Alexander: Praise Song for the Obama Inaugural

As the 2012 election nears—yet another historic one, most say—I think about Elizabeth Alexander, the poet who read her poem “Praise Song for the Day” on January 20, 2009, at the Inaugural of President Barack Obama. The perils of writing … Continue reading

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