Famous African-American Poets

The African-American culture is interesting and has its own certain distinctive characteristics as well. Theirs is a rich literature that is created in the United States, but is written by writers who primarily belong to the African origins. In the ancient times, the poets focused on certain subjects that were reflected in their poems. The poems generally spoke about issues such as slavery before the American Civil War. Today, the literature focuses on such issues as well as their culture, music, the role that is played by the African-Americans and other such themes. Over time, there have been certain writers and poets who have carved a niche for themselves in the world of literature. Here's a look at some of the famous African-American poets who have truly made a remarkable contribution in literature.

The Poetic Flaire . . .

Phillis Wheatley:
Phillis had a tough beginning to her life when she had to resort to being a slave at the tender age of 7. The family who purchased her as a slave helped her with her education. She was the path breaker of her time. Many of her poems centered on famous personalities. There are very few poems that talk about the state of affairs she faced.

Gwendolyn Brooks:
This famous poet published her first book of poetry in the year 1945, which was named as A Street in Bronzeville. She also won a Pulitzer Prize for poetry for her second book of poems - Annie Allen. Her writing career took off in the year 1962 when she was invited by John F. Kennedy to read at a poetry festival the same year. In 1968, she was made the Poet Laureate of Illinois. She was also the recipient of many more prestigious awards.

Nikki Giovanni:
Nikki Giovanni's early tryst with poetry began when she got inspired to write due to the civil rights and black power movements. This resulted in her collections -Black Feeling and Black Talk. She also wrote a book titles Love Poems which was written in memory of a person she greatly admired- Tupac Shakur. Her album titled The Nikki Giovanni Poetry Collection found her a nomination at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards.

Sonia Sanchez:
Sonia Sanchez had a strong background in creative writing. She is also one amongst the most famous African-American poets to be found associated with the Black Arts Movement. Sonia Sanchez was also the recipient of the P.E.N. Writing Award in the year 1969. This was followed by many other prestigious awards.

Maya Angelou:
This talented poet is renowned for her autobiographies and poems. She was also nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for the book of poetry titled Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water 'Fore I Die. She was even invited to recite her poem, On the Pulse of Morning, at President Bill Clinton's inauguration in the year 1933. Angelou also was an active writer and even was involved in conducting lectures at prominent universities.

Dudley Randall:
This famous African-American poet wrote his most famous and popular poem, The Ballad of Birmingham, in the 1960s. His interest in poetry began from his days in school. His very first poem to be published was seen in the Detroit Free Press. This was only at the age of 13. Some of his other well-known works include A Poet is Not a Jukebox and Booker T.

Naomi Long Madgett:
Madgett had her first brush with creative writing at an early age. She published her first book of poetry at the age of 17, which was titled Songs to a Phantom Nightingale. Her poems, which centered on the struggles that were faced by the blacks and about racism, soon attracted attention from all over. Some of her other famous works include Midway and One and the Many.