University News | June 7, 2012

Radcliffe fellow Trethewey named poet laureate

Natasha Trethewey was a 2001 Radcliffe Institute Fellow.

Natasha Trethewey, a 2001 Radcliffe Institute Fellow, has been named poet laureate of the United States. According to the announcement from the Library of Congress, quoting James H. Billington, the current Librarian of Congress,

Natasha Trethewey is an outstanding poet/historian in the mold of Robert Penn Warren, our first Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry. Her poems dig beneath the surface of history—personal or communal, from childhood or from a century ago—to explore the human struggles that we all face.

Read an appreciation of her work from The New York Times. Trethewey won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize in poetry for her third collection, Native Guard.

You might also like

Red brick building with large windows and greenery, set against a bright blue sky.

After a final round of layoffs, University leaders say 165 staff jobs were eliminated across the division.

University Hall with steps and the John Harvard statue, surrounded by trees and a grassy lawn.

Long-discussed reorganization includes layoffs and the end of the Dudley Community.

Ornate wrought iron gate detail against a clear blue sky.

FAS leaders say restructuring will be complete by mid-October.

Most popular

Stone building with tall columns, steps leading up, and a flag atop under a cloudy sky.

The University will compensate families of those whose remains were sold and establish a scholarship to honor anatomical donors.

The Latest In Harvard’s Fight with the Trump Administration

Back-and-forth reports on settlement talks, new accusations from the government, and a reshuffling of two federal compliance offices

A woman with long hair stands confidently with crossed arms next to a pickup truck.

All That’s Unseen charts the Harvard graduate’s uneasy journey from Appalachia to Cambridge and back.

Explore More From Current Issue

Three hands hold smartphones displaying social media profiles with likes and hearts.

Tell us about how social media impacts your daily life.

Smiling woman stands beside a large skull in a display cabinet.

Faculty

From competing in youth gymnastics to studying tetrapods, the Harvard curator has always chased her curiosity.

A glowing bulb shape surrounded by colorful, swirling energy lines against a blue background.

Research

Harvard researchers achieve medical breakthroughs in cancer therapy and infection control.