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Women’s History Month’s Feature: Lucille Clifton, Poet, Writer, and Educator

Hello book lovers! In celebration of Women’s History Month, I would like to present to you, poet, writer, and educator, Lucille Clifton. Born Thelma Lucille Sayles, in Depew, New York, she moved with her husband James Clifton and family to Baltimore, Maryland in 1967. In 1969, she published her first poetry collection, Good Times, that was listed by The New York Times as one of the year’s ten best books. Her collection of poems dealt with social, racial and political issues as well as her identity as a woman and as a poet. From 1971 to 1974, she was poet-in-residence at Coppin State University and from 1979 to 1985, she was Poet Laureate for the state of Maryland.  She was also a Pulitzer Prize finalist for poetry (twice). 

Some of her notable works include Good News About the Earth: New Poems (1972), An Ordinary Woman (1974), Two-Headed Woman (1980) that won the Juniper Prize, her children’s book - Everett Anderson’s Good-bye that won the 1984 Coretta Scott King Award, and The Book of Light (1993).  She taught creative writing at various universities and won several awards including an Emmy Award, a Lannan Literary Award for Poetry (1996), a National Book Award for Poetry (2000), and the Robert Frost Medal (2010). She was definitely a trailblazer (1936 – 1984). Check out her quote about writing as a way of hope. #womenshistorymonth #poet #writer #educator #JuniperPrizeWinner #EmmyAwardWinner #PulitzerPrizeFinalist #LannanLiteraryAward #NationalBookAward #RobertFrostMedal #LucilleClifton #vocalexpressions 



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