Poet Laureate of Kentucky is a title awarded to a Kentucky poet by the state's Art Council. In 2013, the position was occupied by Frank X Walker, the first African-American to be so honored.

The poet laureate position was established 1926 by an act of the Kentucky General Assembly. James T. Cotton Noe was the first laureate. Originally appointed to lifetime terms, following 1990 legislation laureates have been appointed by the governor to two-year terms.

List of poets laureate

Poets laureate of Kentucky include: #Poet laureateTerm beganTerm endedAppointed byNotes 1 James Thomas "Cotton" Noe March 1926 9 November 1953 (death) legislature 2 Edward G. Hill 1 October 1928 8 November 1937 (death) legislature 3 Louise Scott Phillips 1945 1983 (death) legislature 4 Edwin Carlisle Litsey 1954 3 February 1970 (death) legislature 5 Jesse Hilton Stuart 1954 1984 (death) legislature 6 Lowell Allen Williams 1956 – legislature 7 Lillie D. Chaffin 1974 – legislature 8 Tom Mobley 1976 – legislature 9 Agnes O'Rear 7 March 1978 1990 (death) legislature 10 Clarence "Soc" Clay 1984 – legislature 11 Lee Pennington 1984 – legislature 12 Paul Salyers 1984 – legislature 13 Dale Faughn 1986 – legislature 14 Jim Wayne Miller 1986 – legislature 15 Henry E. Pilkenton 1986 – legislature 16 James H. Patton Jr. 1990 – legislature 17 James Still 1995 1996 – 18 Joy Bale Boone 1997 1998 – 19 Richard Taylor 1999 2000 – 20 James Baker Hall 2001 2002 – 21 Joe Survant 2003 2004 – 22 Sena Jeter Naslund 2005 2006 – 23 Jane Gentry Vance 2007 2008 – 24 Gurney Norman 2009 2010 – 25 Maureen Morehead 2011 2012 – 26 Frank X Walker January 2013 2014 – "Frank X Walker new Ky. poet laureate" Lexington Herald-Leader, 14 February 2013. Retrieved 22 January 2014.Kramer, Elizabeth. "Frank X Walker named Kentucky's first African-American poet laureate", The Courier-Journal, 14 February 2013. Retrieved 22 January 2014. 27 George Ella Lyon 2015 2016 – 28Frederick SmockMay 1, 2017201829Jeff Worley20192020Matt Bevin30Crystal Wilkinson2021202231Silas House20232024Andy Beshear 32Kathleen Driskell20252026Andy Beshear

See also

References

Sparks, Betty J., Poets Laureate of Kentucky Wind Publications. 2004.

External links Library of Congress list of Kentucky Poets Laureate