Discipline: Literature – poetry

Michael Harper

Discipline: Literature – poetry
Region: Providence, RI
MacDowell Fellowships: 2002
Michael Harper (1938-2016) was an American poet and English professor at Brown University, and was the Poet Laureate of Rhode Island from 1988 to 1993. His poetry was influenced by jazz and history. He published ten books of poetry, two of which — Dear John, Dear Coltrane (1970) and Images of Kin (1977) — were nominated for the National Book Award. Many of his poems have been included as examples of African-American literature and jazz poetry in various anthologies. He taught English at Contra Costa College in San Pablo, California and his poems appeared in small magazines. In 1968, he became poet in residence at Lewis & Clark College and taught at Reed College, both in Portland, Oregon. He joined the English faculty at Brown University, where he taught literature courses and poetry workshops to undergraduates.

Studios

Banks

Michael Harper worked in the Banks studio.

Banks, an ell on the north end of the Lodge dormitory, was first used as an artist’s studio in 1970. Since then, it has played host to an extraordinary list of writers working in several disciplines. In all seasons, Fellows have enjoyed the pastoral view through the French doors facing a field…

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