People
March 15, 2010
Young is USA James Baldwin Fellow
Kevin Young
Kevin Young, award-winning poet, editor and Atticus Haygood Professor of English and Creative Writing at Emory, has been named USA James Baldwin Fellow in Literature by a national grant-making and artist advocacy organization.
Young was among 55 artists nationwide selected by United States Artists to receive a $50,000 unrestricted grant. Other recipients include poet and novelist Sapphire, whose novel “Push” was adapted for the recent Oscar-winning film, “Precious”; playwright Anna Deavere Smith; and filmmaker Charles Burnett. Winners were announced in December.
Young, who said he was “delighted and honored” to receive the grant, plans to use the funds to complete his latest project, a book that takes a critical look at African American music in prose. Young has published seven collections of his works and four poetry anthologies, including two Paterson Poetry Prize winners.
United States Artists received nearly 350 nominations from arts leaders, critics and scholars. Awards were given to artists at different stages in their careers, who demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to their craft.
