Kevin Young on the Poets in Conversation in His Extraordinary New Anthology

Kevin Young’s African American Poetry: 250 Years of Struggle and Strong represents an extraordinary contribution to our understanding of American poetry, creating an anthology where readers can see poets in conversation with each other as well as the time in which they lived. Young, who currently serves as the Andrew W. Mellon Director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, assembled the collection with extraordinary care and compassion, bringing lesser-known poets to the forefront and highlighting the critical work African American poets have played in both the country’s culture and history. The result is a thrilling collection that will allow readers to discover new writers as well as celebrate beloved favorites.