E. Ethelbert Miller
Encyclopedia
Eugene Ethelbert Miller, best known as E. Ethelbert Miller (born 20 November 1950 Bronx, New York) is an African American
poet
and teacher.
. He is the author of nine books of poetry, two memoirs and the editor of three poetry anthologies. His work has appeared in numerous publications including Beltway Poetry Quarterly
, Poet Lore
, and Sojourners.
Miller was the founder and director of the Ascension Poetry Reading Series, one of the oldest literary series in the Washington area. Since 1974 he has been director of Howard University
's African American Resource Center. Miller has taught at various schools, including American University
, Emory & Henry College, George Mason University
, Harpeth Hall School
and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas
. He was also a core faculty member of the writing seminars at Bennington College
. He worked with Operation Homecoming
for the NEH.
He currently serves as board chairperson of the Institute for Policy Studies
. He is also on the boards of Split This Rock
and the Writer's Center
, and is co-editor of Poet Lore
magazine. He is former chair of the Humanities Council of Washington, D. C. and has served on the boards of the AWP
, the Edmund Burke School
, PEN American Center
, PEN/Faulkner Foundation
, and the Washington Area Lawyer for the Arts (WALA).
He lives in Washington, D. C. In 1979, Marion Barry
, the mayor of Washington, DC, proclaimed September 28, 1979 as "E. Ethelbert Miller Day."
His papers are held at Emory & Henry College and The George Washington University.
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and teacher.
Life
He received his B.A. from Howard UniversityHoward University
Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
. He is the author of nine books of poetry, two memoirs and the editor of three poetry anthologies. His work has appeared in numerous publications including Beltway Poetry Quarterly
Beltway Poetry Quarterly
Beltway Poetry Quarterly is an English-language, online literary magazine based in Washington, DC.As its name suggests, it features poetry from the "Beltway" region of the Washington, DC area...
, Poet Lore
Poet Lore
Poet Lore is an English-language literary magazine based in Bethesda, Maryland. Established in 1889, Poet Lore is the oldest continuously published poetry magazine in the United States....
, and Sojourners.
Miller was the founder and director of the Ascension Poetry Reading Series, one of the oldest literary series in the Washington area. Since 1974 he has been director of Howard University
Howard University
Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
's African American Resource Center. Miller has taught at various schools, including American University
American University
American University is a private, Methodist, liberal arts, and research university in Washington, D.C. The university was chartered by an Act of Congress on December 5, 1892 as "The American University", which was approved by President Benjamin Harrison on February 24, 1893...
, Emory & Henry College, George Mason University
George Mason University
George Mason University is a public university based in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, south of and adjacent to the city of Fairfax. Additional campuses are located nearby in Arlington County, Prince William County, and Loudoun County...
, Harpeth Hall School
Harpeth Hall School
Harpeth Hall School is an all-girls private college preparatory school for grades 5-12 in Nashville, Tennessee.-Ward-Belmont:Harpeth Hall’s history dates back to 1865 with the founding of Ward Seminary for Young Ladies...
and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
University of Nevada-Las Vegas is a public, coeducational university located in the Las Vegas suburb of Paradise, Nevada, USA. The campus is located approximately east of the Las Vegas Strip. The institution includes a Shadow Lane Campus, located just east of the University Medical Center of...
. He was also a core faculty member of the writing seminars at Bennington College
Bennington College
Bennington College is a liberal arts college located in Bennington, Vermont, USA. The college was founded in 1932 as a women's college and became co-educational in 1969.-History:-Early years:...
. He worked with Operation Homecoming
Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience
Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience is a 2007 American documentary film directed by Richard E. Robbins, which portrays the lives and experiences of American combat soldiers who have been to the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.-Production:...
for the NEH.
He currently serves as board chairperson of the Institute for Policy Studies
Institute for Policy Studies
Institute for Policy Studies is a left-wing think tank based in Washington, D.C..It has been directed by John Cavanagh since 1998- History :...
. He is also on the boards of Split This Rock
Split This Rock
Split This Rock, a national nonprofit organization of poets, artists, and activists based in Washington, D.C.The organization's stated goals are: To celebrate the poetry of provocation and witness being written, published, and performed in the United States today; and to call poets to a greater...
and the Writer's Center
Writer's Center
The Writer's Center, founded in 1976, is anindependent literary center that is housed in a 12,200-square-foot facility in the arts and entertainment district of Bethesda, Maryland. The organization consists of approximately 2,500 writers, editors, small press publishers and other artists who...
, and is co-editor of Poet Lore
Poet Lore
Poet Lore is an English-language literary magazine based in Bethesda, Maryland. Established in 1889, Poet Lore is the oldest continuously published poetry magazine in the United States....
magazine. He is former chair of the Humanities Council of Washington, D. C. and has served on the boards of the AWP
Association of Writers & Writing Programs
The Association of Writers & Writing Programs is a literary organization whose mission is "to foster literary talent and achievement, to advance the art of writing as essential to a good education, and to serve the makers, teachers, students, and readers of contemporary writing."-Members:AWP...
, the Edmund Burke School
Edmund Burke School
The Edmund Burke School is a private college preparatory school in Washington, D.C. Located on Connecticut Avenue, NW, near the Van Ness metro station, it covers 6th through 12th grades, and it currently enrolls about 320 students. Founded in 1968 by Jean Mooskin and Dick Roth, the school practices...
, PEN American Center
PEN American Center
PEN American Center , founded in 1922 and based in New York City, works to advance literature, to defend free expression, and to foster international literary fellowship. The Center has a membership of 3,300 writers, editors, and translators...
, PEN/Faulkner Foundation
PEN/Faulkner Foundation
PEN/Faulkner Foundation is an independent charitable arts foundation which supports the art of writing and encourages readers of all ages...
, and the Washington Area Lawyer for the Arts (WALA).
He lives in Washington, D. C. In 1979, Marion Barry
Marion Barry
Marion Shepilov Barry, Jr. is an American Democratic politician who is currently serving as a member of the Council of the District of Columbia, representing DC's Ward 8. Barry served as the second elected mayor of the District of Columbia from 1979 to 1991, and again as the fourth mayor from 1995...
, the mayor of Washington, DC, proclaimed September 28, 1979 as "E. Ethelbert Miller Day."
His papers are held at Emory & Henry College and The George Washington University.
Awards
- 2004 Fulbright recipient
- May 21, 2001 Mayor of Jackson, Tennessee declared day as "E. Ethelbert Miller Day"
- 1997 Stephen HendersonStephen HendersonStephen McKinley Henderson is an American actor.-Life and career:Henderson was born in Kansas City, Missouri, the son of Ruby Naomi and Elihue Henderson. He was originally part of Group 1 of the Juilliard Drama School, later finishing his degree at the North Carolina School of the Arts...
Poetry Award - 1995 O.B. Hardison, Jr. Poetry Prize
- 1994 PENInternational PENPEN International , the worldwide association of writers, was founded in London in 1921 to promote friendship and intellectual co-operation among writers everywhere....
Oakland Josephine MilesJosephine MilesJosephine Miles was an American poet and literary critic; the first woman to be tenured in the English Department at the University of California, Berkeley. She wrote over a dozen books of poetry and several works of criticism....
Award - 1993 Columbia Merit Award
- 1982 Mayor's Art Award for Literature
- September 28, 1979 Mayor of Washington, D.C. proclaimed day as "E. Ethelbert Miller Day"
Poetry
- The Fire This Time: 1992 and Beyond Los Angeles (Heaven Chapbook series), (White Fields Press, 1993)
- "The Land of Smiles and the Land of No Smiles: A Poem", (1974)
External links
- "Living the Legacy" - official website
- American Academy of Poets page
- Two Poems by Miller at Beltway Poetry QuarterlyBeltway Poetry QuarterlyBeltway Poetry Quarterly is an English-language, online literary magazine based in Washington, DC.As its name suggests, it features poetry from the "Beltway" region of the Washington, DC area...
- Audio interview with Grace CavalieriGrace CavalieriGrace Cavalieri is an award-winning American poet and playwright. She has published 15 volumes of poetry and more than 20 plays and continues to actively write and publish. She lives in Annapolis, Maryland, with her husband, sculptor Kenneth Flynn...
- "E. Ethelbert Miller", reverbiage, NPR