Naomi Long Madgett (1923–2020)

Naomi Long Madgett was a poet, educator, and publisher. She was a graduate of Virginia State College (now Virginia State University) with a Bachelor of Arts degree and Wayne State University with a Master of Education degree. As an educator, she taught English at Detroit's Northwestern High School mostra altro and Eastern Michigan University (1968-1984). She encouraged in young people a love of words and writing. In 1972, she founded Lotus Press (now Broadside Lotus Press). It filled the need for a publisher for Black poets. In the 1990s, she was poetry editor for Michigan State Press. An important project for her was editing the anthology Adam of Life: Black Women in Praise of Black Men (1992). Her books include Octavia and Other Poems, Remembrances of Spring; Collected Early Poems; and Exits and Entrances. Her work has also appeared in several anthologies. Her honors and awards include Detroit's Poet Laureate since 2001, Kresge Foundation 2012 Eminent Artist, the American Book Award for her work as an editor and publisher, the Michigan Artist Award, and the National Council of Teachers Black Caucus Award. Naomi Long Madgett died on November 4, 2020. She was 97. (Bowker Author Biography) mostra meno