Professor Kwame Dawes, a widely acclaimed poet, editor, critic, and musician, will be the next Poet Laureate of Jamaica.
A poet laureate is a poet officially appointed by a government or conferring institution, typically expected to compose poems for special events and occasions
Jamaica’s Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange, announced that Professor Dawes emerged as the most suitable person for the distinction after a public nomination process, which was followed by a seven-member committee vote administered by the National Library of Jamaica. His investiture of as the Poet Laureate of Jamaica for 2024 to 2027 comes next.
“The Poet Laureate of Jamaica is given a three-year tenure with the responsibility of developing and executing a program of activities which support the reading, writing and promotion of Jamaican poetry,” Minister Grange said.
“I am pleased with the selection of Professor Dawes. He is deserving of this honor given his years of foundational work and contributions made to the literary landscape of Jamaica. Professor Dawes is a naturalized citizen of Jamaica, having grown up here, and in 2004 was awarded the Musgrave Silver Medal for Literature. In 2022, he was awarded National Honors, the Order of Distinction Commander class,” Grange added.
Kwame Dawes was born in Ghana in 1962 to Sophia and Neville Dawes, and in 1971 the family moved to Kingston, Jamaica, when Neville Dawes became deputy director of the Institute of Jamaica. Growing up in Jamaica, Kwame Dawes attended Jamaica College and the University of the West Indies at Mona.
Career achievements
His work has brought him global recognition exploring themes such as identity, migration, and the human experience.
His achievements span multiple genres, including poetry collections such as Progeny of Air and City of Bones: A Testament, which have received critical acclaim for their lyrical depth and social commentary. He is the author of 35 books of poetry with numerous other books of fiction as well as essays.
In 2009, Dawes won an Emmy Award in the category of New Approaches to News & Documentary Programming: Arts, Lifestyle & Culture. His project documented HIV/AIDS in Jamaica, interspersed with poetry, photography by Andre Lambertson, and music by Kevin Simmonds.
Dawes is director of the Calabash International Literary Festival, a yearly event in Jamaica. He is also Professor of English at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
The National Library of Jamaica celebrates 10 years of the Poet Laureate of Jamaica Program, post-Independent Jamaica. During this time the institution has seen to the investiture of three Laureates, Professors Mervyn Morris, Lorna Goodison and Olive Senior.
