Tyehimba Jess' first book of poetry, leadbelly, is a winner of the 2004 National Poetry Series. His numerous awards include a Whiting Award, fellowships from the NEA, the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, and the Illinois Arts Council; the 2001 Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic Poetry Award, and the 2001 Chicago Sun-Times Poetry Award. He holds degrees from New York University and the University of Chicago. A native of Detroit, Jess is also a proud alumnus of the Chicago Green Mill Slam teams and Cave Canem. His first non-fiction book, African American Pride: Celebrating our Achievements, Contributions, and Legacy, was published by Citadel Press in 2003.
Visit his website.
Visit the Cave Canem website for information on programs and publications.
Listen to Tyehimba reading from leadbelly on Fishouse.
Read Tyehimba's poems on Perihelion.
reviews of Tyehimba Jess's work:
Ploughshares — 04/01/2006
Library Journal — 12/01/2005