Primary Source Spotlight: Gwendolyn Brooks
Pulitzer Prize winner Gwendolyn Brooks (1917-2000) wrote more than 20 books of poetry and served as the Illinois Poet Laureate from 1968-2000 and Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 1985-1986. Learn more about this amazing artist by investigating the resources below.
Audio recordings
- Readings in Afro-American poetry: Gwendolyn Brooks, Michael S. Harper, and Robert Hayden reading their own poems and those of other Afro-American poets in the Coolidge Auditorium, Feb. 23, 1976
- As part of Poetry in English at the Library of Congress, Gwendolyn Brooks reading from her poetry on September 30, 1985.
- The day of the Gwendolyn: a lecture in the Coolidge Auditorium, May 5, 1986
- Howard Nemerov memorial reading: Gwendolyn Brooks, Maxine Kumin, Alexander Nemerov, Reed Whittemore, in the Mumford Room, Oct. 29, 1991
We Real Cool broadside
A Street in Bronzeville Books that Shaped America online exhibition
Literary Birthday Celebration: Gwendolyn Brooks Library of Congress streaming webcast (transcript) June 7, 2012
Articles
- “Gwendolyn Brooks Is Named as Next Library Poetry Consultant” Library of Congress Information Bulletin May 20, 1985
- Gwendolyn Brooks biography & portrait
Library blog posts
- Creating to Inspire Social Change: A Brief Look into Gwendolyn Brooks Copyright Creativity at Work
- Gwendolyn Brooks: “We Real Cool,” Two Ways Library of Congress Blog April 28, 2020
- Happy Birthday, Maxine Kumin and Gwendolyn Brooks! From the Catbird Seat blog June 5, 2015
- Curator’s Picks: American Women Poets Library of Congress blog March 26, 2015