Coal

In poetry that is as compelling for its ethical vision as for its language, Lorde dares to imagine a changed world * San Francisco Chronicle *For us these words indeed are jewels in the open light – Hayden CarruthFor the complexity of her vision, for her moral courage and the catalytic passion of her language, Lorde has already become, for many, an indispensable poet – Adrienne Rich

Audre Lorde was a writer, feminist, and civil rights activist. She famously described herself as “Black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet.” Born in New York in 1934, her first poem was published while she was still in high school.

After holding various jobs, including factory worker, ghost writer, social worker, X-ray technician, medical clerk, and arts and crafts supervisor, she became a librarian in Manhattan. She gradually gained recognition as a poet, essayist, and speaker. Her work was anthologized by Langston Hughes, praised by Adrienne Rich, and she was a friend of James Baldwin.

In 1991, Audre Lorde was appointed Poet Laureate of New York State and received the Walt Whitman prize. She was also awarded honorary doctorates from Hunter, Oberlin, and Haverford colleges. She passed away from cancer in 1992 at the age of 58.