Rankine will serve as an adjunct professor of English and African-American studies.
Yale has announced that this fall, African-American poet Claudia Rankine will join the Yale faculty to the excitement and fanfare from both professors and students. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Rankine earned a BA from Williams College and an MFA from Columbia University. She is a chancellor of the Academy of American Poets, has authored five volumes of poetry and two plays, and her most recent work, “Citizen: An American Lyric,” is an award-winning book, mixed with artwork and images. It is the only book of poetry to be a New York Times bestseller in the nonfiction category.
The news has definitely prompted some celebration.
YBAA welcomes renowned poet Claudia Rankine to Yale! Rankine will serve as as an five-year adjunct professor of… https://t.co/hyU7TfiXZC
— Yale Black Alumni (@YaleBlackAlumni) April 22, 2016
Claudia Rankine is joining Yale faculty. Now that's what's up.
— Morgan Jerkins (@MorganJerkins) April 26, 2016
Renowned African-American poet Claudia Rankine will join the Yale faculty this coming fall https://t.co/hZYbU0fRXp #poetry #BlackGirlMagic
— ChevonMedia (@Chevon) April 26, 2016
Claudia Rankine, famed poet and author of Citizen, to join Yale faculty!! https://t.co/nDcFfBtdFb pic.twitter.com/hvNZ8h2vcX
— Jaison Oliver (@oJaison) April 22, 2016
While discussing the borrowed and fragmented sources for her work in an interview for the Academy of American Poets, Rankine stated, “I don’t feel any commitment to any external idea of the truth. I feel like the making of the thing is the truth, will make its own truth.” She has taught at the University of Houston, Case Western Reserve University, Barnard College, Pomona College, and can now add an Ivy League institution to her list.
