North Carolina has named its first-ever black poet laureate, Jaki Shelton Green. Green will serve as the state's ninth poet laureate and will be the third woman to receive the honor.

In a press release, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said Green's appointment serves as a new chapter in the state's "rich literary history."

"Jaki Shelton Green brings a deep appreciation of our state’s diverse communities to her role as an ambassador of North Carolina literature,” Cooper said. “Jaki’s appointment is a wonderful new chapter in North Carolina’s rich literary history."

As stated in the release, Green, who currently teaches documentary poetry at Duke University, has been active in the literary community for more than 40 years. She has written eight books of poetry, co-edited two poetry anthologies and written one play.

According to the Charlotte Observer, Green won the North Carolina Award for Literature in 2013 and was inducted into the state's Literary Hall of Fame in 2014. She also was named the 2009 North Carolina Piedmont laureate, among other awards and accolades. As poet laureate, Green will serve as North Carolina's state ambassador for poetry and the spoken word. 

“The Poet Laureate program is one of the most important ways that we celebrate and share our state’s literary heritage with the people of our state,” said Wayne Martin, executive director of the North Carolina Arts Council, according to the release.

Green is also the founder of SistaWrite, an initiative to celebrate the voices of women by bringing "women and spaces together for writing, community, sisterhood, and shared experience."

Green said she was touched to receive the appointment as North Carolina's poet laureate.

“I am deeply touched to be named poet laureate,” Green said according to the release. “To serve as North Carolina’s representative for poetry and the spoken word is a tremendous honor.”

Green will officially be installed as poet laureate later this summer in a public celebration. 

North-CarolinaPoet Laureate