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List of Poets Laureate of the United States
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An image of Joy Harjo, a Native American woman, imposed on a background of a notebook. A blue arrow points to Harjo with the label 'poet laureate.'
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List of Poets Laureate of the United States

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History
An image of Joy Harjo, a Native American woman, imposed on a background of a notebook. A blue arrow points to Harjo with the label 'poet laureate.'
Joy Harjo Explains the Job of Poet LaureateFrom 2019 to 2022, Joy Harjo held the role of U.S. poet laureate.
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The position of poet laureate of the United States is somewhat different from that of Britain, where the title was first established in the 17th century. Whereas the British office renders the laureate a salaried member of the British royal household, the American poet laureate acts as the chair of poetry for the Library of Congress. The position of consultant in poetry was established in 1936 by an endowment from the author Archer M. Huntington, and the title of poet laureate was created in 1985. Although the British poet laureate is now free of specific poetic duties, the American poet laureate, who is appointed annually, is expected to present one major poetic work and to appear at certain national ceremonies. This list orders the laureates chronologically, from the first to the most recent. (See also List of Poets Laureate of Britain.)

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by RenΓ© Ostberg.