Claudia Rankine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Claudia Rankine
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Rankine in 2016
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| Born | September 4, 1963 Kingston, Jamaica |
| Occupation | Professor |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Williams College (BA) Columbia University (MFA) |
| Genre | Poetry; Playwright |
| Notable awards | MacArthur Fellow |
| Spouse | John Lucas |
Claudia Rankine (born September 4, 1963) is an American writer. She is known for her amazing poems, essays, and plays. She has also edited many collections of writings by other authors.
Claudia Rankine has written five books of poetry and two plays. Her writings often explore important topics like race and identity in America.
One of her most famous books is Citizen: An American Lyric. This poetry book won many awards in 2014 and 2015. It was even the first book to be nominated for a major award in both poetry and criticism! Citizen also became a New York Times bestseller, which is rare for a poetry book.
Rankine has received many honors for her work. She won the Jackson Poetry Prize and was named a MacArthur Fellow. This special award is sometimes called a "genius grant" because it recognizes very talented people.
She has also taught writing at top universities. These include Yale University and New York University.
Contents
Discovering Claudia Rankine's Life and Work
Claudia Rankine was born in Kingston, Jamaica. She moved to the United States when she was a child. She grew up in New York City and later studied at Williams College and Columbia University.
Rankine started teaching at the University of Georgia in 2003. She also taught English at Pomona College for nine years.
Her writings have appeared in many well-known magazines. These include Harper's and GRANTA. She also helped edit a book called New Daughters of Africa.
Exploring Her Unique Writing Style
Claudia Rankine is known for her unique writing style. Her book Don't Let Me Be Lonely (2004) mixes poetry, essays, and even ideas from television. It was praised for showing the challenges people face in modern times.
She also writes plays. Her play The Provenance of Beauty: A South Bronx Travelogue was recognized as an important new play in 2011.
In 2014, her book Citizen: An American Lyric was published. This book looks closely at what it means to be a Black person in America today. It explores everyday racism and how it affects people.
Rankine also creates documentary videos with her husband, John Lucas. These videos are called Situations. They explore current issues through art.
Another poet, Mark Doty, said that Rankine's poems are very creative. He noted that she explores the lines between poetry and prose. She also looks at how people are seen based on their skin color or money.
In 2023, a review of her 2001 book Plot mentioned that it talks about pregnancy in a new way. It explores the doubts and feelings that can come with it.
Rankine also started something called the Racial Imaginary Institute. This group brings together artists and writers to talk about race.
Working with Other Artists
In 2017, Rankine worked with a dancer and choreographer named Will Rawls. They created a performance called What Remains. This show used text and movement to share feelings without needing many words. Rankine said it was amazing to get rid of words but still keep the feeling of the story.
The Racial Imaginary Institute's Mission
The Racial Imaginary Institute (TRII) was started by Claudia Rankine in 2017. She used money from her MacArthur Grant to create it. TRII is a group of artists and writers who study the idea of "whiteness" and how race is created by society.
The institute's goal is to be a "cultural laboratory." This means it's a place where people can explore ideas about race in our world. They do this through art shows, readings, talks, and performances.
TRII often works with other groups and museums. For example, in 2017, they held an event at the Whitney Museum. In 2018, they had an exhibition and events called "On Whiteness" at The Kitchen in New York.
Awards and Honors
Claudia Rankine has won many important awards for her writing:
- 1994: Cleveland State Poetry Prize for Nothing in Nature is Private.
- 2005: Academy Fellowship from the Academy of American Poets for her excellent poetry.
- 2014: National Book Critics Circle Award (Poetry) for Citizen: An American Lyric.
- 2014: Jackson Poetry Prize (from Poets & Writers).
- 2015: PEN/Open Book Award for Citizen.
- 2015: New York Times Bestseller for Citizen: An American Lyric.
- 2015: Los Angeles Times Book Prize in Poetry for Citizen: An American Lyric.
- 2015: NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work in Poetry for Citizen: An American Lyric.
- 2015: Forward Prize for Citizen: An American Lyric.
- 2016: MacArthur Fellowship.
- 2016: United States Artist Zell Fellowship.
- 2016: Bobbitt National Prize for Poetry for Citizen: An American Lyric.
- 2017: Honorary Doctor of Letters from Colgate University.
- 2017: John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship for poetry.
- 2020: Elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
- 2021: Elected an International Writer by the Royal Society of Literature.
See also
In Spanish: Claudia Rankine para niños
- American poetry
- Caribbean literature
- Caribbean poetry
Related media
- Claudia Rankine, Poet – at Blue Flower Arts
- Claudia Rankine poems, essays, and interviews at Poets.org
- Claudia Rankine, "'The Condition of Black Life Is One of Mourning'", The New York Times, June 22, 2015
- Claudia Rankine, "The Meaning of Serena Williams", The New York Times, August 25, 2015
- Claudia Rankine, Amiri Baraka's 'S O S', The New York Times Book Review, February 11, 2015
- Claudia Rankine, Interview with Lauren Berlant in Bomb magazine, Issue 129, October 1, 2014
- Paula Cocozza, "Poet Claudia Rankine: 'The invisibility of black women is astounding'", The Guardian, June 29, 2015
- Situation Videos – video essays on contemporary issues
- Academy of American Poets site – Her site includes an excerpt from Don't Let Me Be Lonely
- PennSound page: audio and video
- The Racial Imaginary Institute - official website
