Joy Bale Boone facts for kids

Joy Bale Boone (born October 29, 1912 – died October 3, 2002) was an American poet. She was famous for her strong support of the arts. Joy also worked hard for equal rights for women throughout her life. Although she was born in Chicago, Illinois, Joy Bale Boone spent most of her life in Kentucky.

Joy Bale Boone's Early Life and Career

Joy Bale Boone became interested in poetry when she was very young. As a girl, she went to the Chicago Latin School. Later, she attended the Roycemore School for girls. A poet named Harriet Monroe inspired Joy when she was a child. Harriet lived only a few blocks away.

Moving to Kentucky and Starting a Career

Joy Bale Boone moved to Kentucky to start her writing career. This happened after she met her husband, Shelby Garnett Bale. They met in Chicago while he was studying medicine at Northwestern University. They got married in 1934. For the first few years of their marriage, they lived in New York and Louisville. This was while Shelby finished his medical training.

Working for Change and Publishing

In 1944, Joy Boone started the League of Women Voters in Hardin County, Kentucky. She was its first president. This group helps people understand politics and encourages them to vote. Her first job in Kentucky was in 1945. She reviewed books for the Louisville Courier-Journal newspaper.

In 1964, Joy Boone created a literary magazine called Approaches. She was the editor of this magazine until 1975. She also edited two collections of poems called Contemporary Poetry in 1964 and 1967.

Joy Bale Boone's Famous Works

Joy Bale Boone had many of her poems published. Her most important work was The Storm's Eye: A Narrative in Verse Celebrating Cassius Marcellus Clay, Man of Freedom 1810–1903. She also published two collections of her own poems:

• Never Less Than Love (1972)
• Even Without Love (1992)

Awards and Recognition

Joy Boone received several important awards for her work.

• In 1974, she got the Distinguished Kentuckian Award from KET (Kentucky Educational Television).
• In 1969, she received the Sullivan Award from the University of Kentucky.
• In 1997, she was given a special honor. She was named the Poet Laureate of Kentucky. This means she was recognized as the state's official poet.

Family Life and Later Years

Joy Boone lived most of her life in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. She lived there with her first husband, Dr. Shelby Garnett Bale. They had four sons and two daughters. Shelby Garnett Bale (Senior) passed away in 1972.

In 1975, Joy Boone married George Street Boone from Elkton. After they married, she lived for many years in Elkton, Kentucky. She continued to write and actively support the arts in Kentucky.

Joy Bale Boone passed away in Glasgow, Kentucky on October 3, 2002. She was 89 years old.

Joy Bale Boone's Dedication to the Arts

Joy Bale Boone spent her life helping the arts grow. She served on many groups and boards. She hoped that more people could experience art and literature, just like she did.

Helping Libraries and Education

She was the President of the Friends of Kentucky Libraries. In this role, she helped start the bookmobile. This is a special vehicle that still delivers books to people who cannot go to the library.

She also served on many other important boards and committees, including:

• The Kentucky Educational Television Advisory Board
• The Kentucky Council on Higher Education (now called the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education)
• The Editorial Board of the University Press of Kentucky
• The Kentucky Humanities Council
• Chair of the Robert Penn Warren Committee at Western Kentucky University
• Board member of the Robert Penn Warren Circle at Duke University
• Director of the Thomas Clark Foundation of the University Press of Kentucky
• The Gaines Center for the Humanities at the University of Kentucky