Joy Harjo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joy Harjo
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | Joy Harjo May 9, 1951 Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Pen name | Joy Harjo-Sapulpa |
| Occupation | Author, poet, performer, educator, United States Poet Laureate |
| Nationality | Muscogee Nation, American |
| Education | University of New Mexico (BA) University of Iowa (MFA) |
| Genre | Poetry, non-fiction, fiction |
| Literary movement | Native American Renaissance |
| United States Poet Laureate | |
| In office 2019–2022 |
|
| Preceded by | Tracy K. Smith |
| Succeeded by | Ada Limón |
Joy Harjo (born May 9, 1951) is a famous American poet, musician, and writer. She made history as the first Native American to be named the United States Poet Laureate. This is a very special honor for a poet in the U.S. She even served three terms, which is quite rare! Joy Harjo is a proud citizen of the Muscogee Nation.
She is a key figure in the "Native American Renaissance." This was a time when many Native American writers gained recognition. Joy Harjo studied at the Institute of American Indian Arts. She also earned degrees from the University of New Mexico and the University of Iowa.
Besides writing, Harjo has taught at many universities. She performs her poetry and music all over the world. She has released seven music albums. Joy Harjo has written ten books of poetry. She has also written three children's books. These include The Good Luck Cat, For a Girl Becoming, and Remember.
She has received many important awards for her work. These include the 2024 Frost Medal and the 2023 Bollingen Prize for American Poetry. She has also been inducted into several Halls of Fame. These include the National Women's Hall of Fame.
Her special project as U.S. Poet Laureate was called Living Nations, Living Words. It created a map of the U.S. with poems from Native Nations poets.
Contents
Joy Harjo's Early Life and Education
Joy Harjo was born on May 9, 1951, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Her father was a citizen of the Muscogee Nation. Her mother had Irish, French, and Cherokee roots. Joy Harjo is an enrolled citizen of the Muscogee Nation.
Her family's creativity greatly inspired her work. She wrote her first poem when she was in eighth grade. At 16, Harjo went to the Institute of American Indian Arts. This was a boarding school in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She loved painting and found it helped her express herself. Her great-aunt, Lois Harjo Ball, was also a painter.
Harjo first studied to become a doctor at the University of New Mexico. But she changed her major to art after her first year. Later, she switched to creative writing. She was inspired by Native American writers like Simon J. Ortiz. Her first book of poems, The Last Song, came out in 1975. She earned her Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing in 1978.
Joy Harjo's Amazing Career
Joy Harjo has taught at many universities across the United States. She has shared her knowledge with many students. One of her students was Deb Haaland, who later became a Congresswoman.
Harjo is also a talented musician. She plays the alto saxophone with her band, Poetic Justice. She has also edited literary journals and written screenplays. She performs her music and poetry solo or with her band.
In 2019, Joy Harjo was named the United States Poet Laureate. This is a very high honor for a poet. She was the first Native American to receive this appointment. She was also the second Poet Laureate to serve three terms. In 2022, she became the first artist-in-residence for the Bob Dylan Center.
Harjo has been inducted into many important groups. These include the National Women's Hall of Fame. She is also in the National Native American Hall of Fame.
Her Literature and Performances
Joy Harjo has written many poems, books, and plays. Her work often explores themes like finding yourself and social justice. She also writes about the power of art.
Harjo uses Native American storytelling in her work. She believes that written words are like "fixed orality." This means they capture spoken stories. She tells stories, sings, and uses her voice to connect with her audience. When she reads poetry, she often starts with a sound, like a song.
Her first book of poems, The Last Song, came out in 1975. She has written ten books of poetry since then. Her book An American Sunrise won an Oklahoma Book Award. Her memoir, Crazy Brave, also won several awards.
She has written three award-winning children's books. She has also worked on anthologies of writing by Native Nations writers. An anthology is a collection of writings. She was the editor of Living Nations, Living Words. This book goes with her Poet Laureate project.
Her poetry is even on a NASA spacecraft called LUCY! This spacecraft was launched in 2021.
Joy Harjo's Music Journey
Joy Harjo has released seven music albums. These albums feature her own music and music by other Native American artists. Her first album was Letter From the End of the Twentieth Century.
She has won many awards for her music. She won a Native American Music Award for Best Female Artist of the Year in 2008. This was for her album Winding Through the Milky Way. Her newest album, I Pray for My Enemies, came out in 2021.
Harjo performs with her saxophone and flutes. She often calls her band the Arrow Dynamics Band. She has performed in many countries. She believes that playing music with her poems helps her connect with listeners. She feels it reaches their hearts in a special way.
Her Activism and Voice
Joy Harjo also writes and speaks about important issues. She talks about U.S. politics and Native American affairs. She is an active member of the Muscogee Nation. She uses her poetry to be "a voice of the Indigenous people."
Her poems often explore how colonization has affected Native Americans. She also writes about violence against women. She believes her work helps people understand these issues.
Harjo's work often reflects her Muskogee/Creek background. She shares her culture's values, myths, and beliefs. She wants readers to understand past wrongs. She believes in unity among all living things. She thinks we are most human when we see these connections. Harjo also works for equality for Native American women.
Joy Harjo's Personal Life
Joy Harjo has two children. She raised them as a single mother. She is married to Owen Chopoksa Sapulpa. She is also a stepmother to his children.
Awards and Honors
Joy Harjo has received many awards throughout her career. Here are some of them:
- 1976: Awards in Drawing, University of New Mexico
- 1978: National Endowment for the Arts Creative Writing Fellowships
- 1991: American Book Award for In Mad Love and War
- 1995: Lifetime Achievement Award from the Native Writers Circle of The Americas
- 1997: New Mexico Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts
- 2001: Writer of the Year for children's books, for The Good Luck Cat
- 2003: Oklahoma Book Award for Poetry for How We Became Human
- 2009: Native American Music Award for Best Female Artist of the Year
- 2013: PEN USA Literary Award for Crazy Brave
- 2015: Wallace Stevens Award in Poetry
- 2017: Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize
- 2019: United States Poet Laureate
- 2020: Oklahoma Book Award for An American Sunrise
- 2021: Inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame
- 2021: Inducted into the Native American Hall of Fame
- 2022: Inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame
- 2023: Bollingen Prize for American Poetry
- 2023: Harper Lee Award
- 2024: Frost Medal from the Poetry Society of America
She has also received many honorary doctoral degrees from universities.
Joy Harjo's Works
Music Albums
- Letter from the End of the Twentieth Century (2003)
- Native Joy for Real (2004)
- She Had Some Horses (2006)
- Winding Through the Milky Way (2008)
- Red Dreams, A Trail Beyond Tears (2010)
- I Pray For My Enemies (2021)
Singles
- This America (2011)
Images for kids
-
Harjo photographed by the Library of Congress in 2019, upon her nomination as Poet Laureate
See also
In Spanish: Joy Harjo para niños
- List of writers from peoples indigenous to the Americas
- Native American Studies
