Natasha Trethewey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Natasha Trethewey
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Trethewey reading at the Library of Congress in 2013
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| Born | April 26, 1966 Gulfport, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Occupation | Poet, professor |
| Education | University of Georgia (BA) Hollins University (MA) University of Massachusetts, Amherst (MFA) |
| Genre | Poetry |
| Notable awards | Pulitzer Prize for Poetry 2007 Poet Laureate of Mississippi 2012–2016 United States Poet Laureate 2012–2014 Heinz Award in Arts and Humanities 2017 |
| Spouse | Brett Gadsden |
Natasha Trethewey (born April 26, 1966) is a famous American poet and professor. She was the United States Poet Laureate from 2012 to 2014. This is a special role where a poet is chosen to represent the country.
Natasha Trethewey won the Pulitzer Prize in Poetry in 2007 for her book Native Guard. She was also the Poet Laureate of Mississippi for several years. She teaches English at Northwestern University.
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Early Life and Family
Natasha Trethewey was born in Gulfport, Mississippi, on April 26, 1966. Her parents were Eric Trethewey and Gwendolyn Ann Turnbough. At the time, it was against the law for her parents to marry in Mississippi because they were from different racial backgrounds. So, they traveled to Ohio to get married. This was one year before a big court case, Loving v. Virginia, made such laws illegal across the U.S.
Natasha's mother, Gwendolyn Ann Turnbough, was a social worker. She was a big inspiration for Natasha's poetry book Native Guard. Natasha's parents divorced when she was six. Her mother passed away when Natasha was 19 years old. This difficult time deeply affected Natasha. She later said that she turned to poetry to help her understand what had happened.
Natasha's father, Eric Trethewey, was also a poet and a professor. He was from Canada. Natasha Trethewey is married to a historian named Brett Gadsden.
Natasha Trethewey's Education
Natasha Trethewey studied at several universities. She earned her first degree, a B.A., in English from the University of Georgia. Then, she received a M.A. in English and Creative Writing from Hollins University. She later earned a M.F.A. in poetry from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1995.
She has also received special honorary doctorates from universities. This means they recognized her achievements with a special degree.
Exploring Her Poetry
Natasha Trethewey's poems often mix different styles. She uses free verse, which doesn't have a strict rhythm or rhyme. But she also uses traditional forms like the sonnet (a 14-line poem) and the villanelle (a poem with repeating lines).
Her poems often explore themes of memory and the history of race in America. Her work has appeared in many well-known poetry collections and magazines.
Her first book of poems, Domestic Work (2000), won an important award called the Cave Canem prize. This book looks at the lives and work of Black men and women in the Southern U.S.
Her book Beyond Katrina, published in 2015, tells about the terrible events after Hurricane Katrina hit the Mississippi Gulf Coast. This book shares how her friends, family, and neighbors were affected. She writes about race, memories of her family, and the economic problems caused by the hurricane. She includes her poetry and pictures in the book to help readers understand the events.
The American Civil War often appears in her writing. Natasha was born exactly 100 years after Confederate Memorial Day. She says she couldn't avoid learning about the Civil War and what it meant. For example, her 2006 book Native Guard tells the story of the Louisiana Native Guards. This was an all-Black regiment in the Union Army, made up mostly of former slaves who joined to fight. They even guarded Confederate prisoners of war.
United States Poet Laureate Role
On June 7, 2012, Natasha Trethewey was chosen as the 19th US Poet Laureate. The Librarian of Congress, James Billington, said he was impressed by her poetry. He noted how she mixes her personal stories with historical events, which helps people understand the human side of history.
It was unusual for a poet in the middle of her career to be chosen for this role. Natasha was also the first Poet Laureate to live in Washington, D.C. during her time in the position.
She was appointed for a second term as US Poet Laureate in 2013. During this time, she worked on a project called "Where Poetry Lives" for PBS News Hour. She gave her final lecture as Poet Laureate on May 14, 2014.
Awards and Recognition
Natasha Trethewey has received many awards for her poetry and writing. Some of her most notable awards include:
- 1999: First Annual Cave Canem Foundation Poetry Prize
- 2007: Pulitzer Prize for Poetry
- 2012: Poet Laureate of Mississippi
- 2012: United States Poet Laureate
- 2017: Heinz Award in the Arts and Humanities
- 2020: Bobbitt National Prize for Poetry for Lifetime Achievement
- 2021: Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for Memorial Drive
She has also been recognized by important groups like the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the Academy of American Poets.
