Robert Hayden facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robert Hayden
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| Born | Asa Bundy Sheffey August 4, 1913 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Died | February 25, 1980 (aged 66) Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S. |
| Occupation | Poet, essayist, and educator |
| Alma mater | Wayne State University (1936) University of Michigan (1944) |
| Notable works | Heart Shape in the Dust, A Ballad of Remembrance |
| Notable awards | Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress (U.S. Poet Laureate), 1976–78 |
| Spouse | Erma Inez Morris |
Robert Hayden (born August 4, 1913 – died February 25, 1980) was an important American poet, essayist, and educator. He held a special job called Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 1976 to 1978. Today, this role is known as the US Poet Laureate. Robert Hayden was the first African-American writer to have this honor.
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Robert Hayden: A Poet's Life
His Early Life
Robert Hayden was born Asa Bundy Sheffey in Detroit, Michigan. His parents, Ruth and Asa Sheffey, separated before he was born. He was raised by a foster family, Sue Ellen Westerfield and William Hayden, who lived next door. He grew up in a part of Detroit called "Paradise Valley".
His childhood was sometimes difficult. He also had severe problems with his eyesight. This meant he could not play sports like other kids. Instead, he loved to read a lot. Reading helped him discover the power of words and stories.
Education and Early Career
Hayden went to Detroit City College, which is now called Wayne State University. He studied Spanish and English. He left college in 1936 during the Great Depression. He then worked for the Works Progress Administration's Federal Writers' Project. Here, he researched black history and folk culture.
In 1938, Hayden left the Federal Writers' Project. He married Erma Morris in 1940. That same year, he published his first book of poems, Heart-Shape in the Dust. In 1941, he enrolled at the University of Michigan. He won a Hopwood Award there for his writing.
Hayden was raised as a Baptist. In the early 1940s, he and his wife joined the Bahá'í Faith. They raised their daughter, Maia, in this religion. Hayden became one of the most well-known Bahá'í poets. His wife, Erma, was a talented pianist and composer.
Teaching and Later Years
While studying for his master's degree, Hayden learned from the famous poet W. H. Auden. Auden taught him a lot about how to write poetry well. After finishing his degree in 1942, Hayden taught at the University of Michigan for several years.
In 1946, he moved to Fisk University, where he taught for 23 years. He returned to the University of Michigan in 1969 to finish his teaching career. He also taught as a visiting poet at other universities.
Robert Hayden believed strongly in the unity of all people. Because of this, he did not support ideas that separated people based on race. He believed that all humans should be treated with respect. He passed away in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on February 25, 1980, at 66 years old.
In 2012, the U.S. Postal Service honored him. They released a set of stamps featuring ten great American poets of the 20th century, and Robert Hayden was one of them.
Robert Hayden's Poetry
His Style and Themes
By the 1960s, a new movement called the Black Arts Movement began. Many young African-American artists wrote protest poems for a black audience. However, Hayden's ideas about poetry were already set. He believed poetry was an art form, not just a way to protest. He thought poetry should explore ideas that connect all people, including social unfairness.
Hayden's poems often talked about the struggles of African Americans. He often used his old neighborhood, Paradise Valley, as a setting. For example, he did this in his poem "Heart-Shape in the Dust." He also used everyday language and folk speech from black communities. He wrote political poems too, including some about the Vietnam War.
About one of his war poems, he said he wanted to show how the terrible things about war were always present. They affected even the most personal moments, like eating meals. Everything was touched by the horror of war.
Hayden wanted to be known as an "American poet," not just a "black poet." This led to some criticism from African-American critics in the 1960s. However, much of his work focused on African-American history, important black figures like Malcolm X, and black communities, especially his home, Paradise Valley.
In 1966, Hayden's poem Ballad of Remembrance won a major award. It received the Grand Prize for Poetry at the first World Festival of Negro Arts in Dakar, Senegal. This festival had over ten thousand people from 37 countries.
Nature in His Poems
Hayden was also known for his nature poems. His work is included in books like Black Nature: Four Centuries of African American Nature Poetry. "A Plague of Starlings" is one of his famous nature poems. "Night-Blooming Cereus" is another example. This poem is written in short, haiku-like sections. Hayden said he was inspired by a trip to Duluth, Minnesota, during the smelt fishing season.
Who Influenced Him?
People often praise Robert Hayden for how well he crafted his poems. They admire his unique viewpoints, his precise language, and his skill with traditional poetry styles. Some of the poets who influenced Hayden include Elinor Wylie, Countee Cullen, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Langston Hughes, Arna Bontemps, John Keats, W. H. Auden, and W. B. Yeats.
His Lasting Impact
In 1975, Hayden was chosen to join the American Academy of Poets. His most famous poem is "Those Winter Sundays." This poem is about memories of a father's love and feeling lonely. It is one of the most popular American poems of the 20th century.
Hayden was offered the position of United States Poet Laureate (then called Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress) before, but he accepted it for 1976–1977 during America's Bicentennial. He served again in 1977–1978, even though his health was not good. He received honorary degrees from Brown University (1976) and Fisk University (1978).
In January 1980, President Jimmy Carter and his wife honored Hayden and other poets at a White House reception. Hayden also worked for ten years as an editor for the Bahá'í journal World Order.
Other well-known poems by Hayden include "The Whipping," "Middle Passage" (inspired by the United States v. The Amistad case), "Runagate, Runagate," and "Frederick Douglass."
