Frank X Walker is a man who did not want African American writers to be an exception in the Appalachian literary world. He made it so young African American writers from all backgrounds, through hard work and determination, could become exceptional at what they did. His aim is to show that there are African American people in the Appalachia and they are an active, working, artistic part of the region. I became interested in researching Frank X Walker because I am a writer, also.
Biography
- Born Frank Walker Jr. on June 11, 1961 in Danville, Kentucky
- Parents are Faith and Frank Walker
- Has nine siblings
- Created the term, "Affrilachia" in 1991, which describes African Americans in the Appalachia
- Leader of the Affrilachian Poets Movement
- Author of five collections of poetry
- Founder of the Bluegrass Black Arts Consortium
- University of Kentucky Alumni
- Earned MFA at Spalding University
- Director of UK's African American and Africana Studies
- Associate English Professor at UK
- Former Executive Director of Kentucky Governor's School
- Founder of the Affrilachian Poets
- Created "Pluck!" in 2007, a journal about Affrilachian art and culture
Awards
- Al Smith Fellowship Recipient
- Won the Jesse Stuart Award for his documentary, Coal Black Voices, in 2003
- The Lannan Literary Fellowship in 2005
- The Lillian Smith Book Award
- The 2006 Thomas D. Clark Literary Award for
Excellence
- The Appalachian Heritage Writer's Award in 2013
- 2013-14 Kentucky Poet Laureate--youngest and first African American
"I have accepted the responsibility of challenging the notion of a homogeneous all-white literary landscape in this region."--Frank X Walker