Kenwood in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Gwendolyn Brooks: The Oracle of Bronzeville
Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, December 6, 2021
1. Gwendolyn Brooks: The Oracle of Bronzeville Marker
Gwendolyn Brooks: The Oracle of Bronzeville
June 7, 1917 - December 3, 2000
Margot McMahon
Pulitzer Prize in Poetry (1950)
American Academy of Arts and Letters (1976)
Poet Laureate of the United States (1985)
National Women's Hall of Fame (1988)
Robert Frost Medal (1989)
National Endowment for the Humanities, Jefferson Lecturer (1994)
National Medal of Arts (1995)
Illinois Poet Laureate (1968 - 2000)
Chicago Literary Hall of Fame (2010)
Erected 2018 by Chicago Park District, Chicago Literary Hall of Fame, The Poetry Foundation.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Arts, Letters, Music • Women. A significant historical date for this entry is December 3, 2000.
Location. 41° 48.703′ N, 87° 35.994′ W. Marker is in Chicago, Illinois, in Cook County. It is in Kenwood. Marker can be reached from South Greenwood Avenue near East 46th Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4542 South Greenwood Avenue, Chicago IL 60653, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Kenwood United Church of Christ (within shouting distance of this marker); Louis Henry Sullivan (approx. ¼ mile away); McKinley Morganfield "Muddy Waters" (approx. 0.3
this page online
More about this marker. The Gwendolyn Brooks bust and marker are located in the middle of Gwendolyn Brooks Park.
Also see . . .
1. Gwendolyn Brooks (AfricanAmericanPoetry.org, Lift Every Voice).
"Like her predecessor and mentor Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn Brooks was one of the twentieth century’s most gifted and prolific American poets. Brooks was the first African American writer to win the Pulitzer Prize, the winner of several lifetime achievement awards, and a holder of more than fifty honorary degrees."(Submitted on December 15, 2021.)
2. Gwendolyn Brooks (Wikipedia).
"Gwendolyn Elizabeth Brooks (June 7, 1917 – December 3, 2000) was an American poet, author, and teacher. Her work often dealt with the personal celebrations and(Submitted on December 15, 2021.)struggles of ordinary people in her community. She won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry on May 1, 1950, for Annie Allen,[1] making her the first African American to receive a Pulitzer Prize.Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, December 6, 20212. Gwendolyn Brooks: The Oracle of Bronzeville - bust and marker
Throughout her prolific writing career, Brooks received many more honors. A lifelong resident of Chicago, she was appointed Poet Laureate of Illinois in 1968, a position she held until her death 32 years later. She was also named the Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress for the 1985–86 term. In 1976, she became the first African-American woman inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters."
Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, December 6, 2021
3. Gwendolyn Brooks: The Oracle of Bronzeville bust and marker - wide view
The wooden structure to the rear of the bust is, according to the Chicago Park District, "a porch modeled after the poet's childhood writing spot".
Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, December 6, 2021
4. Gwendolyn Brooks Bronzeville Walk of Fame plaque
The plaque is just north of East 35th Street on S King Jr Drive.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 15, 2021, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 223 times since then and 43 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on December 15, 2021, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. 4. submitted on December 25, 2021, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.
