Born: 30 May 1962, United States
Died: NA
Country most active: United States
Also known as: NA
The following is republished from the National Endowment for the Arts. This piece falls under under public domain, as copyright does not apply to “any work of the U.S. Government” where “a work prepared by an officer or employee of the U.S. Government as part of that person’s official duties” (See, 17 U.S.C. §§ 101, 105).
Dr. Elizabeth Alexander, President, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
Elizabeth Alexander is a poet, scholar, and cultural advocate who currently serves as president of the Mellon Foundation, the largest funder of the arts, culture, and humanities in the United States. A nationally recognized thought leader on race, justice, and American society, her most recent book is The Trayvon Generation, and she has twice been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Dr. Alexander composed and delivered the poem “Praise Song for the Day” for President Barack Obama’s 2009 inauguration, and among her many honors, she has been recognized as one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People.