JMU receives Poetry Foundation grant

The Furious Flower Poetry Center at James Madison University recently received a $40,000 grant from the Poetry Foundation.  

The Poetry Foundation, established in 2003 to expand and enhance the presence of poetry in the U.S., noted JMU as one of 54 nonprofit organizations committed to increasing access to poetry and supporting poets.  

Furious Flower Poetry Center Executive Director Lauren K. Alleyne said the grant will be used to support poetry programming, which includes the 2024 Furious Flower conference scheduled for Sept. 18-21.  

“We are very thankful and appreciative of this grant, which will allow us to continue our work ensuring the visibility, inclusion and critical consideration of Black poets in American letters,” Alleyne said. “Of equal importance is the positive impact the funding will have on our students, scholars and our local community,” Alleyne added.  

About the Furious Flower Poetry Center: The nation’s first academic center for Black poetry, the Furious Flower Poetry Center is committed to ensuring the visibility, inclusion, and critical consideration of Black poets in American letters, as well as in the whole range of educational curricula. Our programming seeks to cultivate an appreciation for poetry among students of all levels—from elementary to graduate school and beyond. In addition, Furious Flower seeks to support and promote Black poets at all stages of their careers and to preserve the history of Black poets for future generations.