Black American Icons: Amanda Gorman

Amanda Gorman

(1998 – )

At age 22, Amanda Gorman is the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. History.  She was invited to speak at this year’s Inauguration Ceremonies for the President and Vice-President of the United States and shared her inspiring words at the opening of this year’s Super Bowl.  Born and raised in Los Angeles, Amanda began writing at just a few years of age.  She is an award-winning writer and cum laude graduate of Harvard University, where she studied sociology.  Her words won her numerous invitations long before this year, where she spoke at the Obama White House and performed for Lin-Manuel Miranda, Al Gore, Hillary Clinton, Malala Yousafzai, and many others. Amanda has performed multiple commissioned poems for CBS This Morning and she has spoken at events and venues across the country, including the Library of Congress and Lincoln Center. She has received a Genius Grant from OZY Media, as well as recognition from Scholastic Inc., YoungArts, the Glamour magazine College Women of the Year Awards, and the Webby Awards. She has written for the New York Times newsletter The Edit and penned the manifesto for Nike’s 2020 Black History Month campaign. She is the recipient of the Poets & Writers Barnes & Noble Writers for Writers Award, and is the youngest board member of 826 National, the largest youth writing network in the United States.