Joy Harjo

1951 – 20??

Joy Harjo is an American poet, musician, and playwright who served three terms as the 23rd United States Poet Laureate from 2019 to 2022, becoming the first Native American to hold the position. A citizen of the Muscogee Nation, she has published a dozen books of poetry that center Indigenous voices, history, and resilience, and has performed her work as a saxophonist with her own bands across decades. Her honors include the Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize, the Wallace Stevens Award, and election to the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

Last checked: May 10, 2026, 6:06 PM