Mayor, Detroit ACE and Ford Foundation announce jessica Care moore as new Detroit Poet Laureate

Nationally renown poet and author will join the City’s First Official Historian to share the richness of the City’s culture, literary and historic genius
Position of Poet Laureate made possible through the generosity of the Ford Foundation

Mayor Mike Duggan, along with Arts Culture and Entrepreneurship Director Rochelle Riley and the Ford Foundation today introduced renowned poet jessica Care moore as the city’s new Detroit Poet Laureate. A lifelong Detroiter, moore is an award-winning poet and activist, as well as a new filmmaker.

She is the founder and producer of Black WOMEN Rock! - Daughters of Betty, a 20-year-old rock concert designed to empower women. She also is the founder of The Moore Art House, a nonprofit dedicated to improving literacy through the arts across the city. Her publishing house, Moore Black Press, has published Saul Williams, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, asha bandele, and Danny Simmons. In 2024, she will publish their first poetry and spoken word audiobooks through an imprint deal with HarperCollins.

The position of Poet Laureate is sponsored by the generosity of The Ford Foundation, which also is sponsoring the City's first Composer Laureate, which will be announced in June. The Foundation also sponsors the first-ever City Historian position the Mayor created in 2021. The announcement comes during National Poetry Month, which was established in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets to celebrate the wealth of emotion, humor and human experience found in poetry. Held every April, it is the largest literary celebration in the world.

“jessica is a rare and gifted poet with a unique voice that has been shaped by her life experiences here in Detroit,” said Mayor Duggan. “She is an example of the incredible creative talent we have here in our city. Her work has reached audiences around the world, and I’m so proud to name her our city’s Poet Laureate.”

Poet Laureate pic1 — Mayor Duggan joins Poet Laureate jesscia Care moore and Kevin Ryan from the Ford Foundation.

moore fills the shoes of Detroit’s longtime poet laureate, the late nationally renowned Naomi Long Madgett, a teacher, award-winning poet and founder and senior editor of Lotus Press, which she established in 1972 to publish poetry books by black poets. Known as "the godmother of African-American poetry,” she was the Detroit poet laureate from 2001 until her death in November 2020.

“I am honored and absolutely moved to be appointed Detroit Poet Laureate. Naomi Long Madgett was a mentor, guide & inspiration,” said moore. “I take this role seriously and I will continue to make an important & necessary impact in my city. We must uplift poetry & increase literacy & access to the arts. Our young people deserve it. Poems save lives, poems inspire. Poems are all over our beautiful city. I am honored & humbled to represent Detroit and look forward to pushing our city into the national spotlight in the tradition of great poets & writers that came before me.”

Unlike previous Poet Laureates, jessica will compose poems for special events and occasions as well as make poetry real for Detroit residents, especially children. The first U.S. poet laureate actually was a consultant, whose position was established by Congress in 1985. The original duties were like that of a reference librarian and resident scholar in poetry and literature. The position gradually placed less emphasis on developing the Library's collections and more on organizing local poetry readings, lectures, conferences, and outreach programs.

Poet Laureate pic2 — New Detroit Poet Laureate, jessica Care moore, powerfully delivers one of her original poems.

Specifically, the Detroit Poet Laureate will: 

Plan and lead poetry-centered events across the city.
Give an annual address to the City at the Detroit Public Library 
Participate in programs that reflect and honor the diversity of Detroit. 
Write a singular poem for year-end presentation.

“We at the Ford Foundation believe that the arts bring vibrancy and pride to cities – and we love seeing great homegrown artists like jessica Care moore recognized for the beauty and brilliance she has given to Detroit,” said Kevin Ryan, Senior Program Officer for Civic Engagement and Government at the Ford Foundation.

Poet Laureate pic3 — ACE Director, Rochelle Riley, acknowledges and thanks Ford Foundation for their generosity.

In 2023, jessica became the new voice of Pure Michigan, and was commissioned to write a series of visual poems to celebrate our city and state. And her poem, “I Am Detroit Summer” got glowing reviews from Detroiters everywhere because it celebrated the fantastic, working-class people in our city. Also in 2023, jessica was invited by the family of Malcolm X to read her work at the Shabazz Center, alongside Angela Davis and Civil Rights Attorney Benjamin Crump.

In 2022, Gucci commissioned her to write the poem, “We Wear The Working Day” as a homage to Detroiters and our unique work ethic and style. One stanza of the poem graced the side of the Siren Hotel for an entire year.

Selection Process

The Detroit Poet Laureate was chosen through a rigorous application process that focused on 10 years of work and accomplishment.

The selection panel represented a diverse array of literary leaders. They were:

Nandi Comer, Michigan Poet Laureate: The author of two collections of poetry and a Co-Director of Detroit Lit.
Jo Anne G. Mondowney, Executive Director at Detroit Public Library: Who has been in charge of the 2.6 million print, audio, video and electronic collection since 2009. She is the author of Hold Them in Your Heart: Successful Strategies for Library Services to At-Risk Teens.
Alise Aloui, Director of School and Community Partnerships at InsideOut Literary Arts: The author of the poetry collection, What to Count, has worked for more than two decades at InsideOut Literary Arts in Detroit and is a recipient of a 2019 Kresge Literary Arts Fellowship.
Bill Harris, 2011 Kresge Eminent Artist & noted poet: An Emeritus Professor of English at Wayne State University and 2011 Kresge Eminent Artist for his contributions to the Detroit literary scene.
Arzelia Willams, Detroit Spoken Word Poet: Born and bred in the heart of Detroit, Arzelia Williams is a thriving communications professional and spoken word poet with dual degrees from Michigan State University.
Hasan Elahi, Dean of College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts, Wayne State University: A Guggenheim Fellow and recipient of the Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Award, is an artist whose work examines issues of surveillance, citizenship, migration, transport and the challenges of borders and frontiers.
M.L Liebler, Senior Lecturer at Wayne State University and noted poet: An internationally known and widely published Detroit poet, university professor, literary arts activist and arts organizer, who has authored 15 books and, in 2005, was named the first Poet Laureate of St. Clair Shores (his hometown).

As the City’s Office of Arts, Culture and Entrepreneurship focuses on the performing arts in 2024, “literary arts, music, theatre and dance will be a big part of that,” said Rochelle Riley, Director of Arts and Culture.