California

Current Laureate:
Al Young

Start of Term:
May 12, 2005

Position History:
The unofficial position of poet laureate was established with the appointment of Ina Donna Coolbrith on June 30, 1915. The official position of Poet Laureate of California was created by Assemblymember Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills) under Assembly Bill 113, and was signed in 2001 by Governor Gray Davis. While the unofficial position carried a lifetime appointment, current laureates are appointed to two-year terms. After Quincy Troupe resigned from the position in 2002 for falsifying information on his resume, the position remained vacant until the appointment of Al Young by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on May 12, 2005.

Additional information on the history of the position and the appointment of Quincy Troupe as the first official laureate can be found online through a press release from California Arts Council.

Previous Laureates:
Ina Donna Coolbrith (1915-1928)
Henry Meade Bland (1929-1931)
John Steven McGroarty (1933-1944)
Gordon W. Norris (1953-1961)
Charles B. Garrigus (1966-2000)
Quincy Troupe (2002)

Additional information on previous California poets laureate can be found online through the Ready Reference Files of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries.

Further Resources:
Publications by Al Young in the Library's online catalog.

Next State >>>