Obama Chooses Inaugural Poet

[ January 20, 2009 Update: Elizabeth Alexander's Inaugural Poem, "Praise Song for the Day" text ]

Prize-winning poet Elizabeth Alexander will read at the swearing in of President-elect Barack Obama next month. According to government officials, Alexander will be the fourth poet in history to read at a presidential inauguration. Robert Frost started the tradition when he read at the inauguration of John F. Kennedy in 1961. Since then, Bill Clinton asked Maya Angelou to read at his inauguration in 1993 and Miller Williams to read at his second inauguration in 1997.

Learn more about Elizabeth Alexander at www.elizabethalexander.net