In Memoriam

Lucille Sayles Clifton (1936-2010)

Lucille Clifton, the first African American to serve as poet laureate of Maryland, has died at Johns Hopkins University Hospital after a long battle with cancer. She was 73 years old.

Clifton, who published 11 collections of poetry and 20 children’s books, was twice nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and in 2001 won the National Book Award.

Clifton attended Howard University but dropped out after two years to concentrate on writing her poetry. In the early 1970s, she served as poet-in-residence at what is now Coppin State University in Baltimore. She later taught at St. Mary’s College in Maryland and at Columbia University. Clifton held honorary doctorates from Dartmouth College, Fisk University, and several other universities.

Richard Allen Carroll Sr.

Richard A. Carroll Sr., professor emeritus of English at Spelman College, died earlier this month in Atlanta. He began teaching at Spelman in 1964 and retired in 1987 as the Fuller E. Callaway Professor of English. He also served as an editor of the College Language Association Journal. Dr. Carroll’s wife, Evelyn, is a retired professor of education at Spelman.

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