Kwame Dawes

Poet, playwright, novelist and teacher, Professor Kwame Dawes was recently awarded the 2012 Guggenheim Fellowship for Poetry. One of the most prestigious fellowships in the world it was established in 1925 and intended for men and women who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship and exceptional creativity in the arts.

The Guggenheim award comes on heels of Dawes being presented with the Barnes and Noble 2012 Writers for Writers Award in April 2012 and an Emmy Award in 2009. Among his numerous accolades as a proud Jamaican his 2004 Silver Musgrave Medal from the Institute of Jamaica holds special significance.

Dawes is currently the editor of the acclaimed literary journal Prairie Schooner and the Chancellor’s professor of English at the University of Nebraska.

Kwame Dawe’s numerous books include the novel She’s Gone, musical biography Bob Marley: Lyrical Genius and the memoir A Far Cry from Plymouth Rock. Wheels (2011) is the latest of his 16 volumes of poetry. Dawes is also the editor of many other volumes such as the poetry anthologies So Much Things to Say and Jubilation!. Dawes founded the Calabash International Literary Festival Trust in 2001 along with Colin Channer and Justine Henzell.

More information on Calabash can be found at ww.calabashfestival.org