Juneteenth Poetry Tribute to Jupiter Hammon

The Caribbean American Poetry Association (CAPA) is partnering with Preservation Long Island to celebrate June as National Caribbean American Heritage Month and to recognize Juneteenth!  This year, the celebration will focus on the legacy of Jupiter Hammon, recognized as the first enslaved poet to be published in the United States. Headlining, will be Dr. Linda Michelle Baron, Hempstead Long Island Poet Laureate, author, educator and motivational speaker; and Keisha-Gaye Anderson, poet and visual artist; and Yasmin Morais, Harvard law librarian, poet and blogger.

As part of the effort to highlight Hammon’s work and legacy, Long Island students will submit and recite original commemorative poems. Thus, the event will serve as a platform for young voices to explore themes of liberty, resistance, and the power of writing—concepts that resonate deeply with Hammon’s writings.  The entry deadline for students’ poetry is June 1, 2025.

The Poetic Tribute to Jupiter Hammon is funded in part by Poets & Writers with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.