South Carolina Poet Laureate
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The South Carolina Poet Laureate is the
poet laureate A poet laureate (plural: poets laureate) is a poet officially appointed by a government or conferring institution, typically expected to compose poems for special events and occasions. Albertino Mussato of Padua and Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch) ...
for the state of
South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...
. , the position was vacant following the resignation of Marjory Heath Wentworth after 17 years in the post. No term of office is set by law. Laureates are appointed by the
Governor of South Carolina The governor of South Carolina is the head of government of South Carolina. The governor is the '' ex officio'' commander-in-chief of the National Guard when not called into federal service. The governor's responsibilities include making year ...
.


History

The position was created by a joint resolution of the
South Carolina General Assembly The South Carolina General Assembly, also called the South Carolina Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of South Carolina. The legislature is bicameral and consists of the lower South Carolina House of Representatives and t ...
in 1934. The term of office is not officially set, but generally it has been a life-time appointment. Governor
Richard Wilson Riley Richard Wilson Riley (born January 2, 1933) is an American politician, the United States Secretary of Education under President Bill Clinton and the 111th governor of South Carolina. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Riley is the only De ...
changed this some during his term of office, limiting the laureateship to one-year terms.


Responsibilities

The position was not given any clear, specific duties. The honorarium of the position was only $ 1,200 by 1984. However, this honorarium was cut by Governor
Mark Sanford Marshall Clement "Mark" Sanford Jr. (born May 28, 1960) is an American politician and author who served as the U.S. Representative for South Carolina's 1st congressional district from 1995 to 2001 and again from 2013 to 2019, and also as the ...
in 2003 when Wentworth agreed to serve without the pay.


List of poets laureate

Prior to the official creation of the position in 1934,
William Gilmore Simms William Gilmore Simms (April 17, 1806 – June 11, 1870) was an American writer and politician from the American South who was a "staunch defender" of slavery. A poet, novelist, and historian, his ''History of South Carolina'' served as the defin ...
had been often recognized as South Carolina's poet laureate. The following is a list of official South Carolina poets laureate. *
Archibald Rutledge Archibald Hamilton Rutledge (1883–1973) was an American poet and educator, the first South Carolina poet laureate from 1934 to 1973. He wrote over 50 books and many poems, usually about his hunting and life experiences in South Carolina. Biogra ...
(1934–1973; appointed by
Ibra Charles Blackwood Ibra Charles Blackwood (November 21, 1878February 12, 1936) was the 97th Governor of South Carolina from 1931 to 1935. Biography Born in rural Spartanburg County, South Carolina, Blackwood studied at Furman University preparatory school and o ...
) * Helen von Kolnitz Hyer (1974–1983; appointed by
John C. West John Carl West Sr. (August 27, 1922 – March 21, 2004) was an American Democratic Party politician who served as the 109th governor of South Carolina from 1971 to 1975. From 1977 to 1981, he was the United States ambassador to Saudi Arabia ...
) *
Ennis Rees Ennis Samuel Rees, Jr. (March 17, 1925 – March 24, 2009) was an American poet and professor. He was named by Governor Richard Wilson Riley as the third South Carolina Poet Laureate from 1984 to 1985. Biography Early life and education Rees ...
(1984–1985; appointed by
Richard Wilson Riley Richard Wilson Riley (born January 2, 1933) is an American politician, the United States Secretary of Education under President Bill Clinton and the 111th governor of South Carolina. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Riley is the only De ...
) *
Grace Beacham Freeman Grace Beacham Freeman (February 18, 1916 – October 28, 2002) was an American poet, columnist, short story writer and educator. She wrote a syndicated column "At Our House" from 1954 to 1964 and was named by Governor Richard Wilson Riley as th ...
(1985–1986; appointed by Richard Wilson Riley) * Bennie Lee Sinclair (1986–2000; appointed by Richard Wilson Riley) * Marjory Heath Wentworth (2003–2020; appointed by
Mark Sanford Marshall Clement "Mark" Sanford Jr. (born May 28, 1960) is an American politician and author who served as the U.S. Representative for South Carolina's 1st congressional district from 1995 to 2001 and again from 2013 to 2019, and also as the ...
)


See also

*
Poet laureate A poet laureate (plural: poets laureate) is a poet officially appointed by a government or conferring institution, typically expected to compose poems for special events and occasions. Albertino Mussato of Padua and Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch) ...
*
List of U.S. states' poets laureate Many of the states in the United States have established the post of poet laureate to which a prominent poet residing in the respective state is appointed. The responsibilities of the state poets laureate are similar to those of the Poet Laureat ...
*
United States Poet Laureate The Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress—commonly referred to as the United States Poet Laureate—serves as the official poet of the United States. During their term, the poet laureate seeks to raise the national cons ...


References

{{Global Poets Laureate, state=autocollapse 1934 establishments in South Carolina American Poets Laureate