Poetry center Cave Canem will receive the 2016 Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community from the National Book Foundation.
The organization will receive the award at the 67th National Book Awards Ceremony and Benefit Dinner in New York on November 16, 2016. The honor is a lifetime of achievement given to those that expand the audience for books and reading. This is the first year that the award will go to an organization rather than an individual.
Poets Toi Derricotte and Cornelius Eady established Cave Canem 20 years ago to create a place for African-American poets to work.
“Cave Canem’s innovative and effective literary activism has been transformative to the world of letters,” stated Lisa Lucas, executive director of the National Book Foundation. “Their ongoing commitment to provide supportive channels for African American poets to thrive has yielded works that enrich the world’s literary culture. The National Book Foundation is proud to recognize Cave Canem as a champion of diverse voices and a leader in this movement.”