Thomas Sayers Ellis Biography

Photographer and poet Thomas Sayers Ellis have won awards for his work. Graywolf Press released his first complete collection, The Maverick Room, in 2005. For it, he was honored with the 2006 John C. Zacharis First Book Award and the Mrs. Giles Whiting Writers' Award. A combination of chaos and control through the pure and uncomplicated force of words, the compilation is "characterized by inner-city youth culture intensity that is part lyrical narrative part "Parliament-Funkadelic"" (Midwest Review). Skin Inc.: Identity Repair Poems, his most recent book, contains his own pictures (Graywolf 2010). He also wrote The Genuine Negro Hero (Kent State University Press 2001), The Good Junk (Take Three #1 Graywolf 1996), and the chapbook Song On (WinteRed Press 2005). The University of Michigan Press Poets on Poetry Series is releasing His Breakfast and Blackfist: Notes for Black Poets soon. He contributes as an editor to the magazine's Poets and Writers and Callaloo. Mr. Ellis received an MFA from Brown University in 1995 before helping to co-found The Dark Room Collective in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1988. Numerous publications and anthologies, such as Poetry, Grand Street, Tin House, Ploughshares, and Best American Poetry 1997–2001–2010, have included his writing. The Fine Arts Work Center, The Ohio Arts Council, Yaddo, and The MacDowell Colony have all awarded him fellowships and awards. He received a Guggenheim grant for poetry in 2015. As Elizabeth Alexander and The Poetry Foundation worked together with photographer Ellis to produce the virtual Washington, DC poetry tour. He teaches creative writing as an assistant professor at Sarah Lawrence College and on the faculty of the low-residency MFA program at Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

As a renowned expert and highly sought-after speaker, Thomas Sayers Ellis's expertise is in high demand. To book Thomas Sayers Ellis for your next event, conference, or workshop, please contact our speaker booking agency. Our experienced team will work closely with you to understand your specific needs and help secure Thomas Sayers Ellis's participation. With our professional guidance and seamless booking process, you can ensure a memorable and impactful experience for your audience. Don't miss the opportunity to engage your audience with Thomas Sayers Ellis's compelling insights and inspire positive change within your organization. Fill out the booking request form to take the first step in securing Thomas Sayers Ellis for your next speaking engagement.