Born in 1952 in Akron, Ohio, Rita Dove is the first African American to be named Poet Laureate of the United States, and held that post from 1993-1995.

Although she began writing plays and stories as a little girl, she became interested in a literature career after attending a writer's conference with her high school teacher.

While still in high school, she was invited to the White House as a Presidential Scholar.

She was a Fulbright Scholar in West Germany, and did graduate work at the University of Iowa.

Her poetry began appearing in magazines in 1974. Dove has published five volumes of her poetry, a book of short stories and a novel.

She was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for 'Thomas and Beulah" (1986), a collection of poetry based on the lives of her grandparents.

For about the last ten years Dove has taught creative writing.

Currently, she is professor of English at the University of Virginia and lives in Charlottesville, with her husband and daughter.