Frank X Walker, a writer and teacher is Kentucky’s 2013-14 Poet Laureate. He is the first black writer to receive the honor. Walker was born and grew up in Danville, KY, the second of ten children. He was an avid reader as a child. He describes himself as both a “nerd” and an athlete in his teenage years. At Danville High School, he played football and was a member of several clubs, and was twice elected class president. He was recruited to attend the University of Kentucky in engineering, but changed his major to English. Gurney Norman was one of his writing teachers at UK, where he received his undergraduate degree. Walker is a charter and life member of the Mu Theta chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity. It was during his college years that he adopted the middle initial “X”, a nickname given to him by friends. He completed an MFA in Writing at Spalding University
Walker, who created the term Affrilachia to unify Appalachian and African-American culture and history, hopes to be a role model for kids from humble backgrounds. “I want to remind them that books are important, developing and using their creativity is important. Everybody is creative, they just need the tools to harness and control their creativity,” said Walker, 51, who is also the youngest Kentuckian to be named Poet Laureate. “I grew up in the projects in Danville so I want to tell them, ‘Your circumstance is not an excuse.’ If you commit to something, if you work hard, and if you have discipline, you can accomplish anything.”
Today, he is a Professor in the UK Department of English and director of the African-American and Africana studies program. He is founder and director of Affrilachian Poets and is founding editor and publisher of PLUCK!, the new journal of
Affrilachian art and culture.
An established playwright, Walker has published five volumes of poetry. Buffalo Dance: The Journey of York won the 2004 Lillian Smith Book Award. Walker’s poems have been converted into a stage production by the University of Kentucky Theatre department. Walker has served as founder/Executive Director of the Bluegrass Black Arts Consortium, the Program Coordinator of the University of Kentucky‘s King Cultural Center, and the Assistant Director of Purdue University‘s Black Cultural Center. He regularly teaches in writing programs like Fishtrap in Oregon and SplitRock at the University of Minnesota.