October is National Book Month, celebrated and promoted by the National Book Foundation. The nonprofit organization was established in 1989 to foster appreciation of great writing in America. The foundation sponsors the National Book Awards annually, as well as public and educational programs.
This year, the foundation will present its 2016 Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community to Cave Canem, the first time an organization has been chosen as the recipient.
This is the twelfth year that the Foundation has presented the Literarian Award, which traditionally goes to an individual for lifetime achievement in expanding the audience for books and reading.
Cave Canem is a non-profit literary service organization with headquarters in Brooklyn, N.Y. that is known as a home for African-American poets.
“The National Book Foundation is steadfastly dedicated to ensuring that readers have access to diverse and excellent work that reflects their own experiences,” said David Steinberger, the chairman of the board of the National Book Foundation. “The Foundation is proud to be honoring Cave Canem at the 67th National Book Awards in recognition of… exemplary work in helping to level the playing field for African-American poets and for readers.”
Toi Derricotte and Cornelius Eady created Cave Canem in 1996 as a safe place for African-American poets to practice their craft. Cave Canem’s flagship program is an annual writing retreat held at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, Pa., that welcomes emerging African-American poets from around the world to be fellows. They attend two additional retreats within a five-year period. Cave Canem’s activities also include workshops, book awards, readings and conversations with legendary poets. The organization’s name comes from the famous mosaic Cave Canem, which means “Beware of the Dog,” at the entry of the House of the Tragic Poet in Pompeii, Italy.
“Cave Canem’s innovative and effective literary activism has been transformative to the world of letters,” said Lisa Lucas, the executive director of the National Book Foundation.
