Bring poems into the classroom with these lesson plans that highlight Black poets who have profoundly influenced American poetry.

After teaching each lesson plan, we suggest ending with the following culminating activity:

Culminating Activity: Read more Black poets celebrating Black poetry here. Continue reading Black poets here. Record your own video of you reading a favorite poem by a Black poet and then discussing what you like about this poem. (Teachers, another variation on this assignment is to divide students into small groups, depending on your current teaching situation. In groups, assign students a Black poet to research, read and present to the class.)