In 1933, the Texas Legislature created the post of Texas Poet
Laureate. The post was filled continuously until 1981. Since
then the post has been vacant all but a handful of years.
The last Poet Laureate left the post in 1994.
This project is an effort
to convince Austin that the post is important and that
Texans want someone in the post.
|
1932-1934
|
Judd Mortimer Lewis (Houston)
|
HBT
P
|
|
1934-1936
|
Aline T. Michaelis (Austin)
|
HBT
|
|
1936-1939
|
Grace Noll Crowell (Dallas)
|
HBT
|
|
1939-1941
|
Lexie Dean Robertson (Rising Star)
|
HBT
I
|
|
1941-1943
|
Nancy Richey Ranson (Dallas)
|
B
|
|
1943-1945
|
Dollilee Davis Smith (Cleburne)
|
|
1945-1947
|
David Riley Russell (Dallas)
|
HBT
|
|
1947-1949
|
Aline B. Carter (San Antonio)
|
I
|
|
1949-1951
|
Carlos Ashley (Llano)
|
C
B
|
|
1951-1953
|
Arthur M. Sampley (Denton)
|
|
1953-1955
|
Mildred Lindsey Raiborn (San Angelo)
Dee Walker (Texas City), alternate
|
|
1955-1957
|
Pierre Bernard Hill (Hunt)
|
|
1957-1959
|
Margaret Royalty Edwards (Waco)
|
|
1959-1961
|
J.V. Chandler (Kingsville)
Edna Coe Majors (Colorado City), alternate |
HBT
|
|
1961
|
Lorena Simon (Port Arthur)
|
|
1962
|
Marvin Davis Winsett (Dallas)
|
|
1963
|
Gwendolyn Bennett Pappas (Houston)
Vassar Miller (Houston), alternate
|
O
B
P
P
P
P
O
|
|
1964-1965
|
Jenny Lind Porter (Austin)
Edith Rayzor Canant (Texas City), alternate
|
O
|
|
1966
|
Bessie Maas Rowe (Port Arthur)
Grace Marie Scott (Abilene), alternate
|
|
1967
|
William. E. Bard (Dallas)
Bessie Maas Rowe (Port Arthur), alternate
|
|
1968
|
Kathryn Henry Harris (Waco)
Sybil Leonard Armes (El Paso), alternate |
|
1969-1970
|
Anne B. Marely (Austin)
Rose Davidson Speer (Brady), alternate |
|
1970-1971
|
Robby K. Mitchell (McKinney)
Faye Carr Adams (Dallas), alternate
|
|
1971-1972
|
Terry Fontenot (Port Arthur)
Faye Carr Adams (Dallas), alternate
|
|
1972-1973
|
Mrs. Clark Gresham (Burkburnett)
Marion McDaniel (Sidney), alternate
|
|
1973-1974
|
Violette Newton (Beaumont)
Stella Woodall (San Antonio), alternate
|
P
O
|
|
1974-1975
|
Lila Todd O'Neil (Port Arthur)
C.W. Miller (San Antonio), alternate
|
|
1975-1976
|
Ethel Osborn Hill (Port Arthur)
Gene Shuford (Denton), alternate
|
|
1976-1977
|
Florice Stripling Jeffers (Burkburnett)
Vera L. Eckert (San Angelo), alternate
|
|
1977-1978
|
Ruth Carruth (Vernon)
Joy Gresham Hagstrom (Burkburnett), alternate
|
|
1978-1979
|
Patsy Stodghill (Dallas)
Dorothy B. Elfstroman (Galveston), alternate
|
|
1979-1980
|
Dorothy B. Elfstroman (Galverston)
Ruth Carruth (Vernon), alternate |
|
1980-1981
|
Weems S. Dykes (McCamey)
Mildred Crabtree Speer (Amarillo), alternate
|
O
|
|
1981-1982
|
none designated
|
|
1982-1983
|
William D. Barney (Fort Worth)
Vassar Miller (Houston), alternate
|
B
O
O
B
P
P
P
P
O
|
|
1983-1984
|
none designated
|
|
1984-1985
|
none designated
|
|
1985-1986
|
none designated
|
|
1986-1987
|
none designated
|
|
1987-1988
|
Ruth E. Reuther (Wichita Falls)
|
|
1988-1989
|
Vassar Miller (Houston)
|
O
B
P
P
P
P
O
|
|
1989-1990
|
none designated
|
|
1990-1991
|
none designated
|
|
1991-1992
|
none designated
|
|
1992-1993
|
none designated
|
|
1993-1994
|
Mildred Baass (Victoria)
|
|
1994-1995
|
none designated
|
|
1995-1996
|
none designated
|
|
1996-1997
|
none designated
|
|
1997-1998
|
none designated
|
|
1998-1999
|
none designated
|
|
1999-2000
|
James Hoggard (Wichita Falls)
|
G
|
|
2000-2001
|
Walt McDonald (Lubbock)
|
G
|
The third column contains links to more information on that
Poet Laureate. The links were assembled by Tim Wood.
T: Texas Poet Laureate NOW! HBT: Handbook of Texas.
G: Google search. A: artsDFW. P: Poem(s). B: Book(s).
C: Cassette/CD/Vinyl.
I: Story of Someone Inspired/Affected by that Poet Laureate
(you may have to search for their name on the page in question).
O: Other
