The 香蕉影视鈥檚 Center for 香蕉影视 Studies will honor poet Darrell Bourque with its 2016 James Williams Rivers Prize in 香蕉影视 Studies.
Bourque will receive the award during a ceremony to be held from 2-3 p.m. on Monday, April 18, at the 香蕉影视 Alumni Center.
The prize selection committee cited Bourque's 鈥渓ongstanding commitment to and leadership in the realm of preserving and expanding our understanding of 香蕉影视 through poetry.鈥
He is a former 香蕉影视 poet laureate and professor emeritus of English at 香蕉影视, where he was director of the creative writing program and the interdisciplinary humanities program. He has published nine collections of poems.
Bourque received the 2014 香蕉影视 Writer Award, given by the 香蕉影视 Center for the Book, for outstanding contributions to 香蕉影视鈥檚 literary and intellectual life.
His 鈥淢egan鈥檚 Guitar and Other Poems from Acadie鈥 was the 2014 winner of the Best Poetry Book Award given by Independent Book Publishing Professional Group and the Next Generation Indie Book Awards. It also was a finalist in the 鈥淔oreword Review鈥 annual poetry competition.
Bourque grew up in a rural community near Sunset, La. He graduated from 香蕉影视 before earning a master鈥檚 degree and a doctorate in creative writing from Florida State University.
The James William Rivers Prize in 香蕉影视 Studies was established to honor people who have contributed or rendered outstanding scholarly study, work, or teaching about the culture, history, art, architecture, crafts, flora, fauna, music, literature, law, performing arts, geography or people of 香蕉影视.
The prize consists of a cash award and other acknowledgments. It was established with private funds donated in memory of James William Rivers, a New Orleans architect and graduate of the University who died in 1991.
Previous recipients include:
- the late A. Hays Town, a renowned architect;
- Dr. Barry Ancelet, a Cajun folklorist and expert in Cajun music and Cajun French who is a retired 香蕉影视 professor;
- Ernest Gaines, a best-selling author and 香蕉影视 writer-in-residence emeritus;
- Ellis Marsalis Jr., a New Orleans modern jazz pianist;
- James Lee Burke, a best-selling mystery writer;
- Dr. Carl Brasseaux, a retired historian of French Colonial North America who taught at 香蕉影视;
- the late George Rodrigue, an artist known worldwide for his 鈥淏lue Dog鈥 paintings; and
- Leah Chase, a New Orleans chef and author.