Major Jackson, Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Chair in the Humanities, has been awarded the inaugural Patricia Cannon Willis Prize for American Poetry by Yale Library. Jackson was recognized for his acclaimed collection Razzle Dazzle: New and Selected Poems 2002–2022, published by W.W. Norton in 2023.
The Patricia Cannon Willis Prize, created in 2025, honors the legacy of literary historian, scholar and rare book and manuscript curator Patricia Cannon Willis, who was the director of the Bollingen Prize for American Poetry for more than two decades. Both the Bollingen and Willis prizes are administered by the Yale Collection of American Literature at Beinecke Library and are awarded every two years.
Of Jackson’s Razzle Dazzle: New and Selected Poems 2002–2022, the judges wrote, “The nimble mind in Razzle Dazzle is attuned to the pressures of a self in transformation. … The poems find lift in transition even as they defy limitation through their enormous linguistic imagination and spectacle.”
Jackson is the author of five additional books of poetry and a collection of prose and has received various accolades throughout his career. He has edited poetry anthologies and collections, and his poems and essays have been widely published in literary magazines and journals, including The New Yorker and The Paris Review.
He also is the poetry editor of Harvard Review and hosts the award-winning podcast The Slowdown.
Jackson was the first guest on Provost C. Cybele Raver’s recently launched Quantum Potential podcast. During the episode, Jackson delves into the creative process behind Razzle Dazzle and shares insights into his artistic vision and the role of poetry in navigating the complex landscapes of contemporary society.
“Major Jackson’s poetry enriches our understanding of the world with depth and brilliance,” Raver said. “This award is a well-earned recognition of his remarkable contributions to American literature and his lasting impact as a poet, editor and mentor.”
Visit the Quantum Potential podcast website to tune in and listen as Major Jackson reads selections from his poetry and discusses with Raver the creative process, inspiration and insights from life and art.
