Folger Shakespeare Library Announces 2026-27 O.B. Hardison Poetry Series with poets Natalie Diaz, Cornelius Eady, Rebecca Lehmann, and Matthew Shenoda

WASHINGTON, June 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Folger Shakespeare Library announced the upcoming season of one of the nation's oldest and most-renowned poetry reading programs. Founded in 1970 by the former Director of the Folger, O.B. Hardison Jr., the O.B. Hardison Poetry Series welcomes both established and emerging writers for a season of literary events. 

"The Folger seeks to show people how Shakespeare and the humanities give us the tools to process emotions, think critically, and contribute in positive ways to civic life," shared Folger Director Dr. Farah Karim-Cooper. "The O.B. Hardison Poetry Series is an integral part of this work, and the poets who will read here this season are each highly regarded for the beauty with which their words frame life experiences and societal issues. I am excited to welcome Matthew, Natalie, Rebecca, and Cornelius to our stage this season."

Featuring a lineup of acclaimed poets, this season includes National Book Award finalist and Cave Canem co-founder Cornelius Eady (Brutal Imagination), award-winning poet and essayist Rebecca Lehmann (The Sweating Sickness), American Book Award winner Matthew Shenoda (Somewhere Else), and concluding the season will be Pulitzer Prize–winning poet Natalie Diaz (Postcolonial Love Poem). Acclaimed poet and translator A.E. Stallings (Olives) will select this year's Anthony Hecht Poetry Prize winner and read at the event.

Inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s vision of "the beloved community" in his speech "The Birth of a New Age," the Folger invites audiences into a space where poetry sparks connection, conversation, and imagination. This season celebrates the power of literary fellowship—welcoming everyone to listen, learn, share, and see the world through new perspectives—and showcases voices that embody King's enduring legacy of reflection, creativity, and transformative change.

The season continues with two annual poetry traditions. The Anthony Hecht Poetry Prize, an award named for one of America's most iconic poets and given to an emerging writer, will be presented in February. The Emily Dickinson Birthday Tribute Reading, presented in partnership with the Emily Dickinson Museum, will feature poet, essayist, and novelist Rebecca Lehmann, who will also participate in a special event with the Folger Book Club. More details about this separate event to come.

In addition to the O.B. Hardison Poetry Series, the Folger will host its inaugural Poetry Kickoff with DC-based poet María Fernanda on August 21. Later in the season, the annual community event Not Just Another Day Off returns on January 17, 2027, with a panel and screening of the Go-Go documentary Something for the People to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

A season subscription for the full O.B. Hardison Poetry Series is now on sale for $75—a 25% savings off individual ticket prices. An online subscription for the full O.B. Hardison Poetry Series starts at $30. Subscriptions may be purchased at folger.edu/poetry or by calling the Folger Box Office at (202) 544-7077.

Additional ticket options will go on sale this summer, including flex passes for in-person events, starting at $45; single tickets for in-person readings; and streaming options ($10 per performance or flex passes starting at $30).

The O.B. Hardison Poetry Series wishes to thank the Folger Poetry Advisory Council.

2026-27 O.B. HARDISON POETRY SERIES

Poetry Kickoff
August 21, 2026
Workshop: 3-4pm
Reading: 5:30-6:30pm

Join DC-based award-winning poet María Fernanda (published in The Rumpus, Luna Luna Magazine, The BreakBeat Poets Vol. 4) for an afternoon workshop and an evening reading. Both across the country and within the greater DC-area, Fernanda crafts literary experiences in service of locally rooted initiatives and conversations.

During the afternoon, Fernanda will host a poetry workshop with generative writing exercises. Inspired by the Folger's collection of Shakespeare's First Folios, this workshop invites participants to compose their own poems using Fernanda's writing prompts and to bind their own three-sheet folio. In the evening, Fernanda will read poems from her own work and from the poets who have influenced her (Nikki Giovanni, Camille Dungy, and others), and will present the poems created earlier in the day by workshop participants.

Both events are free; reservations are required. 

O.B. Hardison Reading with Cornelius Eady
October 20, 2026, 7:30pm

Join Folger Poetry in honoring the legacy of former Folger Shakespeare Library Director O.B. Hardison, Jr. with acclaimed poet Cornelius Eady (Pulitzer Prize–nominated The Gathering of My Name; National Book Award finalist for Brutal Imagination). He is a recipient of the 2023 Pegasus Award for Service in Poetry and co-founder of Cave Canem, a non-profit literary organization committed to cultivating the artistic and professional growth of Black poets. Eady's poetry centers the everyday experiences of Black Americans through his signature jazz and blues-inflected verse. 

Emily Dickinson Birthday Tribute Reading with Rebecca Lehmann
December 8, 2026, 7:30pm

The Folger invites poet, essayist, and debut novelist Rebecca Lehmann (The Sweating Sickness, Ringer, Between the Crackups) for this annual event celebrating the legacy of one of America's most beloved poets, Emily Dickinson. Winner of the AWP Donald Hall Prize for Ringer, Lehmann will read from her own works alongside selected passages from Dickinson's poetry. At the reading, which is co-sponsored by the Emily Dickinson Museum, Dickinson's famous black cake (based on her own recipe) will also be served. 

Not Just Another Day Off: Screening of Something for the People
January 15, 2027, 5:30-7:30pm

Inspired by the power of community building that was so central to the Civil Rights Movement, the Folger will host a free screening of Something for the People (2025) for this year's celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy. Directed by DC-based Sebastian Luis Vizcarra, this documentary explores how DC's signature sound, Go-Go music, is utilized to prompt community action in the District against displacement, disenfranchisement, and over-policing. Folger Music and Poetry Series Producer Jaleelah Thompson will host a panel discussion before the screening with musical artist, activist, and founder of Long Live GoGo Justin 'Yaddiya' Johnson and other guests. This documentary is unrated; parental discretion is advised.

The 2027 Anthony Hecht Poetry Prize Reading
February 16, 2027, 7:30pm

The Anthony Hecht Poetry Prize, created in honor of the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Anthony Hecht, is awarded annually for a poetry collection by a writer who has published no more than one book of poetry. Acclaimed poet, classicist, and translator A.E. Stallings (National Book Critics Circle Award nominated Olives, Pulitzer Prize finalist for Like), will select this year's winner and read at the event. Recent winners include Anna Lena Phillips Bell (Might Could), Julia Thacker (To Wildness), Hannah Louise Poston (Julia Hungry), and James D'Agostino (The Goldfinch Caution Tapes). This reading introduces a newer yet already celebrated poet to a larger audience. The winner will be announced later.

National Poetry Month Reading with Matthew Shenoda
April 6, 2027, 7:30pm

In celebration of National Poetry Month, the O.B. Hardison Poetry Series is launching its inaugural National Poetry Month Reading with American Book Award winner Matthew Shenoda. Recognized early in his career by Poets & Writers magazine for his first book, Somewhere Else, Shenoda is a founding editor of the African Poetry Book Fund and both the African Poetry book series and On African Poetry book series. The Folger welcomes Shenoda as he reads from previous works, as well as his new collection Holdings, to be released by Knopf in April 2027.

The O.B. Hardison Poetry Series Finale Reading with Natalie Diaz
June 8, 2027, 7:30pm

The Folger Poetry season concludes with a finale reading by a poet chosen by the Folger Poetry Advisory Council. The evening's honored guest will be Pulitzer Prize–winning Mojave American poet Natalie Diaz (Postcolonial Love Poem, When My Brother Was an Aztec). A dynamic and celebrated poet, scholar, and activist, Diaz will read from the work of other poets cited as her literary influences as well as from her own acclaimed work.

ABOUT FOLGER SHAKESPEARE LIBRARY

The Folger Shakespeare Library showcases the utility of Shakespeare and the humanities in cultivating healthy civic life. Anchored by the world's largest Shakespeare collection, the Folger is also home to a world-renowned collection of books, manuscripts, and prints from the 1500s to the early 1700s. Visitors to the Folger can choose how they want to experience the arts and humanities, from interactive exhibitions to captivating performances, and from pathbreaking research to transformative educational programming. The Folger fosters curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking and welcomes visitors from Washington, DC and from across the globe. Learn more at www.folger.edu.

About The O.B. Hardison Poetry Series

The O.B. Hardison Poetry Series, one of the nation's most established poetry reading programs, is noted for featuring an extensive range of outstanding poets. The series was founded in 1970 when the late O.B. Hardison, Jr., a renowned teacher, scholar, and poet, became director of the Folger Shakespeare Library and established many outreach programs to make the resources of the extraordinary research library available to the Washington community. For more on the O.B. Hardison Poetry Series, please visit www.folger.edu/about-us/what-we-do/about-the-o-b-hardison-poetry-series/.

SOURCE Folger Shakespeare Library