Al Young

Al Young (1939–2021) was an acclaimed African American poet, novelist, essayist, and professor born in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. He served as the Poet Laureate of California from 2005 to 2008 and is celebrated for his literary works that explore the relationship between music and personal experience. Young died on April 17, 2021, in Concord, California, leaving behind a legacy of nearly twenty published works across poetry, fiction, and memoirs.