List of African American poets

• Ron Allen, poet, playwright
• Elizabeth Alexander, poet, essayist, playwright
• Maya Angelou, novelist, poet, and activist
• Amiri Baraka, poet, writer, activist, and essayist
• Gwendolyn B. Bennett, poet, writer, journalist, and artist
• Arna Bontemps, poet, novelist, and librarian
• Gwendolyn Brooks, poet, author, teacher
• Lucille Clifton, poet, writer, and educator
• Jayne Cortez, poet, activist, publisher
• Countee Cullen, poet, novelist, and playwright
• Frank Marshall Davis, poet, journalist
• Paul Laurence Dunbar, poet, novelist
• Krista Franklin, poet, visual artist
• Nikki Giovanni, poet, writer, commentator, activist, and educator
• Frances E. W. Harper, poet
• Yona Harvey, poet, professor
• Robert Hayden, poet, essayist, and educator
• Gil Scott-Heron, poet, author
• Langston Hughes, poet, activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist
• Erica Hunt, poet, essayist, and teacher
• Marilyn Nelson, poet, translator, professor
• Pat Parker, poet, activist
• Ishmael Reed, poet, novelist, essayist, songwriter, playwright, editor, and publisher
• Sonia Sanchez, poet, playwright, essayist, educator, and activist
• Patricia Smith, poet, playwright, author, teacher, and journalist
• Tracy K. Smith, poet, educator
• Natasha Trethewey, poet, professor
• Alice Walker, novelist, writer, poet, and activist
• Phillis Wheatley, poet
• Richard Wright, novelist, poet, and essayist
• Al Young, poet, novelist, essayist, screenwriter, and professor
• Tupac Shakur, poet, rapper, actor, and activist
• Kevin Young, poet, professor, editor, and literary critic