Poets born on May 1

Take a focused look at the poets born on May 1. Dive into curated bios, achievements, and cultural milestones verified by our editors.

• 1901 Sterling Brown

  Sterling Allen Brown was an influential African American poet, folklorist, literary critic, and professor. He is best known for his poetry that captured the everyday lives and vernacular of Southern Black Americans, and for his significant contributions to the Harlem Renaissance and Black literary studies. [bio]