City Council Affirms James Daniels as Greensboro Poet Laureate Through 2028

Greensboro City Council has affirmed James Daniels as the city's poet laureate, a designation that runs through December 2028 and is intended to amplify poetry and community-based creative work across the city. The council action occurred at the Feb. 3 meeting, and the City of Greensboro announced the selection the following day.

Daniels is a professor and coordinator of creative writing at North Carolina A&T State University and holds an MFA in creative writing. He brings more than a decade of experience teaching writing and in hip-hop education across universities, schools and community programs. His literary work includes appearances in Greensboro Review, EcoTheo, Cherry Tree Literary, Stonecoast Review and Windhover, and his chapbook God-Damned Eden was published by Bull City Press. He also leads Sol Lxve Creative Studios and supports artist development through the Fire and Light Collective, roles that local arts organizers say reinforce his community-centered practice.

The Poet Laureate Program is administered by Creative Greensboro. Program materials describe the position as ambassadorial: "The Poet Laureate serves as an ambassador for poetry and creative expression, leading initiatives that make literature more accessible to all." The program statement also notes the role allows flexibility to reflect the individual's artistic vision and strengths, and that core responsibilities exist though they were not listed in full in the city program excerpt.

In a City of Greensboro statement, Daniels framed the laureateship as a civic project of connection: "This honorary designation of laureateship is about building bridges... I plan to steward whatever I am given in this role for the greater good of Greensboro, poetry, and the art and culture that makes us human, by breaking walls and making us bridges." Jackie Boone, director of Creative Greensboro, announced the appointment as part of the city's arts programming leadership.

For residents, the appointment signals an emphasis on neighborhood-focused arts outreach and collaborations between higher education, grassroots groups and municipal cultural programming. Daniels's ties to NC A&T and to local collectives suggest potential partnerships that could bring readings, workshops and youth programs into schools, community centers and campus venues. Creative Greensboro’s administration of the program provides a municipal pathway for converting the laureate’s agenda into public events and accessible programming, though the official list of the role's core responsibilities and any funding or stipend details were not included in the announcement.

Next steps for readers: watch for Creative Greensboro and City of Greensboro notices about public events or calls for participation tied to Daniels's term, and expect the laureate to pursue community-centered projects that reflect his teaching and arts-leadership background. Reporters and residents seeking more detail can contact Creative Greensboro for program specifics and the City for the full press materials outlining responsibilities and planned initiatives.