Thomas Kneeland

Poet

Indianapolis, IN
Indiana US

Author's Bio

Thomas Kneeland is the author of We Be Walkin’ Blackly in the Deep (Marian University Department of Media, Communication, and Design) and a 2022 Frontier Poetry Global Poetry Prize finalist. He is a 2024 Speculative Play & Just Futurities Scholar-in-Residence, which is funded by Indiana University, the Mellon Foundation, IU Indianapolis (IUI) Arts & Humanities Institute, IUI Center for Africana Studies & Culture, and the Ray Bradbury Center. He is also the Founding Editor-in-Chief of The Elevation Review. His publication credits include The Rumpus, Southern Humanities Review, The Amistad, The Citron Review, Vagabond City Lit, Up the Staircase Quarterly, South Florida Poetry Journal, and elsewhere. Kneeland holds a BA in English Writing from DePauw University, an MA in Ministry from Wesley Seminary, and an MFA in Poetry from Butler University.

Literary agent: 
Trinity McFadden of The Bindery Agency

Publications & Prizes

Books:
Guardian (Barnes & Noble Publishing, 2022)
,
Stop F*cking Killing Us! (Barnes & Noble Publishing, 2021)
,
Uncaged (Lulu Press, 2019)
,
Shades of Gold (Lulu Press, 2018)
Journals:
Amistad
,
Clepsydra
, ,
High Shelf Press
,
INverse: Indiana's Poetry Archive
,
Rigorous
, ,
Saint Katherine Review
, ,
The Citron Review
, ,
Vagabond
, ,
You Might Need to Hear This
Prizes won: 

2022 Frontier Global Poetry Prize (Finalist) - Africa

2024 Speculative Play & Just Futurities Artist-in-Residence

Personal Favorites

Favorite authors: 
Tracy K. Smith, Yusef Komunyakaa, Adrian Matejka, Eugene Gloria, Mitchell L.H. Douglas, Rowan Ricardo Phillips, Joseph Heithaus, Joy Priest, Donika Kelly, Joshua Bennett
What I'm reading now: 
Omeros by Derek Walcott, The 1619 Project by Nikole Hannah-Jones, The Renunciations by Donika Kelly, dying in the scarecrow's arms by Mitchell L.H. Douglas, I Done Clicked My Heels Three Times by Taylor Byas, Ph.D.

More Information

Gives readings: 
Yes
Travels for readings: 
Yes
Identifies as: 
African American, Cuban
Prefers to work with: 
Any
Fluent in: 
English
Born in: 
San Jose, CA
California
Raised in: 
Greenville, MS
Mississippi
Please note: All information in the Directory is provided by the listed writers or their representatives.
Last update: Jun 04, 2024