Among them, the Pulitzer Prize winning "Thomas and Beulah," a collection inspired by Dove's maternal grandparents. Rita Dove is the Commonwealth Professor of English at the University of Virginia and the author of nine books of poetry. In fact, she served two terms as Poet Laureate, the youngest and the first African American to be named to that prestigious position. The award makes Rita Dove the first person to receive all three of the nation’s highest arts and humanities distinctions: the Medal of Arts, the Humanities Medal, which she received in 1996, and the title Poet Laureate of the United States. A few days ago, in the East Room of the White House, along with such greats as the actor Al Pacino, sculptor Martin Puryear, and painter Will Barnet, President Obama presented the National Medal of Arts to the poet Rita Dove. From the combative, ferocious and vituperative field of politics, we repair to a quieter place – a respite for the soul, if you will, against the tumult of our time.
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