Lee Smith was born in Grundy, Va., in 1941. She is the author of nine novels and two collections of short stories. In 1999, her work was recognized by the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
Admission is free and open to the public.
Yusef Komunyakaa was born in Bogalusa, La., in 1947. In the past decade, he has emerged as one of the country's most eminent poets and performers. Currently a professor of humanities and creative writing at Princeton University and a chancellor of the Academy of American Poets, Komunyakaa served in the U.S. Army beginning in 1969, during the Vietnam War. He received the Bronze Star for his work as an information specialist and military journalist. After decommissioning, he received his bachelor's degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder, his master's from Colorado State University and his master's in fine arts in creative writing from the University of California at Irvine.