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Everyone is talking about Joe Biden inauguration poet Amanda Gorman
4 years ago
Amanda Gorman has made headlines all over the planet after stealing the show at the Joe Biden inauguration alongside the likes of Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez – here’s everything you need to know about the poet everyone is talking about.
Amanda Gorman stole the show at Joe Bidenâs inauguration ceremony, as she referred to everything from Hamilton to the Bible with her powerful reading.
Here is everything you need to know about the young writer.
She made history
At 22, the US National Youth Poet Laureate is the youngest poet to read at an inauguration ceremony.
Born in Los Angeles, she graduated cum laude from Harvard University, where she studied sociology.
The first poet to read at an inauguration was Robert Frost, who was invited by John F Kennedy to recite a poem at his ceremony in 1961.
Gormanâs other predecessors include Maya Angelou and Elizabeth Alexander.
The musical Hamilton helped her overcome a speech impediment
After her reading, Gorman told CNN that she dealt with a speech impediment until about two or three years ago and used a song from the hit musical Hamilton to help overcome it.
She said: âIt was as recent as college that I was still struggling to say the R sound, and so one thing that I would do to try to train myself to say it is I would listen to the song Aaron Burr, Sir, which is just packed with Rs.
âAnd I would try to keep up with Leslie Odom Jr as heâs doing this amazing rap, and Iâd say âIf I can train myself to do this song, then I can train myself to say this letterâ.â
Gorman is a huge fan of the musical and, after her reading, she replied to congratulations from the showâs creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda, saying: âDid you catch the 2 @HamiltonMusical references in the inaugural poem? I couldnât help myself!â
She was asked to perform by the First Lady
It was Dr Jill Biden who spotted Gormanâs star power when she saw her read at the Library of Congress.
She was so impressed that she invited her to read at the ceremony.
Gorman has read at official occasions before â including a July 4 celebration when she was backed by the Boston Pops Orchestra.
Follow Amanda on Instagram here.
She wore a ring in tribute to Maya Angelou, which was given to her by Oprah Winfrey
After the reading, Winfrey tweeted: âI have never been prouder to see another young woman rise! Brava Brava, @TheAmandaGorman! Maya Angelou is cheering â and so am I.â
Gorman replied: âThank you! I would be nowhere without the women whose footsteps I dance in. While reciting my poem, I wore a ring with a caged bird â a gift from @Oprah for the occasion, to symbolize Maya Angelou, a previous inaugural poet.
âHereâs to the women who have climbed my hills before.â
She has her eyes on the White House
This might not be Gormanâs last appearance at an inauguration ceremony, as her poem said she has dreams of running for president.
She said: âWe, the successors of a country and a time,
âWhere a skinny black girl,
âDescended from slaves and raised by a single mother,
âCan dream of becoming president,
âOnly to find herself reciting for one.â
She already has Hillary Clintonâs vote, as the former secretary of state and presidential candidate wrote on Twitter: âWasnât @TheAmandaGormanâs poem just stunning?
âSheâs promised to run for president in 2036 and I for one canât wait.â
She is now top of the Amazon charts
After her rousing rendition, Gormanâs books raced to the top of the Amazon charts as people rushed to snap up her work.
She wrote on Twitter: âI AM ON THE FLOOR MY BOOKS ARE #1 & #2 ON AMAZON AFTER 1 DAY!
âThank you so much to everyone for supporting me and my words. As Yeats put it: âFor words alone are certain good: Sing, thenâ.â