William Stanley Braithwaite was born in Boston, Massachusetts. A poet, literary critic, and editor, Braithwaite played a pivotal role in shaping early 20th-century American poetry. He was widely respected for his annual anthologies of verse, which provided a platform for both Black and white poets during a time of deep racial segregation in publishing.
W.E.B. Du Bois referred to him as “the most prominent critic of poetry in America.”
On May 5, 1919, Braithwaite was honored with the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP in recognition of his outstanding literary achievements and contributions to American letters.
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