Gary Jackson

Dr. Gary Jackson is a Professor and the Toi Derricotte Endowed Chair of English at the University of Pittsburgh's Dietrich School of Arts & Sciences, where he also directs the Center for African American Poetry and Poetics. His work bridges poetry, comics, and Afrofuturism, with publications including origin story (2021) and Missing You, Metropolis (2010). Born in Topeka, Kansas, he holds a BA from Washburn University and an MFA from the University of New Mexico.

Education:

• BA in English, Washburn University, Topeka, KS
• MFA in Poetry, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM

Research Interests: Jackson explores Black Poetry, Asian American Poetry, and hybrid forms across genres. His work interrogates intersections of race, identity, and speculative fiction through lenses like graphic novels and superhero narratives. Recent projects include co-editing The Future of Black: Afrofuturism, Black Comics, and Superhero Poetry (2021).

Awards:

• 2009 Cave Canem Poetry Prize
• Fellowships: Cave Canem, Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, Art Omi

Grants & Lab Affiliations: Directs the Center for African American Poetry and Poetics. His creative process emphasizes revision and interdisciplinary collaboration, as seen in works like holoprosencephaly, which evolved over 24 drafts to address familial and medical narratives.