Joy Harjo Is First Native American Named U.S. Poet Laureate

New York (AP) -- Joy Harjo, the first Native American to be named U.S. poet laureate, has been ready for a long time.

"I've been an unofficial poetry ambassador — on the road for poetry for years," the 68-year-old Harjo wrote in a recent email to The Associated Press. "I've often been the only poet or Native poet-person that many have seen/met/heard. I've introduced many poetry audiences to Native poetry and audiences not expecting poetry to be poetry."