A Farewell to Major Jackson
Celebrate his time as host of The Slowdown.
Friday, April 11 is Major Jackson’s last new episode of The Slowdown. After two years, two seasons and 443 episodes, he is stepping down from the host chair.
In our April 2 announcement episode, Major said, “Through poetry, we flex a spiritual muscle that bolsters our resilience and fortitude. I want to thank those poets whose gifts and passion for language is nothing less than inspiring and uplifting.”
We couldn’t agree more, and we want to thank him in return by taking some time to celebrate what he’s brought to this program, your daily poetry companion.
The Slowdown is just one of the many ways Major contributes to the world of poetry and the expansion of the craft. He’s the author of six books of poetry, including Razzle Dazzle, The Absurd Man, Roll Deep, Holding Company, Hoops, and Leaving Saturn, the latter of which won a Cave Canem Poetry Prize for a first book of poems. He currently lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where he is the Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Chair in the Humanities at Vanderbilt University. He also serves as the poetry editor of The Harvard Review.
From our lead producer, Myka Kielbon:
“Major has brought to The Slowdown his warmth, humor, intellect, clarity of conscience, appreciation for all art forms – especially that of poetry – and above all else, a curiosity for the richness of the human experience. We’re grateful for the mark he has left on this uniquely impactful show and for all his hard work curating, writing, and hosting behind the microphone.”
The Slowdown isn’t going anywhere. For several weeks, we’ll be sharing episodes from the archives, going all the way back to our early days. Then, we will return with a new host. It’s our pleasure and privilege to share poetry and a slice of life with you every weekday.
If you’d like to sign our thank you card for Major, you can do so here.
With gratitude,
The Slowdown Team
