Spirit Room hosts US poet laureate Joy Harjo as part of $20,000 NEA Big Read grant
The Spirit Room, through National Endowment for the Arts grant support, launched its NEA Big Read program in October 2021 exploring, “An American Sunrise,” by Joy Harjo, with additional support by the North Dakota Humanities Council.
Free community events and activities examining the writings, themes and symbolism of “An American Sunrise” have been ongoing since October and run through June 30, 2022, with traveling exhibits at local public libraries across Fargo and as far south as Wahpeton, ND.
Dawn Morgan, Executive Director of the Spirit Room is honored to bring Joy Harjo, the first Native American Poet Laureate of the United States, to Fargo.
An initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest, the NEA Big Read broadens our understanding of our world, our communities, and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book.
A limited number of complimentary copies of “An American Sunrise” are available at The Spirit Room.
View event details for the NEA Big Read in Fargo. All events are free and open to the public.
Events and activities related to NEA Big Read in Fargo are listed below.
“An American Sunrise” Big Read Group Art Exhibition “Displaced”
January 17-February 26
Spirit Room
“Displaced” is a nationally curated group art exhibition by Laura Youngbird where each artist was assigned a piece from Joy Harjo’s “An American Sunrise.”
“An American Sunrise” Big Read Group Art Exhibition “Displaced” Opening Reception
Curated by Laura Youngbird
January 20, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
“Displaced” is a nationally curated group art exhibition by Laura Youngbird where each artist was assigned a piece from Joy Harjo’s “An American Sunrise.”
January 22, 10 a.m.
Fargo Public Library – Main Branch
Children’s book author Dawn Quigley will read from and discuss her new book, Jo Jo Makoons: The Used-to-be Best Friend, the first volume of a chapter book series. A citizen herself of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe in North Dakota, Dawn will discuss her childhood experiences growing up and not seeing books that represented her Native community. Geared for adults and children ages 5 and up.
January 22, 1 p.m.
Fargo Public Library – Main Branch
Dawn Quigley, Ph.D. and citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe, ND, is an assistant professor of Education at St. Catherine University. She has written a number of children’s books, such as the coming-of-age young adult novel, Apple in the Middle (NDSU Press), the chapter book series Jo Jo Makoons: The Used to Be Best Friend (book 1), and Native American Heroes (Scholastic Books). Dawn will discuss her books, writing, and her work to amplify Native voices in literature and education.
Meet and Greet with Joy Harjo
With Native Youth (invite only)
“An American Sunrise” Big Read Author Meet and Greet with Joy Harjo
Plains Art Museum
Joy Harjo will join us at the Plains Art Museum as she reads for us some of her favorite pieces and discusses the themes, inspirations, and historical context behind them. She will also take time to answer questions from the audience.
“An American Sunrise” Big Read Book Discussion and Poetry Workshop for the Elderly
February 8 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Riverview Place
Led by Karla Smart Morstad, an emerita from Concordia College, they will discuss themes in “An American Sunrise,” poetry formatting, and possibly work on individual pieces.
“An American Sunrise” Big Read Group Art Exhibition “Displaced” Travels to West Fargo Public Library
February 28 – March 28
West Fargo Public Library
Did you miss the exhibit while it was at the Spirit Room? No worries! Enjoy the full exhibit, on display, at the West Fargo Public Library.
“Displaced” is a nationally curated group art exhibition by Laura Youngbird where each artist was assigned a piece from Joy Harjo’s “An American Sunrise.”
“An American Sunrise” Big Read Group Art Exhibition “Displaced” Travels to Lake Agassiz Public Library in Moorhead
March 28 – April 29
Lake Agassiz Public Library
Did you miss the exhibit while it was at the Spirit Room? No worries! Enjoy a portion of the exhibit, on display, at the Lake Agassiz Public Library in Moorhead, MN.
“Displaced” is a nationally curated group art exhibition by Laura Youngbird where each artist was assigned a piece from Joy Harjo’s “An American Sunrise.”
“An American Sunrise” Big Read Group Art Exhibition “Displaced” Travels to Leach Library in Wahpeton
March 28 – April 29
Leach Public Library
Did you miss the exhibit while it was at the Spirit Room? No worries! Enjoy a portion of the exhibit, on display, at the Leach Public Library in Wahpeton, ND.
“Displaced” is a nationally curated group art exhibition by Laura Youngbird where each artist was assigned a piece from Joy Harjo’s “An American Sunrise.”
“An American Sunrise” Big Read Group Art Exhibition “Displaced” Travels to Leach Library in Wahpeton
June 1 – June 30
Fargo Public Library
Did you miss the exhibit while it was at the Spirit Room? No worries! Enjoy a portion of the exhibit, on display, at the Fargo Public Library Main Branch.
“Displaced” is a nationally curated group art exhibition by Laura Youngbird where each artist was assigned a piece from Joy Harjo’s “An American Sunrise.”
About Joy Harjo
In 2019, Joy Harjo was appointed the 23rd United States Poet Laureate, the first Native American to hold the position and only the second person to serve three terms in the role. Harjo’s nine books of poetry include An American Sunrise, Conflict Resolution for Holy Beings, How We Became Human: New and Selected Poems, and She Had Some Horses. She is also the author of two memoirs, Crazy Brave and Poet Warrior, which invites us to travel along the heartaches, losses, and humble realizations of her “poet-warrior” road. She has edited several anthologies of Native American writing including When the Light of the World was Subdued, Our Songs Came Through — A Norton Anthology of Native Nations Poetry, and Living Nations, Living Words, the companion anthology to her signature poet laureate project. Her many writing awards include the 2019 Jackson Prize from the Poetry Society of America, the Ruth Lilly Prize from the Poetry Foundation, the 2015 Wallace Stevens Award from the Academy of American Poets, and the William Carlos Williams Award from the Poetry Society of America. She is a chancellor of the Academy of American Poets, Board of Directors Chair of the Native Arts & Cultures Foundation, and holds a Tulsa Artist Fellowship. A renowned musician, Harjo performs with her saxophone nationally and internationally; her most recent album is I Pray For My Enemies. She lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
