Morgan Parker (writer)


Morgan Parker is an American poet, novelist, and editor. She is the author of poetry collections Other People’s Comfort Keeps Me Up At Night, There are More Beautiful Things than Beyoncé, and Magical Negro which won the National Book Critics Circle Award. She is also author of the young adult novel, Who Put This Song On.

Education

Parker completed her Bachelors in Anthropology and Creative Writing at Columbia University and her MFA in poetry at New York University.

Career

Parker previously served as editor at Amazon Publishing's Little A and . She has taught creative writing at Columbia University, co-curates the Poets With Attitude reading series with Tommy Pico, is the creator and host of Reparations, Live! at the Ace Hotel in New York, and is a member of The Other Black Girl Collective with poet and performer Angel Nafis.
Her poetry has been featured in publications including The Awl, Poetry Foundation, Tin House, and others. Her work was also included in Why I Am Not A Painter, The BreakBeat Poets: New American Poetry in the Age of Hip-Hop, Black Girl Magic: The BreakBeat Poets Vol. 2 and Best American Poetry 2016.
In December 2015, she was Poetry Foundation's featured blogger.

Personal life

Parker was born and raised in Southern California before attending school in New York. She moved back to Southern California in 2017.

Awards and honors

Other People's Comfort Keeps Me Up At Night features an adaptation of work by Sam Vernon. The first U.S. edition of There Are More Beautiful Things Than Beyoncé features commissioned artwork by Mickalene Thomas. The second edition features the photo Portrait of a Woman Fallen from Grace, 1987 by Carrie Mae Weems.

TitleYearPublication/AnthologyReprinted/Collected
Magical Negro #217: Diana Ross Finishing a Rib in Alabama, 1990s2018Black Girl Magic Haymarket Books, 1st ed. 18.Magical Negro
Magical Negro #607: Gladys Knight on the 200th Episode of The Jeffersons2018Black Girl Magic Haymarket Books, 1st ed. 54.Magical Negro
Magical Negro #80: Brooklyn2018Black Girl Magic Haymarket Books, 1st ed. 79.Magical Negro
Let Me Handle My Business, Damn2015Poetry Magazine, April 2015There Are More Beautiful Things Than Beyoncé; The BreakBeat Poets Vol. 1
Everything Will Be Taken Away after Adrian PiperPaper Bag Online Literary Arts Journal Issue No. 8Best American Poetry 2016; Magical Negro
The Gospel of Jesus' WifePaper Bag Online Literary Arts Journal Issue No. 8There Are More Beautiful Things Than Beyoncé
Ode to Fried Chicken's Guest Appearance on Scandal Paper Bag Online Literary Arts Journal Issue No. 8Magical Negro