Empire State Poetry Project

The Empire State Poetry Project (EmPoP) is a Public Humanities project directed by Anastasia Nikolis at St. John Fisher University.

EmPoP is a series of 6 exhibits about New York State poets. Each exhibit has a small physical component (similar to what you see below) that travels between underserved, mostly rural libraries across New York state. The exhibits are accompanied by a corresponding curriculum and a set of digital resources. All research and materials are designed by Dr. Nikolis and student research assistants at St. John Fisher University. Currently, we are at work on our first exhibit now about the poet Lucille Clifton.

EmPoP’s pilot research season in summer 2022 was generously supported by an NEH/SSRC SHIP Grant.

Dr. Nikolis was able to visit the Clifton Archives at Emory University in spring 2024 thanks to a Faculty Development Grant from St. John Fisher University.

EmPoP Researchers: Blessed Kusi (SJF ’24), Khalid Lockhart (SJF ’24), Theresa Van Wormer (SJF ’23)

Do You Want to Learn More About Lucille Clifton??

Scroll below to see the exhibition boards that will travel to the libraries, and to see the interactive poetry reading game that Dr. Nikolis is building with her research assistants!