Amanda Gorman Becomes The Youngest Inaugural Poet In U.S. History!
This Wednesday, Amanda Gorman, 22, became the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history after she recited her poem “The Hill We Climb” at President-elect Joe Biden’s swearing-in ceremony.
In the roughly five-minute reading of her poem, Gorman called for healing and unity following a pro-Trump rally two weeks ago that turned into a violent storming of the U.S. Capitol. The Los Angeles native told NPR she finished writing the poem on the night of Jan. 6, hours after the deadly attack on the Capitol.
“We’ve seen a force that would shatter our nation rather than share it / Would destroy our country if it meant delaying democracy / And this effort very nearly succeeded / But while democracy can be periodically delayed / It can never be permanently defeated,” she read. Despite that, she celebrated the beauty of the country’s diversity and encouraged Americans to rise above obstacles like the one the country recently faced. “We, the successors of a country and a time where a skinny Black girl descended from slaves and raised by a single mother / Can dream of becoming president, only to be reciting for one,” she said. Gorman concluded: “There is always light if we are brave enough to see it / There is always light if we are brave enough to be it.”
Earlier today she spoke with CBS ahead of her performance to share her excitement. She said: “It’s amazing…Especially at my age. No one really gets to say, “At 22, I am the inaugural poet,'” she told “CBS This Morning” co-host Anthony Mason.
Press Play Below For A Recap Of Amanda Gorman’s Performance:
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