CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. — A Virginia State University assistant professor and chair of the Languages and Literature department is celebrating a national honor.
Dr. Latorial Faison’s new book, “Nursery Rhymes in Black,” was just nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in poetry.
Her book re-imagines familiar childhood rhymes through the lens of Black history and being raised by her grandparents and in the church in Southampton County.
Dr. Faison started working on her poetic recollection of race, roots, culture, and identity shortly after her grandmother’s death in 2008.
In addition to her grandparents, she credits trailblazers like Dr. Joanne Gabbin, Judy Juanita, Glenis Redmond, Trudier Harris, Cedric Tillman, Gwendolyn Brooks, Lucille Clifton, and Nikki Giovanni for her success.
“When I grew up, I wasn't rich,” she recalled. “But I grew up rich in confidence and inspiration. There was always someone telling me that I could do it. Without those folk, I probably would not have gone on to UVA, Virginia Tech, and ended up where I am right now.”
The VSU alumna, who has authored more than 16 books and earned numerous accolades, said she didn’t wait for validation to begin her career.
“I've been self-publishing for over 20 years. In addition to self-publishing my work, I've had many, many poems published in literary magazines across the US and academic ones,” Faison explained.
Dr. Faison joined the faculty at the historical Black college in 2017 and rose to department chair this year.
She was nominated by the University of Alaska Press, which published the book after it was named the winner of the 2023 Permafrost Poetry Book Prize.
The Pulitzer Prize is regarded as one of the most prestigious awards in American literature.
Winners of the 2026 Pulitzer Prizes are expected to be announced in early May 2026.
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