VSU professor’s ‘Nursery Rhymes in Black’ nominated for Pulitzer Prize

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- A Virginia State University (VSU) professor's new book, "Nursery Rhymes in Black," has been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize.

The University of Alaska Press nominated Latorial Faison, an assistant professor at VSU and chair of its Department of Languages & Literature, for a Pulitzer Prize in Poetry for her "Nursery Rhymes in Black" book, according to a VSU press release.

The university described the book, which was recently released in mid-July, as a "poetic recollection of race, roots, culture and identity."

"Blending tradition, memory and resistance, the book reimagines familiar childhood rhymes through the lens of Black history and Dr. Faison's lived experience," VSU said in the release.

Dr. Latorial Faison. (Photo: Virginia State University)

A Pulitzer Prize is considered one of the highest awards one can receive in the American literature space.

"Dr. Faison's Pulitzer Prize nomination highlights the significance of her literary contribution and affirms VSU's commitment to nurturing voices that illuminate Black life, memory and resilience for the next generation," the university said.

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Faison, who has already penned more than 16 books, said she feels honored to have been nominated.

"This collection is deeply tied to the heart and history of who I am as a Black woman in America," she said in the release. "I am grateful to trailblazers like Gwendolyn Brooks, Lucille Clifton and Nikki Giovanni, whose voices carved the path, kept the light on and made this moment possible."

The 2026 Pulitzer Prizes will be awarded in early May 2026.