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Elizabeth Alexander

Elizabeth Alexander

Keynote Speaker: Renowned Poet Known For Inauguration Poem "Praise Song for the Day"

  • Speaking Fee:
    Live Event Fee: $20,000 - $30,000
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Elizabeth Alexander Biography

Elizabeth Alexander is a prize-winning and New York Times bestselling author, renowned poet, educator, scholar, and cultural advocate. She is also president of the Mellon Foundation, the nation’s largest funder in the arts, culture, and humanities.

Dr. Alexander’s book, "The Trayvon Generation," is a galvanizing meditation on the power of art and culture to illuminate America’s unresolved problem with race and the challenges facing young Black Americans. Among the fifteen books she has authored or co-authored, her poetry collection "American Sublime" was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Poetry in 2006, and her memoir, "The Light of the World," was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Biography and the National Book Critics Circle Award in 2015. Other works include Crave Radiance: "New and Selected Poems 1990–2010," "Power and Possibility: Essays, Reviews, Interviews," "The Black Interior: Essays," "Antebellum Dream Book," "Body of Life," and "The Venus Hottentot."

Over the course of an esteemed career in education, Dr. Alexander has held distinguished professorships at Smith College, Columbia University, and Yale University, where she taught for fifteen years and chaired the African American Studies Department. She has been awarded the Jackson Poetry Prize, the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship, the George Kent Award, the National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship, and three Pushcart Prizes for Poetry. Notably, Dr. Alexander composed and delivered “Praise Song for the Day” for the 2009 inauguration of President Barack Obama.

Dr. Alexander is Chancellor Emeritus of the Academy of American Poets, a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, serves on the Pulitzer Prize Board, and co-designed the Art for Justice Fund.

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Elizabeth Alexander Videos

Elizabeth Alexander
The privilege of perspective ft. Elizabeth Alexander
Creative process: Are you in a period of ‘woodshedding’?

How do I book Elizabeth Alexander to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Elizabeth Alexander for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Elizabeth Alexander, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Elizabeth Alexander or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Elizabeth Alexander for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Elizabeth Alexander, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fee for a live event is $20,000 - $30,000. For the most current speaking fee to hire Elizabeth Alexander, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does Elizabeth Alexander speak about?

Elizabeth Alexander is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Inspirational, Diversity, Creativity, Poetry, Big Think, News & Media, Political, Education, Literary, Authors and Television & Film.

Who is the agent for Elizabeth Alexander?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Elizabeth Alexander for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Elizabeth Alexander for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Elizabeth Alexander or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.


Elizabeth Alexander is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Inspirational, Diversity and Creativity. The estimated speaking fee range to book Elizabeth Alexander for live events is $20,000 - $30,000. Please contact us for virtual event fees. Elizabeth Alexander can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Temple Grandin, Sonia Nazario and Erin Gruwell. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Elizabeth Alexander for an upcoming event.

Elizabeth Alexander Videos

Elizabeth Alexander
The privilege of perspective ft. Elizabeth Alexander
Creative process: Are you in a period of ‘woodshedding’?
NYU 2019 Commencement Speaker Elizabeth Alexander
Elizabeth Alexander at the 2015 Aspen Ideas Festival

Elizabeth Alexander News

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