In 2019, Joy Harjo became the first Native American Poet Laureate of the United States. She joins us from her hometown Tulsa, Oklahoma to talk about the responsibilities that come with this honor and the importance of representing rich Native American storytelling traditions. She talks about the transcendent nature of language, our human origins as storytellers, our innate connection to the Earth, and lessons she learned from one of her inspirations, writer N. Scott Momaday. This new bonus episode coincides with the upcoming premiere of American Masters – N. Scott Momaday: Words from a Bear, premiering Monday, November 18 at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings), pbs.org/americanmasters and the PBS Video app in honor of Native American Heritage Month.
