Does El Cerrito Need a Poet Laureate?

Albany has one. So do Richmond and Fresno. Should El Cerrito?

At its meeting Monday night, the Arts and Culture Commission will discuss adding El Cerrito to the growing list of cities boasting an official poet laureate.

The tradition of a poet laureate reaches back to classical times and was revived in Italy during the age of Petrarch. The appointment of a national poet by the Librarian of Congress started in 1937. As is often the case, California was ahead of the curve. Can any Golden State literature or history geeks name the person Gov. Hiram Johnson designated California’s first poet laureate in 1915?

The state’s current poet laureate is Juan Felipe Herrera.