Occupation Poet Nationality American | Name Ruby Roberts Role Author | |
Born April 22, 1907
Alum Ridge, Virginia ( 1907-04-22 ) Genre Formal poetry, children's literature, genealogy Died May 24, 2004, Christiansburg, Virginia, United States | ||
Ruby Altizer Roberts (April 22, 1907 – May 24, 2004) was an author and the poet laureate of Virginia.
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Personal life
Roberts was born in Alum Ridge, Virginia in 1907. When she was still a child her family moved to Cambria, Virginia, where she spent most of the rest of her life. She was married to highway contractor Laurence Roberts from 1927 until his death in 1966; the couple had one daughter.
Writing
Early in her career Roberts published two collections of poetry, Forever Is Too Long (1946) and Command the Stars (1948). Her poems also appeared in magazines and in newspapers such as The New York Times and The Washington Post. In 1952 she became editor of traditional poetry journal The Lyric, a position she held for the next 25 years.
Her prose works consist of a genealogical history, three memoirs, and the children's book The Story of Buzzy Bee (1982).
Awards and recognition
Roberts received a number of awards and honours in connection with her writing. In 1950 she was named Poet Laureate of Virginia, and in 1992 the General Assembly of Virginia named her Poet Laureate Emerita of Virginia. In 1961 she was conferred an honorary humanities doctorate by the College of William & Mary in Virginia.