Tulare County Library celebrates National Poetry Month Saturday, April 12, 11 am, at the Visalia Branch Library, with an event highlighting local poet Wilma McDaniel. Local author and friend of Wilma McDaniels, Betty Blanks, speaks about Wilma and her impact on poetry in Tulare County and beyond. A discussion lead by Librarian Jonathan Waltmire sharing information on the Literary Landmark Award for Wilma McDaniel and its importance for local poetry and Tulare County. This is followed with a showing of an award-winning short film on Wilma McDaniel and select readers to read Wilma McDaniels poems.
Wilma Elizabeth McDaniel (1918-2007), acclaimed folk poet, was known as “The Okie Poet,” and Tulare’s Bicentennial Poet and Poet Laureate. Born near Stroud, Oklahoma, Wilma, at age 8, began writing poetry on scraps of paper and cardboard for later publication. McDaniel’s family moved to the San Joaquin Valley during the Dust Bowl and settled in Tulare, California. Her childhood in Oklahoma, the Dust Bowl migrant experience, and living in Tulare County influenced her evocative, plain language poetry. She published over 50 books of poetry, including The Carousel Would Haunt Me and Walking on an Old Road.
Betty Blanks is a Valley native, retired lawyer, and newly published author. When she retired from her Visalia law practice in 2018, she decided to write the biography of her close friend, Wilma Elizabeth McDaniel. She hopes the book encourages a new generation of readers to discover Wilma’s work.
Tulare County Library serves all the residents of Tulare County with locations in 17 communities, an adult literacy center, Pop Up Tulare County outreach and bookmobile, and online at www.tularecountylibrary.org. Follow the Library on Facebook www.facebook.com/tularecountylibrary or local branch page, Instagram, @tularecountylib, or Twitter at twitter.com/TulareCountyLib.