Massachusetts created its first poet laureate position in March 2025, joining most of the other states and the Navajo Nation in supporting a position that promotes the art form. California's governor appointed the first state poet laureate, Ina Coolbrith, in 1915, a selection the Legislature formalized on April 26, 1919. Through the years, states have added the position either by legislative or governors’ actions, or both. These official state poets don't just write verses; they bring poetry into classrooms, write pieces for state events, promote literacy, and—during National Poetry Month in April—lead statewide celebrations.