The Poet Laureate is officially appointed by the Mayor of the District of Columbia and the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.
[2] The poet laureate is a lifelong position, which has received criticism from a group of concerned arts professionals.
In 2018, the group, led by Regie Cabico, wrote a letter to the District leadership requesting a three-year appointment.
Brown, a native Washingtonian and winner of the Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize he held the position until his death in 1989.
She hosted events throughout the city including a day devoted to African American poetry during Black History Month.