Aldon L. Nielsen, poet and scholar, is the George and Barbara Kelly Professor of American Literature at the Pennsylvania State University. He was the first recipient of the Larry Neal Award for Poetry, and has since received the SAMLA Studies Prize, the Josephine Miles Award, the Darwin Turner Award, The Kayden Prize, the Gustavus Myers Citation, The Gertrude Stein Award and a Sigma Tau Delta Outstanding Professor Award. His edition of Lorenzo Thomas's Don't Deny My Name received the American Book Award. In the past he has taught at The George Washington University, Howard University, San Jose State University, UCLA, Loyola Marymount University and Central China Normal University.
