Marcus Amaker

Amaker was named Charleston, South Carolina’s first poet laureate by Mayor John Tecklenburg in 2016. He was also named the artist-in-residence of the Gaillard Center in 2019.

Marcus Amaker and Marjory Wentworth read at Mayor John Tecklenburg’s inauguration, in 2016. Shortly thereafter, Tecklenburg named Amaker Charleston, South Carolina’s first poet laureate. Amaker frequently visits schools to lead poetry workshops with students.

Marcus was born in Las Vegas, Nevada to Betty and Willie Amaker, who were stationed there because of the Air Force. The family moved to England, Maryland, Japan and Texas before moving to South Carolina. Marcus' family is from Orangeburg, South Carolina. In 2015, Marcus married Jordan Freeman in Charleston, South Carolina.

Amaker graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1999. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in Journalism. After graduation, he worked at The Anderson Independent-Mail. He later moved to Charleston in 2003 to work as a graphic designer at the Post and Courier. While at the Post and Courier, he became editor of Preview and Charleston Scene, the paper’s entertainment sections.

Marcus Amaker (born October 29, 1976 in Las Vegas, Nevada) is the poet laureate of Charleston, South Carolina. He has seven published books. His poetry has been featured on PBS Newshour, TEDx, Huffington Post, Charleston Magazine, Post and Courier, Charleston City Paper, Charleston Art Mag, Charleston Regional Business Journal, North Dakota Quarterly, Fare Magazine, Alaska Beyond Magazine, South Carolina Public Radio, and the A&E Network.