Walker, Constance

Constance Walker (1898-1975) was an award-winning American poet and artist.

Walker was born in 1898 in Englewood, New Jersey. While still a child she moved to California where she remained for the rest of her life. Her creative activity began around 1940 when a long, illness limited her physical capacity. The desert, where she spent her convalescence, had a great influence on her poetry. The Courage of Joshua, her self-illustrated booklet of poems, shows this influence. Walker is also well-known for her poem "Pray for Peace" which was reprinted in over twenty-five different publications, used on radio programs, and set to music by Edith Van Gilluwe.

In addition to publishing her poetry in numerous poetry journals, anthologies and newspapers, Walker has also designed and written greetings for card companies such as Hallmark.

Walker has received many awards and citations for her poetry and has been listed by such publications as Marquis Who's Who in American Women (2nd and 4th editions), Dictionary of International Biography (1964-1965), and International Who's Who in Poetry (1958, 1970-1971).

From the guide to the Constance Walker Papers, 1939-1975, (Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries)