The National Poetry Slam (NPS) was a performance poetry competition where teams from across the United States, Canada, and, occasionally, Europe and Australia, participate in a large-scale poetry slam. The event occurred in early August every year and in different U.S. cities. The last National Poetry Slam took place in 2018 in Chicago, Illinois.
The first National Poetry Slam was held at Fort Mason in 1990 in San Francisco. [1] It was organized by poet Gary Mex Glazner and featured three competing teams: Chicago (birthplace of slam), New York City (Nuyorican), and San Francisco (host city).[1] It was held every year from 1990 until 2018.[2]
From 1990 to 2007, the National Poetry Slam held an individual poetry competition (known as "indies") simultaneously with the team competition, with the poets earning the highest ranking individual poems during the first two days of competition moving on the semifinal and final rounds. The first winner of this event was Patricia Smith, who would go on to win the Individual National Poetry Slam Championship title a record four times.[3]
Starting in 2004, Poetry Slam Inc. (PSI) began hosting a separate event called the Individual World Poetry Slam (IWPS), in which solo poets, rather than teams, competed for the championship title.[4] Because of the popularity of iWPS and to avoid the confusion of two "individual" poetry slam titles being awarded ever year, Poetry Slam Inc. decided to cancel the "indie" competition at the National Poetry Slam.[5]
In 2008, the "Indie Finals" was replaced with the "Group Piece Finals," in which the teams with the highest ranking group pieces (multi-voice poems featuring more than one poet) competed for the title. Only teams who weren't already eligible for NPS semifinals were allowed to compete, with New York, NYC-Urbana being the first Group Piece Finals championship team.
Also in 2008, the Women of the World Poetry Slam (WOWPS) was introduced, in which only female and female-identified poets are allowed to compete.[6] The first WOWPS was held in Detroit, Michigan and the first WOWPS champion was Andrea Gibson.[7]
In 2008, poet Harlym 125 created an unofficial individual competition called the National Underground Poetry Individual Competition (NUPIC) as a response to the absence of an individual competition at NPS.[8] The winner of this competition has traditionally been given a showcase spot on the finals stage at NPS.
The National Poetry Slam has also been the subject of several feature-length documentaries, including the 1998 Paul Devlin film SlamNation, and the 2006 Kyle Fuller and Mike Henry film Slam Planet.
| Year | Winner | Runners Up | Number of Competing Teams | Host City | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Charlotte, SlamCharlotte | (2) Da Poetry Lounge Slam Team (3) Slammageddon Baltimore (4) Salt City Unified | 72 | Chicago, Illinois | |
| 2017 | San Diego PoetrySLAM[10] | (2) Brooklyn Poetry Slam (3) The House Slam (Boston) (4) Da Poetry Lounge Slam Team | 84 | Denver, Colorado | |
| 2016 | Slammageddon Baltimore[11] | (2) San Diego PoetrySLAM (3) The House Slam (Boston) (4) Austin NeoSoul | 72 | Decatur, Georgia | |
| 2015 | The House Slam[12] | (2) Hawaii Slam (3) Berkeley Slam (4) Denver Mercury Poetry Slam | 72 | Oakland, California | |
| 2014 | D.C. Beltway Poetry Slam[13] | (2) New York, NYC-Urbana (3) Slam New Orleans (4) Denver, Slam Nuba | 72 | Oakland, California | |
| 2013 | Slam New Orleans[14] | (2) Hollywood (Da Poetry Lounge) (3) New York, Nuyorican Poets Cafe (4) Elevated! San Diego | 70 | Boston | |
| 2012 | Slam New Orleans[15] | (2) Killeen, Texas (3) New York, Nuyorican Poets Cafe (4) Hollywood (Da Poetry Lounge) | 72 | Charlotte, North Carolina | |
| 2011 | Denver, Slam Nuba | (2) New York, Nuyorican Poets Cafe (3) Providence Poetry Slam (4) Columbus, Ohio Writing Wrongs | 76 | Boston | |
| 2010 | St. Paul, Soapboxing | (2) New York, Nuyorican Poets Cafe (3) Durham, North Carolina Bull City Slam Team (4) Austin, Neo Soul | 78 | St. Paul, Minnesota | |
| 2009 | St. Paul, Soapboxing | 68 | West Palm Beach, Florida | ||
| 2008 | Charlotte, SlamCharlotte | (2) New York, louderARTS (3) Austin (4) Boston, Cantab | 75 | Madison, Wisconsin | |
| 2007 | Charlotte, SlamCharlotte | 76 | Austin, Texas | ||
| 2006 | Denver | (2) Austin, Southflavas (3) New York, louderARTS (4) DC-Baltimore (5) Miami | 75 | Austin, TX | |
| 2005 | Albuquerque, ABQ Slams | (2) Charlotte, Slam Charlotte (3) Fort Worth (3) Hollywood (Da Poetry Lounge) | 75 | Albuquerque, New Mexico | |
| 2004 | Hollywood (Da Poetry Lounge) | (2) Denver (3) Dallas (4) Berkeley | 69 | St. Louis, Missouri | |
| 2003 | Los Angeles | (2) New York, Nuyorican Poets Cafe (3) Austin (4) Oakland | 63 | Chicago | |
| 2002 | New York, NYC-Urbana/ Detroit (Tie) | (3) New York, Nuyorican Poets Cafe (4) Seattle | 54 | Minneapolis | |
| 2001 | Dallas | (2) Los Angeles (3) Seattle (4) New York, NYC-Urbana | 56 | Seattle | |
| 2000 | New York, NYC-Urbana | (2) San Antonio (3) New York, Nuyorican Poets Cafe (4) New York, louderARTS | 56 | Providence, Rhode Island | |
| 1999 | San Francisco & San Jose (Tie) | (3) New York, louderARTS (4) Oakland | 48 | Chicago | |
| 1998 | (2) Dallas (3) Los Angeles (4) Cleveland | 45 | Austin | ||
| 1997 | New York, Mouth Almighty | (2) Chicago, Green Mill (3) Cleveland (4) Worcester | 33 | Middletown, Connecticut | |
| 1996 | Providence | (2) Berwyn (3) New York, Nuyorican Poets Cafe (4) Austin | 27 | Portland, Oregon | |
| 1995 | Asheville | (2) Cleveland (3) Boston (4) Maine | 27 | Ann Arbor, Michigan | |
| 1994 | Cleveland | (2) Boston (3) New York, Nuyorican Poets Cafe (4) Asheville | 24 | Asheville, North Carolina | |
| 1993 | Boston | (2) New York, Nuyorican Poets Cafe (3) Cambridge (4) Cleveland | 23 | San Francisco | |
| 1992 | Boston | (2) San Francisco (3) Ann Arbor | 17 | Boston | |
| 1991 | (2) New York, Nuyorican Poets Cafe (3) San Francisco (4) Boston | 8 | Chicago | ||
| 1990 | (2) San Francisco (3) New York, Nuyorican Poets Cafe | 3 | San Francisco |
| Year | Winner | Runners Up | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007* *Final year Indies held | (2) Christopher Michael (3) Shannon Leigh (4) Alvin Lau (Other finalists: Kealoha, Michael Guinn, 6 is 9, Ed Mabrey, Oz, Robbie Q. Telfer) | ||
| 2006 | (2) Alvin Lau (3) Jon Goode (4) Lee Knight Jr. (Other finalists: Erin Jackson (poet), Jamie Kilstein, Amy Weaver, Iyeoka Okoawo, Falu, Travis Watkins) | ||
| 2005 | Janean Livingston Anis Mojgani (tie) | (3) Ragan Fox (4) Christa Bell (Other finalists: Jamie Kennedy, Eric Darby, Xero Skidmore) | |
| 2004 | (2) Jaylee Alde (3) Shane Koyczan (4) Andrea Gibson (5) Chunky (6) Kimberley Brazwell (7) Rives, Alvin Lau, Janean Livingston | ||
| 2003 | (2) Shane Koyczan (3) Delisle (4) Soul Evans (5) Omari (6) Suzy La Follette (7) Corina Delgado (8) Anis Mojgani (9) Da Shade (10) Jive Poetic | ||
| 2002 | (2) Corbet Dean (3) Kamal Symonette-Dixon (4) Xero Skidmore (5) Rives (6) Gina Loring (7) Shane Koyczan (8) Joel Chmara | ||
| 2001 | (2) Beau Sia (3) Shawn V. (4) Morris Stegosaurus (5) Angela Boyce (6) Mama Blue | ||
| 2000 | (2) Bryonn Bain (3) Al Letson (4) Iyeoka Okoawo (5) Michael Cirelli (6) Bao Thien Buc Phi | ||
| 1999 | (2) Regie Gibson (3) Gayle Danley (4) Jason Carney (5) Ray McNiece (6) Shane Koyczan | ||
| 1998 | (2) Derrick C. Brown (3) Brian Comiskey (4) Sara Holbrook (5) Cass King (6) Patricia Johnson | ||
| 1997 | (2) DJ Renegade (3) Glenis Redmond (4) Evert Eden (5) Jerry Quickley (6) Monica Copeland | ||
| 1996 | (2) Evert Eden (3) Taylor Mali (4) DJ Renegade (5) Wammo (6) Glenis Redmond | ||
| 1995 | (2) Wammo (3) Da Boogie Man (4) ? (5) DJ Renegade (6) Taylor Mali | ||
| 1994 | (2) Carl Hancock-Rux (3) Regie Cabico (4) Derick Prosper (5) DJ Renegade (6) Daniel Gray-Kontar | ||
| 1993 | (2)Lisa Buscani (3) The Invisible Man aka Azeem (rapper) | ||
| 1992 | (2) Patricia Smith (3) Dana Bryant | ||
| 1991 | (2) Lisa Buscani (3) Michael Brown | ||
| 1990 | (2) Paul Beatty |
| Year | Winner | Runners Up | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Art Amok[16] | (2) Austin Poetry Slam (3) The Retort United (The Drunken Retort) (4) The Fuze Poetry Slam (5) Jersey City Slam (6) Orlando Poetry Slam (7) Boise Poetry Slam (8) St. Louis Poetry Slam (9) Nitty Gritty Slam (10) For The Win (11) Slam Free or Die | |
| 2017 | Dada Poetry Slam | (2) Slam Charlotte Poetry Slam (3) PuroSlam (4) Eclectic Truth (5) Salt City Slam (6) The Writers Den (7) Boise Poetry Slam (8) Steel City Slam / ABQ Slams (tie) (10) Toronto Poetry Slam (11) Boston Poetry Slam (12) Ktown Mic Drop Slam (13) Rain City Slam | |
| 2016 | ABQ Slams | (2) Dada Poetry Slam (3) Burlington Ontario (4) Northampton Poetry (5) Freshwater Wordsmiths (6) OM Center Poetry Slam (7) Alchemy Slam (8) Union Square Slam (9) Nuyorican Poets Café (10) Hear Here / Houston Poetry Slam / Puro Slam (tie) | |
| 2015 | Austin Poetry Slam[17] | (2) Palo Alto (3) Austin Neo Soul (4) Slam Charlotte (5) Atlanta Art Amok (6) Rain City (7) Lizard Lounge Poetry Slam (8) Fort Worth (9) Portland Poetry Slam (10) Seattle Poetry Slam | |
| 2014 | Hear, Hear! Poetry Slam[18] | (2) Austin Neo Soul (3) WU Slam (St. Louis) (4) Philly Pigeon (5) Palo Alto (6) Verbal Slap (7) Lethal Poetry (Chicago) (8) Denver Mercury (9) Battle Born (Las Vegas) (10) Boise Poetry Slam | |
| 2013 | Austin Neo Soul / Intangible Slam (tie)[19] | (3) Java Monkey / Houston VIP (tie) (5) Hear Here (Colorado Springs) (6) Battle Born (Las Vegas) (7) Seattle Poetry Slam (Seattle) (8) Dallas Poetry Slam (Dallas) (9) Salt City Slam (Salt Lake City) (10) Sedona Poetry Slam (Sedona, Arizona) | |
| 2012 | Austin Neo Soul[20] | (2) Bull City Slam (3) ABQ Slams (4) Dallas Poetry Slam (5) Piedmont Poetry Slam (6) Burlington Slam Project (7) Jersey City Poetry Slam (8) Loser Slam (9) Vancouver Poetry Slam (10) Urbana | |
| 2011 | ABQ Slams | (Other finalists: Austin Poetry Slam, The Intangible Slam (New York City), Dallas Poetry Slam, Elevated! (San Diego), Houston Poetry Slam, Knoxville Poetry Slam, Austin Neo Soul, Houston VIP, and Eclectic Truth (Baton Rouge)) | |
| 2010 | Slam New Orleans | (Other finalists: Pomona, Santa Cruz, Oakland, Vancouver, Minneapolis, Fort Worth, Ocotillo, Seattle, Urbana, and Toronto) | |
| 2009 | Berkeley Poetry Slam[21] | (2) Seattle Poetry Slam (Other finalists: Fort Worth Poetry Slam, West Palm Beach - The Stage, Atlanta - Art Amok, California- Life Sentence Slam, New Jersey - Loser Slam, Toronto Poetry Slam, Salt Lake City - Salt City Slam, and Amarillo - Slamarillo) | |
| 2008 | NYC-Urbana | (2) Slam Nahuatl Richmond VA (3) Killeen Texas (4) Cleveland (Other finalists: Atlanta, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Honolulu, Chicago-Green Mill, Phoenix, Lincroft, Seattle, and Fort Worth) |
| Year | Winner | Runner Up | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | (TIE) Lindsay Young Gabriel Ramirez | ||
| 2017 | Raych Jackson | Black Chakra | |
| 2016 | Roya Marsh | Ashley Davis | |
| 2015 | Will Giles | Imani Cezanne | |
| 2014 | Danez Smith | Tim "Toaster" Henderson | |
| 2013 | Dominique Ashaheed | Jared Singer | |
| 2012 | Marty McConnell | Mckendy Fils-Aimé | |
| 2011 | Rachel McKibbens | Carrie Rudzinski | |
| 2010 | Eboni Hogan | Omoizele "Oz" Okoawo | |
| 2009 | Rudy Francisco | J. W. "Baz" Basilo |
See main article: Individual World Poetry Slam. ----
See main article: Women of the World Poetry Slam.