Frank X Walker is one of the most accomplished writers and poets to come out of Kentucky. Originally from Danville, Walker forged his own path and gained widespread recognition for his poetry, coining the term “Affrilachia” to highlight the importance of African Americans within the Appalachian Region. He would go on to become the Kentucky Poet Laureate in 2013, the first African American to hold the honor. Now, his influence can be heard through the generations of poets to come after him, and his impact on the Kentucky writing scene cannot be understated.