Toi Derricotte is a major literary figure whose influence extends from her roles as author and teacher to Cave Canem, the historic workshop/retreat for African American poets that she co-founded with Cornelius Eady in 1996. She is the award-winning author of the memoir The Black Notebooks (1997) and five books of poetry: Empress of the Death House (1978), Natural Birth (1983), Captivity (1989), Tender (1997), and most recently The Undertaker's Daughter (2011). She is Professor of English at University of Pittsburgh. Her website is www.toiderricotte.com.