Chyrel J. Jackson wins 2026 POTY Book Award for Unsung Canaan Ballads

Poet Chyrel J. Jackson won the 2026 POTY Book Award in Non-Fiction–Poetry for Unsung Canaan Ballads, her first solo collection under the Sisters Roc ’N’ Rhyme banner. The honor spotlights a book rooted in African American literary tradition and expands Jackson’s profile as an author and poet.

Why it matters: - The award gives Chyrel J. Jackson national recognition for a first solo poetry collection. - The win highlights the continued visibility of African American literary voices in contemporary poetry. - The honor may boost reader interest in Unsung Canaan Ballads and in Jackson’s work with Sisters Roc ’N’ Rhyme.

What happened: - Chyrel J. Jackson was named a winner in the 2026 POTY Book Awards in the Non-Fiction–Poetry category. - The winning book is Unsung Canaan Ballads: A Collection of Poems – Sisters Roc ’N’ Rhyme Solos, Part One. - The POTY Book Awards are presented by PersonsOfTheYear.com. - Jackson is from the South Suburbs of Chicago. - The book is Jackson’s first solo collection under the Sisters Roc ’N’ Rhyme banner.

The details: - Prolific Pulse Press LLC published Unsung Canaan Ballads. - The collection gathers poems rooted in the African American literary tradition that has shaped Jackson’s voice since childhood. - Jackson said she is deeply grateful for the recognition and honored that the poems have found an audience. - Lisa Tomey-Zonneveld of Prolific Pulse Press said the publisher was pleased with the outcome and thrilled for Jackson’s success. - Unsung Canaan Ballads carries ISBN 978-1-962374-68-2. - The paperback is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Bookshop.org, and Walmart. - Jackson earned her first literary nomination in 2021 when her poem "Love Unspoken," published in the Heart Beats Anthology, was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. - In 2022, Jackson contributed to the #1 bestselling anthology Not Just Anybody Can Be Dad. - Jackson and her sister, poet Lyris D. Wallace, have co-authored SistersRoc’N’Rhyme Presents Poems in the Key of Life, Mirrored Images, and Different Sides of the Same Coin. - The Sisters Roc ’N’ Rhyme work appears in anthologies, literary journals, and international magazines. - Jackson is a 2025 poet laureate of the Garden of Neuro. - Jackson is also a #1-ranked Amazon bestselling author.

Between the lines: - The award adds another credential to Jackson’s record and strengthens the positioning of Sisters Roc ’N’ Rhyme as a continuing literary partnership. - The press release frames Jackson’s work as rooted in ancestry, tradition, and overlooked stories, which matches the book’s title and theme. - The combination of award recognition, prior nominations, and bestseller status suggests Jackson is building both literary and commercial reach.

What's next: - Jackson is likely to use the award to promote Unsung Canaan Ballads to new readers and supporters. - Prolific Pulse Press is directing readers to Jackson’s author page at Prolific Pulse Press author page. - More information is available through Sisters Roc ’N’ Rhyme and Jackson’s listed social profiles.

The bottom line: - Chyrel J. Jackson’s POTY Book Award win gives her first solo Sisters Roc ’N’ Rhyme collection a notable platform and adds momentum to her growing poetry career.