nemerov served as poetry consultant to the library of congress in 1963 and 1964, as a chancellor of the academy of american poets beginning in 1976, and two terms as poet laureate of the united states from 1988 to 1990. in 1990 he was inducted into the st. louis walk of fame. nemerov died of cancer in 1991 in university city, missouri. the howard nemerov sonnet award was instituted in 1994 to honor him, and by 2008 about 3000 sonnets were entered annually in the associated competition.