Robert Hayden (August 4, 1913 - 1980), born as Asa Bundy Sheffey, was a United States African-American educator and poet. He grew up in an adopted family in Detroit, Michigan. He was raised as a Baptist, but converted to the Bahá'í religion during the early 1940s after marrying a Bahá'í, Inez Morris. He is one of the most well-known Bahá'í poets and his religion influenced much of his work.

Robert Hayden was elected to the American Academy of Poets in 1975. From 1976 - 1978, Hayden was Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress. Comments by the editor of his Collected Poetry (1985) and Collected Prose (1984) may be found at http://www.fglaysher.com/bahaicensorship/RobertHayden.htm

Hayden's most famous and most anthologized poem is "The Whipping", which is about a small boy being severely punished for some undetermined offense.

For another person of the same name, see: Geek Code.