Who was Amiri Baraka? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Died At Age: 79

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Amina Baraka (m. 1966), Hettie Jones (m. 1958–1965)

father: Coyt Leverette Jones

mother: Anna Lois Jones

children: Ahi Baraka, Amiri Baraka Jr., Dominque DiPrima, Kellie Jones, Lisa Jones, Maria Jones, Obalaji Baraka, Ras Baraka, Shani Baraka

African American Authors Poets

Died on: January 9, 2014

place of death: Newark, New Jersey, U.S.

Ideology: Communists

U.S. State: New Jersey

Founder/Co-Founder: Totem Press

More Facts

education: Columbia University, The New School, Howard University, Rutgers University, Barringer High School

awards: 1989 - American Book Award for his works
1989 - Langston Hughes Award
2008 - PEN Open Book Award

- Rockefeller Foundation Award for Drama
- Before Columbus Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award

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1

What was the impact of Amiri Baraka on the Black Arts Movement?

Amiri Baraka was a key figure in the Black Arts Movement, advocating for artistic and cultural activism to promote Black identity and liberation. His work inspired a generation of Black artists and writers to explore themes of racial pride, resistance, and empowerment.
2

What were some of the key themes in Amiri Baraka's poetry?

Amiri Baraka's poetry often explored themes of Black identity, racial justice, political activism, and the African American experience. His work challenged societal norms and critiqued systems of oppression while celebrating Black culture and resilience.
3

How did Amiri Baraka's political beliefs influence his writing?

Amiri Baraka was known for his radical political beliefs, which heavily influenced his writing. He used his poetry and plays as tools for social critique, addressing issues of racism, capitalism, imperialism, and the struggle for Black liberation.
4

What is the significance of Amiri Baraka's play "Dutchman?"

Amiri Baraka's play "Dutchman" is a powerful exploration of race relations and identity in America. The play delves into the complexities of interracial interactions and the destructive effects of racism, offering a provocative commentary on the Black experience in a predominantly white society.

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Childhood & Early Life

Amiri Baraka, earlier known as Everett LeRoi Jones, was born in Newark, New Jersey to Coyt Leverette Jones, a postal supervisor and Anna Lois, a social worker.

In 1951, he went to Rutgers University on a scholarship but moved to Howard University in 1952. He later graduated from Howard University (c.1954) and served the U.S. Air force from 1954-1957.

In 1957, after leaving the Air force, he moved to Manhattan where he joined the avant-garde ‘Beat Generation’, a group of American writers who shot to fame during the 1950s for their unconventional writing style.

It was after moving to Greenwich Village in Manhattan, that his passion for jazz aroused, which later led him to pursue a parallel career as a music critic.

He has also studied philosophy at Columbia University and attended the ‘New School for Social Research’ without obtaining a degree.

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Career

In 1958, after marrying Hettie Cohen, the co-founder of ‘Yugen’, a literary magazine, he became the magazine’s editor. Later, they founded the ‘Totem Press’ that went on to publish works of famous ‘Beat writers’ like Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac.

In 1961, his first volume of poetry, ‘Preface to a Twenty-Volume Suicide Note’ got published.

From 1961-1963, he worked alongside Diane Di Prima as an editor of ‘The Floating Bear’, a literary newsletter. During this period, he also joined the ‘Umbra Poets Workshop’, a group of African-American writers from Manhattan.

In 1963, his criticisms on African-American music, ‘Blues People: Negro Music in White America’, was published.

From 1963-1965, he taught creative writing at the Columbia University. During this time, he became a playwright and came to limelight with the production of the highly-acclaimed and controversial play, ‘Dutchman’. Ever since, he has written several plays like ‘The Slave-1964’ and ‘The Death of Malcolm X-1969’.

In 1965, after the assassination of Malcolm X, an African-American human rights activist, he became sceptical about the ‘white community’ and consequently left the ‘white Beat movement’ and Greenwich Village.

In 1965, after moving to Harlem, he founded the ‘Black Arts Repertory Theatre’, where the members used their plays to attack the prevalent racism.

In 1967, he worked as a visiting professor at the San Francisco State College and a year later published ‘Black Music’, a collection of his criticisms on music, which were previously published in various magazines.

In the early 1970s, he wrote numerous poems and articles that were viewed by critics as anti-Jewish.

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In 1974, he embraced Communism, believing that the declining economic condition was the root cause of various problems faced by the American society.

In 1979, he became a lecturer in Africana Studies at Stony Brook University.In 1984, his autobiography, ‘The Autobiography of LeRoi Jones/Amiri Baraka’ was published.

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Major Works

‘Dutchman’ is a highly controversial yet critically-acclaimed play, written at a time when Baraka embraced ‘Black Nationalism’, a group that advocated ‘separatism’ for the African-Americans. This play narrates the story of a chance-meeting of a white woman with a black man on a subway. On March 24, 1964, it was staged at the Cherry Lane Theatre in New York and was adapted into a film in 1967.

Awards & Achievements

In 1964, his play, ‘Dutchman’ won the ‘Obie Award’ or ‘Off-Broadway Theatre Award’ for the ‘Best Off-Broadway play’.

In 1989, he was awarded the ‘American Book Award’ for his literary works.

In 1999, he was honored as the ‘Poet Laureate of New Jersey’.

He is the recipient of several fellowships from prominent institutions like ‘the Guggenheim Fellowship-1965’, ‘Rockefeller Foundation Award for Drama’ and National Endowment for the Arts.

He also received the ‘Before Columbus Foundation’ Lifetime Achievement Award.In 2002, he was included in the list of ‘100 Greatest African-Americans’.

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Personal Life & Legacy

In 1958, he married a Jewish woman, Hettie Roberta Cohen and the couple had to two children. They got divorced after he left for Harlem, following the assassination of Malcolm-X.

In 1966, he met his second wife, Sylvia Robinson, a black woman who changed her name to Bibi Amina Baraka. The couple got married in same year and remained together till his death in 2014.

He died on January 9, 2014 due to complications from a recent surgery.

Facts About Amiri Baraka

Amiri Baraka was known for his eclectic taste in music, often blending jazz, blues, and African rhythms into his poetry and writings.

Baraka was a prominent figure in the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s and 1970s, advocating for social and political activism through art and literature.

In addition to his work as a poet and playwright, Baraka was also a respected educator, teaching at several universities and colleges throughout his career.

Baraka's writing often challenged traditional literary norms and explored themes of race, identity, and social justice with a unique and powerful voice.

Despite controversy surrounding some of his views and statements, Baraka remained a significant and influential figure in American literature and cultural history.

Amiri Baraka Biography

You wanted to know

What was the impact of Amiri Baraka on the Black Arts Movement?

What were some of the key themes in Amiri Baraka's poetry?

How did Amiri Baraka's political beliefs influence his writing?

What is the significance of Amiri Baraka's play "Dutchman?"