Amiri Baraka |
October 7, 1934-January 9, 2014 |
Early Life
Born Everett LeRoi Jones in Newark, New Jersey to Colt LeRoy Jones, a postal supervisor and Anna Lois Jones, a social worker. He attended Rutgers University for two years before transferring to well-known HBCU Howard University Baraka earned his BA in English in 1954 prior to serving in the US Air Force from 1954 until 1957. Despite rising to the rank of sergeant in the Air Force, Baraka was dishonorably discharged for allegedly breaking his oath of duty. Baraka had been anonymously accused of being a communist in a letter to a commanding officer. Upon inspection, Baraka was found with some Soviet writings and was demoted to gardening duty before eventual discharge in 1957. He returned to New York City to attend Columbia University and the New School for Social Research. Looking back at his dishonorable discharge from the Air Force, Baraka described his experience in the US military as "racist, degrading, and intellectually paralyzing." When stationed in Puerto Rico, Baraka spent many hours in the base's library where his interest in American literature, specifically the Beat movement, grew. More on Beat poets
Born Everett LeRoi Jones in Newark, New Jersey to Colt LeRoy Jones, a postal supervisor and Anna Lois Jones, a social worker. He attended Rutgers University for two years before transferring to well-known HBCU Howard University Baraka earned his BA in English in 1954 prior to serving in the US Air Force from 1954 until 1957. Despite rising to the rank of sergeant in the Air Force, Baraka was dishonorably discharged for allegedly breaking his oath of duty. Baraka had been anonymously accused of being a communist in a letter to a commanding officer. Upon inspection, Baraka was found with some Soviet writings and was demoted to gardening duty before eventual discharge in 1957. He returned to New York City to attend Columbia University and the New School for Social Research. Looking back at his dishonorable discharge from the Air Force, Baraka described his experience in the US military as "racist, degrading, and intellectually paralyzing." When stationed in Puerto Rico, Baraka spent many hours in the base's library where his interest in American literature, specifically the Beat movement, grew. More on Beat poets
Young Adulthood
After the Air Force, Baraka moved to the Lower East Side of Manhattan and joined a circle of Greenwich Village artists, writers, and musicians. From 1960-1965 he was married to Hettie Cohen, a white woman, with whom he founded Totem Press and avant-garde literary magazine Yugen. From 1961 to 1963 he was co-editor, with Diane Di Prima, of The Floating Bear, a literary newsletter. His first play, A Good Girl Is Hard to Find, was produced at Sterington House in Montclair, New Jersey, that same year. Baraka's first collection of poems Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note, appeared in 1961. M.L. Rosenthal's The New Poets: American and British Poetry since World War II, praising Baraka’s "'natural gift for quick, vivid imagery and spontaneous humor.' While the cadence of blues and many allusions to black culture are found in the poems, the subject of blackness does not predominate. Throughout, rather, the poet shows his integrated, Bohemian social roots. The book’s last line is 'You are / as any other sad man here / american.'" ("Amiri Baraka" PoetryFoundation.org)
After the Air Force, Baraka moved to the Lower East Side of Manhattan and joined a circle of Greenwich Village artists, writers, and musicians. From 1960-1965 he was married to Hettie Cohen, a white woman, with whom he founded Totem Press and avant-garde literary magazine Yugen. From 1961 to 1963 he was co-editor, with Diane Di Prima, of The Floating Bear, a literary newsletter. His first play, A Good Girl Is Hard to Find, was produced at Sterington House in Montclair, New Jersey, that same year. Baraka's first collection of poems Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note, appeared in 1961. M.L. Rosenthal's The New Poets: American and British Poetry since World War II, praising Baraka’s "'natural gift for quick, vivid imagery and spontaneous humor.' While the cadence of blues and many allusions to black culture are found in the poems, the subject of blackness does not predominate. Throughout, rather, the poet shows his integrated, Bohemian social roots. The book’s last line is 'You are / as any other sad man here / american.'" ("Amiri Baraka" PoetryFoundation.org)
Baraka's early style
Baraka was well known for his strident social criticism, often writing in an incendiary style that made it difficult for some audiences and critics to respond with objectivity to his works. Throughout most of his career his method in poetry, drama, fiction, and essays was confrontational, calculated to shock and awaken audiences to the political concerns of black Americans. For decades, Baraka was one of the most prominent voices in the world of American literature. Baraka, like the projectivist poets, believed that a poem’s form should follow the shape determined by the poet’s own breath and intensity of feeling. |
Baraka's trip to Cuba
In 1959 Baraka traveled with a group of black Americans to Cuba on a trip arranged by The Fair Play for Cuba Committee. After meeting other artists and activists, Baraka was inspired to try a more politically fueled style of writing. This trip to Cuba marked one of the turning points in Baraka's life in which he dramatically changed his outlook on the role of art, the role of the individual in society, and how art creates a social and political movement. The fault of our artists and intellectuals lies in their original sin: they are not truly revolutionary. |
I came to realize that Cuba and Fidel's embrace of socialism was the key to understanding the protracted nature of the struggle, not only in the United States, but worldwide." |
Baraka's new style
Once returning from Cuba, Baraka was a changed man. His art reflected this change. Dutchman was written during this period of growing disillusion with White America and the need to separate himself from it. This was another drastic change as Baraka left his wife Hattie and two children and moved to Harlem, embracing black nationalism.
Baraka used his plays and other writings to display his mistrust and hostility towards White society.
Once returning from Cuba, Baraka was a changed man. His art reflected this change. Dutchman was written during this period of growing disillusion with White America and the need to separate himself from it. This was another drastic change as Baraka left his wife Hattie and two children and moved to Harlem, embracing black nationalism.
Baraka used his plays and other writings to display his mistrust and hostility towards White society.
Baraka: "Father of the Black Arts Movement"
After the assassination of Malcolm X in 1965, Baraka split form the Beat Movement because he felt they were not radical enough. As Baraka expressed his frustration with the progress of the Civil Rights movement. As his views became more controversial, so did his writing. His poem “Black Art” expressed the role of violence in establishing “a Black World.” To further nourish the creation of Black Art, Baraka founded the Black Arts Repertory Theater and School (BARTS). Baraka hoped to bring back the black cultural hub of the 1920 Harlem Renaissance. The theater featured art only from black writers, performed by black actors, and in front of black audiences. Because BARTS was the first all-black arts school, the FBI was present for its initially opening and continued to monitor.
After the assassination of Malcolm X in 1965, Baraka split form the Beat Movement because he felt they were not radical enough. As Baraka expressed his frustration with the progress of the Civil Rights movement. As his views became more controversial, so did his writing. His poem “Black Art” expressed the role of violence in establishing “a Black World.” To further nourish the creation of Black Art, Baraka founded the Black Arts Repertory Theater and School (BARTS). Baraka hoped to bring back the black cultural hub of the 1920 Harlem Renaissance. The theater featured art only from black writers, performed by black actors, and in front of black audiences. Because BARTS was the first all-black arts school, the FBI was present for its initially opening and continued to monitor.
Becoming 'Amiri Baraka'
In 1966 Baraka moved back to Newark, New Jersey and married author Sylvia Robinson. A year later he changed his name to the Bantuized Muslim appellation Imamu (“spiritual leader,” later dropped) Ameer (later Amiri, “prince”) Baraka (“blessing”). He converted to the Kewaida sect of the Muslim faith which blended elements of African and Islamic religious elements to support Black cultural nationalism. Sylvia later adopted the name Amina Baraka. In Newark he directed Spirit House, a religious, cultural, and educational black community. He also founded the Spirit House Players, which produced two of Baraka’s plays against police brutality: Police and Arm Yrself or Harm Yrself.
In 1966 Baraka moved back to Newark, New Jersey and married author Sylvia Robinson. A year later he changed his name to the Bantuized Muslim appellation Imamu (“spiritual leader,” later dropped) Ameer (later Amiri, “prince”) Baraka (“blessing”). He converted to the Kewaida sect of the Muslim faith which blended elements of African and Islamic religious elements to support Black cultural nationalism. Sylvia later adopted the name Amina Baraka. In Newark he directed Spirit House, a religious, cultural, and educational black community. He also founded the Spirit House Players, which produced two of Baraka’s plays against police brutality: Police and Arm Yrself or Harm Yrself.
Another major ideological shift
In the 70s, Baraka's ideals shifted yet again as he came to view Black Nationalism as destructive. In 1974 he became a third world socialist. He produced a number of Marxist poetry collections and plays in the 1970s that reflected his newly adopted political goals. In 1979 he turned to teaching and became a lecturer at SUNY-Stony Brook for the Africana Studies Department.
In the 70s, Baraka's ideals shifted yet again as he came to view Black Nationalism as destructive. In 1974 he became a third world socialist. He produced a number of Marxist poetry collections and plays in the 1970s that reflected his newly adopted political goals. In 1979 he turned to teaching and became a lecturer at SUNY-Stony Brook for the Africana Studies Department.
Baraka in more hot water
While Baraka had always had a controversial career, lacing anti-semitism, misogyny, and homophobia into some of his work, he made national news in 2004 with the publishing of his book of poetry, Somebody Blew Up America & Other Poems. At the time he was serving as New Jersey’s poet laureate. With much public outcry the governor of New Jersey took action to abolish the Baraka's position. Though Baraka sued, though the United States Court of Appeals eventually ruled that state officials were immune from such charges.
While Baraka had always had a controversial career, lacing anti-semitism, misogyny, and homophobia into some of his work, he made national news in 2004 with the publishing of his book of poetry, Somebody Blew Up America & Other Poems. At the time he was serving as New Jersey’s poet laureate. With much public outcry the governor of New Jersey took action to abolish the Baraka's position. Though Baraka sued, though the United States Court of Appeals eventually ruled that state officials were immune from such charges.
In many ways, Baraka's changing ideology and re-identifications of himself reflects the world in which he lived and grew. Baraka was not a perfect man and yet his legacy as an artist and leader of black cultural appreciation lives on. His work for his community and for social justice in the United States has inspired many young artists of color after him.
Baraka’s legacy as a major poet of the second half of the 20th century remains matched by his importance as a cultural and political leader. His influence on younger writers has been significant and widespread [...] Baraka did much to define and support black literature’s mission into the next century. |
Writers from other ethnic groups have credited Baraka with opening 'tightly guarded doors' in the white publishing establishment, noted Maurice Kenney in Amiri Baraka: The Kaleidoscopic Torch, who added: 'We’d all still be waiting the invitation from the New Yorker without him. He taught us how to claim it and take it.' |
- "Amiri Baraka," PoetryFoundation.org