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Amiri Baraka

Amiri Baraka

Amiri Baraka is an African American scholar of literature and poetry

Biography

Amiri Baraka was born in New Jersey in 1934.  He was married twice, his first wife's name was Hettie Cohen and they had two children.  In 1967, he married Sylvia Robinson, later changing to Amina Baraka.

Amiri Baraka was born on October 7, 1934, in Newark, New Jersey an at birth he was named Everett Leroy Jones.  He attended Barringer High School, graduating with honors in 1951.  He won a scholarship to Rutgers University in 1951, but later transferred to Howard University.  He left the university in 1954 with a Bachelor of Arts degree.  He studied philosophy and religious studies. In 1954 he joined the United States Air Force where he was a gunner.  While stationed in Puerto Rico, he was assigned to the library for base duty, which he used to his advantage.  He had amble time to read, which inspired him to start writing poetry.

Baraka wrote his first poem which was recited in Montclair, New Jersey and this is when his career in writing started striving. Baraka was married twice, his second wife name was Sylvia Robinson, which she later changed to Amina Baraka. His daughter was killed at the age of 31.  Baraka prided himself in being an advocate for the black race.  He became a professor of African studies and won plenty of awards for his achievements.  He was co-founder of Black Movement.  Giving back to the community, he and his wife opened a facility for the artists in Newark, New Jersey.  Baraka had a love for jazz music.  He died on January 4, 2014.

References:

Baraka, A. (2012). Autobiography of leroi jones. Chicago Review Press.

Trodd. (2010). Baraka, Amiri. In Encyclopedia of African American history/Vol. 3 pp. (628-630). ABC-CLIO.

Witherbee, A. (2005). Amiri Baraka. Amiri Baraka, 1-3. (e-book).