Born in Newark in 1934, Amiri
Baraka is the author of several dozen collections of
poetry, fiction, drama, essays and criticism. He is
widely known for collaborating with numerous jazz musicians
and for his involvement with Black Nationalism and other
politically active groups. Baraka, known as LeRoi Jones
in his youth, studied at Howard University and Columbia
University, gaining national attention in 1964 with
the Obie Award-winning play Dutchman. After the death
of Malcon X, he founded the Black Arts Movement. Formerly
a professor at SUNY-Stony Brook and Rutgers University,
Baraka presently resides in Newark where he spearheads
the Unity and Struggle Collective and co-hosts with
his wife, Amina, a monthly salon, Kimako's Blues People,
at his home. He regularly travels internationally to
perform his work. In 1997, Baraka appeared in Warren
Beatty's film Bullworth. His recent publications include
Allah Mean Everything, a special edition of the NJIT
periodical Newark Review.
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