(AURN News) — On Oct. 7, 1934, playwright, poet and activist Amiri Baraka was born in Newark, New Jersey.
Born Everett LeRoi Jones, he changed his name after the assassination of Malcolm X, embracing his African heritage and a deeper political awakening.
A gifted scholar, Baraka graduated from high school early, studied at New York University and Howard University, and served in the Air Force before being discharged for reading communist literature.
He co-founded a poetry magazine and later published “Blues People” and the award-winning play “Dutchman.”
As the founder of the Black Arts Movement, Baraka inspired a generation to use art as a form of resistance and cultural affirmation.
He died in Newark in 2014 at age 79, leaving behind a legacy of unapologetic Black expression.
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The post On This Day: Amiri Baraka, Father of the Black Arts Movement, Was Born in Newark appeared first on American Urban Radio Networks.
