User:Adjoajo/baraka

Amina Baraka was born Sylvia Robinson in Charlotte, North Carolina. She is a poet, actress, author, community organizer, singer, dancer, and activist. Her poetic themes are about social justice, family, and women. Her poetry has been featured in anthologies; Unsettling America an anthology. She was active in the 60s Black Arts Movement, as an artist.

Early Life
Amina was born in Charlotte, North Carolina but raised in Newark, New Jersey. She graduated in 1960 from Arts High School in Newark, New Jersey. After graduating from Arts High School Baraka became a dancer, actress, and poet. As an artist she became a part of the Black Arts Movement in Newark, New Jersey. She performed at the Cellar located at the Jazz Arts Society.

Baraka's mother and grandfather were African American union organizers in Newark, New Jersey in the 1940s. Their apartment was a gathering place for neighborhood organizing and culture. Her grandparents were blues artists; they played the guitar, harmonica, and piano. Her grandmother was known for community mothering looking after neighbors in the neighborhood preparing meals, clothing, and bathing children.

Career
Amina was the founded of the African Free School. Which was a liberation school for community children. She is one of the founding members of the Newark Art Society in 1963. She wrote and performed dance dramas to music at the "loft" that later became known as the "Cellar". The Cellar was located at 22 Shipman Street in Newark, New Jersey. It was the center for Jazz and Art in Newark. It was a collective of artists, and some of the members were; Art Williams, Bill Harris, Eddie Gladden, Tom White. Many artists performed for the Jazz and Art society in Newark. Local musicians and artists, and artists from other parts of the country came to the "Cellar" such as; Marion Brown, Sun Ra, Ben Caldwell, Freddie Stringer, Charlie Mason, Tyrone Washington, Woodie Shaw, Herb Morgan, Jimmy Anderson, Leo Johnson, and Larry Young,

In 1974 - Baraka organized an African women’s conference that was held at Rutgers University.

In 1978 - Amina and Amiri authored a collection of poem. The title of the collection is "Songs for the Masses".

In 1983 & 1987 - Amina and Amiri Baraka co-edited Confirmation: An Anthology of African American Women and The Music: Reflections on Jazz and Blues

In 1992 - Amina and Amiri Baraka founded Kimako’s Blues People. An art space that featured Newark artists.

In 1992 - Amina and Amiri Baraka, co-edited, "The poetry book 5 Boptrees".

In 1994 - Baraka's poetry was in the anthology "Unsettling America: An Anthology of Contemporary Multicultural Poetry". In 1995 - Baraka participated in the Black Women’s United Front in Detroit, Michigan.

In 1998 - Baraka was a founding member of the Black Radical Congress in Chicago, Illinois.

In 2001 - Baraka's poetry is included in a collection of poetry called, "Bum Rush the Page: A Def Poetry Jam".

In 2014 she published a poetry collection of her poetry titled "Blues in All Hues".

Film Credits

 * 2016 - Word Warriors III
 * 2007 - Keep it Clean
 * 2006 - The Pact
 * 2002 - Strange Fruit (documentary)

Onstage
Stage productions in Amiri Baraka’s Black Mass, Slave Ship, Mad Heart, and Home on the Range.

Recordings

 * 2017 - CD The Red Microphone
 * 2008 - CD recording Variations in Time: A Jazz Perspective

Director

 * Co-Directed the word-music ensemble Blue Ark: The Word.

Personal Life
Baraka married Amiri Baraka, in 1966. They have five children. Her son Ras Baraka, became the Mayor of Newark, New Jersey.

Awards & Honors

 * 2015 - Baraka received a certification of appreciation from the Black Nia F.O.R.C.E. (Freedom Organization for Racial and Cultural Enlightenment).
 * 2015 - she was honoree with a Lifetime Achievement, by the New York Friends of the People’s World newspaper