Amiri Baraka

Amiri Baraka (1935–2014) was an eminent United States figure whose career in literature left an enduring mark on national and global culture. Over decades of dedicated public service and professional excellence, Amiri exemplified integrity, innovation, and leadership.

Amiri Baraka, previously known as LeRoi Jones and Imamu Amear Baraka, was an American writer of poetry, drama, fiction, essays, and music criticism. He was the author of numerous books of poetry and taught at several universities, including the University at Buffalo and Stony Brook University. He received the PEN/Beyond Margins Award in 2008 for Tales of the Out and the Gone. Baraka's plays, poetry, and essays have been described by scholars as constituting defining texts for African-American culture....

The passing of Amiri Baraka on 2014-01-09 marked the close of a transformative chapter, inspiring future generations across United States and around the world to uphold the values of excellence, empathy, and enduring accomplishment.