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Lorenzo Thomas (poet)

January 01, 1970

Lorenzo Thomas (August 31, 1944 – July 4, 2005) was an American poet and critic. He was born in the Republic of Panama and grew up in New York City, where his family immigrated in 1948. In 1973, Thomas moved to Houston, Texas. Thomas had a two decade career as a professor at the University of Houston–Downtown.[1][2]

Lorenzo Thomas
Born(1944-08-31)August 31, 1944
Panama
DiedJuly 4, 2005(2005-07-04) (aged 60)
NationalityPanamanian
Occupation(s)Poet
Critic
Years active1973–2005
Known forUmbra Workshop

Early life edit

Thomas was born in Panama to Afro-Caribbean parents. His father, a pharmacist, was from Saint Vincent and his mother, Luzmilda, a community activist, was Jamaican, born in Costa Rica.[3][4] Her sister Sadie Clemencia Dolphy was the mother of musician Eric Dolphy.[5] As a child in NYC, he attended Duke Ellington Elementary School (P.S. 140;) Edgar D. Shimer Junior High School (P.S. 142;) and Andrew Jackson High School.

Thomas was a graduate of Queens College in New York with a B.A. in English Literature, and minor in History & Communication Arts (Radio and Television.) He pursued graduate work towards an M.L.S. at the Pratt Institute. During his years in New York, he joined the Umbra Workshop, and was one of the youngest members. The Umbra Workshop drew young writers to the Lower East Side of New York City in search of their artistic voices. It served as a crucible for emerging black poets, among them Ishmael Reed, David Henderson and Calvin C. Hernton. The workshop was one of the currents that fed the Black Arts Movement of the '60s and '70s, the first major African-American artistic movement after the Harlem Renaissance.[6]

Naval service edit

From 1968 to 1972 Thomas served in the U.S. Navy, attaining the rate of 2nd Class Petty Office (E-5) Radioman. He served in Vietnam (in-country); attended Navy schools for electronics, radio, and Vietnamese language; had experience as a platoon leader, radio and computer operator, master-at-arms, and supervisor of civilian employees. He was honorably discharged in 1972.

Career edit

In 1973, Thomas moved to Houston as writer-in-residence at Texas Southern University. At Texas Southern, he helped edit the journal Roots. Beginning in 1984 and for more than two decades as a professor of English at the University of Houston–Downtown. From 1973 to 1979 he served as Writer in Residence at Texas Southern University, Florida A & M University; the State of Arkansas; and the state of Oklahoma.

Thomas also made important contributions to the study of African-American literature.[7]

In 2000, he published Extraordinary Measures: Afrocentric Modernism and 20th-Century American Poetry, his overview of the work of James Fenton and Amiri Baraka, among others.[1]

Death edit

Thomas died in July 2005 at Texas Medical Center Hospice from emphysema.

Works and publications edit

  • Thomas, Lorenzo (1972). Fit Music. New York, NY: Angel Hair Books.
  • Thomas, Lorenzo (1973). Dracula. New York, NY: Angel Hair Books. OCLC 84114955. Published in an edition of 300 copies by Angel Hair at the Poetry Project, St. Marks Church In-the-Bowery, N.Y.C.
  • Thomas, Lorenzo (1975). Jambalaya: Four Poets. Reed, Cannon & Johnson.
  • Thomas, Lorenzo; Farber, Jim (cover art) (2003). Chances Are Few (2nd ed.). Berkeley, CA: Blue Wind Press. ISBN 978-0-912-65277-1. OCLC 53004628. Expanded second edition (of 1980 original publication) collects new poems, and includes an introduction by the author
  • Thomas, Lorenzo (1981). The Bathers. New York, NY: I. Reed Books. ISBN 978-0-918-40818-1. OCLC 8627248.
  • Thomas, Lorenzo (1988). I Cudda Had A V-8: Poetry and The Vernacular (PDF). New York, NY: The Poetry Project, Ltd. A lecture delivered on April 7, 1988 as part of the Poetry Project's 1988 Symposium, Poetry of Everyday Life
  • Thomas, Lorenzo (2000). Extraordinary Measures: Afrocentric Modernism and Twentieth-Century American Poetry. Tuscaloosa, AL: University of Alabama Press. ISBN 978-0-817-31014-1. OCLC 42080108.
  • Thomas, Lorenzo (2004). Dancing on Main Street: Poems (1st ed.). Minneapolis, MN: Coffee House Press. ISBN 978-1-566-89156-1. OCLC 54065671.
  • Thomas, Lorenzo (2004). Time Step: 5 Poems, 4 Seasons. East Bay, CA: Kenning Editions. OCLC 55104023.
  • Thomas, Lorenzo; Nielsen, Aldon Lynn (2008). Don't Deny My Name: Words and Music and the Black Intellectual Tradition. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press. ISBN 978-0-472-09892-7. OCLC 179794180.

Early Prizes edit

  • 1963 - Dwight L. Durling Prize in Poetry, John Golden Award for Creative Writing
  • 1966 - Poets Foundation Award
  • 1973 - Committee on Poetry grant
  • 1974 - Poets Foundation Award
  • 1974 - Lucille Medwick Award
  • 2000 - Foundation for Contemporary Arts Grants to Artists award

References edit

  1. ^ a b Lanham, Fritz (5 July 2005). "Deaths: Lorenzo Thomas, professor and poet". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  2. ^ "Editorials: Lorenzo Thomas: Houston loses an important resident writer". Houston Chronicle. 6 July 2005. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  3. ^ Gery, John (Winter 2006). "In Memoriam: Lorenzo Thomas (1944-2005)". Callaloo. 29 (1): 1–7. doi:10.1353/cal.2006.0053. S2CID 162312891. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  4. ^ Rowell, Charles H. (February 1981). "Between the Comedy of Matters and the Ritual Workings of Man: An Interview with Lorenzo Thomas". Callaloo (11/13): 19. doi:10.2307/3043810. JSTOR 3043810.
  5. ^ "Eric Dolphy; A Musical Biography", Vladimir Simosko, 1996, Da Capo Press; https://vimeo.com/12369541
  6. ^ "Furious Flower: African American Poetry, 1960-1995. A Facilitator's Guide: Lorenzo Thomas". California Newsreel. 1998. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  7. ^ "Talking to Lorenzo Thomas (Virtually)". The New Journal. 2001.

Further reading edit

  • Hodges, John L.; McCray, Judith; Gabbin, Joanne V.; Baraka, Amiri; Madhubuti, Haki R.; Salaam, Kalamu ya; Sanchez, Sonia; Redmond, Eugene; Giovanni, Nikki (1998). "Sonia Sanchez with Lorenzo Thomas". Furious Flower Conversations with African American Poets, Volume II. San Francisco, California. OCLC 41141300. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • Kane, Daniel. . Poets On Poetry. Archived from the original on 25 October 2006.

External links edit

  • Lorenzo Thomas at Electronic Poetry Center
  • Lorenzo Thomas at PennSound

January 01, 1970
lorenzo, thomas, poet, lorenzo, thomas, august, 1944, july, 2005, american, poet, critic, born, republic, panama, grew, york, city, where, family, immigrated, 1948, 1973, thomas, moved, houston, texas, thomas, decade, career, professor, university, houston, do. Lorenzo Thomas August 31 1944 July 4 2005 was an American poet and critic He was born in the Republic of Panama and grew up in New York City where his family immigrated in 1948 In 1973 Thomas moved to Houston Texas Thomas had a two decade career as a professor at the University of Houston Downtown 1 2 Lorenzo ThomasBorn 1944 08 31 August 31 1944PanamaDiedJuly 4 2005 2005 07 04 aged 60 NationalityPanamanianOccupation s PoetCriticYears active1973 2005Known forUmbra Workshop Contents 1 Early life 2 Naval service 3 Career 4 Death 5 Works and publications 6 Early Prizes 7 References 8 Further reading 9 External linksEarly life editThomas was born in Panama to Afro Caribbean parents His father a pharmacist was from Saint Vincent and his mother Luzmilda a community activist was Jamaican born in Costa Rica 3 4 Her sister Sadie Clemencia Dolphy was the mother of musician Eric Dolphy 5 As a child in NYC he attended Duke Ellington Elementary School P S 140 Edgar D Shimer Junior High School P S 142 and Andrew Jackson High School Thomas was a graduate of Queens College in New York with a B A in English Literature and minor in History amp Communication Arts Radio and Television He pursued graduate work towards an M L S at the Pratt Institute During his years in New York he joined the Umbra Workshop and was one of the youngest members The Umbra Workshop drew young writers to the Lower East Side of New York City in search of their artistic voices It served as a crucible for emerging black poets among them Ishmael Reed David Henderson and Calvin C Hernton The workshop was one of the currents that fed the Black Arts Movement of the 60s and 70s the first major African American artistic movement after the Harlem Renaissance 6 Naval service editFrom 1968 to 1972 Thomas served in the U S Navy attaining the rate of 2nd Class Petty Office E 5 Radioman He served in Vietnam in country attended Navy schools for electronics radio and Vietnamese language had experience as a platoon leader radio and computer operator master at arms and supervisor of civilian employees He was honorably discharged in 1972 Career editIn 1973 Thomas moved to Houston as writer in residence at Texas Southern University At Texas Southern he helped edit the journal Roots Beginning in 1984 and for more than two decades as a professor of English at the University of Houston Downtown From 1973 to 1979 he served as Writer in Residence at Texas Southern University Florida A amp M University the State of Arkansas and the state of Oklahoma Thomas also made important contributions to the study of African American literature 7 In 2000 he published Extraordinary Measures Afrocentric Modernism and 20th Century American Poetry his overview of the work of James Fenton and Amiri Baraka among others 1 Death editThomas died in July 2005 at Texas Medical Center Hospice from emphysema Works and publications editThomas Lorenzo 1972 Fit Music New York NY Angel Hair Books Thomas Lorenzo 1973 Dracula New York NY Angel Hair Books OCLC 84114955 Published in an edition of 300 copies by Angel Hair at the Poetry Project St Marks Church In the Bowery N Y C Thomas Lorenzo 1975 Jambalaya Four Poets Reed Cannon amp Johnson Thomas Lorenzo Farber Jim cover art 2003 Chances Are Few 2nd ed Berkeley CA Blue Wind Press ISBN 978 0 912 65277 1 OCLC 53004628 Expanded second edition of 1980 original publication collects new poems and includes an introduction by the author Thomas Lorenzo 1981 The Bathers New York NY I Reed Books ISBN 978 0 918 40818 1 OCLC 8627248 Thomas Lorenzo 1988 I Cudda Had A V 8 Poetry and The Vernacular PDF New York NY The Poetry Project Ltd A lecture delivered on April 7 1988 as part of the Poetry Project s 1988 Symposium Poetry of Everyday Life Thomas Lorenzo 2000 Extraordinary Measures Afrocentric Modernism and Twentieth Century American Poetry Tuscaloosa AL University of Alabama Press ISBN 978 0 817 31014 1 OCLC 42080108 Thomas Lorenzo 2004 Dancing on Main Street Poems 1st ed Minneapolis MN Coffee House Press ISBN 978 1 566 89156 1 OCLC 54065671 Thomas Lorenzo 2004 Time Step 5 Poems 4 Seasons East Bay CA Kenning Editions OCLC 55104023 Thomas Lorenzo Nielsen Aldon Lynn 2008 Don t Deny My Name Words and Music and the Black Intellectual Tradition Ann Arbor MI University of Michigan Press ISBN 978 0 472 09892 7 OCLC 179794180 Early Prizes edit1963 Dwight L Durling Prize in Poetry John Golden Award for Creative Writing 1966 Poets Foundation Award 1973 Committee on Poetry grant 1974 Poets Foundation Award 1974 Lucille Medwick Award 2000 Foundation for Contemporary Arts Grants to Artists awardReferences edit a b Lanham Fritz 5 July 2005 Deaths Lorenzo Thomas professor and poet Houston Chronicle Retrieved 15 March 2016 Editorials Lorenzo Thomas Houston loses an important resident writer Houston Chronicle 6 July 2005 Retrieved 15 March 2016 Gery John Winter 2006 In Memoriam Lorenzo Thomas 1944 2005 Callaloo 29 1 1 7 doi 10 1353 cal 2006 0053 S2CID 162312891 Retrieved 15 March 2016 Rowell Charles H February 1981 Between the Comedy of Matters and the Ritual Workings of Man An Interview with Lorenzo Thomas Callaloo 11 13 19 doi 10 2307 3043810 JSTOR 3043810 Eric Dolphy A Musical Biography Vladimir Simosko 1996 Da Capo Press https vimeo com 12369541 Furious Flower African American Poetry 1960 1995 A Facilitator s Guide Lorenzo Thomas California Newsreel 1998 Retrieved 15 March 2016 Talking to Lorenzo Thomas Virtually The New Journal 2001 Further reading editHodges John L McCray Judith Gabbin Joanne V Baraka Amiri Madhubuti Haki R Salaam Kalamu ya Sanchez Sonia Redmond Eugene Giovanni Nikki 1998 Sonia Sanchez with Lorenzo Thomas Furious Flower Conversations with African American Poets Volume II San Francisco California OCLC 41141300 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a website ignored help CS1 maint location missing publisher link Kane Daniel Poets Chat Lorenzo Thomas Poets On Poetry Archived from the original on 25 October 2006 External links editLorenzo Thomas at Electronic Poetry Center Lorenzo Thomas at PennSound Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lorenzo Thomas poet amp oldid 1125333767, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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