John Oliver Killens facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Oliver Killens
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John Oliver Killens in 1954
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| Born | January 14, 1916 Macon, Georgia, US |
| Died | October 27, 1987 (aged 71) Brooklyn, New York, US |
| Occupation | Writer; an important figure in the Black Arts Movement; activist in the Civil Rights Movement; creator of the Black Writer’s Conference; university professor |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Novels, plays, screenplays, short stories, non-fiction |
| Notable works | Youngblood; And Then We Heard the Thunder; The Cotillion; or, One Good Bull Is Half the Herd |
John Oliver Killens (born January 14, 1916 – died October 27, 1987) was an American writer from Georgia. He wrote many novels, plays, and short stories. His stories often showed what life was like for Black people in the United States. Killens was also a strong voice in the Civil Rights Movement and the Black Arts Movement.
Early Life and Learning
John Oliver Killens was born in Macon, Georgia. His parents, Charles Myles Killens, Sr., and Willie Lee Killens, encouraged him to read. His father suggested books by Langston Hughes. His mother, who led a book club, taught him about poetry. Young John loved to read and was inspired by writers like Hughes and Richard Wright.
His great-grandmother told him stories about slavery. These tales helped him learn about traditional Black myths and folklore. He later used these stories in his own writing.
Killens finished high school in 1933 at Ballard Normal School in Macon. This was a private school for Black students. At that time, schools in Georgia were separated by race, and Black schools often didn't get enough money.
John wanted to become a lawyer. He went to several historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) between 1934 and 1936. These included Edward Waters College in Florida, Morris Brown College in Georgia, and Howard University in Washington, D.C. He also studied writing at Columbia University in New York City.
During World War II, Killens joined the United States Army. He served in the Pacific Ocean from 1942 to 1945. He spent over two years in the South Pacific and became a master sergeant.
Writing Career and Impact
In 1948, Killens moved to New York City to become a writer. He took writing classes at Columbia University and New York University. He was also active in different groups, like a union. Around 1950, Killens helped start the Harlem Writers Guild (HWG) with Rosa Guy and other writers. This group met in people's homes to read and improve their stories.
His first novel, Youngblood (1954), was about a Black family in Georgia in the early 1900s. He worked on this book during HWG meetings.
Killens became friends with actor Harry Belafonte. Belafonte wanted to make a movie from a crime novel called Odds Against Tomorrow. The original screenwriter, Abraham Polonsky, faced unfair restrictions in Hollywood. So, Killens kindly agreed to be credited as the screenwriter for the film. Later, in 1996, the Writers Guild of America gave Polonsky the proper credit for the film.
Killens's second novel, And Then We Heard the Thunder (1962), was about how Black soldiers were treated during World War II. At that time, the armed forces were still segregated. A critic named Noel Perrin said it was one of the five most important novels about World War II.
His third novel, Sippi (1967), focused on the fight for voting rights for Black Americans during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s.
In 1969, Killens wrote Slaves, a historical novel. It was based on the screenplay for a movie with the same name.
His book The Cotillion; or, One Good Bull Is Half the Herd (1971) looked at the lives of upper-class Black society.
Besides novels, Killens also wrote plays, movie scripts, and many articles and short stories. His work appeared in magazines like The Black Scholar, The New York Times, Ebony, and Redbook. In 1964, his essay "Explanation of the 'Black Psyche'" was published in The New York Times Sunday Magazine. This reached a very large audience.
Killens taught writing at several universities, including Fisk University, Howard University, and Columbia University. In 1986, he started the National Black Writers Conference at Medgar Evers College. Today, a magazine called The Killens Review of Arts & Letters is named in his honor.
Personal Life
On June 19, 1943, John Killens married Grace Ward Jones. They had two children: a son named Jon Charles (born 1944) and a daughter named Barbara (born 1947).
John Oliver Killens passed away in 1987 at the age of 71. He died from cancer in Brooklyn, New York.
