Mari Evans facts for kids

Mari Evans (born July 16, 1919 – died March 10, 2017) was an important African-American poet, writer, and playwright. She was part of a special time in history called the Black Arts Movement. This movement celebrated African American culture through art and writing.

Mari Evans won many awards for her work, including a special lifetime achievement award. Her poems are known for being simple yet powerful. They speak directly to the reader. Besides poetry, she also wrote non-fiction books. One of her most famous works was editing Black Women Writers (1950–1980). This book was a collection of writings by fifteen amazing women authors. Mari Evans passed away in Indianapolis, Indiana when she was 97 years old.

Early Life and School Days

Mari Evans was born in Toledo, Ohio, on July 16, 1919. Her parents were Mary Jane Jacobs and William Reed Evans. Sadly, Mari's mother died when Mari was only seven years old. Her father was very supportive. He always encouraged her to read and write. He helped her develop her writing skills throughout her life.

Mari went to public schools in her hometown. Later, in 1939, she went to the University of Toledo. She studied fashion design there. However, she left the university in 1941 without finishing her degree.

Mari Evans's Career Journey

After leaving college, Mari Evans decided to become a musician. She moved to the East Coast to work with jazz musicians. One of these musicians was Wes Montgomery, who was from Indianapolis, Indiana. In 1947, Mari moved to Indianapolis herself.

Once in Indianapolis, she worked for the Indiana Housing Authority. Then, she joined the U.S. Civil Service.

Becoming a Famous Poet

Mari Evans became well-known as a poet in the 1960s and 1970s. She joined the Black Arts Movement. This movement was a big effort to explore African American culture and history through art and books. Many famous writers were part of this movement. Some of them included Amiri Baraka, Gwendolyn Brooks, and Nikki Giovanni.

Mari Evans was also an activist. She cared deeply about social justice. She spoke out against racism. She once said, "From the time I was five . . . I was aware that color was an issue over which the society and I would war." This shows how early she understood the challenges of racism.

Teaching and Television Work

In 1969, Mari Evans started teaching at American universities. From 1969 to 1970, she was a writer-in-residence at Indiana University – Purdue University at Indianapolis. There, she taught classes about African American literature. The next year, she became an assistant professor at Indiana University in Bloomington. She taught there until 1978.

From 1968 to 1973, Mari also worked in television. She produced, wrote, and directed a weekly show called The Black Experience for WTTV in Indianapolis. She wanted the show to help African Americans see themselves represented on TV.

In 1975, Mari Evans received an honorary doctorate degree from Marian College. She continued teaching at other universities. These included Purdue University, Washington University in St. Louis, Cornell University, and Spelman College.

Mari Evans's Writing Style

Mari Evans's most famous poetry book is I Am a Black Woman (1970). Many of her early poems came out around the same time as the Black Arts Movement. Her writings shared similar ideas with the movement. They spoke about black culture, freedom, and strength.

Her poems often explore themes like love, loss, and loneliness. They also talk about struggle, pride, and standing up for what's right. She used vivid descriptions and powerful language to show the African American experience. She wrote "for my people," meaning her work was for the black community.

Focus on Race and Identity

Mari Evans's writing mostly focused on race and identity. Her poems often featured African American women. People knew her for being intense and very honest. Her first poetry book, Where is All the Music?, didn't get much attention. But her second book, I Am a Black Woman (1970), became famous worldwide.

This second collection called for social change. It included her most well-known poem, also titled "I Am a Black Woman." Other famous poems by her include "Celebration" and "Speak the Truth to the People." Later, she published Nightstar 1973–1978 (1981) and A Dark and Splendid Mass (1992).

In her later poems, Mari Evans tried new writing styles. She used African American ways of speaking. This helped readers connect with her poems and respect the voices in them. Her poems were often described as "realistic," "hopeful," and "enthusiastic." In her poem "Who Can Be Born Black," she ends with the powerful lines: "Who/ can be born/ black/ and not exhult!" She believed in making "Blackness" beautiful and strong.

Her poem "I am a Black Woman" ends with these inspiring words: "I am a black woman/ tall as a cypress/ strong/ beyond all definition still/ defying place/ and time/ and circumstance/ assailed/ impervious/ indestructible/ Look on me and be/renewed." She also famously wrote: "I have never been contained except I made the prison."

Other Types of Writing

Even though she is best known for her poetry, Mari Evans wrote many other things. She wrote short stories, children's books, and plays. She also wrote non-fiction articles and essays. She edited an important book called Black Women Writers (1950–1980): A Critical Evaluation (1984). This book was a collection of essays about black women writers. She also wrote Clarity As Concept: A Poet's Perspective (2006), which was a collection of her own essays. Mari Evans even wrote about social issues in her children's books.

In 1975, she visited the MacDowell Writers Colony. In 1984, she attended the Yaddo writers retreat. These places offer artists a quiet space to work.

Community Involvement

Mari Evans was very active in her community. She worked to change prisons and was against the death penalty. She also worked with theater groups and local organizations. These included Girls, Inc. and the Young Men's Christian Association. She also volunteered her time in elementary and high schools.

Her Personal Life

Mari Evans was divorced and had two sons. She lived a quiet life in Indianapolis. She loved playing the piano. She was also a big fan of the jazz music scene on Indiana Avenue in the 1940s and 1950s. Mari was a member of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church. In her later years, she attended Broadway United Methodist Church.

Death and Lasting Impact

Mari Evans passed away in Indianapolis on March 10, 2017. She was 97 years old. Her funeral was held at a large church because so many people wanted to attend.

Mari Evans is seen as a very important person in the Black Arts Movement. She is considered one of the most influential black poets of the 20th century. Even though she was well-known in "literary circles" on the East Coast, her work was not as famous in Indianapolis, where she lived for many years.

A literary expert said that Mari Evans used "black idioms" (ways of speaking) to truly capture the voice of the black community in her poetry. Her most famous book, I Am a Black Woman (1970), won the Black Academy of Art and Letters First Poetry Award in 1975. The book Black Women Writers (1950–1980): A Critical Evaluation is also very important. It helped bring more attention to the writings of black women authors.

Selected Published Works

Poetry Collections

• Where is all the Music? (1968)
• I am a Black Woman (1970)
• Nightstar 1973–1978 (1981)
• A Dark and Splendid Mass (1992)
• Continuum (2007)

Books for Children

• J.D. (1973)
• Look at Me! (1974)
• Rap Stories (1974)
• Singing Black: Alternative Nursery Rhymes for Children (1976)
• Jim Flying High (1979)
• Dear Corinne, Tell Somebody! Love, Annie: A Book About Secrets (1999)
• 'I'm Late': The Story of LaNeese and Moonlight and Alisha Who Didn't Have Anyone of Her Own (2006)

Plays (Dramas)

• River of My Song (1977)
• Eyes
• Portrait of a Man (1979)
• Boochie (1979)
• The Pro (1979)
• New World (1984)

Nonfiction Books

• Black Women Writers (1950–1980): A Critical Evaluation (1984)
• Black Women Writers: Arguments and Interviews (1984)
• Clarity as Concept: A Poet's Perspective: A Collection of Essays (2006)

Awards and Special Recognitions

Mari Evans received many awards and honors throughout her life:

• John Hay Whitney fellowship (1965–66)
• Woodrow Wilson Foundation grant (1968)
• Indiana University Writers Conference Award (1970)
• First Annual Poetry Award, Black Academy of Arts and Letters (1970)
• Honorary doctorate from Marian College (1975)
• MacDowell fellowship
• Copeland fellowship, Amherst College (1980)
• National Endowment for the Arts Creative Writing Award (1981)
• Featured on a Ugandan postage stamp (1997)
• Nominated for a Grammy Award for her notes in a music album (2002)
• African American Legacy Project of Northwest Ohio Legend Honoree (2007)
• Indianapolis Public Library Foundation's Indiana Authors Lifetime Achievement Award (2015)
• A mural (large painting) of Mari Evans was put up in Indianapolis (2016)