N. H. Pritchard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
N. H. Pritchard
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| Born | Norman Henry Pritchard October 22, 1939. |
| Died | February 8, 1996 (aged 56) Eastern Pennsylvania |
| Occupation | poet, artist |
| Education | NYU, Columbia |
Norman Henry Pritchard (born October 22, 1939 – died February 8, 1996) was an American poet. He was known for his unique and experimental style of writing. Pritchard was also a member of the Umbra poets, a group of Black writers. This group started in 1962 in New York City.
Pritchard's poetry was often called avant-garde. This means it was very new and different. He used unusual ways to arrange words on the page. Sometimes his poems didn't even have full sentences.
Contents
About N. H. Pritchard
Norman Henry Pritchard was born in New York City in 1939. His father was from Jamaica, and his mother was from Trinidad. He grew up in the Harlem and Crown Heights areas of Brooklyn.
His Education and Early Friends
Pritchard studied at New York University (NYU). While there, he was very involved in the arts. He even led the Fine Arts Society on his campus. Later, he continued his studies at Columbia University. He also taught for a short time at the New School for Social Research.
Before joining the Umbra Poetry Workshop, Pritchard met many artists and writers. They often gathered at a place called the Cedar Tavern near NYU. He knew people like Philip Guston, Franz Kline, and Jack Kerouac.
The Umbra Poets and His Work
Pritchard was an important member of the Umbra poets. This was a group of Black writers who lived in Manhattan's Lower East Side. They came together to share their creative ideas.
While he was with the Umbra poets, Pritchard's work appeared in many magazines. Some of these included Athanor, the East Village Other, and Negro Digest. His poems were shared with many readers.
Published Books
During his lifetime, Pritchard published two books of his own poetry. The first was The Matrix: Poems, 1960-1970, released in 1970. The second book was Eecchhooeess, published in 1971.
His poems were also included in other collections. These were books that featured poems from many different writers. Some of these collections were New Jazz Poet and The New Black Poetry.
Pritchard stopped publishing new work in the early 1970s. He later lived in eastern Pennsylvania. He passed away in 1996.
