Umbra (poets) facts for kids

Umbra was a group of young Black writers who came together in 1962. They were based in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, a neighborhood in New York City.

What Was Umbra?

Umbra was one of the first groups of Black writers after the Civil Rights Movement. They wanted to create their own unique voice, separate from the main white literary world. This group aimed to combine activism for Black people with artistic writing. This sometimes led to a friendly debate within Umbra. Some members focused more on being activists, while others saw themselves mainly as writers. However, most members cared about both.

Black writers have often faced the question of whether their work should be mostly about politics or about art. Umbra itself grew from a similar group. In 1960, a Black nationalist writing group called On Guard for Freedom started in the Lower East Side. Its founder was Calvin Hicks. Important members included Harold Cruse, Tom Dent, Rosa Guy, Joe Johnson, Amiri Baraka, and Sarah E. Wright.

On Guard for Freedom was involved in a protest at the United Nations against the American-supported Bay of Pigs invasion in Cuba. They also supported Patrice Lumumba, a leader fighting for freedom in Congo. From this group, Tom Dent, Joe Johnson, Brenda Walcott, and Askia Touré went on to form Umbra.

Umbra Magazine and Its History

The Umbra group created a magazine called Umbra Magazine. This magazine came from their Friday-night workshops, meetings, and readings. These events took place in the Lower East Side during the summer of 1962. The magazine was created because the group felt a strong need for it.

Two issues of the magazine were published while the group was active. These were edited by Calvin Hernton, David Henderson, and Tom Dent. The second issue included a special section about the writer Richard Wright.

After the group split up, and the workshops ended following the deaths of Malcolm X and John F. Kennedy, David Henderson became the editor. A third issue was released as 'Umbra Anthology: 1967-1968'. Then came the fourth issue, 'Umbra Blackworks' in 1970. The final issue, 'Umbra Latin / Soul', was co-edited by Henderson, Barbara Christian, and Victor Hernandez Cruz in 1974.

Who Were the Main Writers in Umbra?

Many talented writers were part of the Umbra group. Here are some of them:

• Steve Cannon
• Thomas Covington Dent (also known as Tom Dent)
• Al Haynes
• David Henderson
• Calvin C. Hernton
• Joe Johnson
• Norman Pritchard
• Lennox Raphael
• Ishmael Reed
• Archie Shepp, who was both a musician and a writer
• Cecil Taylor, who was both a musician and a poet
• Art Berger
• Lorenzo Thomas
• James Thompson
• Askia M. Touré (whose real name was Roland Snellings; he was also a visual artist)
• Brenda Walcott
• Raymond R. Patterson
• Rashidah Ismaili

Askia Touré was very important in shaping "cultural nationalism" (the idea of promoting a strong Black culture). He directly influenced Amiri Baraka, another famous writer. Other Umbra writers, Charles Patterson and his brother William Patterson, also influenced Baraka.

Touré later joined Baraka, Steve Young, and others at the Black Arts Repertory Theatre/School (BART/S). Umbra is often seen as a group that paved the way for the Black Arts Movement. This movement was a time when Black artists created powerful works to express Black culture and identity.

Many members of Umbra continued to be active in the Black Arts Movement and other artistic efforts afterward. For example, Ishmael Reed started the Before Columbus Foundation in California. David Henderson was involved with the Nuyorican Poets Cafe in New York. Tom Dent worked with The Free Southern Theatre in New Orleans. Dent also started the long-running magazine Callaloo with Charles Henry Rowell and Jerry Ward.