Sonia Sanchez (1) (1934–)
Author of Shake Loose My Skin: New and Selected Poems
For other authors named Sonia Sanchez, see the disambiguation page.
About the Author
Born in Alabama, educated in New York City, Sanchez is a leading poet of the Black Arts Movement, whose poetry is written from political, economic, and social concerns as well as literary ones. Although her literary focus has been primarily to express her experience as an African American woman, show more Sanchez claims, "if you write from a black experience, you're writing from a universal experience as well." Sanchez's poems are direct, colloquial, and often militant. Many of her works are for children, such as her "poems for young brothas and sistuhs," as she puts it in It's a New Day (1971). Yet she also writes with tenderness about love. As academic interest in the voices of women and African Americans has intensified, critical interest in and acceptance of Sanchez's work has increased. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Image credit: Photo by Kel Munger.
Series
Works by Sonia Sanchez
Dirty Hearts 2 copies
Full Moon of Sonia 1 copy
Associated Works
The Norton Anthology of African American Literature {2nd edition} (2003) — Contributor, some editions — 282 copies, 2 reviews
African American Poetry: 250 Years of Struggle and Song (2020) — Contributor — 232 copies, 4 reviews
No More Masks: An Anthology of Twentieth-Century American Women Poets (1993) — Contributor, some editions — 224 copies, 3 reviews
Daughters of Africa: An International Anthology of Words and Writings by Women of African Descent from the Ancient Egyptian to the Present (1992) — Contributor — 187 copies
Poetry Speaks Expanded: Hear Poets Read Their Own Work from Tennyson to Plath (2007) — Contributor — 157 copies, 2 reviews
In Search of Color Everywhere: A Collection of African-American Poetry (1994) — Contributor — 105 copies
Every Shut Eye Ain't Asleep: An Anthology of Poetry by African Americans Since 1945 (1994) — Contributor — 97 copies
Make a Joyful Sound (poems for children by African American Poets) (1991) — Contributor — 94 copies, 1 review
The Heath Anthology of American Literature, Concise Edition (2003) — Contributor — 72 copies, 1 review
This Is the Honey: An Anthology of Contemporary Black Poets (2024) — Contributor — 66 copies, 1 review
Poemhood: Our Black Revival: History, Folklore & the Black Experience: A Young Adult Poetry Anthology (2024) — Contributor — 57 copies, 2 reviews
Angles of Ascent: A Norton Anthology of Contemporary African American Poetry (2013) — Contributor — 48 copies
Women in the Trees: U.S. Women's Short Stories About Battering and Resistance, 1839-1994 (1996) — Contributor — 45 copies
We Have Not Been Moved: Resisting Racism and Militarism in 21st Century America (2012) — Afterpoem — 43 copies
The Whiskey of Our Discontent: Gwendolyn Brooks as Conscience and Change Agent (2017) — Introduction, some editions — 39 copies
Catch the Fire!!!: A Cross-Generational Anthology of Contemporary African-American Poetry (1998) — Contributor — 35 copies, 1 review
Centers of the Self: Stories by Black American Women, from the Nineteenth Century to the Present (1994) — Contributor — 31 copies
Gathering Ground: A Reader Celebrating Cave Canem's First Decade (2006) — Contributor — 30 copies, 1 review
So Much Things to Say: 100 Poets from the First Ten Years of the Calabash International Literary Festival (2010) — Contributor — 26 copies, 1 review
A Rock Against the Wind: African-American Poems and Letters of Love and Passion (1996) — Contributor — 24 copies
The Unforgetting Heart: An Anthology of Short Stories by African American Women, 1859-1993 (1993) — Contributor — 23 copies
The Bluelight Corner: Black Women Writing on Passion, Sex, and Romantic Love (1998) — Contributor — 10 copies
Lovecraft Country: Soundtrack from the HBO Original Series — Composer — 1 copy
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Other names
- Driver, Wilsonia Benita (birth name)
- Birthdate
- 1934-09-09
- Gender
- female
- Education
- Hunter College (AB|1955)
New York University - Occupations
- poet
playwright
teacher - Awards and honors
- Robert Frost Medal (2001)
Outstanding Arts Award from the Pennsylvania Coalition of 100 Black Women (1985)
National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship (1978-79)
Lucretia Mott Award (1984)
PEN Writing Award (1969)
Peace and Freedom Award from Women International League for Peace and Freedom ( [1989]) (show all 13)
Community Service Award from the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (1985)
Wallace Stevens Award (2018)
Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize (2021)
MacDowell Medal (2022)
Jackson Poetry Prize (2022)
Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize (2022)
Anisfield-Wolf Lifetime Achievement Award (2019) - Relationships
- Knight, Etheridge (spouse)
- Nationality
- USA
- Birthplace
- Birmingham, Alabama, USA
- Places of residence
- Harlem, New York, USA
- Associated Place (for map)
- USA
Members
Reviews
Ms Sanchez is an African-American poet and playwright, who was a distinguished professor of English at Temple University in Philadelphia. Does Your House Have Lions?, which was nominated for both the National Book Critics’ Circle Award and the NAACP Image Award in 1997, is an epic poem in memory of Ms Sanchez's brother, who died of AIDS in the 1980s. It consists of short, electric bursts of anger, bitterness, fear, and ultimately love and reconciliation, from the voices of Ms Sanchez, her show more brother, their father, and his stepmother, along with the voices of African ancestors. My only regret is not hearing Ms Sanchez read this poem; if anyone is familiar with this book and knows of a performance or audio book of it, please let me know! show less
Morning Haiku is a slim collection of haiku compositions, most of which celebrate the lives and mourn the deaths of prominent African-American musicians, singers, writers, and activists. My favorite poem is 10 haiku (for Philadelphia Murals), which pays tribute to the murals created through the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program.
Morning Haiku is a gentle and evocative collection of poems, one that I'll return to repeatedly for greater enjoyment and appreciation.
Morning Haiku is a gentle and evocative collection of poems, one that I'll return to repeatedly for greater enjoyment and appreciation.
For over six decades, Sonia Sanchez has been a fiercely powerful -- and empowering -- voice for all of us, and for people of color in particular. Her contributions as a writer, an educator, and an activist have been invaluable. Gathering highlights from all of Ms. Sanchez's poetry, this compilation is sure to inspire love and community engagement.
I've read a few of Sanchez' poems, but this is the only book of hers I own. I read it on the train and brush back tears.
Lists
Awards
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Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 23
- Also by
- 49
- Members
- 971
- Popularity
- #26,520
- Rating
- 4.2
- Reviews
- 10
- ISBNs
- 110
- Languages
- 1
- Favorited
- 1