Piri Thomas
Encyclopedia
Piri Thomas was a writer
and poet
whose autobiography Down These Mean Streets
became a best-seller.
father. His childhood neighborhood in the Spanish Harlem
section of New York City
was riddled with crime and violence. According to Thomas, children were expected to be gang members at a young age, and Thomas was no exception. Thomas was also exposed to racial discrimination because of the color of his skin and because he was Hispanic
.
Thomas was involved with drugs
, gang warfare and crime, and spent six years in prison
as a consequence. While in prison, Thomas reflected on the teachings of his mother and father. He came to realize that a person is not born a criminal. Consequently he developed a conviction that he should use all of his street and prison know-how to reach at-risk youth, and to help them avoid a life of crime.
. The book describes his struggle for survival as a Puerto Rican/Cuban born and raised in the barrio
s of New York. It has been in print for over 43 years. His other works include Savior, Savior Hold My Hand; Seven Long Times; and Stories from El Barrio.
and worked on a book titled A Matter of Dignity. He also worked on an educational film titled Dialogue with Society.
Thomas traveled around the U.S., Central America
and Europe
, giving lectures and conducting workshops in colleges and universities. He was the subject of the film Every Child is Born a Poet: The Life and Work of Piri Thomas, by Jonathan Robinson, which featured a soundtrack by Kip Hanrahan
.
On October 17, 2011, Thomas died from pneumonia
at his home in El Cerrito, California. He is survived by his wife Suzie Dod Thomas, six children, and three stepchildren.
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
whose autobiography Down These Mean Streets
Down These Mean Streets
Down These Mean Streets is the autobiography of Piri Thomas, a Latino of Puerto Rican and Cuban descent who grew up in El Barrio , a section of Harlem that has a large Puerto Rican population...
became a best-seller.
Early years
Thomas (birth name: Juan Pedro Tomas) was born to a Puerto Rican mother and CubanCubans
Cubans or Cuban people are the inhabitants or citizens of Cuba. Cuba is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
father. His childhood neighborhood in the Spanish Harlem
Spanish Harlem
East Harlem, also known as Spanish Harlem and El Barrio, is a section of Harlem in the northeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. East Harlem is one of the largest predominantly Latino communities in New York City. It includes the area formerly known as Italian Harlem, in which...
section of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
was riddled with crime and violence. According to Thomas, children were expected to be gang members at a young age, and Thomas was no exception. Thomas was also exposed to racial discrimination because of the color of his skin and because he was Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
.
Thomas was involved with drugs
Illegal drug trade
The illegal drug trade is a global black market, dedicated to cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of those substances which are subject to drug prohibition laws. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types of drugs by drug prohibition laws.A UN report said the...
, gang warfare and crime, and spent six years in prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
as a consequence. While in prison, Thomas reflected on the teachings of his mother and father. He came to realize that a person is not born a criminal. Consequently he developed a conviction that he should use all of his street and prison know-how to reach at-risk youth, and to help them avoid a life of crime.
Down These Mean Streets
In 1967, Thomas received funds from the Rabinowitz Foundation to write and publish his best-selling autobiography Down These Mean StreetsDown These Mean Streets
Down These Mean Streets is the autobiography of Piri Thomas, a Latino of Puerto Rican and Cuban descent who grew up in El Barrio , a section of Harlem that has a large Puerto Rican population...
. The book describes his struggle for survival as a Puerto Rican/Cuban born and raised in the barrio
Barrio
Barrio is a Spanish word meaning district or neighborhood.-Usage:In its formal usage in English, barrios are generally considered cohesive places, sharing, for example, a church and traditions such as feast days...
s of New York. It has been in print for over 43 years. His other works include Savior, Savior Hold My Hand; Seven Long Times; and Stories from El Barrio.
Later years
Thomas was influential in the Nuyorican MovementNuyorican Movement
The Nuyorican Movement is a cultural and intellectual movement involving poets, writers, musicians and artists who are Puerto Rican or of Puerto Rican descent, who live in or near New York City, and either call themselves or are known as Nuyoricans...
and worked on a book titled A Matter of Dignity. He also worked on an educational film titled Dialogue with Society.
Thomas traveled around the U.S., Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, giving lectures and conducting workshops in colleges and universities. He was the subject of the film Every Child is Born a Poet: The Life and Work of Piri Thomas, by Jonathan Robinson, which featured a soundtrack by Kip Hanrahan
Kip Hanrahan
Kip Hanrahan is an American jazz music impresario, record producer and percussionist.-Biography:Hanrahan was born in a Puerto Rican neighborhood in the Bronx to an Irish-Jewish family. He has an unusual role in the albums released under his name, one which he has analogized to that of a film...
.
On October 17, 2011, Thomas died from pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
at his home in El Cerrito, California. He is survived by his wife Suzie Dod Thomas, six children, and three stepchildren.
See also
- NuyoricanNuyoricanNuyorican is a portmanteau of the terms "New York" and "Puerto Rican" and refers to the members or culture of the Puerto Rican diaspora located in or around New York State especially the New York City metropolitan area, or of their descendants...
- List of Puerto Ricans
- List of Puerto Rican writers
- Puerto Rican literature
- List of Cuban American writers
- List of Cuban Americans