Piri Thomas was exposed to racial discrimination because of his Afro-Latino heritage.
13 Facts About Piri Thomas
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Piri Thomas was born during the great depression, his family experienced its hardships, especially his father.
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Piri Thomas's father felt that he needed to provide for his family and would bounce from job to job.
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Piri Thomas's father seemed to not treat him the same as his siblings due to his darker skin tone.
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In 1967, Piri Thomas received funds from the Rabinowitz Foundation to write and publish his best-selling autobiography Down These Mean Streets.
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Piri Thomas narrated the rampant racism of the pre-Civil Rights Act of 1964.
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Piri Thomas describes matters regarding faith, vulnerability, and seeking guidance throughout life.
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Piri Thomas was an influential precursor to the Nuyorican Movement which included poets Pedro Pietri, Miguel Algarin, and Giannina Braschi, who wrote of life in New York City using a mix of English and Spanish.
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Piri Thomas worked on a book titled A Matter of Dignity and on an educational film entitled Dialogue with Society.
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Piri Thomas traveled around the US, Central America and Europe, giving lectures and conducting workshops in colleges and universities.
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In 2003, Jonathan Meyer Robinson made a film Every Child is Born a Poet: The Life and Work of Piri Thomas, which featured a soundtrack by Kip Hanrahan.
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On October 17,2011, Piri Thomas died from pneumonia at his home in El Cerrito, California.
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Piri Thomas was survived by his wife Suzie Dod Thomas, six children, and three stepchildren.