Pat Parker
American poet and activist / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Pat Parker (born Patricia Cooks; January 20, 1944 – June 17, 1989)[2] was an American poet and activist. Both her poetry and her activism drew from her experiences as an African-American lesbian feminist.[3][4] Her poetry spoke about her tough childhood growing up in poverty, dealing with sexual assault, and the murder of a sister.[5] At eighteen, Parker was in an abusive relationship and had a miscarriage after being pushed down a flight of stairs.[5] After two divorces she came out as lesbian "embracing her sexuality" and said she was liberated and "knew no limits when it came to expressing the innermost parts of herself".[5]
Pat Parker | |
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Born | Patricia Cooks (1944-01-20)January 20, 1944 Houston, Texas, U.S. |
Died | June 17, 1989(1989-06-17) (aged 45) Oakland, California, U.S. |
Occupations |
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Spouses | |
Partner | Marty Dunham |
Children | 2 |
Notes | |
Parker participated in political activism and had early involvement with the Black Panther Party and Black Women's Revolutionary Council, and formed the Women's Press Collective.[6] She participated in many forms of activism especially regarding gay and lesbian communities, domestic violence, and rights of people of color.[7] She released five poetry collections: Child of Myself (1972), Pit Stop (1975), Movement in Black (1978), Woman Slaughter (1978), and Jonestown and Other Madness (1985).