Sonia Sanchez

Sonia Sanchez (born September 9, 1934) is an American poet, professor, and activist who has been a leading figure in the Black Arts Movement. Though born in Alabama, Sanchez has lived in Philadelphia for decades and taught at Temple University, where she held the Laura Carnell Chair in English.

Early Life

Sanchez was born Wilsonia Benita Driver in Birmingham, Alabama. Following her mother's death when Sanchez was one year old, she stuttered severely as a child—an impediment she credits with drawing her toward poetry and the written word. She moved to Harlem with her family as a child and later earned her bachelor's degree from Hunter College.

Literary Career

Black Arts Movement

Sanchez emerged as a major voice during the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s. Her early poetry combined African American vernacular, jazz rhythms, and militant political consciousness. She was among the first poets to incorporate Black English and urban speech patterns into published verse.

Major Works

Poetry Collections:

• Homecoming (1969)
• We a BaddDDD People (1970)
• A Blues Book for Blue Black Magical Women (1973)
• homegirls & handgrenades (1984) - American Book Award winner
• Does Your House Have Lions? (1997)
• Shake Loose My Skin (1999)
• Collected Poems (2021)

Plays:

• The Bronx Is Next (1968)
• Sister Son/ji (1969)

Style

Sanchez's poetry is characterized by:

• Innovative use of Black English and vernacular
• Jazz and blues influences in rhythm and structure
• Political and social consciousness
• Feminist perspectives
• Spiritual themes in later work
• Experimental typography and spelling

Temple University

Sanchez joined the faculty at Temple University in 1977, where she taught for decades and held the prestigious Laura Carnell Chair in English. She was instrumental in developing one of the first Black Studies programs in the nation at San Francisco State University before coming to Philadelphia.

At Temple, she influenced generations of students and writers, becoming one of the university's most celebrated faculty members.

Awards and Honors

• National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship
• American Book Award (1985)
• Langston Hughes Poetry Award
• Robert Frost Medal from Poetry Society of America
• Poet Laureate of Philadelphia (2012–2014)
• Academy of American Poets Fellowship

Philadelphia Legacy

As Poet Laureate of Philadelphia, Sanchez used her platform to advocate for poetry education and community engagement. She has been a fixture of Philadelphia's literary and activist communities for decades.

Her home in Germantown has served as an informal gathering place for writers, activists, and artists, continuing the tradition of Philadelphia as a center for African American intellectual and creative life.

See Also

• Temple University
• Philadelphia Literary Scene
• Germantown
• African American Museum in Philadelphia