Parker, Pat (1944–1989)
Parker, Pat (1944–1989)
African-American poet, essayist and feminist. Name variations: Patricia Parker. Born Jan 20, 1944, in Houston, TX; died of breast cancer, June 17, 1989; m. Ed Bullins (playwright, div.).
Outspoken lesbian activist, moved to Oakland, California, and worked as medical coordinator at Oakland Feminist Women's Health Center (1978–87); political activist, had early involvement with Black Panther Party and Black Women's Revolutionary Council, and helped form Women's Press Collective; called attention to problems in women's health issues, especially concerning domestic and sexual violence; poetry collections include Child of Myself (1971), Pit Stop (1974), Womanslaughter (1978), Jonestown and Other Madness (1985), and Movement in Black: The Collected Poetry of Pat Parker, 1961–1978 (1990); essays published in This Bridge Called My Back (1983) and Politics of the Heart: A Lesbian Parenting Anthology (1987).