Sanchez, Sonia (1934–)

views updated

Sanchez, Sonia (1934–)

African-American poet and playwright. Born Wilsonia Benita Driver, Sept 9, 1934, in Birmingham, AL; dau. of Wilson L. Driver and Lena Jones Driver; m. Etheridge Knight, 1968; children: 3.

Taught at several universities before becoming professor of English at Temple (1977); works include Homecoming (1969), We a BadddDDD People (1970), It's a New Day (1971), Love Poems (1973), A Blues Book for Blue Black Magical Women (1974), I've Been a Woman: New and Selected Poems (1978), Homegirls and Handgrenades (1984), and Under a Soprano Sky (1987). Won PEN Writing Award (1969), National Academy of Arts and Letters Award, and American Book Award (1985).

More From encyclopedia.com