Biography of Piri Thomas
Piri Thomas was born in Harlem, New York on September 30, 1928. He was the eldest of seven children. His mother is of Puerto Rican descent and his father is Cuban. Thomas' full name is John Peter Thomas. Some sources state that his parents named him Juan Pedro Tomas, but that his name was changed in the hospital to the English version of the latter. The nickname, Piri, was given to him by his mother, whom he had a very close bond with. It comes from the name of a bird called the "pirri", which is a small bird that has enough strength to wound its enemy bird by attacking its underwing.
Thomas grew up in Spanish Harlem (El Barrio) at a time when lynching was still very prevalent in the United States, so the threat of racism was very real for him and others like him. As a young boy he attended public school in East Harlem, where he was forbidden to speak Spanish. Because the assimilation towards English was greater in school, Thomas began to lose some of his ability to speak Spanish. Thomas was faced with racism at school and in his own neighborhood, where he was taunted by whites and frequently called a "nigger spic". Thomas later writes of his experiences with racism in his books and in his poetry.
In his late teenage years, Thomas began to get involved with the street life in Spanish Harlem and later found himself facing a 7 year prison sentence. In 1950 Thomas was involved in a shoot out with police when an armed robbery attempt at a nightclub went sour. He was wounded and spent time in the prison ward at Bellevue Hospital and after his case was settled he was sent to Sing Sing prison. It was during his imprisonment that he began writing what would later become his first book, "Down These Mean Streets" which was first published in 1967, and is still very well known today. Thomas said in an interview from "Puerto Rican Voices In English", a book of interviews by Carmen Dolores Hernández, that "I promised myself not to serve time, but rather make time serve me. I'll educate my mind, not eradicate it. I, Piri Thomas, will be born anew at each A.M." (179). It was this positive attitude that helped him to become what he is today.
After his release from prison, Thomas got involved in an organization called the Youth Development Incorporated (YDI). In this organization, Thomas aided young gang members in getting out of their current situations. He used his life as proof that a person can make a change towards the better. He also emphasized the benefits of attaining an education to the youths as a way to make a better life for oneself.
Thomas' works, as well as his involvement with the young, aided with his progress. After his first book "Down These Mean Streets" (1967), which was an autobiography, he wrote another autobiography called "Savior, Savior, Hold My Hand" (1972). In 1974, he wrote a prison memoir called "Seven Long Times" and in 1978 he wrote a book containing eight stories about his street life called "Stories from El Barrio". Thomas has also written a two act play, "Las Calles de Oro", which was produced and performed by the Puerto Rican Traveling Theater in 1972. Thomas is also a poet and has produced two CDs containing "wordsongs", which are poems set to different kinds of music.
Currently Thomas is very involved in the community. He frequently visits schools and prisons and speaks of his life and of his works. He lives in San Francisco with his wife, Suzanne Dod.
Piri Thomas has the ability to captivate people through his writing and recitation of his poetry. He connects with people of all walks of life through the topics of his writings. The theme of the struggle of humanity and finding oneself is very prominent in his work. He speaks of the difficulties people face in society: poverty, racism, crime, etc. But he also speaks about hope, love, family, and children. He uses his life as an example for all of these and allows us to further explore the world through his eyes and the eyes of others like himself.
Thomas began writing short stories at about age 13. His love for writing and self expression was evident to his teachers and others who knew him personally. Although, Thomas had a talent for writing, it was not until he was imprisoned for seven years that he began to truly express himself through pen and paper. His first autobiography, "Down These Mean Streets", which he wrote partly in prison, was his first real attempt at confronting issues that he had been faced with in his life. This work was partly remedial in the sense that it aided Thomas in his path toward self discovery and bettering himself. It also allowed him to attain a sense of freedom and helped him to exercise his mind. And when it was published and introduced to the public in 1967, it awakened people to Puerto Rican life in the streets of Spanish Harlem.
In most of Thomas's writing, from his books to his poetry, he speaks of the reality of society and the world both in the past and in the present. Thomas speaks of the race relations within the Puerto Rican community and the discrimination felt by a "black" Puerto Rican. His memoirs are filled with stories about the racism he encountered as a child by his "white" neighbors and by his own people. His prison memoir, "Seven Long Times", focused a lot on the dehumanization associated with the prison system and his struggle to survive behind bars.
Thomas considers writing to be a way to reach those who are burdened by the struggle to survive in a place that thrives on bringing others down. Thomas' writing and poetry inspires people to hope. It ignites a passion within the reader, especially within those who can identify with his life story, to eradicate the injustices that loom in our society.
LIST AND BRIEF SYNOPSES OF WORKS BY PIRI THOMAS
"Down These Mean Streets" (1967) is an autobiography and is Thomas' most well known work. In "Down These Mean Streets" Thomas tells a story that is full of emotion and love. It is the story of his childhood, his family, and his life in the inner city. The book touches on topics of racism, poverty, crime on the streets, brotherhood, and cultural identity. This book is considered to be a classic because of its depiction of New York inner city life at the time and the people who lived there. The New York Times Book Review called this book "a linguistic event".
"Savior, Savior, Hold My Hand" (1972) is another autobiographical work by Thomas. It is similar to that of "Down These Mean Streets" because the style of writing is informal and is written in the vernacular. The book addresses similar issues that its predecessor does but it contains stories that deal a lot with Thomas' life and his search for himself.
"Seven Long Times" (1974) is a memoir about the seven years that Thomas spent in prison. The book begins by telling the story of the stickup that led to his imprisonment and continues to tell more stories that address the racism and the injustices that Thomas faced when he served time. Some stories also speak of the helplessness and isolation that he felt at times. This book presents prison life from the perspective of a prisoner and allows the reader to see Thomas and others in the story in a real light. This book exposes the reader to life within the prison system and explores a world that deals directly with the human experience.
"Stories from El Barrio" (1978) is a book written for young adults about street life in Spanish Harlem. It contains eight stories about the realities of gang life, poverty, and violence. Each story is part of Thomas' past experiences with the streets as a youth. The stories are meant to inform people of all ages, but most especially the young about the consequences of living a life full of danger and false hope.
Thomas has also written a two-act play called "Las calles de oro" or "The Golden Streets". The play was produced and performed in 1972 in New York by the Puerto Rican Traveling Theater. It was directed by Miriam Colòn.
Thomas has also produced CDs that contain "wordsongs", which are poems set to different kinds of music (salsa, gospel, beat of conga drums, Latin jazz, etc.). He has two CDs the first entitled "Sounds of the Streets" and the second entitled "No Mo' Barrio Blues".