Writer and actor Benjamin Zephaniah recently passed away on Thursday at the age of 65 after being diagnosed with a brain tumor two months ago.
In honor of the poet and political activist, here are five facts about Benjamin Zephaniah.
- For his work, Zephaniah was deeply celebrated by universities. He was awarded with 16 honorary doctorates for his writing in poetry collections such as “Wicked World!” and in novels such as “Refugee Boy.”
The latest university to celebrate him was the University of Birmingham as he was given an honorary doctorate by the institution in 2008. Other universities to honor Zephaniah include the University of North London, the University of Central England and London South Bank University.
- Zephaniah credited an old, manual typewriter as motivation for why he became a writer. At the age of nine, he was given the typewriter after being asked what he wanted to be when he grew up. In an episode of “Antiques Roadshow,” he revealed that he viewed the machine as “an inspiration that symbolizes his journey.” Previously, Zephaniah was diagnosed with dyslexia and wasn’t able to read or write at the age of 13 when he left the approved school he attended.
The typewriter currently sits at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery as part of the Birmingham Museums Trust.
- Music was a big inspiration to the poet and his art. Inspired by Jamaican music, his work was referred to as dub poetry- a type of performance poetry derived from the rhythms of Jamaican dub music. After releasing his first poetry collection, “Pen Rhythm,” Zephaniah released his own album of music. The album featured The Wailers in what is known as their first recording since Bob Marley passed away in 1981 and was a hit in Yugoslavia.
Titled “Rasta,” the tracks on the album were commentary on topics such as the apartheid system in South Africa. His track, “13 Dead,” discussed the New Cross house fire that claimed the lives of 13 Black teenagers and young adults aged 14 to 22. Over 20,000 marched across London for eight hours to draw attention to the inaction of officials, as no one was charged for setting the fire. To this day, the case is still labeled as an open verdict.
- Zephaniah was an activist against police brutality for decades in the U.K. Also a victim of police brutality himself, Zephaniah’s cousin, Mikey Powell, passed away while in police custody in 2003. On Sept. 7, Powell, 38, was assaulted by police who hit him with their patrol car and a baton after they were called to his house over a disturbance.
He died of asphyxiation in a West Midlands police van during a mental health crisis, according to the BBC. In an interview with the Huffington Post, Zephaniah publicly spoke out about the challenges he faced when trying to go through legal channels to get justice with the police telling him they would “come down” on him if he continued.
- In 2003, Zephaniah rejected the Officer of the Order of the British Empire. Included as part of the 2004 New Year Honours, the poet rejected the offer as he viewed the award as a symbol of British colonialism and the history of enslavement. As a self-proclaimed anarchist, Zephaniah spoke out against the British government, often advocating for the disestablishment of the Crown. The poet and activist also fought for the representation of other countries, including the United Kingdom, arguing that both Cornish and Welsh should be part of the English curricula.
