David Henderson
David Henderson is an influential American poet, educator, and cultural figure born in Harlem, New York, in 1942. He spent his early years in Harlem before moving to the East Village, and his educational journey included institutions like The New School for Social Research and Hunter College. Henderson's literary career began in 1960 with the publication of his first poem, and he went on to play a pivotal role in the 1960s as a co-founder of The Society of Umbra, a publication that advocated for racial and social awareness among underrepresented writers. His debut poetry book, published in 1967, received acclaim from prominent figures, including LeRoi Jones (Amiri Baraka).
Beyond his poetry, Henderson has contributed significantly to arts education, serving as a consultant for the National Endowment for the Arts and teaching at various institutions, including the University of California at Berkeley and City College of New York. He has received multiple accolades for his work, including the Great Lakes College Association of New Writers Award in 1971. Throughout his career, Henderson has bridged his experiences between the East and West Coasts, becoming known for his contributions to both literary and educational communities. His work continues to resonate, reflecting the complexities and richness of the African American experience.
On this Page
Subject Terms
David Henderson
- Born: 1942
- Birthplace: Harlem, New York
Biography
David Henderson was born in Harlem, New York, in 1942. There he was raised until he moved to the East Village, in a section skirting the colorful Bowery. He attended The New School for Social Research, Bronx Community College, Hunter College, and—from 1964 to 1965—the East-West Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Before having the chance to graduate at any one school, Henderson published his first poem (in 1960, in the Black American), founded the alternative publication, the East Village Other, and cofounded (with Thomas Dent, Albert Hayes, Calvin C. Hernton, and others, in 1962) The Society of Umbra, which launched in 1963. Umbra, a magazine of “racial and social awareness” that encouraged the publication of ethic writers little published elsewhere. Continuing to develop his own poetry, Henderson published his first book in 1967—which was introduced by LeRoi Jones (now Amiri Baraka) as “world echo” full of “strength and beauty” particular to the black experience.
Also in 1967, Henderson became a consultant for the National Endowment for the Arts. He left that summer for New Orleans and work in the Free Southern Theatre. He moved on to serve on the board of directors of the University Without Walls and as artistic consultant to the Berkeley public school system, both in Berkeley, California. The Teachers and Writers Collaborative, a Columbia University coalition and publisher, sought Henderson for consultation, followed by a teaching interval in 1970 at City College of New York—where he taught first in the SEEK program, then in the college’s English department, and then as poet-in-residence. Back in Berkeley, Henderson taught English and African American literature at the University of California at Berkeley, and then literature at the University of California at San Diego in 1979.
A recipient of the Great Lakes College Association of New Writers Award in 1971, a featured poet in the Library of Congress’s tape-recordings, and an author of numerous books, anthologized poems, and nonfiction pieces, Henderson has made a bridge between his East and West Coast lives, commuting as teacher and editor between Berkeley and New York City—both about which he continues to write.