The death toll in Gaza, which has surpassed 15,500 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, has compelled thousands of artists and writers to speak out against Israel’s military actions and the institutions they think are failing to meet the moment. The war between Israel and Hamas is roiling the arts and literary worlds. Literary events are being postponed or canceled, museums are becoming sites of protest, and open letters and boycotts of organizations are proliferating. Sponsors withdrew from the National Book Awards ceremony last month after learning that authors were planning to call for a ceasefire. It was nominated for autobiography of the year at Britain’s National Book Awards.Artists are pulling their work from the National Gallery of Art, which receives funding from Congress, in protest of the US providing military aid to Israel. His 2018 autobiography, “The Life And Rhymes Of Benjamin Zephaniah,” chronicled his life from the sound systems of Birmingham to the global stage. “I've been fighting against empire all my life, I've been fighting against slavery and colonialism all my life, I've been writing to connect with people not to impress governments and monarchy so how could I then go and accept an honor that puts the word empire onto my name,” he said. In 2003, Zephaniah rejected the offer to become an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, or OBE, because of its association with the British empire and its history of slavery. He had an array of talents, which he displayed performing with the group “The Benjamin Zephaniah Band” and acting in recent years on the popular BBC television drama “Peaky Blinders.” His television show “Life and Rhymes” on Sky Arts, which showcased lyrical creativity, won a BAFTA, Britain’s equivalent of the Emmy awards, for entertainment program of the year in 2021. Zephaniah also held honorary degrees from multiple British universities. Brunel described Zephaniah as a “national treasure” and praised the “immense contribution” he made to university life. Since 2011, he had been chair of creative writing at Brunel University in northwest London, where he was a professor. He also was a prolific children’s poet and a founding member of The Black Writers’ Guild, which said it was in “mourning at the loss of a deeply valued friend and a titan of British literature.” His writing was often classified as dub poetry, which emerged in Jamaica in the 1970s combining reggae beats with a hard-hitting political message. legal system and Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories. He would subsequently write collections focusing on particular issues, including the U.K. In his 20s, he traveled to London, where his first book “Pen Rhythm” was published. He was kicked out at age 13, unable to read or write, and learned to do both as an adult. The son of a Barbadian postal worker and a Jamaican nurse, Zephaniah imagined himself as a poet from a very young age, but he struggled at school as a result of dyslexia. “I admired him, respected him, learnt from him, loved him,” British author and poet Michael Rosen said. Arguably, he was the most well-known poet in Britain of his time, equally at home performing in school classrooms or at big political rallies. Widely recognizable from his long dreadlocks and his local accent, Zephaniah was never shy in espousing his views on bigotry, racism, refugees, revolutions and healthy eating. Zephaniah, who was born in Birmingham in central England on April 15, 1958, was a sharp-witted and often provocative presence across British media as well as regularly performing at political gatherings and demonstrations. “Benjamin’s wife was by his side throughout and was with him when he passed." “We shared him with the world and we know many will be shocked and saddened by this news," the family said. ![]() ![]() Zephaniah died Thursday after being diagnosed with a brain tumor eight weeks ago, his family said in a statement on Instagram. ![]() LONDON - Benjamin Zephaniah, a British poet, political activist and actor who drew huge inspiration from his Caribbean roots, has died.
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