Few artists have stirred up as much controversy as Amiri Baraka. Born Everett LeRoi Jones in Newark, NJ in 1934, and published in his early life under the name LeRoi Jones, the writer, poet, and playwright has published three plays, more than 10 books of poetry, and numerous nonfiction works of art criticism in his 50+ years as an artist. Baraka, while he never completed a degree, was educated at Howard University, Rutgers, Columbia University and the New School. Baraka was a key figure in New York City during the Black Arts Movement, and was well-known as a jazz poet and Black nationalist. Baraka was the poet laureate of New Jersey for a year in 2002-2003, and was mired in controversy for his poem "Somebody Blew Up America." During the '60s and '70s, Baraka's play "The Dutchman" received significant attention as an early form of Black nationalist theatre. Throughout his life, Baraka has remained unapologetic for his commitment to Black nationalist, Marxist, and other radical political traditions, and has consistently committed his own art to political activism. --written by Lydia Kelow-Bennett

The Trinity Square Repertory Theatre was founded in 1964 by Rhode Island citizens who wanted a local, professional, resident theatre company. The first physical home that Trinity Square Repertory Theatre had was the auditorium in the educational wing of the Trinity United Methodist Church, hence the theatre company's name. The company stayed at the Trinity United Methodist Church location until 1973, when it grew large enough to move to what was then known as the Majestic Theatre in Downtown Providence. The theatre company then because the Trinity Repertory Company. Trinity United Methodist Church, located in South Providence, changed demographically with the times and the population of its community. Hence, in the 1960s, some of the productions at Trinity represented major names in Black theatre.