Baca, Jimmy (José) Santiago

1952-

Apache (Native American) poet

When their parents divorced and abandoned them, Baca, aged two, and his siblings were sent to live with grandparents. By the time he was five his mother had been murdered by her second husband, and his father was dead from alcoholism.

When he was six he was sent to St. Anthony's School for Boys in New Mexico (an orphanage). He ran away often, but did not finally escape until he was 11. The next years were spent on the streets, in detention centers, jails, etc., during which time he taught himself to read and began to write poetry.

According to another version of his life, his mother abandoned the family when he was four and he went to his grandparents. After running away from the orphanage aged 13 he was on the streets and in jail. He had infrequent contact with his father. After 30 years he found his mother, but although they had friendly contact she refused to acknowledge their relationship, and she was murdered by her new husband in 1985.

Baca is considered by some to be the best living US poet.

References

Coppola, Vincent. "American Scene: The Moon in Jimmy Baca," Esquire, June 1993, pp. 48, 50, 52, 55-56
Hispanic Writers: A Selection of Sketches from Contemporary Authors, edited by Bryan Ryan. (Detroit: Gale Research, 1991)
Wilson, BernaDette. "An Interview With Jimmy Santiago Baca," Kaleidoscope (6) (1995). Also available at: http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/kaleidoscope/volume6/page1.html

Indexes

European
Hispanic
Native American and Alaskan Native, Inuit
USA
20th Century
21st Century
Literature
Poor Educational Opportunities, Self-taught
Addiction or Abuse (drugs, Alcohol or Gambling)
Criminal Convictions, Imprisonment
Pre-school Years
Orphaned (Both Parents)
Parental Relationship Breakdown, Divorce
Unmarried Mother, Single Parent (Mother or Father) Unable to Cope
Child Abandoned or Rejected by Birth Parent(s)
Grandparents
Street Children, Children Who Grew up Without Adult Supervision (at Least Temporarily), or Ran Away
Institutional Care
Parents Separated or Divorced
Birth Siblings Placed Together
Adoptee/Fosteree Traced Family
Always in Contact or Knew Identities
Contact Unsatisfactory
Contact Suspended or Stopped