Joans, Ted

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Ted Joans, African-American poet, jazz musician, and surrealist painter, was born July 4, 1928, in Cairo, Illinois. He became a well-known poet from the Beat movement and established the jazz poetry scene. He died on May 7, 2003 in Vancouver, B.C.

From the description of Ted Joans papers, 1948-2002. (University of California, Berkeley). WorldCat record id: 697543004

African American poet; b. 1928.

From the description of Ted Joans collection, 1972-1976. (Boston University). WorldCat record id: 70925547

Ted Joans, African-American poet, jazz musician, and surrealist painter, was born Theodore Jones on July 4, 1928, in Cairo, Illinois. He became a well known poet of the Beat movement and established the jazz poetry scene. He died on May 7, 2003 in Vancouver, B.C.

From the description of Ted Joans photograph albums [graphic]. ca. 1944-ca. 1985 (bulk ca. 1944-ca. 1947). (University of California, Berkeley). WorldCat record id: 155731183

Ted Joans was a painter, poet and trumpeter, member of the New York Greenwich Village literary Beat Generation. He was among the first to set his poems to jazz music. His style is associated with the oral tradition of African-American writing but also to the Beat Generation. Joans a self identified surrealist, was the author of over 30 books.

Joans was born in 1928, Cairo, Ill. and died at the age of 74 in Vancouver.

From the description of Ted Joans collection, 1928-2003. (New York Public Library). WorldCat record id: 122431007

Biographical Sketch

Ted Joans, African-American poet, jazz musician, and surrealist painter was born July 4, 1928, in Cairo, Illinois. His father, a riverboat entertainer, put him off the boat in Memphis at the age of twelve and gave him a trumpet. Joans received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Indiana University in 1951.

Moving to New York City after his college graduation, Joans quickly joined the arts scene in Greenwich Village. He became a well-known member of the Beat movement, and established the jazz poetry scene, along with Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, and Bob Kaufman. In 1957, his first book, Beat Poems, was published by Deretchin, which also published his Funky Jazz Poems in 1959. To date, Joans has published more than 30 collections of poems, of which many are now out of print.

Joans has been described as an irreverent writer who denounced racism, sexual repression, and injustice. His calls for social protest often were considered controversial, but he felt it was the best way for breaking down barriers. Growing dissatisfied with the commercialism of the Beat movement, he became an expatriate in the 1960's, traveling the world, and later settling in Tangier, Morocco. Continuing to paint and write poetry, Joans has supported himself primarily through the sale of artwork, which he collected during his travels in Africa. Some of his African experiences are reflected in the poems Afrodisia: new poems, published in 1971. Joans was editor for Dies und Das, the first surrealist magazine published in Germany in 1984. He has contributed to Black World, Coda Jazz Magazine, Jazz, and Presence Africaine.

Ted Joans reads his poetry with rhythmic swing, speeding up or slowing down, raising his voice or lowering it, much like he did when he played jazz trumpet. In fact, Joans, refers to himself as a jazz poet with a lifelong passion for the music.

Joans recently moved to Seattle, where he has read his work at public gatherings and taught in children's poetry workshops.

From the guide to the Ted Joans papers, 1948-[on-going], (The Bancroft Library.)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Ginsberg, Allen, 1926-1997. Allen Ginsberg papers, 1937-1994. Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
referencedIn Charles Henri Ford papers, 1906-1989, 1939-1989 Getty Research Institute
referencedIn David Gascoyne papers, 1822-2010, n.d. British Library: Western Manuscripts
referencedIn Felver, Christopher, 1946-. The group surrounding Allen Ginsberg : photographs, 1980-1985. Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
creatorOf Joans, Ted. Ted Joans papers, 1948-2002. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Arna Bontemps Papers, 1927-1968 Syracuse University. Library. Special Collections Research Center
referencedIn Charles Henri Ford letters to Ted Joans, 1964-1987 University of Delaware Library - Special Collections
creatorOf Hanuman books. Hanuman books records, 1978-1996, (bulk 1986-1994). University of Michigan
referencedIn Felver, Christopher, 1946-. Christopher Felver portraits of poets, authors, and artists [graphic] / photographed by Christopher Felver. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Grace Hartigan Papers, 1942-2006 Syracuse University. Library. Special Collections Research Center
creatorOf JOANS, TED. Artist file : miscellaneous uncataloged material. Museum of Modern Art (MOMA)
referencedIn John Digby papers, 1963–2004, 1974–2002 University of Delaware Library - Special Collections
creatorOf Joans, Ted. Ted Joans collection, 1972-1976. Boston University. School of Medicine
referencedIn Benayoun, Robert. Robert Benayoun papers relating to Ted Joans, 1963-1994. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Allen Ginsberg papers, 1937-1994 Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
referencedIn Gary Snyder Papers, 1910-2003;, (1945-2002 bulk) University of California, Davis. General Library. . Dept. of Special Collections
referencedIn Allen Ginsberg papers Columbia University. Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Ford, Charles Henri, 1913-. Charles Henri Ford Papers, 1928-1981. Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center
referencedIn Sypher, F. J. Frank Sypher papers, 1831-1989. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
creatorOf Krim, Seymour, 1922-. Papers of Seymour Krim, 1953-1990. University of Iowa Libraries
creatorOf Joans, Ted. Ted Joans photograph albums [graphic]. UC Berkeley Libraries
creatorOf Ford, Charles Henri. Charles Henri Ford papers, 1906-1989, bulk 1920-1989. Getty Research Institute
referencedIn Pietri, Pedro Juan, 1943-2004. Papers 1939-2004 ; bulk: 1970-2002. Centro de Estudios Puertorriquenos
creatorOf Ted Joans collection Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Archives Section
referencedIn Ann Charters Papers., 1966-1982. Archives & Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Center.
creatorOf Ted Joans papers, 1948-[on-going] Bancroft Library
creatorOf Joans, Ted. Ted Joans collection, 1928-2003. New York Public Library System, NYPL
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Baraka, Amiri, 1934- person
associatedWith Benayoun, Robert. person
associatedWith Bontemps, Arna, 1902-1973 person
associatedWith Carmichael, Stokely. person
associatedWith Charters, Ann. person
associatedWith Digby, John, 1938- person
associatedWith Di Prima, Diane. person
associatedWith Felver, Christopher, 1946- person
correspondedWith Ford, Charles Henri person
associatedWith Ford, Charles Henri. person
associatedWith Ford, Charles Henri, 1913- person
correspondedWith Gascoyne, David Emery, 1916-2001 person
associatedWith Ginsberg, Allen, 1926-1997. person
associatedWith Hanuman books. corporateBody
associatedWith Hartigan, Grace. person
associatedWith Haynes, Jim. person
associatedWith Kaufman, Bob. person
associatedWith Krim, Seymour, 1922- person
associatedWith Online Archive of California. corporateBody
associatedWith Pietri, Pedro Juan, 1943-2004. person
associatedWith Reed, Ishmael, 1938- person
associatedWith Shore, Hy. person
associatedWith Snyder, Gary person
associatedWith Sypher, F. J. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
New York (State)--New York
Kentucky--Louisville
Louisville (Ky.)
Subject
Musicians
African American authors
African American poets
African Americans
American poetry
American poetry
Poets, American
Poets, American
Beat generation
Beat generation
Beat generation
Bop (Music)
Jazz
Jazz musicians
Poetry, Modern
Occupation
African American poets
Activity

Person

Birth 1928-07-04

Death 2003-05-07

Americans

English

Information

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