John Oliver Killens | |
|---|---|
 Killens in 1954 | |
| Born | January 14, 1916 Macon, Georgia, US |
| Died | October 27, 1987 (aged 71) Brooklyn, New York, US |
| Occupation | Writer; an important figure in the Black Arts Movement; activist in the Civil Rights Movement; creator of the Black Writer’s Conference; university professor |
| Language | English |
| Education | Edward Waters University Morris Brown College Howard University Terrell Law School Columbia University New York University |
| Genre | Novels, plays, screenplays, short stories, non-fiction |
| Notable works | Youngblood; And Then We Heard the Thunder; The Cotillion; or, One Good Bull Is Half the Herd |
| Spouse |
Grace Ward Jones (m. 1943) |
| Children | 2 |
John Oliver Killens (January 14, 1916 – October 27, 1987) was an American fiction writer from Georgia. His novels featured elements of African-American life. In his debut novel, Youngblood (1954), Killens coined the phrase "kicking ass and taking names".[1] He also wrote plays, short stories and essays, and published articles in a range of outlets.
- ^ Killens, John Oliver (April 1, 2000). Youngblood. University of Georgia Press. ISBN 978-0-8203-2201-8.