Umar Bin Hassan

Born Gilbert Jerome Huling, Umar Bin Hassan is an African-American Poet and one of the original members of the legendary spoken-word group, The Last Poets. Born in Ohio in 1948, as a teenager, he worked a day job at the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company. By night, Umar was at the centre of the 1967 Akron Riots. Sparked by the Black Power Movement, the riots would become the backdrop of Umar’s revolutionary career as a poet. These days he tours with The Last Poets and mentors upcoming poets, splitting his time between the Midwest and Maryland.

Photo credit: Hollis King