Johari M. Amini-Hudson

Dr. Johari M. Amini-Hudson was a poet and contributor to the Black Arts Movement, especially in Chicago. She was a founder of Third World Press and a staff member of the Institute of Positive Education, a nonprofit organization focused on holistic, African-centered education. Amini-Hudson contributed to institutions such as the Writers’ Workshop of the Organization of Black American Culture (OBAC), NOMMO magazine, the Kuumba Theatre, and the Gwendolyn Brooks Writers’ Workshop. She also cofounded and edited Black Books Bulletin.

Her publications include A Commonsense Approach to Eating (Institute of Positive Education, 1975), A Hip Tale in the Death Style (Broadside Press, 1972), An African Frame of Reference (Institute of Positive Education, 1972), A Folk Fable (For My People) (Third World Press, 1969), and Images in Black (Third World Press, 1967). She published poems, essays, and short stories in various publications, including Black World. 

In addition to her literary pursuits, Amini-Hudson also practiced chiropractic care. Emphasizing the survival of African Americans in her work, she believed that understanding one’s identity is essential for resilience.