Nikki Grimes--Living the "Bronx Masquerade"

Nikki Grimes knew after she had written her first poem early in her life that she was going to be a writer. As a child growing up in the 60's, she experienced first hand the nationwide aftermath of John F. Kennedy's assassination, Martin Luther King Jr.'s historical speech, multiple political demonstrations and sit-ins, and the Harlem Renaissance. So what makes her qualified to write literary works such as Bronx Masquerade? She lived it!

Nikki Grimes experienced living in the Bronx first hand, which is the inspiration for the book. She attended High School in the Bronx, and is considered an insider on multiple levels: she is of similar cultural and social backgrounds as many of the characters in the book, she lived and went to school in the inner city of New York, and survived some of the meanest streets where gang violence and physical fights trumped peace. This is the reason why the inner city is often the setting for her works. According to Nikki, “the city street is the territory I know best.”

A great web site article to read is her autobiography, called “Historically Speaking.” In it, she shares about her life and how events in her past helped shape her writing style today. It is very informational and offers tons of insight into her life. She reflects on her experiences and even post pictures from her past that make the article also very entertaining to read. Check it out here:
http://www.nikkigrimes.com/hspeak.html