America, Their America

J.P. Clark was a poet, playwright, and professor born in Kiagbodo, Nigeria in 1935. He was educated at the University of Ibadan and taught until 1980 at the University of Lagos where he co-edited the magazine Black Orpheus, the first African literary journal written in English. Clark also produced translations and travelogues such as America, Their America (1964), written after his time spent studying in the United States at Princeton University. The book propelled his international reputation but also resulted in controversy in the US for its criticism of American society. In 1991, he received the Nigerian National Order of Merit Award for literary excellence and was awarded a Doctor of Letters by the University of Lagos. Clark died in 2020.