Poet Amiri Baraka , who lost his post as New Jersey 's poet laureate because of a controversial poem about the 9/11 terror attacks , died Thursday , his agent said . Baraka was 79 . Baraka , considered a founder of the 1960s Black Arts movement , died in New Jersey 's Beth Israel Medical Center after a short illness , according to agent Celeste Bateman . His official website said that Baraka `` adopted a confrontational style for his poetry , drama , fiction and essays . With intent to create awareness about the concerns of African-Americans , his writings ... on one hand have been praised as a voice against oppression , on the other hand , have also incited controversies . '' A self-described `` poet icon and revolutionary political activist , '' he was named poet laureate by then-Gov . James McGreevey , on the recommendation of the state 's Council for the Arts , in 2002 . Two months after his appointment , Baraka read the poem `` Somebody Blew Up America '' before a local arts festival . Among the poem 's lines : . `` Who knew the World Trade Center was gon na get bombed . `` Who told 4000 Israeli workers at the Twin Towers . `` To stay home that day . `` Why did Sharon stay away ? '' Despite the public outrage over a poem suggesting that Jewish workers had advance notice of the terror attacks , McGreevey did not have the legal authority to fire the poet from his appointed $ 10,000-a-year post . Baraka refused the governor 's request to resign , saying his work was neither anti-Semitic nor racist . The position was eliminated by the New Jersey legislature in July 2003 . In an open letter after the vote , Baraka called it a `` confirmation of the ignorance , corruption , racism , and criminal disregard for the U.S . Constitution . '' He unsuccessfully sued the state of New Jersey over the matter . A federal appeals court wrote in rejecting his complaint : `` Baraka , like any person , was free to speak his views . But he had no protected legal interest in the maintenance of the position of poet laureate of New Jersey . '' `` Amiri Baraka believed poetry to be a process of discovery of one 's inner feelings , '' his website said . `` Like the projectivist poets , he has always been of the opinion that the poetic writings should follow the shape of writer 's own breath . During the African-American Civil Rights Movement , Baraka 's politically charged essays and writings proved to be extremely influential for the local audiences . '' People we 've lost in 2014 .
He was considered a pioneer of the contemporary Black Arts movement . He was a self - described ` ` poet icon and revolutionary political activist '' His poem ` ` Somebody Shut Up ' '' attracted controversy .