Had Eugene Perkins never published a volume of poetry, or staged a single play, his contribution as a sociologist, particularly as a leader who improved the lot of disadvantaged young people, would still have given him stature as an important force in Chicago culture. Despite the fact that his creative work has not been his livelihood, he has been a prolific poet, essayist, and playwright. The impulse behind his creative work cannot be separated from the energy that has driven him as a sociologist; the same compassion, the same strong sense of social commitment, of having a responsibility to the urban ghetto, appears in his poetry.

Eugene Perkins was born in Chicago on 13 September 1932, the son of sculptor Marion Perkins and Eva Perkins. Despite his wide recognition as an artist, Marion Perkins had to work as a porter and dishwasher at times. Although the children did not grow...