Biography of: Julia Fields

Julia Fields was born in 1938 in Perry County, Alabama. She grew up in a large family. In 1962 she published her first poem. She graduated from Knoxville College in Tennessee in 1961. A year after that she published two of her other poems in an anthology of black literature, “ Beyond the Blues” (1662). After that success she continued to write poetry and short stories while teaching high school in Birmingham, Alabama. She has also taught colleges and Universities. Her first volume of poetry, Poems came out in 1668 was well received. Her second volume of poetry “ East of Moonlight” in 1773 captures and reflects the folk spirit in black life. High on The Hog is a great poem and tells her thoughts of how people rationalize the food African Americans eat. She wanted to make a statement that not all of us eat black-eyed peas or collard greens or even pork chops smothered in gravy. Ms. Julia Fields inspired me with her poem High on the Hog I saw American culture in a different light. I love this poem because it shows the different side of African Americans.