Jack Sheridan (poet)
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Jack Sheridan (1905–1967) was an American poet and soapbox orator particularly known for his participation in the Bughouse Square Debates, the Dil Pickle Club and the College of Complexes. He was an activist in the
Industrial Workers of the World The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), whose members are nicknamed "Wobblies", is an international labor union founded in Chicago, United States in 1905. The nickname's origin is uncertain. Its ideology combines general unionism with indu ...
. Jack was attracted to
hobohemia Hobohemia is a low-rent district in a city where artistic Bohemianism, bohemians and the down-and-outs or hobos mix. In Chicago from the turn of the century to circa 1940s this was Tower Town and the area often known as "The West Madison Stem" (Mad ...
whilst still at school. He soon became a regular attendee at the Dil Pickle Club. In 1928 he went to Europe via
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
staying primarily in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
. In 1931 he returned to the USA, spending time in
Lower Manhattan Lower Manhattan, also known as Downtown Manhattan or Downtown New York City, is the southernmost part of the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Manhattan. The neighborhood is History of New York City, the historical birthplace o ...
. Here he acquired such nicknames as the "King of the Hobohemians" and the "Byron of the Soapboxes". He married his wife Ruth in 1944 and became active in a literary group called the Druids in Chicago's Near North Side.


References

1905 births 1967 deaths Industrial Workers of the World members American male poets {{US-poet-1900s-stub