POET and writer Benjamin Zephaniah died aged 65 today, after being diagnosed with a brain tumour eight weeks ago. 

A committed political activist, his works addressed racism, poverty, and social injustice.  

A statement posted on his Instagram said his wife “was with him throughout and was by his side when he passed.”

“Through an amazing career including a huge body of poems, literature, music, television, and radio, Benjamin leaves us with a joyful and fantastic legacy,” it said.

Born and raised in Birmingham, Zephaniah was the son of a Barbadian postman and a Jamaican nurse. He was diagnosed with dyslexia and left school at 13 unable to read or write.

At 22 he moved to London and published his first book Pen Rhythm. He is credited for pioneering dub poetry and performed with The Benjamin Zephaniah Band.

A prolific writer, amongst his works were Too Black Too Strong, addressing the struggles of black Britain and We Are Britain!, celebrating Britain’s cultural diversity.

Alongside writing, Zephaniah worked as an actor and appeared in the BBC series Peaky Blinders.

In 2003, Zephaniah famously rejected an OBE stating that he was “profoundly anti-empire.”

MP Diane Abbott wrote on X that she was “so sad” at the news of his death, calling him “a great man and a trailblazer.”

The Black Writers’ Guild, which Zephaniah helped establish, said in a statement: “Our family of writers is in mourning at the loss of a deeply valued friend and a titan of British literature. Benjamin was a man of integrity and an example of how to live your values.”

Jeremy Corbyn MP wrote on X that Zephaniah was “A beacon of hope. An inspiration.

“What a terrible loss to the world — but what a beautiful, powerful and eternal legacy.”