Nathan C. Heard

Nathan C. Heard is considered one of the forefathers of "urban street literature" and "prison literature". Heard's first novel Howard Street, published in 1968, depicts the underbelly of inner-city life of Black America.

Howard Street sold more than 1 million copies. Heard has also written five other novels A Cold Fire Burning, To Reach A Dream, House of Slammers and When Shadows Fall.

Nathan C. Heard began writing while serving a seven-year prison sentence for armed robbery at the New Jersey State Prison in Trenton, New Jersey. After his release, Heard taught creative writing at Fresno State University and Rutgers University. He also appeared in several "Blaxploitation" films, including Gordon's War, directed by Ossie Davis and also starring Paul Winfield and Grace Jones. Heard also wrote a column for the New York Times and other publications such as Essence. Nathan Heard passed away in 2004 at the age of 67.

Howard Street, the searingly powerful first novel, was written inside of Trenton State Penitentiary and based on the authentic first-hand Newark street experiences of one of the most accomplished African-American writers, say critics. Also according to critics, Howard Street displays a uniquely powerful combination of the hard-earned insight into the ghetto world of pimps, 'hoes, junkies, dope dealers, winos, corrupt cops, and young hoodlums of such "black experience" legends as Donald Goines and Iceberg Slim, with the disciplined and inspired pulp prose of Jim Thompson, Charles Willeford or Chester Himes.