Born in Mpili, near Brazzaville, French Equatorial Africa (now Congo) in 1931,[1] U Tam'si spent his childhood in France, where he worked as a journalist until he returned to his homeland in 1960.
Back in Congo, he continued to work as a journalist; during this time he maintained contact to the politician Patrice Lumumba.
[2] Since 1989, the Tchicaya U Tam'si Prize for African Poetry is awarded every two years in the Moroccan city of Asilah.
U Tam'si's poetry incorporates elements of surrealism; it often has vivid historic images, and comments African life and society, as well as humanity in general.
Tchicaya U Tam'si was awarded the Grand Prix de la Mémoire of the GPLA 2014.