Jennings Michael Burch


Jennings Michael Burch was an American writer and author of the 1984 best-selling autobiography They Cage the Animals At Night.

Early life and education

Jennings Michael Burch was born in the South Bronx, New York and spent most of his childhood in foster homes. Burch's mother, a single parent, first placed her children in foster care in 1949, when Jennings was eight and a half. Between 1949 and 1954, Burch stayed in 32 foster homes, moved with his family three times, and stayed with at least three sets of foster parents. He also lost his biological brother Jerome, whom he hardly knew.
He earned a B.A. in forensic psychology from John Jay College in Manhattan, New York City, New York.

Career

He worked as a New York City policeman, a chauffeur, a theater manager, a magazine pressman, and a short-order cook.

Personal life

Burch was married three times. He had two biological daughters, one adopted daughter, and a son.