Career
He collaborated in various reviews and Portuguese and Cape Verdean journals. The publication of his poetry anthology Arquipélago (Archipelago) in 1935 marked the beginning of Cape Verdean poetry. He was, along with Baltazar Lopes da Silva and Manuel Lopes one of the three founders of the literary journal Claridade ("Clarity") in 1936, which marked the beginning of modern Cape Verdean literature.
Jorge Barbosa was born in the city of Praia, on the island of Santiago, Portuguese Cape Verde archipelago (then a territory of Portugal).
Soon after, he moved to the island of São Vicente, where he spent his early years on — excluding his years of study in Lisbon. He then lived for many years on the island of Sal, working as a civil servant of the customhouse.
He died in Cova da Piedade, in Lisbon, Portugal. Jorge Barbosa was featured on a Cape Verdean stamp in 2003
His poem Prelúdio, can be found on the Civil Defense Poesia de Cabo Verde e Sete Poemas de Sebastião da Gama by Afonso Dias.
