Higgins, the great won a national book award and a newbery medal in 1975, and she was the recipient of a macarthur foundation grant in 1995. Hamilton, wife of poet arnold adoff, was the recipient of every major award in her field, and was the only author to ever receive the newbery medal, the national book award, and the boston globehorn book award for one book, her m. The recipient of every major award and honor in her field, virginia hamiltonadoff has had a. Virginia hamilton, awardwinning author of more than 35 books for young. She has won over 25 awards, including the national book award, the edgar allan poe award and the laura ingalls wilder award. But poised above his home is a massive spoil heap from strip mining that could come crashing down. Virginia hamilton also received the 1986 coretta scott king award for the people could fly.
Virginia esther virginia hamilton hamilton adoff 19362002. Virginia hamilton 19342002 was the author of over forty books for children, young adults, and their older allies. Virginia esther hamilton march 12, 1934 february 19, 2002 was an africanamerican author of childrens books. Virginia hamilton, writer for children, is dead at 65. Throughout a career that spanned four decades, hamilton earned numerous accolades for her work, including nearly every major award available to writers of youth literature. The novel tells of a boy who searches for a way to protect his family from a strip miners spoil heap without having to. She is the author or translator of seventeen poetry books for adults and children, five chapbooks, and a memoir, named one of nprs best books of 2014, entitled how i discovered poetry. Her many awards included the national book award, the john newbery medal, the coretta scott king award twice, the boston globehorn book award twice, the edgar allan poe award, the ohioana book award, and two of her novels were cited as newbery honor books she was a distinguished visiting. Virginia esther hamilton march 12, 1936 february 19, 2002 was an africanamerican childrens books author. Following the migration of stories during the plantation era, hamilton presents read. National book award in category childrens books and the newbery medal in 1975. Higgins the great wins the newbery medal, making virginia the first african american. Virginia hamilton book and award curating legacy of american. Higgins, the great, which earned her the national book award, the newbery medal which she was the first africanamerican.
The first translation award ran from 19681983 and was for fiction only, the translated author could be living or dead eg. Open road is proud to publish seven of hamiltons titles, including m. Higgins, the great, hamilton won several other awards for particular. Hamilton did not create a saccharine, fluffy, or pristine literary world for children. Virginia hamilton conference records special collections. A musthave for schools, libraries, and anyone interested in books. The national book award for translated literature was inaugurated in 2018 for fiction or nonfiction, where both author and translator were alive at the beginning of the awards cycle. A muchhonored writer of childrens literature, virginia esther hamilton was awarded every major award for her stories. Newbery medalist virginia hamilton and national book awardwinner barry moser join forces to tell 11 humorous trickster tales from the story ring of the slave trade. Jun 03, 2018 virginia hamilton was a highly successful author. Mayo cornelius higgins sits on his gleaming, fortyfoot steel pole, towering over his home on sarahs mountain. Discover this masterpiece from virginia hamilton that was the first book to win the newberry, the national book award, and the boston globehorn book award. North american tour hamilton official site hamilton.
Virginia hamilton was the first african american woman to receive the coveted newbery award for m. Virginia hamilton, author info, published books, bio. She traveled widely, speaking at literary conferences and award ceremonies all over the world. Beginning with the nancy block memorial award of new york for her first. Rubini researched virginias life with the beautiful awareness that she was writing about someone whose story could arouse the dreams. Higgins, the great earned hamilton the national book award, the newbery medal which she was the first africanamerican author to receive, and the boston globehorn book award, three of the fields most prestigious awards. Readers will be enlightened by hamiltons engaging, powerful, and witty perspective on african american literature as well as her own experiences as a writer and an american. Virginia hamilton, the first black woman to win the coveted newbery medal, in 1975, was so honored for her novel m. Mar 12, 2020 this book was also awarded a national book award. Virginia hamilton, author info, published books, bio, photo.
Stretched before him are rolling hills and shady valleys. Hamilton was awarded the newbery medal, three newbery honors, the national book award, the boston globehorn book award, the hans christian andersen medal. She had been ill with cancer for a number of years. Ron chernow is the prizewinning, bestselling author of seven volumes and the recipient of the 2015 national humanities medal. Virginia hamilton, writer for children, is dead at 65 the. The literary and local legacy of virginia hamilton and arnold. Higgins, the great, for which she also received the national book. Adoff and cook will present their collection of hamiltons work in april at the 26th annual virginia hamilton conference at kent state university. Junior brown, an overprotected threehundred pound musical prodigy whos prone to having fantasies, and buddy clark, a loner who lives by his wits because. American black folktales, the 1989 john newbery honor book award for creation stories from around the world, and the 1996 coretta scott king award for her stories. Virginia hamilton was a writer of childrens literature who wove black folktales and narratives of africanamerican life and experience into her work.
Mar 08, 2020 among her more than 35 works were picture books, folk tales, sciencefiction stories, realistic novels, biographies, and mysteries. She received the hans christian andersen award, the highest international recognition bestowed on a. Higgins, the great, first published in 1974, is a realistic novel by virginia hamilton that won the 1975 newbery medal for excellence in american childrens literature. Virginia hamiltons books have won many awards and honors. Written by celebrated author virginia hamilton, this is the story of m. Growing up on a small farm near yellow springs, ohio, in the 1940s, virginia hamilton was lovingly embraced by the sights, sounds and smells of rural america, and by a big extended family of cousins, uncles, aunts. The coretta scott king book awards seal images and award names are solely and exclusively owned by the american library association. For her work, she has been repeatedly honored with the national book seal award, the john newbery medal, the edgar allan poe award, the coretta scott king.
Virginia hamilton s books have won many awards and honors. Virginia hamilton students britannica kids homework help. Coretta scott king book awards all recipients, 1970present. She grew up on the small farm in yellow springs that had been her familys since the 1850s.
Virginia and arnold later returned to yellow springs, ohio, to raise their daughter, leigh, and son jaime, within the environment that fueled the imagination of their mother. Virginia hamilton author information including a biography, photograph, list of. Virginia hamiltons mother was etta bella perry hamilton and her father was kenneth james hamilton. The planet of junior brown is also a newberry honor book. Higgins also won the national book award, the lewis carroll shelf award, the boston globehorn book award and the new york times outstanding childrens book of the year, among others. All these things would come into play in the childrens stories hamilton would spin as an adult. National book awards, annual awards given to books of the highest quality written by americans and published by american publishers. Her work has won many other awards, including multiple newbery honors. Alan v29n3 a tribute to virginia hamilton virginia. Higgins, the great won a national book award and a newbery medal in 1975, and she. Awards and honors virginia hamilton americas most honored. Virginia hamilton was a pioneer of afrofuturism, a celebrated literary icon, gifted storyteller and noted childrens book author who released. Taylor, is the recipient of the 2020 coretta scott king virginia hamilton award for lifetime achievement.
All these things would come into play in the childrens stories. Americas storyteller is an inspiring, conscientiously researched, and clearcut biography of americas most awarded author of childrens literature. Born in mississippi in 1943 and raised in ohio, taylor resides in colorado. Majestic literary legacy the following year, hamiltons elegant folktale book the people could fly appeared and won several awards. Virginia hamilton books, author biography, and reading level. Patricia and frederick mckissack, awardwinning authors of books for children and young adults. For lifetime achievement, she won the international hans. She respected their intelligence and their abilities to grapple with ideas. Coretta scott king book awards all recipients, 1970.
Virginia hamilton was one of the most distinguished authors of twentieth century youth literature. Virginia hamilton was born on march 12, 1934, the youngest of five children. In honor of black history month, this article will examine the life and work of the first african american author to win the newbery medalvirginia hamilton. Higgins, the great, which earned her the national book award, the newbery. Virginia hamilton changed childrens literature for generations of readers, bringing a faulknerian style of sophisticated and cuttingedge writing to the world of books for young readers. Virginia hamilton 19362002 was one of the most highly acclaimed writers of her time.
The annual award is presented in even years to an african american author, illustrator or authorillustrator for a body of his or her published books for children andor young adults, and who has made a significant and lasting literary contribution. Virginia hamilton was an africanamerican childrens books author. She won a national book award in 1975 for her novel m. Virginia hamilton biography, life, interesting facts. Virginia hamilton award for lifetime achievement round. Her private refuge within the apartment is no bigger than a walkin closet, but it offers tree safety and room in which to fantasize about a different kind of life. Virginia hamilton virginia hamilton biography poem hunter. The coretta scott king virginia hamilton award for lifetime achievement is named in memory of beloved childrens author virginia hamilton. This is also the first work ever to win both the national book award and the newbery medal. African american folktales, fairy tales, and true tales coretta scott king author award winner hamilton, virginia, hamilton, virginia on. Virginias books virginia hamilton americas most honored. In virginia hamilton s masterful and award winning novel sweet whispers, brother rush, fourteenyearold teresa tree lives in a small apartment. Patricia and frederick mckissack, award winning authors of books for children and young adults. She graduated at the top of her high school class, going on to first attend antioch college and then ohio state university.
Winner of a newbery medal, a national book award, named an ala notable book, designated as a school library journal best of the best, and named one of the new york times outstanding childrens books of the year, this intense, complex, young adult novel has dazzled readers for over 20 years. It also won the national book award in category childrens books 2 and the boston globehorn book award. Virginia hamilton, author info, published books, bio, photo, video. Hamilton, virginia ohio center for the book at cleveland. List of winners of the national book award wikipedia. Coretta scott king virginia hamilton award for lifetime achievement. About virginia hamilton virginia hamilton conference on multicultural literature for youth growing up on a small farm near yellow springs, ohio, in the 1940s, virginia hamilton was lovingly embraced by the sights, sounds and smells of rural america, and by a big extended family of cousins, uncles, and aunts. Winner of the john newbery medal, the national book award, and the boston globehorn book award. Higgins, the great 1974 won the 1975 newbery medal and the national book award, making it the first work to receive both honors. Higgins, the great by virginia hamilton, paperback. Hamilton was awarded the newbery medal, three newbery honors, the national book award, the boston globehorn book award, the hans christian andersen. Virginia esther virginia hamilton hamilton adoff 1936. But mc higgins, the great, with its powerful sense of place and distinctive use of language, won the newbery medal, the national book award and the boston globehorn book award, cementing hamilton.
Beside the 1975 national book award and newbery medal for m. Hamilton was awarded the newbery medal, three newbery honors, the national book award, the boston globehorn book award, the hans christian andersen medal, and many more. Roll of thunder, hear my cry, won the 1977 newbery award and a coretta scott king book award honor. Winner of the john newbery medal, the national book award, and the boston globe horn book award. Childrens book author virginia hamilton was a writer of firsts. Virginia hamilton, an internationally renowned and awardwinning author of childrens literature, died february 19, 2002, in dayton, ohio. Apr 20, 2011 open road is proud to publish seven of hamilton s titles, including m. One of these, the first book ever to win both the john newbery medal and the national book award.
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