Coretta Scott King Book Awards Round Table (CSKBART)
About the Awards & CSKBART
The Coretta Scott King Book Awards are given annually to outstanding African American authors and illustrators of books for children and young adults that demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture and universal human values. The award commemorates the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and honors his wife, Mrs. Coretta Scott King, for her courage and determination to continue the work for peace and world brotherhood.
CSKBART members administer the process and organize the related ceremonies and events.
Upcoming Programs
Join the Coretta Scott King Book Awards Round Table as we celebrate the life and legacy of Coretta Scott King with these special programs. For further details and marketing and promotional pieces, please read below.
March 2025: WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH
Join CSKBART as we celebrate the life and legacy of Virginia Hamilton by reading titles by Virginia Hamilton award winners every day during Women's History Month. Download the graphics below to share with your library communities, including the calendar to track your reading!
2025 Winners Image Gallery
...and the 2025 Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement goes to ...
Carolyn L. Garnes
Carolyn L. Garnes received the 2025 Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Ms. Garnes has diligently worked on the front lines of the effort to promote, identify, and nurture books that highlight and celebrate the rich, diverse perspectives in African American children's literature. She has played a pivotal role in transforming the CSK Books Awards Task Force from an independent entity into the mainstream operations of the American Library Association.
There are a number of CSKBART events at annual, including an Awards breakfast, a Chair's Program, a membership meeting, and programming.
Join ALA and add CSKBART. Already a member? Add a prorated CSKBART membership today. Learn more about joining CSKBART.
Watch "Oral History of Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop"
Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop, professor emerita at Ohio State University, has been referred to as the "mother of" multicultural children's literature for her sociologically groundbreaking American children's literature research. She was awarded the 2017 Coretta Scott King - Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement and the recipient of the 2021 Children's Literature Lecture Award. This oral history was recorded by the American Library Association Coretta Scott King Book Round Table in October 2024. A project of the Coretta Scott King Book Awards Round Table Archives and History Committee.
Watch "A Tribute to Ashley Bryan"
Introduction to the life of Coretta Scott King Award-winning author and illustrator Ashley Bryan and his works. Hear shared memories from authors and illustrators: Jason Reynolds, Daniel Minter, Nikki Giovanni, Kwame Alexander, Jan Spivey Gilchrist, and Ashley himself. A project of the Coretta Scott King Book Awards Round Table Archives and History Committee.
CSKBART News
CSK Blog
Staff Contacts
Danielle Ponton
Program Manager for Round Tables
dponton@ala.org
Jennifer Ledesma
Program Coordinator for Community Engagement, Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services
jledesma@ala.org
