Ashley Bryan 2012 recipient of the Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement

DALLAS – Ashley Bryan is the recipient of the 2012 Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement. The announcement was made today by the American Library Association (ALA), during the ALA Midwinter Meeting held Jan. 20 – 24 in Dallas.

“Ashley Bryan, author, folklorist, poet and illustrator, couples a melodic voice to his brilliant artwork, transcending literary and artistic genres that leave readers unimaginably satisfied,” stated Award Committee Chair Pauletta Brown Bracy.

Storyteller, artist, author, poet and musician, Ashley Bryan created his first children’s book in first grade. He grew up in the Bronx and in 1962, he became the first African American to both write and illustrate a children’s book. After a successful teaching career, Bryan left academia to pursue creation of his own artwork. He has since garnered numerous awards for his significant and lasting literary contribution of poetry, spirituals and story.

The Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement is named in memory of beloved children’s author Virginia Hamilton. The annual award is presented in even years (i.e. 2012, 2014, 2016…) to an African American author, illustrator or author/illustrator for a body of his or her published books for children and/or young adults, and who has made a significant and lasting literary contribution. The recipient of the inaugural award was Walter Dean Myers.

In odd years (i.e. 2013, 2015, 2017…), the award is presented to a practitioner for substantial contributions through active engagement with youth using award winning African American literature for children and/or young adults, via implementation of reading and reading related activities/programs. Dr. Henrietta M. Smith received the award in 2011.

Virginia Hamiltonwas an award-winning author of children's books. She wrote more than 35 books throughout her career, including “M. C. Higgins, the Great,” for which she won the 1975 Newbery Medal. During her lifetime, Hamilton received numerous awards including the Coretta Scott King Book Award, the Edgar Allan Poe Award, the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award and the Hans Christian Andersen Award.

Members of the 2012 Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement Award Committee are: Chair Pauletta Brown Bracy, School of Library and Information Sciences, North Carolina Central University, Durham, N.C.; Rita Auerbach, New York; Carolyn S. Brodie, School of Library and Information Science Kent (Ohio) State University; Rose T. Dawson, Alexandria (Va.) Library; and Loretta Dowell, Fisher Children’s Center San Francisco Public Library.

The American Library Association is the oldest and largest library association in the world with approximately 60,000 members. Its mission is to provide leadership for the development, promotion and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.

For more information on the Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement Award and other ALA Youth Media Awards, please visit www.ala.org/yma.

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