Lillie Patterson
Lillie Patterson was an influential African American author recognized for her significant contributions to children's literature, particularly through her biographies. Born in 1917 on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, she became the first recipient of the Coretta Scott King Award in 1970 for her biography "Martin Luther King, Jr.: Man of Peace." This award is aimed at promoting the artistic expression of the African American experience and has achieved a status comparable to the Newbery and Caldecott Medals. Throughout her career, Patterson authored numerous books for children, focusing on prominent figures such as Benjamin Banneker, Frederick Douglass, and Oprah Winfrey, alongside holiday-themed stories. She pursued higher education at several respected institutions, including Hampton Institute and Johns Hopkins University, and served as an assistant librarian and educator in Baltimore. Her experiences as a librarian and her keen awareness of the literature available to children motivated her to write, aiming to fill those gaps and inspire young readers. Lillie Patterson passed away in 1999, leaving behind a legacy of dedication to enriching children's understanding of history and culture through literature.
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Lillie Patterson
Author
- Born: May 3, 1917
- Birthplace: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Died: March 11, 1999
- Place of death: West Baltimore, Maryland
Biography
African American author Lillie Patterson was the first recipient of the Coretta Scott King Award, presented annually to “encourage the artistic expression of the African American experience via literature and the graphic arts.” Patterson received the award in 1970 at the New Jersey Library Association Annual Spring Conference in Atlantic City for her biography Martin Luther King, Jr.: Man of Peace (1969). The Coretta Scott King Award has since risen in prominence and is now on a par with the prestigious Newbery and Caldecott Medals for children’s literature.
Patterson wrote numerous books for children, including biographies of Benjamin Banneker, Booker T. Washington, Francis Scott Key, Sequoyah, Frederick Douglass, and Oprah Winfrey, as well as Coretta Scott King herself. A series of books on holidays featured several stories each on Christmas and Halloween.
Born in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, in 1917, Patterson attended the Hampton Institute in Virginia, the Catholic University of America, New York University, and Johns Hopkins University. She worked as an assistantlibrarian at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland, and was a specialist with the Baltimore city schools at the time of her death in 1999. As a librarian, a trainer of librarians, and an avid reader, Patterson noticed gaps in the types of books available to children, and her desire to provide inspiration to young readers led her to become a writer. She commented that children’s reading interests were becoming more complex and she received frequent letters describing how her words had a positive impact on a child.