Coretta Scott King Award
Best Book
1973 I Never Had It Made by Jackie Robinson, Alfred Duckett
Jackie Robinson tells his story, from his slave and sharecropper ancestry to his triumphant, heroic career as ballplayer for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
1975 The Legend of Africania by Herbert Temple, Dorothy W. Robinson
An allegorical tale of Africa's struggle against the ravishment of its people and country.
1976 Duey's Tale by Pearl Bailey
A maple seedling becomes separated from his mother tree, makes friends with a bottle and a log, and searches for his own place in life.
1978 Africa Dream by Eloise Greenfield, Carole Byard
An African American girl dreams of long-ago Africa, where she sees animals, a marketplace, and some strange words from an old book. Then she returns to the village where her long-ago granddad welcomes her.
1979 Escape to Freedom by Ossie Davis
Douglass overcame his beginnings as a slave to become the first black man to hold a diplomatic office. He was a great orator and also wrote several books. This play emphasizes his contributions.
1980 The Young Landlords by Walter Dean Myers
Five young friends, determined to make their Harlem neighborhood a better place to live, become landlords of a neglected building. Will these children be able to handle the responsibility of caring for a building and for the people who call that building home?
1982 Let the Circle Be Unbroken by Mildred D. Taylor
Set in 1935 in the midst of the Great Depression, this is the story of the Logan family. The children--Cassie, Stacey, Christopher-John, and Little Man--are beginning to experience life beyond the safe and loving circle of their family. As African Americans, all the Logans must deal with racism and watch, almost powerless, as their friend T.J. is charged with murder and tried by an all-white jury. Have Big Ma, Mama, and Papa Logan taught their children the pride and self respect they need to survive?
1983 Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush by Virginia Hamilton
Fourteen-year-old Theresa, left to take care of her retarded older brother Dab, meets the mysterious ghost of her uncle, Brother Rush. By revealing to her the family secrets, Brother Rush helps Theresa achieve a deeper understanding of both herself and her mother. A 1983 Newbery Honor Book.
1984 Everett Anderson's Goodbye by Lucille Clifton
When little Everett's daddy dies, he tries to deal with it the best he can. This picture-book shows how Everett goes through the five stages of grieving.
1985 Motown and Didi by Walter Dean Myers
Motown and Didi are two teenagers living in the Harlem section of New York City. Didi lives with her mother and her brother, Tony, while Motown lives alone in an abandoned building. When her brother dies of a drug overdose, Didi turns her anger and grief on Touchy, the local drug dealer who sold heroin to Tony, an action that puts her life in danger. Impressed by Didi's courage, Motown, a loner, joins her in her fight against Touchy. Slowly, these two very different but equally ambitious teenagers find themselves falling in love.
1986 The People Could Fly by Virginia Hamilton, Leo Dillon
African-American folktales divided into four sections: "The Lion, Bruh Bear, and Bruh Rabbit: And Other Animal Tales"; "The Beautiful Girl of the Moon Tower: And Other Tales of the Real, Extravagant, and Fanciful"; "John and the Devil's Daughter: And Other Tales of the Supernatural"; and "Carrying the Run-Aways: And Other Slave Tales of Freedom". Black-and-white pen-and-ink wash drawings accompany the stories.
1987 Justin and the Best Biscuits in the World by Mildred Pitts Walter
A best-selling Coretta Scott King Award-winner, now reissued as a Knopf Paperback. Ten-year-old Justin cant seem to do anything right, particularly in a house full of girls. Luckily, his cowboy grandfather comes to the rescue, inviting Justin to his ranch and teaching him real men's work: mending fences, catching fish, and even handling horses. But Justin also learns other, equally important work from this cowboy--like how to make the best biscuits in the world!
1988 The Friendship by Mildred D. Taylor
Cassie Logan and her brothers, from such books as ROLL OF THUNDER, HEAR MY CRY and THE ROAD TO MEMPHIS, witness a horrible racist confrontation in this novella set in 1933. Mr. Tom Bee, an elderly black man, is the victim of racial violence when he calls a white shopkeeper by his first name, despite the fact that the shopkeeper had given him permission to do so.
1989 Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers
An account of the Vietnam War as told by a young African American foot soldier. Seventeen-year-old Richie Perry enlists in the Army as a means of escaping what he sees as his dead end life in Harlem. He arrives in Vietnam in 1967 and quickly discovers the horrible reality of war and the true meaning of friendship and survival.
1990 Long Hard Journey by Fredrick McKissack, Pat McKissack
The history of the railroad workers known as pullman porters and their efforts to establish the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters--the first African American controlled union.
1991 Road to Memphis by Taylor
In this sequel to ROLL OF THUNDER, HEAR MY CRY and LET THE CIRCLE BE UNBROKEN, it's 1941 and African American Cassie Logan is now a 17-year-old high school student eagerly anticipating attending college. Living in Jackson, Mississippi with her brother and friends, Cassie must confront the racism and hostility of the white community.
1992 Now Is Your Time! by Walter Dean Myers
Short biographies of famous and ordinary people combined with a narrative history of African-Americans in the United States. Highlights include a discussion of the Dred Scott decision, the involvement of black soldiers in the Civil War, and the Supreme Court's decision in Brown vs. the Board of Education. Some of the people profiled include African Prince Ibrahima, entrepreneur James Fortan, journalist Ida B. Wells, and sculptor Meta Vaux Warick.
1994 Toning the Sweep by Angela Johnson
Three generations of African-American women find that coming to terms with the past helps them understand themselves, and each other, better, thus allowing them to set the stage for their family's future. Fourteen-year-old Emmie and her mother, Diane, embark on what will be their last visit to the home of Emmie's grandmother, Ola. Ola has lived in a small desert community since 1964, the year her husband was murdered in Alabama--simply because some racists believed that a black man should not own a car. Now dying of cancer, the lively and independent Ola has agreed to move to Ohio so that she can be closer to Emmie and her family. As Emmie and Diane help Ola pack up her house, they must deal not only with their sadness over Ola's illness, but also with Diane's long-suppressed pain over her father's murder. Winner of the 1994 Coretta Scott King Award.
1995 Christmas in the Big House, Christmas in the Quarters by John Thompson, Fredrick McKissack, Pat McKissack
A fact-based depiction of how Christmas was celebrated on a typical pre-Civil War Virginia plantation. Readers will see the stark contrast between how the holiday was celebrated in the "Big House," where the wealthy plantation owners lived, and how it was celebrated in the cramped slave quarters. Not merely a look at holiday traditions, this is also the story of the South just before the beginning of the Civil War, an event that would alter life in that region, and the rest of the United States, forever. Illustrated with acrylic paintings.
1996 Hair Structure and Chemistry Simplified by Virginia Hamilton
This is an anthology of 17 illustrated stories ranging from the historical to classic fairy tales, American tall tales to ghost stories, and each of them featuring an African American girl or woman as the main character.
1997 Slam! by Walter Dean Myers
Slam, a teenager living in Harlem, adapts to life in a new school as he dreams of becoming a professional basketball player. At his new school Slam begins to learn that if he truly plans to succeed in life, he must have the dedication to excel in all aspects of school--not just on the basketball court.
1998 Forged by Fire by Sharon Draper
When his mother leaves him at home while she goes to buy drugs, 3-year-old Gerald Nickelby accidentally starts a fire and is badly burned. Afterward, his mother is charged with child neglect and sentenced to jail, and Gerald is sent to live with his firm but loving Aunt Queen. Six years later, after his mother is released from jail and Aunt Queen dies of a heart attack, Gerald goes to live with his mother and her new husband, Jordan. Unhappy with the situation, Gerald finds comfort through his relationship with his 4-year-old half-sister, Angel, who was born while his mother was incarcerated. When Gerald realizes that Jordan is sexually abusing Angel, he does everything in his power to save her.
1999 Heaven by Angela Johnson
Fourteen-year-old Marley lives in the perfect town of Heaven, Ohio. Marley loves her life--she has two caring parents, an Uncle whom she loves very much, and lots of friends. But life turns out to be far from perfect when Marley finds out that she's adopted and that her "parents" are really her uncle and aunt. Now her entire family feels like strangers to her. Will Marley find out who her real parents are? And if she does, can she handle it?
2002 Land by Mildred D. Taylor
This prequel to ROLLING THUNDER, HEAR MY CRY is set just after the end of the American Civil War and tells the story of Cassie Logan's grandfather, Paul-Edward Logan. Named one of the Best Children's Books 2001 by Publishers Weekly and a 2002 Los Angeles Times Book Prize finalist in the Young Adult Fiction category.
2003 Bronx Masquerade by Nikki Grimes
While studying the Harlem Renaissance, a group of high school students is inspired to create and share their own poetry. This collection of 18 poems explores their thoughts, feelings, fears, and hopes. Winner of the 2003 Coretta Scott King Author Award.
Illustration
1979 Something on My Mind by Nikki Grimes, Tom Feelings
A collection of poems expressing the hopes, fears, joys, and sorrows of growing up.
1980 Cornrows by Camille Yarbrough
When Mama and Great-Grammaw weave the striking cornrow patterns of Africa into their children's hair, their gentle voices also weave a tale full of pride and heritage. A Coretta Scott King Award Winner.
1981 Beat the Story-Drum, Pum-Pum by Ashley Bryan
A collection of five folktales from Nigeria. Illustrations accompany the text.
1982 Mother Crocodile by Rosa Guy
Because Mother Crocodile tells stories of the past, the little crocodiles choose to believe she is crazy until almost too late they learn otherwise.
1984 My Mama Needs Me by Mildred Pitts Walter
Jason stops playing with his friends and stays at home hoping his mother or new baby sister will need him.
1986 The Patchwork Quilt by Valerie Flournoy, Juvenile Collection (Library of Congress)
Tanya loves listening to her grandmother talk about the quilt she is making from pieces of colorful fabric from the family clothes. When Grandma becomes ill, Tanya decides to finish Grandma's masterpiece with the help of her family. Full color.
1987 Half a Moon and One Whole Star by Crescent Dragonwagon
While Susan sleeps, the sights and sounds of the night are all around her.
1988 Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters by John Steptoe
A picture book retelling of an African folktale (which is reminiscent of the fairy tale CINDERELLA), MUFARO'S BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTERS is the story of two beautiful sisters: the kind and good Nyasha and the selfish and evil-tempered Manyara. When an African king decides to marry, he requests that "the most worthy and beautiful daughters in the land" appear before him so that he can select an appropriate bride. Believing that only a king could choose between his two lovely daughters, Mufaro declares that both Nyasha and Manyara must travel to the city to meet the King. That decision doesn't suit Manyara, who, in her desire to reach the King first, slips out of the house and makes the perilous journey to the city by herself. However, in her haste and her greed, Manyara ignores a number of important signs and tests, a situation that, ultimately, results in her heartbreak. Will Nyasha's loving heart and generous spirit help her win the hand of the King? John Steptoe has said that the ruins of an ancient city near Zimbabwe, Africa, inspired his 1988 Caldecott honor-winning watercolor-and-ink illustrations.
1990 Nathaniel Talking by Eloise Greenfield
A collection of 18 poems that tell the story of Nathaniel's life. Pencil drawings illustrate the text.
1991 Aida by Leontyne Price
A picture book version of the opera about the beautiful princess of Ethiopia as retold by the famous opera diva. Color illustrations accompany the text.
1992 Tar Beach/Book and Doll by Faith Ringgold
This book offers a bird's eye view of 1939 Harlem, as seen by an 8-year-old girl. The dreamlike illustrations are rich with color and imagination. Selected by the New York Times Book Review as one of the Best Illustrated Children's Books of 1991.
1993 The Origin of Life on Earth by David A. Anderson, Sankofa
Retells the Yoruba creation myth in which the deity Obatala descends from the sky to create the world.
1994 Soul Looks Back in Wonder
This collection of work by such poets as Maya Angelou and Langston Hughes features color illustrations by Tom Feelings.
1995 The Creation by James Weldon Johnson
A picture book version of the poem about God's creation of the Earth. Color illustrations accompany the text, which was originally written in 1919.
1996 The Middle Passage by Tom Feelings
This is the sad story of how millions of African people were kidnapped and transported via ship to the United States where they were sold as slaves. The 64 paintings in this wordless book depict the horrific conditions under which these people were forced to live during their voyage--another facet of the shameful history of slavery.
1998 In Daddy's Arms I Am Tall by Javaka Steptoe
A collection of poetry about fathers and their children. Contributors include Folami Abiade, Dakaria Hru, and Angela Johnson. Mixed-media illustrations accompany the verses.
2002 Goin' Someplace Special by Pat McKissack
In this story set in the American South of the 1950s, a young African-American girl named 'Tricia Ann is proud when she is allowed to go downtown by herself for the first time on her way to "some place special." Throughout her journey 'Tricia Ann encounters the racism associated with the Jim Crow laws common in the south during those years, but she is also encouraged to continue her journey by the supportive friends she meets. When 'Tricia Ann finally reaches her "some place special" she enters a place her grandmother calls "a doorway to freedom"--the public library. Illustrated with watercolor paintings.
2003 Talkin' About Bessie by Nikki Grimes
This fictionalized account of the life of aviatrix Elizabeth "Bessie" Coleman, the first female African-American to receive a pilot's license, is told through a series of poems/eulogies presented at her funeral by those who knew her or knew of her adventures, celebrating Coleman's achievements while informing readers of the circumstances of her extraordinary life. Sepia-toned and watercolor illustrations accompany the text. Winner of the 2003 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award, this book was also named a 2003 Coretta Scott King Author Honors book.