Coretta Scott King Award

Link to King Award Homepage: http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/rts/emiert/cskbookawards/index.cfm

The King Award

The King Award is presented annually to an African American author or illustrator. The purpose of the King Award is to recognize African Americans for their inspirational works and educational contributions. It is designed to promote appreciation for all cultures. The works also acknowledge how everyone contributes to the American Dream. The books share a common theme of culture awareness. No matter what narrative or graphic design one chooses to engage themselves in, they will have an African American experience. According to the American Library Association, the purpose of the Coretta Scott King Book Award is "to encourage the artistic expression of the African American experience via literature and the graphic arts, including biographical, historical, and social history treatments by African American authors and illustrators."

In Moses, the story of Harriet Tubman is told. This narrative portrays trials and tribulations that African Americans went through during times of slavery. Harriet would risk her life to rescue families, and she kept going to the "South to keep her bands of runaways moving" (34). Another African American experience is expressed in the book Rosa. Rosa Parks was standing up for herself on the bus during a time when African Americans had to give up their seats for Caucasian Americans. Rosa did not leave, nor did she get frightened because "she was not going to give in to what was wrong (11)." Both stories tell the tale of great African Americans and allow readers to experience what it was like to live in different cultures. The book, Elijah of Buxton, does this too. Elijah was free his entire life, but when he met a family of slaves in Detroit his outlook changed. He understood that they "were five runaway slaves and a baby that had been caught" (298). Nonetheless, all of the Coretta Scott King Award winners portray different cultures and offer a deeper understanding to those who enjoy the books. It promotes the further education of various cultures.

The books, The Rock and the River, Keeping the Night Watch, and Becoming Billie Holiday, portray how young African Americans struggle through difficulties in their family lives and about challenges they face within their time period. In The Rock and the River, Sam is caught in a conflict between his father’s and brother’s moral views about racism. As Sam’s brother goes to take a different approach for civil rights, his family relationship worsens. Keeping the Night Watch expresses how C.J. struggles to understand why his father walked out. In the poem “Showdown at the O.K. Corral” C.J. talks about his father being back, “I walk around with my words drawn, ready to fire. Because this house isn’t big enough for the two of us. (pg 13)” C.J. holds a lot of resentment and pain for his dad leaving. Also, in Becoming Billie Holiday, the protagonist is bumped around between her family and her mother and struggles to live in and maintain one household. In the poem “Love me or Leave Me” Eleanora is passed from one family member to the next “…but she hoped they’d take me off her hands. (pg 13)” Her mother knows that having a child will interfere with her own life.

Through the complications in life comes triumph from one’s individual hopes and dreams. In Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, the hazardous life of Bass Reeves is portrayed as he rises from slavery to becoming a U.S. Marshal in the Indian Territory. Through hardships, Bass Reeves never loses hope to become something else. In The Moon Over Stars, Mae and her family watch the journey of the Apollo 11 space craft. Unlike her grandfather, who considers the space program a waste of money, Mae confides a dream of going to the moon someday. In the book Let It Shine, a story of ten women (Sojourner Truth, Biddy Mason, Harriet Tubman, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, Mary McLeod Bethune, Ella Josephine Baker, Dorothy Irene Height, Rosa Parks, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Shirley Chisholm) who struggle through many difficulties in life and yet triumph through with their bravery and hope.

Because of these complications and triumphs, these African American individuals become important people that influence many today. In Becoming Billie Holiday, she struggles through many different circumstances (drinking liquor, going to jail, etc.); however, she becomes the first African-American woman to perform with an all white band. In Let It Shine, it describes how women (in different time periods) become important people. One example shows how Shirley Chisholm became the first black woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, tells of Bass Reeves as a smart U.S. Marshal who took down several outlaws in the harshest landscapes. Nonetheless, all of the Coretta Scott King Award winners portray a variety of different young African American people who have struggles and triumph through with their hopes and dreams to become an important members to our society.

Bud, Not Buddy by: Christopher Paul Curtis

Bud, a young orphan boy, set out in search of his father or who he thought was his father when he had no where else to go in Michigan. With only his suitcase in hand, Bud began his journey.

Forged By Fire by: Sharon M. Draper

In Cincinnati, Gerald was almost killed by the fire because of his mother's negligence. He is then forced to live with his Aunt. She teaches him how to love again; however, when his mother returns with a new family, he must hold on to this love to keep from being burned by the flames of the world.

In The Time Of Drums by: Kim L. Seigelson

Mentu, an island-born boy, learns of his ancestry through song and the beating of a skin drums. Twi, an Ibo conjure woman, taught him the magical songs of Africa. When a spanish ship docks with an Ibo tribe full of slaves to be sold, Mentu beats his drum and Twi uses her magic to guide them home under the water.

Tears Of A Tiger by: Sharon M. Draper

Andy Jackson, a young African American teen, blames himself for the death of his best friend who died in a car accident when a night of drinking turned wrong. The accident haunted Andy's thoughts. When he contemplates taking his own life, will anyone save him or will it be too late?

Day Of Tears by: Julius Lester

In 1859, it was the largest auction of slaves. Twelve year-old Emma gets sold and never sees her family again, but Emma is determined to be freed.

Elijah of Buxton by: Christopher Paul Curtis

In 1860, Elijah is the first baby born free from slavery in Buxton Canada. When his friend, Mr. Leroy, ventures out to find and free his family in Detroit, Elijah is the only person that could help him.

Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom by: Carole Boston Weatherford

Harriet Tubman, a slave, fled from her master. With the help of strangers, Harriet travels day and night to become free. She decides she needs to go back and free her family and discovers the underground railroad that slaves travel to for freedom.

Rosa by: Nikki Giovanni

Rosa Parks is sick of segregation and stands up for herself when the bus driver asks her to move since there were no more seats on the bus for white people. Rosa’s strength leads to striking on buses for a movement of change.

Bronx Masquerade by: Nikki Grimes

A classroom of students from the Bronx take an interest in a poetry assignment that leads to a new adventure and a possibility of hope.

Copper Sun by: Sharon M. Draper

Life was beautiful for Amari in 1738. Suddenly, she was taken from her village in Africa and shipped to America to be a slave. How will she learn to survive in a whole new world?

The Blacker the Berry By: Joyce Carol Thomas

A collection of poems features the many shades of black. It portrays how each shade is beautiful and special in its own way.

We Are The Ship: The Story Of Negro League Baseball by: Kadir Nelson

After not being allowed to play along side white baseball players, blacks formed their own teams in the early 1900's. They began a new league of their own.

The People Could Fly by: Virginia Hamilton

After being captured and enslaved in America, the African people who could fly lost their wings. They hoped to one day fly again to set themselves free.

The Land by: Mildred D. Taylor

Paul Logan, a half black and half white young man, lives in the south during the 19^th century. He aspires to one day own a wonderful land just like the one his white father had. Although he has great obstacles to face, he wants to make his dream come true.

Before John Was a Jazz Giant by: Carole Boston Weatherford

John enjoys listing to the sounds all around him in detail. Little did he know that his dedication would lead him to something great.

Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters by: John Steptoe

Bad-tempered Manyara gets a head start on her journey to meet the king because she wants to be the queen. She Leaves her kind sister, Nyasha, behind. However, what the sisters do not know is that the king has a surprise for them.

The Rock and the River by: Kekla Magoon

In Chicago, thirteen-year-old Sam is torn between two morals, those his father and those his brother. Sam wants to believe his father is right; however, he's tired of watching his loved ones suffer by racism.

The Moon over Star by:Dianna Hutts Aston

In the summer of 1969, eight-year-old Mae and her family watch the process of Apollo 11 space craft and dreams that one day she will become an astronaunt too.

Let it Shine: Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters by: Andrea Davis Pinkney

This book tells a story in the seventieth through the twentieth century about ten women whose lives are told about the challenges and triumphs they faced and struggled for civil rights.

Jazz on a Saturday Night by: Leo and Diane Dillon

On a Saturday night, seven skillful jazz musicians joined together and played thier instruments to make the audience feel excited.

Keeping the Night Watch by:Hope Anita Smith

C.J, a young African American boy, is being forced to get along with his absentee father who decides to return to his family.

My People by:Langston Hughes

Poetic statements about the beauty of different cultures.

Bad New for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal by: Vaunda Nelson

Bass Reeves was born into a time of slavery and hardship but he never lost hope of becoming so much more.

Becoming Billie Holiday by: Carole Boston Weatherford
A collection of poems to describe the obstacles and abuses of Eleanora Fagan, who later becomes Billie Holiday.