About the Award
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.
Categories include Author and Illustrator and the John Steptoe award for new talent.
Award given 1970-Present
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Coretta Scott King Award Year and Category
| 2020 Author Award |
New Kid by Jerry Craft PZ 7.7 .C734 N4 2019 |
| 2020 Illustrator Award |
The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander PS 3601 .L35388 U53 2019 |
| 2019 Author Award |
A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919 by Claire Hartfield Juvenile Non-Fiction F548.9.N3 H37 2018 |
| 2019 Illustrator Award |
The Stuff of Stars by Ekua Holmes Juvenile Non-Fiction QB983 .B38 2018 |
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2018 Author Award |
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Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson FIC WAT |
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2018 Illustrator Award |
Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets by Kwame Alexander with Chris Colderly and Marjory Wentworth E ALX |
2018 John Steptoe Award for New Talent |
The Stars Beneath Our Feet by David Barclay Moore FIC MOO |
| 2018 John Steptoe Award for New Talent |
Mama Africa!: How Miriam Makeba Spread Hope with Her Song by Kathryn Erksine E ERS |
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2017 Author Award |
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March Book Three by John Lewis and Andrew Aydin E840.8.L43 A3 2016 |
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2017 Illustrator Award |
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Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat by Javaka Steptoe E STE |
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2017 John Steptoe Award for New Talent |
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The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon FIC YOO |
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2016 Author Award |
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Gone Crazy in Alabama by Rita Williams-Garcia FIC WIL |
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2016 Illustrator Award |
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Trombone Shorty by Troy Andrews ML3930.A53 A3 2015 |
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2016 John Steptoe Award for New Talent |
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Hoodoo by Ronald L. Smith FIC SMI |
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2016 John Steptoe Award for New Talent |
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Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer: The Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement by Carole Boston Weatherford E185.97.H35 W43 2015 |
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2015 Author Award |
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Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson PS3573.064524 Z46 2014 |
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2015 Illustrator Award |
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Firebird by Misty Copeland E COP |
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2015 John Steptoe Award for New Talent |
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When I Was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds FIC REY |
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2014 Author Award |
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P.S. Be Eleven by Rita Williams-Garcia FIC WIL |
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2014 Illustrator Award |
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Knock Knock: My Dad’s Dream For Me by Daniel Beat E BEA |
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2014 John Steptoe Award for New Talent |
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When The Beat Was Born: Dj Kool Herc And The Creation Of Hip Hop by Laban Carrick Hill |
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2013 Author Award |
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Hand in Hand: Ten Black Men Who Changed America by Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney E185.86 .P56 2012 |
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2013 Illustrator Award |
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I, Too, Am America by Langston Hughes PS 3515.U274 I3 2012 |
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2012 Author Award |
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Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans by Kadir Nelson E185 .N427 2011 |
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2012 Illustrator Award |
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Underground: Finding The Light To Freedom by Shane W. Evans E EVA |
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2011 Author Award |
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One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia FIC WIL |
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2011 Illustrator Award |
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Dave The Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave by Laban Carrick Hill NK4210 .D247 H55 2010 |
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John Steptoe Award for New Talent |
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Seeds Of Change: Planting A Path To Peace by Jen Johnson E112 .S45 1991 |
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John Steptoe Award for New Talent |
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Zora and Me by Victoria Bond |
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2010 Author Award |
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Bad News For Outlaws: The Remarkable Life Of Bass Reeves, Deputy U. S. Marshal by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson F697 .R44 N45 2009 |
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2010 Illustrator Award |
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My People by Langston Hughes |
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2010 John Steptoe Award for New Talent |
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The Rock And The River by Kekla Magoon |
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2009 Author Award |
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We Are The Ship: The Story Of Negro League Baseball by Kadir Nelson GV875 .A1 N45 2008 |
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2009 Illustrator Award |
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The Blacker The Berry by Joyce Carol Thomas PS3570 .H565 B53 2008 |
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2009 John Steptoe Award for New Talent |
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Bird by Zetta Elliott |
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2008 Author Award |
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Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis FIC CUR |
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2008 Illustrator Award |
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Let it Shine by Ashley Bryan E BRY |
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2008 John Steptoe Award for New Talent |
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Brendan Buckley’s Universe and Everything in It by Sundee T. Frazier |
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2007 Author Award |
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Copper Sun by Sharon M. Draper FIC DRA |
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2007 Illustrator Award |
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Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom by Carole Boston Weatherford E444 .T82 W43 2006 |
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2007John Steptoe Award for New Talent |
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Standing Against the Wind by Traci L. Jones |
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2006 Author Award |
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Day of Tears by Julius Lester PS 3562 .E853 .L567 2007 |
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2006 Illustrator Award |
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Rosa by Nikki Giovanni F334 .M753 P38427 2008 |
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2006 John Steptoe Award for New Talent |
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Jimi & Me by Jaime Adoff |
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2005 Author Award |
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Remember: The Journey to School Integration by Toni Morrison LC214.2 .M67 2004 |
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2005 Illustrator Award |
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Ellington Was Not a Street by Ntozake Shange E SHA |
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2005 John Steptoe Award for New Talent |
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Jazzy Miz Mozetta by Brenda C. Roberts |
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2005 John Steptoe Award for New Talent |
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Missy Violet and Me by Barbara Hathaway |
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2004 Author Award |
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The First Part Last by Angela Johnson FIC JOH |
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2004 Illustrator Award |
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Beautiful Blackbird by Ashley Bryan PZ8.1 .B838 BG 2003 |
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2004 John Steptoe Award for New Talent |
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The Way a Door Closes by Hope Anita Smith |
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2003 Author Award |
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Bronx Masquerade by Nikki Grimes FIC GRI |
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2003 Illustrator Award |
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Talkin’ About Bessie: The Story of Aviator Elizabeth Coleman by Nikki Grimes TK540 .C546 G75 2002 |
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2003 John Steptoe Award for New Talent |
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Chill Wind by Janet McDonald FIC MCD |
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2003 John Steptoe Award for New Talent |
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The Moon Ring by Randy DuBurke |
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2002 Author Award |
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The Land by Mildred Taylor FIC TAY |
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2002 Illustrator Award |
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Goin’ Someplace Special by Pat McKissack E MCK |
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2002 John Steptoe Award for New Talent |
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Freedom Summer by Deborah Wiles E WIL |
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2001 Author Award |
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Miracle’s Boys by Jacqueline Woodson FIC WOO |
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2001 Illustrator Award |
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Uptown by Bryan Collie E COL |
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2000 Author Award |
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Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis FIC CUR |
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2000 Illustrator Award |
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In the Time of the Drums by Kim L. Siegelson E SIE |
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1999 Author Award |
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Heaven by Angela Johnson FIC JOH |
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1999 Illustrator Award |
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I See the Rhythm by Toyomi Igus ML3556 .I48 1998 |
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1999 John Steptoe Award for New Talent |
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The Piano Man by Debbie Chocolate E CHO |
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John Steptoe Award for New Talent |
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The Skin I’m In by Sharon G. Flake |
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1998 Author Award |
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Forged by Fire by Sharon M. Draper FIC DRA |
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1998 Illustrator Award |
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In Daddy’s Arms I am Tall by Folami Abiade PS591 .N4 B46 1997 |
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1997 Author Award |
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Slam! by Walter Dean Myers FIC MYE |
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1997 Illustrator Award |
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Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman by Alan Schroeder E444 .T82 S37 1996 |
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1997 John Steptoe Award for New Talent: |
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Another Way to Dance by Martha Southgate |
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1996 Author Award |
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Her Stories: African American Folktales, Fairy Tales, And True Tales by Virginia Hamilton GR111 .A47 H35 1995 |
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1996 Illustrator Award |
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The Middle Passage: White Ships/ Black Cargo by Tom Feelings ND237 .F32 A4 1995 |
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1995 Author Award |
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Christmas In The Big House: Christmas In The Quarters by Patricia C. McKissack and Fredrick F213 .M36 1994 |
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1995 Illustrator Award |
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The Creation by James Weldon Johnson PS3519 .O2625 C73 1994 |
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1995 John Steptoe Award for New Talent |
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Tears Of A Tiger by Sharon M. Draper FIC DRA |
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1994 Author Award |
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Toning The Sweep by Angela Johnson FIC JOH |
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1994 Illustrator Award |
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Soul Looks Back in Wonder by Langston Hughes PS591 .N4 S58 1994 |
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1993 Author Award |
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The Dark-Thirty: Southern Tales Of The Supernatural by Patricia C. McKissack and Fredrick McKissack FIC MCK |
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1993 Illustrator Award |
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The Origin of Life on Earth: An African Creation Myth by Sankofa and David A. Anderson E AND |
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1992 Author Award |
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Now Is Your Time! The African-American Struggle for Freedom by Walter Dean Myers E185 .M96 1991 |
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1992 Illustrator Award |
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Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold E RIN |
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1991 Author Award |
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The Road to Memphis by Mildred D. Taylor FIC TAY |
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1991 Illustrator Award |
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Aida by Leontyne Price ML3930 .V4 P7 1990 |
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1990 Author Award |
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A Long Hard Journey: The Story of the Pullman Porter by Patricia C. McKissack and Fredrick McKissac HD8039 .R37 U46 1989 |
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1990 Illustrator Award |
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Nathaniel Talking by Eloise Greenfield PN6109.97 .G811 1988 |
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1989 Author Award |
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Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers FIC MYE |
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1989 Illustrator Award |
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Mirandy and Brother Wind by Patricia C. Mckissack E MCK |
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1988 Author Award |
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The Friendship by Mildred D. Taylor FIC TAY |
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1988 Illustrator Award |
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Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale by John Steptoe E STE |
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Award by Year and Category |
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1987 Author Award |
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Justin and the Best Biscuits in the World by Mildred Pitts Walter FIC WAL |
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1987 Illustrator Award |
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Half a Moon and One Whole Star by Crescent Dragonwagon E DRA |
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1986 Author Award |
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The People Could Fly: American Black Folktales by Virginia Hamilton GR73 .H22 1985 |
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1986 Illustrator Award |
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The Patchwork Quilt by Valerie Flournoy E FLO |
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1985 Author Award |
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Motown and Didi by Walter Dean Myers FIC MYE |
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1984 Author Award |
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Everett Anderson’s Goodbye by Lucille Clifton E CLI |
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1984 Illustrator Award |
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My Mama Needs Me by Mildred Pitts Walter |
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E WAL |
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1984 Special Citation Award |
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The Words of Martin Luther King by Coretta Scott King E185.97 .K5 A25 1996 |
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1983 Author Award |
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Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush by Virginia Hamilton FIC HAM |
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1983 Illustrator Award |
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Black Child by Peter Magubane DT763.6 .M33 1982 |
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1982 Author Award |
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Let the Circle Be Unbroken by Mildred D. Taylor FIC TAY |
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1982 Illustrator Award: |
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Mother Crocodile by Rosa Guy GR73 .D59 1981 |
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1981 Author Award |
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This Life by Sidney Poitie PN2287 .P57 A37 1980 |
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1981 Illustrator Award |
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Beat the Story-Drum, Pum-Pum by Ashley Bryan FIC BRY |
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1980 Author Award |
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The Young Landlords by Walter Dean Myers FIC MYE |
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1980 Illustrator Award |
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Cornrows by Camille Yarbrough E YAR |
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1979 Author Award |
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Escape To Freedom: A Play About Young Frederick Douglass by Ossie Davis PN6120 .H5 D26 1978 |
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1979 Illustrator Award |
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Something on My Mind by Nikki Grimes PN6109.97 .F29 .S69 1978 |
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1978 Author and Illustrator Award |
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Africa Dream by Eloise Greenfield E GRE |
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1977 Author Award |
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The Story of Stevie Wonder by James Haskins ML3930 .W65 H4 |
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1976 Author Award |
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Duey’s Tale by Pearl Bailey FIC BAI |
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1975 Author Award |
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The Legend of Africania by Dorothy W. Robinson E ROB |
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1974 Illustrator Award |
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Ray Charles by Sharon Bell Mathis ML3930 .C443 M42 2001 |
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1973 Author Award |
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I Never Had It Made: An Autobiography of Jackie Robinson by Jackie Robinson and Alfred Duckett GV865 .R6 A3 1995 |
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1972 Author Award |
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Seventeen Black Artists by Elton C. Fax N6538 .N5 F3 |
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1971 Author Award |
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Black Troubadour by Langston Hughes PS3515 .U274 Z77 1970 |
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1970 Author Award |
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Martin Luther King Jr.: Man of Peace by Lillie Patterson E185.97 .K5 P3 |