91´«Ã½

SEATTLE – Dr. Pauletta Brown Bracy is the recipient of the 2019 Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement. The announcement was made today by the 91´«Ã½ (91´«Ã½), during the 91´«Ã½ Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits held Jan. 25 – 29, in Seattle, Washington.

“Dr. Bracy has been a tireless advocate for high quality African American literature for young people,” said Award Committee Chair Deborah D. Taylor. “She has been an inspirational leader and mentor to countless librarians and education professionals.”

Dr. Pauletta Bracy, is Professor of Library Science and Director of the Office of University Accreditation at North Carolina Central University (NCCU). She has successfully merged scholarship and service with publications such as “Libraries, Literacy and African American Youth” (co-edited with Sandra Hughes Hassell and Casey H. Rawson) as well as her work with the Coretta Scott King Book Awards and with workshops and conferences dedicated to promoting African American books for children and teens. She recently served as co-organizer for Celebrating Our Voices: Black Children’s Literature Symposium and Book Festival held at NCCU.

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

odd years (i.e. 2015, 2017, 2019…), 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. The recipient may be a public librarian, academic librarian, school librarian (public or private), an educator (pre-K - 12 or any level therein, or higher education) or youth literature advocate whose vocation, work, volunteer service or ongoing promotion of books with and/or on behalf of youth is significant and sustained.

In even years (i.e. 2016, 2018, 2020…), the award is presented 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.

Virginia Hamilton was 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 Atlanta Globe-Horn Book Award and the Hans Christian Andersen Award.

Members of the 2019 Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement Award Committee are: Chair Deborah D. Taylor, Baltimore; Therese G. Bigelow, Coupeville, Wash.; Patty Carleton, St. Louis; Dr. Rosalie B. Kiah, Norfolk (Va.) State University; and Ida W. Thompson, Richland Library, Columbia, S.C.

91´«Ã½ (91´«Ã½) is the foremost national organization providing resources to inspire library and information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more than 140 years, 91´«Ã½ has been the trusted voice of libraries, advocating for the profession and the library’s role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all. For more information, visit ala.org. To make a contribution to support our work, visit ala.org/donate.

For more information on the Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement Award and other 91´«Ã½ Youth Media Awards, please visit .