2021
Author Winner
Jacqueline Woodson, author of "Before the Ever After." “Before the Ever After,” published by Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, is Jacqueline Woodson’s stirring novel-in-verse which explores how a family moves forward when their glory days have passed and the effects of professional sports on the Black body.
Illustrator Winner
Frank Morrison, illustrator of “R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Aretha Franklin, The Queen of Soul". “R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Aretha Franklin, The Queen of Soul,” written by Carole Boston Weatherford and published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing Division, is an early indoctrination into hip-hop culture that can be seen through Morrison’s work, which has been dubbed a mash-up of urban mannerism, graffiti and abstract contemporary, and reflects deeply on the lost of human stories from past eras.
2020
Author Winner
Jerry Craft, author of "New Kid". “New Kid” published by HarperCollins Children’s Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers, tells the story of Jordan Banks, an artistic Black middle school student who has transferred from public school to an elite, predominantly White private school and must contend not only with typical middle school challenges but also with microaggressions and code-switching. Told in a graphic novel format, Jordan’s experiences are rendered highly accessible to young people and include his own doodles, journal entries and handbooks for middle school students.
Illustrator Winner
The 2020 Coretta Scott King Book Awards Illustrator Winner is Kadir Nelson, illustrator of "The Undefeated" written by Kwame Alexander and published by Versity, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. "The Undefeated" is an emotional deep dive into the unapologetic brilliance of the Black experience in the face of unspeakable injustice. Capturing the excellence of iconic figures in Black history, as well as the known and unknown victims of brutality, this book showcases the raw humanity of generations of determination and will. Themes of survival, hope, and resilience permeate in this masterful picture book.
2019
Author Winner
Claire Hartfield, author of "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919," published by Clarion Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" is a meticulously researched exposition of the socio-economic landscape and racial tensions that led to the death of a black teen who wanted to swim, and the violent clash that resulted. In twenty chapters, Hartfield’s balanced, eye-opening account contextualizes a range of social justice issues that persist to this day
Illustrator Winner
Ekua Holmes, illustrator of "The Stuff of Stars" written by Marion Dane Bauer and published by Candlewick Press. In "The Stuff of Stars," Holmes uses hand marbled paper and collage to create a lush explosion of color that brings to life the formation of the universe while distinctly reflecting the essence of the African diaspora.
2018
Author Award Winner
Renée Watson, author of "Piecing Me Together,” published by Bloomsbury Children's Books. "Piecing Me Together" is an inspiring tale in which Watson pulls the reader into Jade's world by sharing Jade's love for the Spanish language and providing a different, yet necessary story of Black womanhood.
Illustrator Award Winner
Ekua Holmes, illustrator of "Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets,” written by Kwame Alexander with Chris Colderley and Marjory Wentworth, published by Candlewick Press. In "Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets," Ekua Holmes's mixed-media collage images balance the tone and tenor of the new poems created by the authors, while paying homage to each of the featured poets in the subtle detailas extracted from various aspects. "Holmes expertly infuses the multilayered poetry with the richness of the Black art aesthetic in her original, evocative, vibrantly colored compositions," said Coretta Scott King Book Awards Jury Chair Sam Bloom.
2017
Author Award Winner
Congressman John Lewis and Andrew Aydin for “March Book: Three,” published by Top Shelf Productions, an imprint of IDW Publishing, a division of Idea and Design Works LLC. “March: Book Three,” is a first-hand account of the Civil Rights Movement through Lewis’ eyes. Using vivid language and dynamic visual storytelling, it details events from the Freedom Summer to the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Readers experience the realities of segregation, the sacrifices required for the struggle and the courage that defines true leaders.
Illustrator Award Winner
Javaka Steptoe, illustrator and author of "Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat,” published by Little, Brown and Company. In “Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat,” collage style paintings with rich texture, bold colors and thick lines take readers on an emotional journey. Steptoe’s style blends with motifs from Basquiat’s own art to create this stunning picture book biography.
2016
Author Award Winner
Rita Williams-Garcia, author of “Gone Crazy in Alabama.” “Gone Crazy in Alabama,” published by Amistad, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, is the final book in Williams-Garcia’s trilogy about the Gaither sisters. She blends cultural and family history in a vivid, readable way, laced with humor. Each sister is a distinct individual, growing, changing, and helping to change the perspectives of their elders.
Illustrator Award Winner
Bryan Collier, illustrator of “Trombone Shorty." In “Trombone Shorty,” written by Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews and Bill Taylor, and published by Abrams Books for Young Readers, an imprint of ABRAMS, Collier creates vibrant, bold color collages and realistic images that portray the musical growth of a young boy in the jazz tradition of the Tremé neighborhood of New Orleans.
2015
Author Award Winner
- Jacqueline Woodson, author of “brown girl dreaming.” Published by Nancy Paulson Books, an imprint of Penguin Group, Penguin Group (USA) LLC, is an absorbing free verse memoir of a young girl growing up black and female in the 1960s and ‘70s full of arresting details and vivid imagery. Her choice of events and memories incorporate important historical events and her own evolution into the award-winning writer she has become.
Illustrator Award Winner
- Christopher Myers, illustrator of “Firebird." Written by Misty Copeland and published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons, Penguin Group USA, the illustrations of Myers depict the brilliant colorful world of the ballerina with its dancers on en pointe.
2014
Author Award Winner
- Rita Williams-Garcia, author of “P.S. Be Eleven” published by Amistad, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. In this spirited stand-alone sequel to “One Crazy Summer,” the Gaither sisters return to Brooklyn after a summer spent with their mother in Oakland, California. Delphine, Vonetta and Fern thrive in the tumultuous era of the late 1960s, but Delphine is tasked by her mother to, “P.S. Be Eleven.”
Illustrator Award Winner
- Bryan Collier, illustrator of “Knock knock: my dad’s dream for me” illustrated by Bryan Collier and published by Little, Brown and Company, Hachette Book Group. In “Knock knock: my dad’s dream for me,” Bryan Collier brings to life Daniel Beaty’s powerful narrative of a son’s longing for his absent father. With his distinctive watercolor and collage technique, Collier captures the nuances of the urban setting and the son’s journey to manhood.
2013
Author Award Winner
- Andrea Davis Pinkney, author of Hand in Hand: Ten Black Men Who Changed America, published by Disney/Jump at the Sun Books, an imprint of Disney Book Group.
Illustrator Award Winner
- Bryan Collier, illustrator of I, Too, Am America, published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division.
2012
Author Award Winner
- Kadir Nelson, author and illustrator of Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans (Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
Illustrator Award Winner
- Shane W. Evans, author and illustrator of Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom (A Neal Porter Book, published by Roaring Brook Press, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing Holdings Limited Partnership)
2011
Author Award Winner
- Rita Williams-Garcia, author of One Crazy Summer (Amistad, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
Illustrator Award Winner
- Bryan Collier, illustrator of Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave, written by Laban Carrick Hill (Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.)
2010
- Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, author of Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie (Carolrhoda Books, a division of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.).
- Charles R. Smith, Jr., illustrator of My People, text by Langston Hughes (ginee seo books, Atheneum Books for Young Readers)
2009
- Kadir Nelson, author and illustrator of We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball (Disney-Jump at the Sun, an imprint of Disney Book Group)
- Floyd Cooper, illustrator of The Blacker the Berry, written by Joyce Carol Thomas (Joanna Cotler Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
2008
- Christopher Paul Curtis, author of Elijah of Buxton (Scholastic)
- Ashley Bryan, author and illustrator of Let it Shine (Atheneum Books for Young Readers)
2007
- Sharon Draper, author of Copper Sun (Simon & Schuster/Atheneum Books for Young Readers)
- Kadir Nelson, illustrator of Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom, written by Carole Boston Weatherford (Jump at the Sun/Hyperion Books for Children)
2006
Author Award Winner
- Julius Lester, author of Day of Tears: A Novel in Dialogue (Jump at the Sun, an imprint of Hyperion Books for Children)
Illustrator Award Winner
- Bryan Collier, illustrator of Rosa, written by Nikki Giovanni (Henry Holt and Company).
2005
Author Award Winner
- Toni Morrison, author of Remember: The Journey to School Integration (Houghton Mifflin)
Illustrator Award Winner
- Kadir A. Nelson, illustrator of Ellington Was Not a Street, written by Ntozake Shange (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)
2004
Author Award Winner
- Angela Johnson, author of The First Part Last (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)
Illustrator Award Winner
- Ashley Bryan, author and illustrator of Beautiful Blackbird (Atheneum Books for Young Readers)
2003
Author Award Winner
- Nikki Grimes, author of Bronx Masquerade (Dial Books for Young Readers)
Illustrator Award Winner
- E. B. Lewis, illustrator of Talkin’ About Bessie: The Story of Aviator Elizabeth Coleman, written by Nikki Grimes (Orchard Books/Scholastic)
2002
Author Award Winner
- Mildred Taylor, author of The Land (Phyllis Fogelman Books/Penguin Putnam)
Illustrator Award Winner
- Jerry Pinkney, illustrator of Goin’ Someplace Special, written by Patricia McKissack (Anne Schwartz Book/Atheneum)
2001
Author Award Winner
- Jacqueline Woodson, author of Miracle’s Boys (G.P. Putnam’s Sons)
Illustrator Award Winner
- Bryan Collier, author and illustrator of Uptown (Henry Holt)
2000
Author Award Winner
- Christopher Paul Curtis, author of Bud, Not Buddy (Delacorte)
Illustrator Award Winner
- Brian Pinkney, illustrator of In the Time of the Drums, written by Kim L. Siegelson (Jump at the Sun/Hyperion Books for Children)
1999
Author Award Winner
- Angela Johnson, author of Heaven (Simon & Schuster)
Illustrator Award Winner
- Michele Wood, illustrator of I See the Rhythm, written by Toyomi Igus (Children’s Book Press)
1998
Author Award Winner
- Sharon M. Draper, author of Forged by Fire (Atheneum)
Illustrator Award Winner
- Javaka Steptoe, illustrator of In Daddy’s Arms I am Tall: African Americans Celebrating Fathers, written by Alan Schroeder (Lee & Low)
1997
Author Award Winner
- Walter Dean Myers, author of Slam (Scholastic)
Illustrator Award Winner
- Jerry Pinkney, illustrator of Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman, written by Alan Schroeder (Dial Books for Young Readers)
1996
Author Award Winner
- Virginia Hamilton, author of Her Stories, illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon (Scholastic/Blue Sky Press)
Illustrator Award Winner
- Tom Feelings, illustrator of The Middle Passage: White Ships Black Cargo (Dial Books for Young Readers)
1995
Author Award Winner
- Patricia C. & Fredrick L. McKissack, authors of Christmas in the Big House, Christmas in the Quarters (Scholastic)
Illustrator Award Winner
- James Ransome, illustrator of The Creation, text by James Weldon Johnson (Holiday House)
1994
Author Award Winner
- Angela Johnson, author of Toning the Sweep (Orchard)
Illustrator Award Winner
- Tom Feelings, illustrator of Soul Looks Back in Wonder, edited by Phyllis Fogelman (Dial Books for Young Readers)
1993
Author Award Winner
- Patricia C. McKissack, author of The Dark-Thirty: Southern Tales of the Supernatural, illustrated by Brian Pinkney (Knopf)
Illustrator Award Winner
- Kathleen Atkins Wilson, illustrator of The Origin of Life on Earth: An African Creation Myth, retold by David A. Anderson/SANKOFA (Sights)
1992
Author Award Winner
- Walter Dean Myers, author of Now is Your Time: The African American Struggle for Freedom (HarperCollins)
Illustrator Award Winner
- Faith Ringgold, illustrator of Tar Beach (Crown)
1991
Author Award Winner
- Mildred D. Taylor, author of The Road to Memphis (Dial)
Illustrator Award Winner
- Leo and Diane Dillon, illustrators of Aida, written by Leontyne Price (Harcourt)
1990
Author Award Winner
- Patricia C. & Fredrick L. McKissack, authors of A Long Hard Journey: The Story of the Pullman Porter (Walker)
Illustrator Award Winner
- Jan Spivey Gilchrist, illustrator of Nathaniel Talking, written by Eloise Greenfield (Black Butterfly)
1989
Author Award Winner
- Walter Dean Myers, author of Fallen Angels (Scholastic)
Illustrator Award Winner
- Jerry Pinkney, illustrator of Mirandy and Brother Wind, written by Patricia McKissack (Knopf)
1988
Author Award Winner
- Mildred L. Taylor, author of The Friendship (Dial)
Illustrator Award Winner
- John Steptoe, illustrator of Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale (Lothrop)
1987
Author Award Winner
- Mildred Pitts Walter, author of Justin and the Best Biscuits in the World, illustrated by Catherine Stock (Lothrop)
Illustrator Award Winner
- Jerry Pinkney, illustrator of Half a Moon and One Whole Star, written by Crescent Dragonwagon (Macmillan)
1986
Author Award Winner
- Virginia Hamilton, author of The People Could Fly: American Black Folktales, illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon (Knopf)
Illustrator Award Winner
- Jerry Pinkney, illustrator of The Patchwork Quilt, written by Valerie Flournoy (Dial)
1985
Author Award Winner
- Walter Dean Myers, author of Motown and Didi (Viking)
Illustrator Award Winner
1984
Author Award Winner
- Lucille Clifton, author of Everett Anderson’s Goodbye, illustrated by Ann Grifalconi (Holt)
Illustrator Award Winner
- Pat Cummings, illustrator of My Mama Needs Me, written by Mildred Pitts Walter (Lothrop)
1983
Author Award Winner
- Virginia Hamilton, author of Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush (Amistad)
Illustrator Award Winner
- Peter Magubane, photographer and author of Black Child (Knopf)
1982
Author Award Winner
- Mildred D. Taylor, author of Let the Circle Be Unbroken (Dial)
Illustrator Award Winner
- John Steptoe, illustrator of Mother Crocodile: An Uncle Amadou Tale from Sengal, written by Rosa Guy (Delacorte)
1981
Author Award Winner
- Sidney Poitier, author of This Life (Knopf)
Illustrator Award Winner
- Ashley Bryan, illustrator of Beat the Story Drum, Pum-Pum (Atheneum)
1980
Author Award Winner
- Walter Dean Myers, author of The Young Landlords (Viking)
- Carole Byard, illustrator of Cornrows, written by Camille Yarbrough (Coward-McCann)
1979
Author Award Winner
- Ossie Davis, author of Escape to Freedom (Viking)
- Tom Feelings, illustrator of Something on My Mind, written by Nikki Grimes (Dial)
1978
Author Award Winner
- Eloise Greenfield, author of Africa Dream, illustrated by Carole Byard (Crowell)
Illustrator Award Winner
- Carole Bayard, illustrator of Africa Dream, written by Eloise Greenfield (Crowell)
1977
Author Award Winner
- James Haskins, author of The Story of Stevie Wonder (Lothrop)
1976
Author Award Winner
- Pearl Bailey, author of Duey’s Tale (Harcourt)
1975
Author Award Winner
- Dorothy Robinson, author of The Legend of Africana (Johnson Publishing)
1974
Author Award Winner
- Sharon Bell Mathis, author of Ray Charles, illustrated by George Ford (Crowell)
- George Ford, illustrator of Ray Charles, written by Sharon Bell Mathis (Crowell)
1973
Author Award Winner
- Jackie Robinson and Alfred Duckett, authors of I Never Had it Made: The Autobiography of Jackie Robinson (Putnam)
1972
Author Award Winner
- Elton C. Fax, author of 17 Black Artists (Dodd)
1971
Author Award Winner
- Charlemae Rollins, author of Black Troubador: Langston Hughes (Rand McNally)
1970
Author Award Winner
- Lillie Patterson, author of Martin Luther King, Jr.: Man of Peace (Garrard)
