Anita Scott Coleman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Anita Scott Coleman
Anita Scott Coleman, from a 1926 publication
Born	November 27, 1890 Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico
Died	March 27, 1960 (aged 69) Los Angeles, California, US
Occupation	Writer

Anita Scott Coleman (born November 27, 1890 – died March 27, 1960) was an American writer. She was born in Mexico and grew up in New Mexico. She is known for her many stories, poems, and even a children's book.

Early Life and Education

Anita Scott was born in Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico, in 1890. Her parents, William Henry Scott and Mary Ann Stokes Scott, were American. Her father was a Buffalo Soldier from Virginia, which means he was an African American soldier who served in the U.S. Army. Her mother was born when slavery was still allowed in some parts of the U.S.

Anita grew up on a ranch near Silver City, New Mexico. Her father worked for the railroad there. She went to the New Mexico Teachers College to become a teacher. She finished her studies in 1909.

Writing Career

Coleman wrote many different types of works. She wrote dozens of short stories and poems. She also wrote scripts for silent films and a children's book called The Singing Bells (published in 1961). She even wrote a novel, Unfinished Masterpiece.

Her poems were collected in books like Small Wisdom (1937) and Reason for Singing (1948). Her poems also appeared in other collections such as Negro Voices (1938) and Ebony Rhythm (1948).

Published Works

Anita Scott Coleman's stories and essays were published in important magazines and newspapers for Black communities. These included Opportunity, Half-Century Magazine, The Messenger, The Crisis, and The Pittsburgh Courier. Her works appeared in these publications between 1919 and 1943.

In recent years, more people have become interested in her writings. Experts see her work as a unique voice from the Western U.S. during the time of the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance was a period when Black artists, writers, and musicians created amazing works. She is also recognized as an Afro-Latinx writer, meaning she had both African and Latin American heritage.

Life in Los Angeles

In 1926, Anita moved to Los Angeles with her husband and children. There, she managed a boarding house. She won awards for her writing from The Crisis magazine and from the Robert Browning Poetry Contest. In 1946, she was chosen to lead the advisory board for the YWCA at the University of Southern California.

Family and Lasting Impact

In 1916, Anita Scott married James Harold Coleman. He was a photographer and a printer. They had five children between 1917 and 1928. Two of their daughters, Willianna and Mary, also became poets when they were young.

Anita Scott Coleman passed away in Los Angeles in 1960. Years later, two collections of her writings were published in 2008 by Texas Tech University Press and the University of Oklahoma Press. Her grandson, Douglas Jackson, is a professor at Elizabeth City State University. He often gives talks about his grandmother's life and work.

There is a special historic marker about Anita Scott Coleman near the Silver City Visitor Center in Grant County, New Mexico. This marker was put up in 2015 to honor her contributions.