Ashley Bryan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ashley Bryan
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| Born | July 13, 1923 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | February 4, 2022 (aged 98) Sugar Land, Texas, U.S. |
| Occupation | Writer, illustrator, teacher |
| Education | Cooper Union School of Art Columbia University University of Marseilles University of Freiburg |
| Period | 1950–2020 |
| Genre | children's picture books |
| Subject | African American studies |
| Notable works |
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| Notable awards | Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal 2009 Virginia Hamilton Award 2012 |
Ashley Frederick Bryan (July 13, 1923 – February 4, 2022) was an American writer and artist who created books for children. Many of his stories and illustrations shared experiences from African-American history and culture.
He was chosen as the U.S. nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2006. This is a very important international award for children's book creators. In 2009, he won the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award for his amazing contributions to American children's literature. His picture book Freedom Over Me was also recognized with a Newbery Honor in 2017.
Contents
A Look at Ashley Bryan's Life
Growing Up
Ashley Frederick Bryan was born in Harlem, New York City, on July 13, 1923. He grew up in the Bronx with his five siblings and three cousins. His father was a printer who loved birds, so their home was often filled with many birds.
Bryan remembered his childhood in the 1930s as a happy time, full of art and music. He learned to draw, paint, and play instruments at school. These lessons were part of the Work Projects Administration program, which helped artists and musicians during tough economic times. He loved checking out books from the library, especially poetry, folktales, and fairy tales.
College and War
Bryan went to the Cooper Union Art School. He was the only African-American student there at the time. Other schools had turned him down because of his race, but Cooper Union gave scholarships based on a blind test, which meant they didn't know who was applying.
When he was 19, World War II started, and his studies were put on hold. He was drafted into the U.S. Army. He served in a separate unit for Black soldiers and landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day. Even during the war, he always carried a sketch pad and drew whenever he could.
After the war, in 1946, he studied philosophy at Columbia University School of General Studies. He later received a Fulbright Scholarship to study art in France and Germany.
Teaching and Retirement
Bryan shared his love for art by teaching at several colleges, including Dartmouth College. He retired from Dartmouth in 1988 as a professor of art.
After retiring, he moved to a small island in Maine called Little Cranberry Island. He lived there for many years before moving to Sugar Land, Texas, in 2019 to be closer to his niece.
The Ashley Bryan Center was started in 2013 to protect his art, books, and legacy. Bryan passed away at his niece's home on February 4, 2022, at the age of 98.
Awards and Special Recognitions
Ashley Bryan received many awards for his important work in children's literature.
- The Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal (2009) from the American Library Association recognized his lasting contributions. They specifically mentioned his books Dancing Granny, Beat the Story-Drum, Pum-Pum, and Beautiful Blackbird.
- The Coretta Scott King–Virginia Hamilton Award (2012) also honored his work as an African-American writer and illustrator.
- In 2006, he was nominated for the international Hans Christian Andersen Award, which is one of the highest honors for children's book creators worldwide.
Many libraries and organizations also celebrated his work. The Broward County Library started the Ashley Bryan Art series in 2002. This series brings award-winning authors and illustrators whose work reflects African culture to the library, inspiring children and families.
In 2020, the governor of Maine, Janet Mills, declared July 13 "Ashley Frederick Bryan Day" to celebrate his life and contributions.
Awards for Specific Books
Bryan also won many awards for his individual books, including several Coretta Scott King Awards for his illustrations.
- 1981: Coretta Scott King Award for illustration, Beat the Story Drum, Pum-Pum
- 1993: Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, Lupine Award, Sing to the Sun
- 2004: Coretta Scott King Award for illustration, Beautiful Blackbird
- 2008: Coretta Scott King Award for illustration, Let it Shine: Three Favorite Spirituals
- 2010: Golden Kite Award for nonfiction, Ashley Bryan: Words to My Life's Song
- 2017: Newbery Honor, Coretta Scott King Honor, Lupine Award, and Kirkus Prize finalist for Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life by Ashley Bryan
- 2020: Carter G. Woodson Book Award, Coretta Scott King Award for illustration, Infinite Hope: A Black Artist’s Journey from World War II to Peace
Other Works
Films and Stage Shows
Ashley Bryan's life and books have also been featured in films and stage productions.
- A film called I Know a Man ... Ashley Bryan was released in 2016.
- His book Sing to the Sun: Poems and Pictures was turned into a musical work in 1995. Bryan himself narrated the performances.
- In 2017, his book Dancing Granny became a musical play.
- He worked with composer Aaron Robinson on A Tender Bridge in 2018. This was a musical piece celebrating Bryan's life using different music styles like jazz and spirituals.
- In 2021, his book Beautiful Blackbird was adapted into a concert version called Beautiful Blackbird Live. It tells the story of five birds from Africa who sing about the beauty of being black.
