Caroline Randall Williams facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Caroline Randall Williams
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Williams in December 2013
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| Born | August 24, 1987 Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
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| Education | St. Paul's School Harvard University University of Mississippi (MFA) |
| Known for | Soul Food Love |
| Awards | NAACP Image Award |
Caroline Randall Williams (born August 24, 1987) is an American writer, poet, and teacher. She is well-known for her cookbook Soul Food Love, which she wrote with her mother, Alice Randall. This book won an important award called the NAACP Image Award in Literature in 2016.
Caroline Randall Williams also wrote a book of poems called Lucy Negro, Redux. This poetry book was even turned into a ballet!
Contents
About Caroline Randall Williams
Caroline Randall Williams grew up in Nashville, Tennessee. She went to St. Paul's School and then to Harvard University. After college, she spent two years teaching through a program called Teach for America. She later earned a special degree in creative writing from the University of Mississippi.
Her family has a very interesting history. Her great-grandfather was Arna Bontemps, a famous African-American poet from the Harlem Renaissance. Her grandfather, Avon Williams, was a key leader in the civil rights movement in Nashville. Caroline's family history shows how different parts of American history can come together in one family.
In 2015, Southern Living magazine named her one of the "50 People Changing the South." She has taught at several universities, including West Virginia University, Fisk University, and Vanderbilt University. At Vanderbilt, she teaches about medicine, health, and society.
Books by Caroline Randall Williams
Soul Food Love
Soul Food Love: Healthy Recipes Inspired by One Hundred Years of Cooking in a Black Family was published in 2015. Caroline wrote this cookbook with her mother, Alice Randall. The book shares their family's story through recipes.
It also talks about how African-American women have thought about food over the years. The book offers new ways to enjoy food while honoring family traditions. It helps people eat healthy while celebrating their culture.
Lucy Negro, Redux
This was Caroline Williams' first book of poetry, published in 2015. The poems explore the life of William Shakespeare. They suggest that the "Dark Lady" in his famous sonnets might have been a woman of African descent.
A reviewer from the Nashville Scene said the poems are full of "grit, music and honesty." This book was later turned into a ballet by the Nashville Ballet.
Attitude: Lucy Negro Redux
The ballet based on Lucy Negro, Redux is called Attitude: Lucy Negro Redux. Paul Vasterling created the dances for it. The Nashville Ballet performed it for the first time on February 8, 2019. This show took place at the Polk Theater in the Tennessee Performing Arts Center. Kayla Rowser danced the main role of Lucy. The music was created and performed by Rhiannon Giddens.
The Diary of B. B. Bright, Possible Princess
This book was co-written by Caroline Williams and her mother, Alice Randall. It came out in 2012. It's a fantasy adventure book for middle schoolers.
The story is about a young woman's journey to pass her "Official Princess Test." She also tries to find a way to leave her island and discover her true destiny. This book was nominated for the NAACP Image Award for Youth Literature in 2013. It also won the Phillis Wheatley Award for Young Adult Readers in 2013.
Essays and Opinions
New York Times Opinion Piece
In 2020, Caroline Williams wrote an important article for the New York Times. It was titled "You Want a Confederate Monument? My Body Is A Confederate Monument." At the time, many people were talking about removing statues of Confederate figures.
In her essay, she argued that these monuments should be removed. She used her own family history and her identity to explain her point of view. She showed how her own body represents a complex mix of American history.
