Carolivia Herron facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Carolivia Herron
|
|
|---|---|
Herron at opening of Let Freedom Sing
|
|
| Born |
Carol Olivia Herron
July 22, 1947 Washington, D.C., U.S.
|
| Education | Eastern Baptist College (BA) Villanova University (MA) University of Pennsylvania (MFA, PhD) |
| Occupation |
|
Carolivia Herron, born on July 22, 1947, is an American writer. She writes books for both children and adults. She is also a scholar who studies the history and culture of African-American Jewish people.
Contents
About Her Life
Carolivia Herron was born in Washington, D.C. Her parents were Oscar Smith Herron and Georgia Carol (Johnson) Herron.
As an adult, Carolivia Herron became Jewish. She learned that her family had Jewish roots from her grandmother's side, through Jewish people known as Geechees. She also helped start a group called "Jews of African Descent."
Her Education
Carolivia Herron studied English at Eastern Baptist College in Pennsylvania, which is now called Eastern University. She earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree there.
Later, she received a Master of Arts (MA) degree in English from Villanova University in 1973. She also earned a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree in creative writing. From the University of Pennsylvania, she received a PhD in comparative literature and literary theory.
After her studies, Herron spent a year at Brandeis University. There, she researched the topic of African-American Jews.
Her Writings
Carolivia Herron has written many different kinds of books. Her first novel for adults was Thereafter Johnnie. This book shared a story about African-American life and was well-liked by critics.
Children's Books
Her picture book for children, Nappy Hair, is a famous call-and-response story. It was inspired by her own childhood experiences. This book caused a lot of discussion when a teacher in New York City used it in a classroom. Nappy Hair was originally planned to be a part of a book for adults. It is influenced by old epic stories and African praise traditions.
Another children's book by Herron is Always an Olivia. This book tells the story of her Jewish ancestors. They traveled from Tripoli, Libya, to the Georgia Sea Islands in the Americas.
Other Works
Carolivia Herron also worked on editing the writings of Angelina Weld Grimke for Oxford University Press.
Many of her writings explore how Jewish and African cultures connect. This includes her multimedia novel, "Asenath and Our Song of Songs," which is still being developed. Parts of this novel were published as separate books: "Asenath and the Origin of Nappy Hair" in 2014, and "PeacesongDC" in 2016.
She wrote the words for an opera called Let Freedom Sing: The Story of Marian Anderson. Bruce Adolphe composed the music for this opera. It was first performed in 2009 by the Washington National Opera and the Washington Performing Arts Society.
Her Teaching Career
Carolivia Herron has taught literature at many universities. These include Harvard University, Mount Holyoke College, Brandeis University, and Howard University. She also taught at Marien N'Guabi University in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.
Since 2017, she has been teaching at Howard University. She teaches classes about the humanities, especially ancient epic stories. She also teaches about Black people in ancient times.
Herron also works directly with children. She teaches them about ancient Greek epic stories and mythology. She can even translate ancient languages.
Her Scholarship
Carolivia Herron's scholarly work includes studying African-American Judaica. She also researches children's literature, multicultural literature, and even the TV show Star Trek.
Currently, Herron is creating something called Epicenter Stories. This project helps her in her work with children, reading skills, and understanding different cultures.
