Claire Hartfield facts for kids

Claire Hartfield, born on July 3, 1957, is an American author. She writes interesting books that are based on real historical events. Claire Hartfield is especially known for her non-fiction book, A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919. This book won the important Coretta Scott King Award.

Early Life and Education

Claire Hartfield grew up in Chicago, Illinois. She has three sisters. Her father was Jewish, and her mother was Black.

When she was 10 years old, Claire had a special chance. She was chosen to dance with the famous Russian Bolshoi Ballet company. They were visiting Chicago at the time. Later, in college, she joined the Yaledancers. This is the oldest ballet group at Yale University.

Claire graduated from Yale University with a bachelor's degree. She also earned a law degree from the University of Chicago Law School.

Discovering a Love for History

Even though she writes about history now, Claire didn't always like history class. She felt that the textbooks were hard to relate to. They didn't seem to connect to her own life.

Her interest in history grew in college. She went to a rally against Apartheid with her friends. Apartheid was a system of unfair racial separation in South Africa. She also read a book about Steve Biko, a South African activist. These experiences helped her see how history connects to real life.

Writing About Important Events

Claire Hartfield's book, A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919, tells a powerful story. It is about the Chicago race riot of 1919. This event caused many deaths and injuries. Most of the victims were Black people.

The Inspiration for A Few Red Drops

Claire first learned about the Chicago Race Riots from her grandmother. Her grandmother was 20 years old during the riots in 1919. She found herself in the middle of the events when she stepped out of her home.

Years later, Claire saw protests happening in the United States. This reminded her of her grandmother's story. She wrote A Few Red Drops to inspire young people. She hopes her book will encourage them to find ways to make positive changes in the world.

The title of the book comes from a poem. It is called "I Am the People, the Mob" by Carl Sandburg. A line in the poem says, "Sometimes I growl, shake myself and spatter a few red drops for history to remember.” Claire found this poem while researching. She felt it perfectly captured the message of her book.

Awards and Recognition

Claire Hartfield's work has received several important awards.

Awards Won

• 2019 Coretta Scott King Author Award for A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919
• 2019 Carter G. Woodson Book Award for A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919

Nominations

• 2018 L.A. Times Book Prize for A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919