Dolores Kendrick facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dolores Kendrick
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| Born | September 7, 1927 Washington, D.C. |
| Died | November 7, 2017 (aged 90) Washington, D.C. |
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| Genre | Poetry |
| Notable works | The Women of Plums: Poems in the Voices of Slave Women |
| Notable awards | Poet Laureate of the District of Columbia |
Dolores Kendrick (born September 7, 1927 – died November 7, 2017) was an important American poet. She was chosen to be the second Poet Laureate of the District of Columbia, which means she was the official poet for Washington, D.C. Her famous book, The Women of Plums: Poems in the Voices of Slave Women, won a special award called the Anisfield-Wolf Award.
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About Dolores Kendrick
Dolores Teresa Kendrick was born in Washington, D.C., on September 7, 1927. Her mother, Josephine, was a musician and teacher. Her father, Robert "Ike" Kendrick, started a newspaper called the Capitol Spotlight. Dolores grew up in the LeDroit Park area, which is close to Howard University.
Her Education and Teaching Career
Dolores went to Dunbar High School. This is where she first started writing poetry. After high school, she studied English at Miners Teachers College. Later, in 1970, she earned a master's degree in linguistics from Georgetown University. This was part of a special program for experienced teachers.
Dolores Kendrick was also a talented teacher. She helped create the humanities curriculum for the School Without Walls in D.C. In 1963, she received a Fulbright exchange. This allowed her to teach in Belfast, Northern Ireland, for a time. She also became a respected professor at Phillips Exeter Academy.
Her Famous Book: The Women of Plums
One of Dolores Kendrick's most well-known works is The Women of Plums: Poems in the Voices of Slave Women. This book tells stories through poems, giving voices to women who were enslaved. It was a very powerful and important work.
She even adapted The Women of Plums for the theater. This play won the New York New Playwrights Award in 1997. She also turned the book into a CD called The Color of Dusk, working with musicians Wall Matthews and Aleta Greene.
Later Life
Dolores Kendrick passed away at her home in Washington, D.C., on November 7, 2017. She was 90 years old and died from complications related to cancer.
Dolores Kendrick's Books
Here are some of the books Dolores Kendrick wrote:
- Through the Ceiling, published in 1975
- Now Is the Thing to Praise, published in 1984
- The Women of Plums: Poems in the Voices of Slave Women, published in 1990. This is her most famous work.
- Why the woman is singing on the corner: a verse narrative, published in 2001
Awards and Special Recognitions
Dolores Kendrick received many awards and honors throughout her life:
- 1963: She was part of the Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program in Northern Ireland.
- 1965: She won the Deep South Writers' Award for her poem "Freddie".
- 1988: She received a Creative Writing Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts.
- 1990: She won the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for The Women of Plums. This award recognizes books that contribute to our understanding of racism and human diversity.
- 1997: Her play adaptation of The Women of Plums won the New York New Playwrights Award.
- 1999: She was named the Poet Laureate of the District of Columbia. This is a great honor for a poet.
- 2005: She was inducted into the Washington, D.C. Hall of Fame for her contributions to the cultural arts.
