Dorothy Sterling facts for kids

Dorothy Sterling (born Dorothy Dannenberg; November 23, 1913 – December 1, 2008) was an American writer and historian. She wrote many books, especially for young readers. Her stories often taught about important historical events and people.

Her Life and Work

Dorothy Sterling started her career as a journalist in New York City. She worked for famous magazines like Time and Life from the 1930s to the late 1940s.

Writing for Young Readers

Starting in the 1950s, Dorothy Sterling began writing books. She wrote over 30 books, mostly non-fiction. These books helped children learn about history and nature. She focused on topics like the fight for women's rights and the movement to end slavery (called abolitionism). She also wrote about the civil rights movement and segregation. Besides history, she wrote fun mystery stories and books about nature.

Family and Beliefs

In 1937, Dorothy Sterling married Philip Sterling, who was also a writer. They had two children. Their daughter, Anne Fausto-Sterling, became a well-known biologist and professor. Their son, Peter Sterling, is a famous scientist who studies the brain.

Dorothy Sterling believed strongly in fairness and equality for everyone. She felt that society should work to help all people. In 1968, she joined many other writers and editors to protest the Vietnam War. They refused to pay taxes that would support the war because they believed in peace. She also spoke out when she felt someone was being honored unfairly.

Her Books

Dorothy Sterling wrote books on many different subjects. Here are some of the topics she covered:

Nature Books

• Sophie and Her Puppies (1951)
• The story of mosses, ferns, and mushrooms (1955)
• Ellen's Blue Jays (1961)
• Caterpillars (1961)
• Fall is Here! (1966)
• The Outer Lands Natural History Guide to Cape Cod & Islands (1967)

Mystery Books

• The Cub Scout Mystery (1952)
• The Brownie Scout Mystery (1955)
• The Silver Spoon Mystery (1958)
• Secret of the Old Post-Box (1960)
• Mystery of the Empty House (1971)

Black History and Civil Rights Books

• United Nations, N. Y. (1953)
• Freedom Train: The Story of Harriet Tubman (1954)
• Mary Jane (1959)
• Forever free: The story of the Emancipation Proclamation (1963)
• Lucretia Mott (1964)
• Lift Every Voice: The Lives of Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. Du Bois, Mary Church Terrell and James Weldon Johnson (1965)
• Tear Down the Walls!: A History of the American Civil Rights Movement (1969)
• Captain of the Planter: The Story of Robert Smalls (1978)
• We Are Your Sisters: Black Women in the Nineteenth Century (1984)
• The Trouble They Seen: Story of Reconstruction in the Words of African Americans (1994)
• Ahead of Her Time: Abby Kelly and the Politics of Antislavery (1994)
• The Making of an Afro-American: Martin Robison Delany 1812-1885 (1996)
• Speak Out in Thunder Tones (1998)

Autobiography

• Close to My Heart: An Autobiography (2005)

Awards and Recognition

Dorothy Sterling's books were recognized for their quality and importance.

• Her book Captain of the Planter: The Story of Robert Smalls was included in the William Allen White Children's Book Award Masterlist in 1960-1961.
• She won the Carter G. Woodson Book Award in 1977 for The Trouble They Seen: Story of Reconstruction in the Words of African Americans.