Ellen Tarry facts for kids

Ellen Tarry (born September 26, 1906 – died September 23, 2008) was an African-American writer and journalist. She was a part of the Harlem Renaissance, a famous time for Black artists and writers.

Ellen Tarry wrote Janie Belle in 1940. This was the first picture book by an African-American author. She also wrote many other books for children and young adults. Later, she wrote a book about her own life.

About Ellen Tarry

Ellen Tarry was born in Birmingham, Alabama. When she was young, she went to a Catholic school for girls in Virginia. She was taught by the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament. Even though she grew up in a different church, she became a Catholic in 1922.

After school, she went to Alabama State Normal School. This school is now called Alabama State University. She then became a teacher in Birmingham.

Moving to New York City

In 1929, Ellen Tarry moved to New York City. She hoped to become a writer there. She met many famous writers from the Harlem Renaissance. These included Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, and Countee Cullen.

She was the first Black student to get a special scholarship at the Bank Street College of Education. There, she became friends with Margaret Wise Brown, another famous children's author. Margaret Wise Brown's ideas about writing picture books, focusing on "here and now" stories, influenced Ellen Tarry.

Her Wonderful Books

Ellen Tarry wrote several picture books for young readers. These books often told stories about Black children and families.

Picture Books for Young Readers

• Janie Belle (1940): This book was illustrated by Myrtle Sheldon. It was a very important book because it was the first picture book by an African-American author.
• Hezekiah Horton (1942): This book was illustrated by Oliver Harrington.
• My Dog Rinty (1946): Ellen Tarry worked with Caldecott Medal winner Marie Hall Ets on this book. It had photographs by Alexander and Alexandra Alland. The story was about a family in Harlem and their playful dog.
• The Runaway Elephant (1950): This book was also illustrated by Oliver Harrington. It continued the stories of characters from Hezekiah Horton.

Telling Her Own Story

In 1955, Ellen Tarry wrote a book about her own life. It was called The Third Door: The Autobiography of an American Negro Woman. In this book, she shared many details. She wrote about growing up in the South and moving to New York City. She also wrote about her friendship with Claude McKay. Her strong Catholic faith was also a big part of her story.

Her book gives a good look at life in Alabama and Harlem from the 1920s to the early 1950s. This was a time of big changes in how people of different races got along. She also wrote about her work with the USO during World War II. This showed what it was like when soldiers were getting ready for war. The book ends with a trip she took right after the Supreme Court decided to end segregation in 1954.

Biographies of Inspiring People

Ellen Tarry also wrote biographies, which are books about other people's lives. She wrote about important Catholic figures. These books include:

• Katherine Drexel: Friend of the Neglected
• Pierre Toussaint: Apostle of Old New York
• The Other Toussaint: A Post-Revolutionary Black
• Martin de Porres, Saint of the New World

Working for Friendship and Equality

In 1942, Ellen Tarry helped start the Chicago branch of Friendship House. This was a Catholic group that worked to bring people of different races together. She was one of the first two co-directors of this important movement.

Ellen Tarry passed away on September 23, 2008. She died just three days before her 102nd birthday.

Personal Life

Ellen Tarry had one daughter, Elizabeth Tarry Patton. She had Elizabeth from a short marriage.

See also

• Friendship House