Jackie Carter facts for kids
Jackie Carter (June 28, 1953 – April 13, 2016) was an American children's author. She wanted children of all backgrounds to see themselves in the books they read. Her goal was to make sure every child could find characters who looked like them in stories.
Contents
Early Life and Learning
Jackie Carter was born on June 28, 1953, in Port Chester, New York. Her parents, William A. Carter and Earnestine Carter, both worked for the Middletown school district. Her father was also the first African-American school principal in that area.
Jackie loved learning and went to college. She earned a degree in early childhood education from Hampton University. Later, she got a Master of Science degree from New York University. This degree was in Educational Instructional Technology, which means she learned about using technology to help people learn.
Her Publishing Career
Jackie Carter started her career in publishing at Sesame Street Magazine. This was a great start for someone who loved children's books.
Working at Scholastic
In 1985, Jackie joined Scholastic Corporation. She became the editorial director for their early childhood division. This meant she helped decide which books and materials would be published for young children.
Later, in 1995, she became the Editorial Director of Weston Woods/Scholastic New Media. This part of Scholastic created audiovisual works, like videos and audiobooks, based on popular children's stories.
Time at Disney
Jackie Carter also worked for Disney. In 1997, she became the Vice President of Marvel Kids. She then moved to be the Editorial Director of Disney Global Children's Book Division.
At Disney, she also led an important project called Jump at the Sun. This was a special part of Disney Publishing that focused on books highlighting African American culture. It published popular series like Whoopi Goldberg's Sugar Plum Ballerina books and Valerie Wilson Wesley's Willimena series.
Later Work and Impact
In 2004, Jackie returned to Scholastic. She became the vice president and publisher of Children's Press. This division was part of the Scholastic Classroom and Library Group.
Jackie also helped with a special reading and writing program. This program was at the University of Illinois at Chicago. It aimed to help African-American boys feel good about themselves and build their self-esteem through reading.
Illness and Passing
In 2002, Jackie Carter was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of cancer. She bravely faced her illness.
Jackie passed away on April 13, 2016. Even while she was sick, she used her creativity. She worked with Martin Mistretta to create a photo exhibit. It was called The It Girl's Guide to Chemo and was shown at the Creative Arts Center for People with Cancer in Manhattan. This project showed her strength and spirit.
