Jesmyn Ward facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jesmyn Ward
Born	(1977-04-01) April 1, 1977 (age 48) Berkeley, California, U.S.
Occupation	Writer, professor
Language	English
Alma mater	Stanford University (BA, MA) University of Michigan (MFA)
Genres	Fiction, memoir
Notable works	Salvage the Bones The Fire This Time (ed.) Sing, Unburied, Sing
Notable awards	National Book Award for Fiction (2011, 2017) MacArthur "Genius" Fellowship (2017)

Jesmyn Ward was born on April 1, 1977. She is an American novelist and a professor of English. She teaches at Tulane University. She holds a special professorship there.

Jesmyn Ward won the 2011 National Book Award for Fiction. This was for her second novel, Salvage the Bones. This book tells a story about family love. It also shows how a community faces Hurricane Katrina. She won the 2017 National Book Award for Fiction for her novel Sing, Unburied, Sing.

She is the only woman to win the National Book Award for Fiction twice. She is also the only African American to achieve this. All of Ward's first three novels are set in a made-up Mississippi town. This town is called Bois Sauvage. Her fourth novel, Let Us Descend, also connects to this area.

Early Life and Education

Jesmyn Ward was born in 1977 in Berkeley, California. When she was three, her parents moved back to DeLisle, Mississippi. This was their hometown. She felt a mix of love and dislike for her hometown. This was because she was bullied by classmates. This happened at both public and private schools.

Ward was the first in her family to go to college. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English in 1999. She also earned a Master of Arts degree in media studies in 2000. Both degrees were from Stanford University. Ward chose to become a writer to honor her younger brother. He passed away in a car accident in October 2000. This happened just after Ward finished her master's degree.

In 2005, Ward earned another degree. It was a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. This was from the University of Michigan. Soon after, she and her family were affected by Hurricane Katrina. Their house in DeLisle flooded quickly. The Ward family tried to reach a local church. But they became stranded in a field. Another family eventually gave them shelter.

Ward later worked at the University of New Orleans. Her daily trip took her through areas damaged by the hurricane. She felt for the people who survived. She also dealt with her own experience during the storm. Because of this, Ward could not write creatively for three years. It took that long to find a publisher for her first novel.

Writing Career and Achievements

In 2008, Jesmyn Ward almost stopped writing. She planned to join a nursing program. But then, her first novel was accepted. Where the Line Bleeds was published by Agate Publishing. The book was chosen by Essence magazine for their book club. It also won an award in 2009.

The novel was also nominated for other awards. Where the Line Bleeds follows twin brothers, Joshua and Christophe. They graduate from high school. Their choices lead them in different directions. They struggle to find work in their small town. Joshua becomes a dock worker. Christophe joins his cousin who is involved in illegal activities. A review called Ward "a fresh new voice in American literature." It said she describes a world with sadness but also hope.

From 2008 to 2010, Ward had a special writing fellowship. This was at Stanford University. She was also a writer-in-residence at the University of Mississippi. This was for the 2010–2011 school year.

Salvage the Bones and Its Impact

In her second novel, Salvage the Bones, Ward again focused on family bonds. It tells the story of a poor Black family on the Mississippi Coast. The book follows a pregnant teenager, Esch Batiste, and her brothers. It covers the 10 days before Hurricane Katrina, the day of the storm, and the day after. Ward uses vivid language to show love, friendship, and tenderness.

Ward explained her main character's interest in the Greek figure Medea. She wanted to connect her character to classic stories. She felt that Black and female authors are sometimes seen as "other." She wanted to show that her stories are part of Western literature. She said her stories are specific to her community. But the larger story of survival is a universal human one.

On November 16, 2011, Ward won the National Book Award for Fiction. This was for Salvage the Bones. She said her nomination and win were a surprise. This was because the novel had not been widely reviewed. Ward said that some people think America is "post-racial." But she has never lived in such a place. She believes if people read her work and feel for her characters, it is a powerful act.

Ward received an Alex Award for Salvage the Bones in 2012. These awards are for adult books that young people aged 12–18 enjoy. One committee chair said the book had "a small but intense following." Readers passed the book to their friends.

From 2011 to 2014, Ward was a professor at the University of South Alabama. She joined the faculty at Tulane University in 2014.

Later Works and Recognition

In July 2011, Ward finished the first draft of her third book. She called it the hardest thing she had ever written. It was a memoir titled Men We Reaped. It was published in 2013. The book explores the lives of her brother and four other young Black men. They all passed away in her hometown.

In August 2016, a new book was released. It was called The Fire This Time: A New Generation Speaks About Race. Ward edited this book. It was inspired by James Baldwin's 1963 book about race in America. Many writers contributed to The Fire This Time.

In 2017, she received a MacArthur "genius grant". This is a special award for talented individuals.

Her third novel, Sing, Unburied, Sing, came out in 2017. This novel is also set in Ward's made-up Mississippi town. It is told from three different viewpoints. Jojo, a young African-American boy, grows from childhood to adulthood. His mother, Leonie, faces challenges. Richie, a ghost, asks the family for help.

The novel won the 2017 National Book Award for fiction. This made Ward the first woman and first Black American to win two National Book Awards for Fiction. The novel also won another award.

In 2018, Ward's writing was included in a special journal. This was the first book-length publication about her work. Ward also contributed to the 2019 book New Daughters of Africa.

In 2020, Ward's book Navigate Your Stars was published. It was based on a speech she gave at Tulane in 2018.

Ward wrote a personal essay in September 2020. It was about the passing of her husband. It also discussed her grief and the Covid-19 pandemic. The essay appeared in Vanity Fair magazine.

In 2022, the U.S. Library of Congress honored Ward. She won the Library's Prize for American Fiction. At 45, Ward was the youngest person to receive this award. It recognized her lifetime of work.

In July 2024, she was one of only three authors with the most books on a special list. The New York Times listed "The 100 Best Books of the 21st Century." Ward had three books on this list.

Personal Life

Jesmyn Ward lives in Mississippi. She has three children. Her husband, Brandon R. Miller, passed away in January 2020. He was 33 years old. Ward wrote about his passing in an article for Vanity Fair.

Recognition

Literary Prizes

Other Awards

• 2018 Time 100
• 2022 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction

Works

Fiction Books

• Where the Line Bleeds (2008)
• Salvage the Bones (2011)
• Sing, Unburied, Sing (2017)
• Let Us Descend (2023)

Nonfiction Books

• Men We Reaped (2013)
• The Fire This Time: A New Generation Speaks About Race (editor, 2016)
• Navigate Your Stars (2020)

See also

In Spanish: Jesmyn Ward para niños