Joyce Carol Thomas facts for kids
Joyce Carol Thomas (born May 25, 1938 – died August 13, 2016) was an amazing African-American writer. She was a poet, a playwright (someone who writes plays), a motivational speaker, and she wrote over 30 children's books! Her stories often shared important messages and celebrated African-American experiences.
Early Life and Education
Joyce Carol Thomas was born in Ponca City, Oklahoma. She was one of nine children in her family. When she was about 10 years old, her family moved to Tracy, California. They worked picking vegetables.
Joyce was very determined to learn. She learned to speak Spanish from the Mexican migrant workers she met. Later, she earned a college degree in Spanish from San Jose State University. Even while raising her four children, she continued her education. She took night classes at Stanford University and earned her master's degree in 1967. This shows how dedicated she was to learning!
Award-Winning Author
Joyce Carol Thomas became a highly recognized author. Her book Marked by Fire, published in 1982, won two big awards. It received the National Book Award for Young People's Literature. This is a very important award for books written for young readers. She also won an American Book Award for the same novel.
Coretta Scott King Award
Joyce Carol Thomas was also honored by the Coretta Scott King Award multiple times. This special award is given every year by the American Library Association. It celebrates books that show the "most distinguished portrayal of African American experience in literature for children or teens."
Joyce was a finalist for this award three times:
- In 1984 for her book Bright Shadow.
- In 1994 for Brown Honey in Broomwheat Tea.
- In 2009 for The Blacker the Berry.
Her work was also recognized with a New York Times Outstanding Book of the Year Award. She even received an Outstanding Woman of the 20th Century Award.
Later Life
Joyce Carol Thomas lived in Berkeley, California for many years. She continued to write and inspire young people with her powerful stories and poems.
