Margo Jefferson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Margo Jefferson
|
|
|---|---|
Jefferson at the 2015 Texas Book Festival
|
|
| Born | Margo Lillian Jefferson October 17, 1947 |
| Occupation |
|
| Education | Brandeis University (BA) Columbia University (MS) |
| Period | 1973–present |
| Genre |
|
| Notable works | Negroland: A Memoir (2015) |
| Notable awards | Pulitzer Prize for Criticism; National Book Critics Circle Award; Windham-Campbell Literature Prize; Rathbones Folio Prize |
Margo Lillian Jefferson (born October 17, 1947) is an American writer, critic, and professor. She is known for her insightful writing about culture, society, and her own life experiences. She has won many important awards for her work, including the Pulitzer Prize.
Contents
About Margo Jefferson
Margo Jefferson studied at Brandeis University, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree. She then received her Master of Science degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
Early Career and Teaching
In 1973, Margo Jefferson started working as an associate editor at Newsweek magazine. She stayed there until 1978. Later, she became a professor at New York University from 1979 to 1983, and again from 1989 to 1991.
Since then, she has taught writing at the Columbia University School of the Arts. She is now a professor there. She also taught at The New School's Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts.
Work as a Critic
In 1993, Jefferson joined The New York Times newspaper. She first reviewed books for them. In 1995, she won the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism, which is a very important award for writers. She also worked as the newspaper's theater critic in 2004.
Besides the Times, she has written for other popular magazines. These include Vogue, New York Magazine, The Nation, and Guernica.
Interest in Jazz Music
Margo Jefferson has always loved jazz music. She even appeared in Ken Burns's 2001 documentary series about jazz history.
Margo Jefferson's Books
Margo Jefferson has written several books that explore different topics. Her writing style is often described as smart and playful.
On Michael Jackson
In 2006, Jefferson published a book called On Michael Jackson. It was described as a "slim, smart volume of cultural analysis." The book is not a simple biography. Instead, it tries to "decipher" or understand the famous singer Michael Jackson and his impact on culture.
Negroland: A Memoir
Her autobiographical book, Negroland: A Memoir, came out in 2015. A memoir is a book where the author writes about their own life experiences. In Negroland, Jefferson shares her personal story. She explores how her life connected with important events like the civil rights movement and feminism.
Critics praised Negroland. One called it a "powerful and complicated memoir." Another said it was "utterly compelling." The book won the National Book Critics Circle Award in 2016. It was also considered for the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction.
Constructing a Nervous System
In 2022, Margo Jefferson received the Windham-Campbell Literature Prize for non-fiction. Her book Constructing a Nervous System was a finalist for several awards in 2023. It won the Rathbones Folio Prize for both the overall and non-fiction categories.
Other Contributions
Jefferson also contributed to the 2019 book New Daughters of Africa. This book is an anthology, which means it's a collection of writings by different authors. It was edited by Margaret Busby.
Awards and Honors
Margo Jefferson has received many awards for her writing and criticism.
| Year | Title | Award | Category | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | — | Pulitzer Prize | Criticism | Won | |
| 2016 | Negroland | Baillie Gifford Prize | — | Shortlisted | |
| 2016 | National Book Critics Circle Award | Memoir | Won | ||
| 2022 | — | Windham–Campbell Literature Prize | Non-fiction | Won | |
| 2023 | Constructing a Nervous System | Rathbones Folio Prize | — | Won |
