Marita Golden facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marita Golden
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Golden in 2020
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| Born | April 28, 1950 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | American University (BA) Columbia University (MSc) |
| Years active | 1983–present |
| Notable awards | 2002 Authors Guild Award for Distinguished Service to the Literary Community, 2001 Barnes & Noble Writers for Writers Award presented by Poets and Writers Woman of the Year Award from Zeta Phi Beta |
Marita Golden (born April 28, 1950) is a famous American writer. She writes both novels and non-fiction books. Golden is also a professor and helped start the Hurston/Wright Foundation. This important group supports African-American writers.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Marita Golden was born in Washington, D.C., in 1950. She grew up in the city and went to its public schools. For college, she attended American University, where she earned a degree in American Studies and English.
Later, she went to the famous Columbia University to get a master's degree in Journalism. After finishing her studies, she started her career as a writer. She wrote articles for big magazines and newspapers like Essence Magazine, The New York Times, and The Washington Post.
Writing Career and Teaching
Golden's first book was a memoir called Migrations of the Heart, which came out in 1983. A memoir is a book where the author writes about their own life. In this book, she shared her experiences growing up in the 1960s. She also wrote about her marriage to a man from Nigeria and living there for four years.
Besides writing, Marita Golden has been a teacher at many colleges and universities. She has taught in the United States and even in Lagos, Nigeria. Some of the schools where she has taught include George Mason University and Virginia Commonwealth University. She has also been a "Writer in Residence" at several universities, which is a special role for a respected author.
Helping Other Writers
Marita Golden is known for being a "literary activist," which means she works to support other writers. She helped create two important groups for African-American writers.
One is the African-American Writers Guild in Washington, D.C. The other is the Hurston/Wright Foundation. This foundation is named after two very important Black writers, Zora Neale Hurston and Richard Wright. It helps Black writers from all over the world and gives out the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award to honor great books.
Famous Books by Marita Golden
Marita Golden has written many books. Here are some of her most well-known works.
Novels
- A Woman's Place (1986)
- Long Distance Life (1989)
- And Do Remember Me (1992)
- The Edge of Heaven (1999)
- After (2006)
- The Wide Circumference of Love (2017)
Nonfiction
- Migrations of the Heart (1983)
- A Miracle Everyday: Triumph and Transformation in the Lives of Single Mothers (1999)
- Saving Our Sons Raising Black Children in a Turbulent World (1994)
Books She Helped Edit
Golden also edited anthologies, which are collections of stories or essays by different authors.
- Daughters of Africa: An International Anthology of Words and Writings by Women of African Descent (1992)
- Wild Women Don't Wear No Blues: Black Women Writers on Love, Men and ... (1993)
- Gumbo: A Celebration of African American Writing (2002)
- It's All Love: Black Writers on Soul Mates Family and Friends (2009)
Awards and Honors
Marita Golden has received many awards for her writing and her work in the literary community.
- NAACP Image Award nominee: She was nominated for this award for her fiction in 2018.
- Maryland Author Award (2008): Given by the Association of Maryland Librarians.
- Award for Fiction (2007): From the Black Caucus of the American Library Association for her novel After.
- Distinguished Service Award (2002): From the Authors Guild.
- Writers for Writers Award (2001): From Barnes & Noble and Poets & Writers.
- Hall of Fame: She was added to the International Literary Hall of Fame of Writers of African Descent.
- Honorary Doctorate: She received a special degree from the University of Richmond.
