Reginald McKnight facts for kids

Reginald McKnight was born on February 26, 1956. He is an American writer known for his short story collections and novels. His stories often explore themes of race, identity, and the experiences of African Americans.

Reginald McKnight's Life Story

Reginald McKnight was born in Fürstenfeldbruck, Germany. His father was in the United States Air Force. Because of this, his family moved around a lot when he was a child. Even though he moved often, he considers Colorado his home.

Education and Early Career

McKnight studied at several colleges. He earned an Associate degree (AA) from Pikes Peak Community College. Then, he received a Bachelor of Arts (BA) from Colorado College. Later, he earned a Master of Arts (MA) from the University of Denver. He also received an honorary doctorate from Colorado College. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, an honor society for smart students.

Teaching and Writing Journey

Reginald McKnight has been a professor of English at many universities. He taught at the University of Maryland, College Park and Carnegie Mellon University. He also taught at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He later became the Hamilton Holmes Professor of English at the University of Georgia in Athens. He was the first person to hold this special teaching position.

McKnight spent time in Africa twice. He taught English in Dakar, Senegal, from 1981 to 1982. He went back in 1985 as part of a special fellowship. He says that he truly felt like a writer after these trips. He wrote for many hours each day while he was there. He felt that his time in Africa deeply changed him as a writer. He also felt more connected to his "Africanness" by noticing similarities in voices he heard there to those of his mother and aunts.

Awards and Recognition

Reginald McKnight has won several important awards for his writing. These awards show how much his work is valued.

• O. Henry Award
• 1988 Drue Heinz Literature Prize
• 1995 Whiting Award