Sandra Jackson-Opoku facts for kids

Sandra Jackson-Opoku, born in 1953, is an American writer. She writes poetry, novels, and screenplays. She is also a journalist. Her stories often explore culture and travel. They focus on the experiences of people of African descent around the world.

Sandra Jackson-Opoku has won many awards for her writing. These include honors from the National Endowment for the Arts. Her novel The River Where Blood is Born (1997) won a special award. It was named Best Fiction by the American Library Association Black Caucus. Another novel, Hot Johnny (and the Women Whom Loved Him), became a bestseller. She has also taught writing at many universities. These include Columbia College Chicago and Chicago State University.

About Sandra Jackson-Opoku

Early Life and Education

Sandra Jackson-Opoku grew up in Chicago, Illinois. She started writing poetry when she was just 10 or 12 years old. In high school, she wrote for the school paper. She also joined a writers group called OBAC. This group was part of the Black Arts Movement.

She went to Columbia College Chicago. There, she studied Journalism. Later, she studied Communications and Afro-American Studies. She earned her degree from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 1976. She learned from famous writers like Chinua Achebe. She also admired authors like Toni Morrison.

Her Amazing Books

Sandra Jackson-Opoku's first novel was The River Where Blood Is Born. She was inspired to write it after a trip to Africa in 1975. The book came out in 1997. It won the American Library Association Black Caucus Award for Best Fiction. A newspaper called the Chicago Sun-Times praised the book. They said it had "sheer literary beauty."

She also wrote another novel in 2001. Reviewers said she was great at creating "memorable characters." These are characters you won't forget!

Sandra Jackson-Opoku also writes for children. She has won awards for her children's stories. These include the Colen Award in New Children's Writing.

Celebrating Other Writers

In 2017, Sandra Jackson-Opoku helped edit a special book. It was called Revise the Psalm. This book celebrated the 100th birthday of Gwendolyn Brooks. Gwendolyn Brooks was a very important poet. Many famous writers contributed to Revise the Psalm. It showed how much Brooks influenced art and activism.

Where Her Work Appears

Sandra Jackson-Opoku's stories, poems, and articles have been published widely. You can find her work in many places. These include The Los Angeles Times and Ms. Magazine. She also contributed to a book called New Daughters of Africa in 2019.

Teaching and Inspiring Others

Sandra Jackson-Opoku has taught Literature and Creative Writing. She has taught at Chicago State University and Columbia College. She also leads workshops around the world. She helps other people learn how to write.

In July 2020, she was recognized as one of Chicago's "Lit 50." This honor celebrates people in the city's literary community.