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Synthia Saint James
Synthia SAINT JAMES - photo by Leroy Hamilton.jpg
Born (1949-02-11) February 11, 1949 (age 76)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation Visual artist, author, educator and actor in the 70s.
Nationality American
Synthia SAINT JAMES
Synthia Saint James in her studio

Synthia Saint James is a super talented American artist, author, and speaker, born on February 11, 1949. She's famous for her amazing artwork, especially the colorful designs she created. You might know her work from the original cover of Terry McMillan's book Waiting to Exhale. Synthia Saint James also designed the very first Kwanzaa stamp for the United States Postal Service in 1997. She even designed the Kwanzaa Forever Stamp in 2016!

About Synthia Saint James

Synthia Saint James grew up in two big cities: Los Angeles, California and the Bronx, New York. She started her art journey early, selling her first painting in New York City when she was just 20 years old. Today, she lives in Los Angeles, continuing her creative work.

Synthia Saint James's Career

Synthia Saint James has had a very interesting career! In 1976, she appeared in a movie called Emma Mae. She played the role of Ulika Stansell in this film. The next year, in 1977, she was the spokesperson for a national McDonald's TV commercial.

Her first art show where only her work was displayed happened in 1977. This show was at the Inner City Cultural Center in Los Angeles. She had also studied performing arts there. In 1980, her art was shown internationally for the first time in Paris, France.

Synthia Saint James received a special honorary degree in 2010. It was a Doctor of Humane Letters from Saint Augustine's University in Raleigh, North Carolina. This degree recognized her important contributions.

Awards and Recognition

Synthia Saint James has received many awards for her incredible work. In 1997, she won the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award for the book Neeny Coming Neeny Going. This is a very important award for children's book illustrators.

She also received the "UNICEF Greeting Card Award" in 1997. This shows how her art was recognized globally. In 2010, she was honored with a Trumpet Award for her achievements in the arts. She was also inducted into the Hall of Fame by the National Association of Women Business Owners.

In 2012, her book, Living My Dream: An Artistic Approach to Marketing, was recognized. It was nominated for an Outstanding Literary Work award at the 43rd NAACP Image Awards.

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