Education: Furman University, B.A.; Georgia State University, M.Ed., Ed.S. Office—Office of the President, Savannah College of Art and Design, 622 Drayton St., Savannah, GA 31401. Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah, GA, co-founder, former academic dean and provost, president, Paula S. Wallace 2000—. Writer and book designer. Founder, Savannah Sidewalk Arts Festiva…
Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. Dumb Clucks! Jokes about Chickens, illustrated by Joan Hanson, Lerner (Minneapolis, MN), 1987. Something's Fishy! Jokes about Sea Creatures, illustrated by Joan Hanson, Lerner (Minneapolis, MN), 1987. What's Your Name, Again? More Jokes about Names, illustrated by Joan Hanson, Lerner (Minneapolis, MN), 1988. Kiss a Frog! Jok…
Agent—Ginger Clark, Writers House, 21 West 26th St., New York, NY 10010. B. Dalton Booksellers, senior sales assistant, 1987-88; U.S. Postal Service, Washington, D.C., conference manager, 1993-94; Harrisburg Area Community College, Harrisburg, PA, adjunct faculty member of English department, 1994. Newsletter editor, North American Guild of Change Ringers, 1994. Society of Children's…
Born 1950, in Park Rapids, MN; Education: Attended Saint Cloud State University, 1968–69; University of Minnesota, B.A., 1972; Stanford University, M.A., 1979. Politics: "Progressive." Hobbies and other interests: Mountain hiking, hunting and fishing, studying short story form, rock and roll. Office—Bemidji State University, 1500 Birchmont Drive, Bemidji, MN 56601. Agen…
Born 1961, in Salem, MA; Education: Yale University, B.A. (English), 1983. Politics: Democrat. Religion: Jewish. Agent—Ginger Knowlton, Curtis Brown, 10 Astor Place, New York, NY 10003. Software technical writer for various companies, 1983–87; Thomson Investment Software, Boston, MA, part-time software technical writer, 1987–97; part-time worker for software companies, 1997&#…
1930(?)-1995 Chiropractor Dr. Bobby Westbrooks, a practicing chiropractor, founded the American Black Chiropractic Association (ABCA) in 1981 in St. Louis, Missouri. He served as its executive director until his death in 1995. The goals of the ABCA include increasing the awareness of chiropractic treatment within the black community and attracting black men and women into the profession. Westbrook…
Born in TX; married Justine Larbalestier (a researcher and writer). Agent—Jill Grinberg, Anderson Grinberg Litrary Management, 244 5th Ave., 11th Fl., New York, NY 10001. Writer, composer, and media designer. Philip K. Dick Award special citation, 2000; New York Times Notable Book citation, 2000; BBYB Best Books of the Year selection, 2004; New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age se…
Raquel Welch: 1940—: Actress. After moving from Beverly Hills to New York City with her husband in 1985, Raquel Welch reflected in Ladies Home Journal that her big California home had been "a glossed-over paradise, a padded cell." The description might have been a metaphor for the first part of Welch's acting career, which trapped her in the role of sex symbol. Near…
1974– Professional basketball player Wallace, Rasheed, photograph. Danny Moloshok/Reuters/Landov. There is no denying Rasheed Wallace's skill on the basketball court: the one-time fourth pick in the NBA draft is a two-time All Star, and he has averaged 15.8 points and 6.9 rebounds per game during his career. Wallace began his career with the Washington Bullets and spent eight years w…
1965— Founder, Project Transition Inc. In 1998 former college baseball player Joaquin Wallace founded the non-profit Project Transition Inc., a welfare-to-work program that put long-term unemployed and "working poor" African-American clients into a corporate setting to build their confidence and self esteem. The project was based on the idea that giving people access to real-l…
(William Keith Wallace) Born 1947, in Chickasha, OK; Education: University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, B.S., 1971; Southwestern State University, M.S. (elementary administration), 1974; attended University of Oklahoma. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Holiday House, Inc., 425 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10017. Educator and author. Chickasha, OK, public schools, teacher at fourth-grade center, 197…
(Ruth Wallace Brodeur) Born 1941, in Springfield, MA; Education: University of Massachusetts, B.S., 1962. Hobbies and other interests: Bicycling, Nordic skiing, gardening, quilting, painting. Writer, 1975–. Pineland Hospital and Training Center, Pownal, ME, member of psychology staff, 1962–63. Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, American Civil Liberties Union,…
Born 1935; children: three. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Delacorte Press, Bantam Dell, 1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019. Children's book author. Formerly worked as a grammar teacher for seventeen years; retired. Birmingham Readers and Writers Children's Book Award, Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, Carnegie Award shortlist, Reading Matic Award Top-Ten designation, Parentin…
Nationality: American. Born: Ithaca, New York, 1962. Education: Amherst College, A.B. 1985; University of Arizona, M.F.A. 1987. Career: Associate professor of English, 1993—. Awards: Whiting Writers' Award (Mrs. Giles Whiting Foundation), 1987; John Traine Humor Prize (Paris Review), 1988; Illinois Arts Council Award for Non-Fiction, 1989; Quality Paperback Book Club's New Voi…
Nationality: British. Born: London, 1946. Education: Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, B.A. in modern languages 1963, M.A. 1964. Career: Getty Scholar, 1987-88; Tinbergen Professor, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, the Netherlands, 1991. Visiting professor, University of Ulster, 1994-95; Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London, 1994. Awards: PEN award, 1988; Commonwealth Writers prize, 1989…
Nationality: British. Born: Leeds, Yorkshire, 1929. Education: Osmondthorpe Council Schools, Leeds. Military Service: Served in the Royal Air Force. Career: Since 1950 freelance journalist and writer in Leeds and London; columnist, Daily Mirror, 1970-86, and Daily Mail since 1986, both London. Awards: (for journalism): Granada award, 1970, and special award, 1982; IPC award, 1970, 1973; British Pr…
Nationality: Canadian. Born: London, England, 1926; became Canadian citizen in 1963. Education: Coopers' Company School, London, 1937-43; King's College, University of London, 1945-49, degree in theology. Military Service: Served in the Royal Navy, 1944-45. Career: Reporter, Cornish Guardian, Bodmin, Cornwall, 1943-44; editor, Holy Cross Press, New York, 1953-54; talks producer, BBC …
Born 1957, in Hackensack, NJ; Education: Montclair State College (now University), B.A., 1980. Office— Highlights for Children, 803 Church St., Honesdale, PA 18431. Herald News, Passaic, NJ, editorial assistant, 1978-79; sports reporter, 1979-82; Daily Advance, Dover, NJ, sports editor, 1982-84, news editor, 1984-85; Trenton Times, Trenton, NJ, copy editor, 1985-86, assistant city editor, 1…
Nationality: American. Born: Browning, Montana, in 1940. Education: The University of Montana, Missoula, B.A.; Northern Montana College, Harve. Awards: National Endowment for the Arts grant, 1969; Los Angeles Times prize, for Fools Crow, 1987. James Welch has described himself as both an "Indian writer" and "an Indian who writes." This double vision of American Indian …
Nationality: British. Born: Fay Birkinshaw in Alvechurch, Worcestershire, 1931; grew up in New Zealand. Education: Girls' High School, Christchurch; Hampstead Girls' High School, London; University of St. Andrews, Fife, 1949-52, M.A. in economics and psychology 1952. D. Litt, University of Bath, 1988, University of St. Andrews, 1992. Career: writer for the Foreign Office and Daily Mi…
Nationality: Scottish. Born: Edinburgh, Scotland, 1958. Education: Heriot-Watt University, M.B.A. Career: Worked at various jobs, including television repairman, musician, and software consultant; writer, 1993—. Agent: c/o Jonathan Cape, 20 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SW1V 2SA, England. In terms of its influence, Irvine Welsh's phenomenally successful first novel, Trainspotting, ca…
Born 1961, in Corning, NY; Education: Clarkson College (Potsdam, NY), B.S. (mathematics and computer science), 1983; Temple University, M.B.A., 1990. Unisys Corporation, Blue Bell, PA, technical writer and quality assurance analyst, 1985-90; Montgomery County Community College, Blue Bell, adjunct instructor, 1990-98, full-time instructor of computer science, 1996-97; North Penn school district, La…
Nationality: American. Born: Jackson, Mississippi, 1909. Education: Mississippi State College for Women, Columbus, 1925-27; University of Wisconsin, Madison, B.A. 1929; Columbia University School for Advertising, New York, 1930-31. Career: Part-time journalist, 1931-32; publicity agent, Works Progress Administration (WPA), 1933-36; staff member, New York Times Book Review, during World War II. Hon…
Nationality: Samoan. Born: Apia, Western Samoa, 1939; member of the Aiga Sa-Tuala. Education: New Plymouth Boys High School, New Zealand, graduated 1957; Ardmore Teacher's College, diploma in teaching, 1959; Victoria University, Wellington, 1960-64, M.A. (honours) in history 1964. Career: Teacher, 1964-69, and principal, 1969-73, Samoa College, Apia; senior lecturer, 1974-75, assistant dire…
Nationality: British. Born: Mary Farmar in Englefield Green, Berkshire, 1912. Education: Queen's College, London, 1928-39; London School of Economics, 1931-32. Career: Staff member, War Office, London, 1939-41. C.B.E. (Commander, Order of the British Empire), 1995. Mary Wesley's popularity can be traced in part to the humor, sensitivity, and wit with which she handles her characters…
Children: two sons. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Atheneum, Simon & Schuster, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. Singer, songwriter, and children's book author. Member of adjunct faculty, New School University, New York, NY; program presenter at schools and libraries. Regular Guy, Laura Gerlinger Books (New York, NY), 1999. Guy Time, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2000. …
Nationality: Irish. Born: County Down, Northern Ireland, 1910. Military Service: Served in the Royal Air Force Pathfinder Force during World War II: air observer and navigator bomber. Awards: Atlantic award, 1946. I have a creative and an a-political interest in the human condition, wherever and however it may be found, with the incorrigible hope for social harmony and world tolerance. * * * The …
1972(?)— Vocalist, instrumentalist, comedian The musical activities of Seattle, Washington's Reggie Watts are so diverse that they are difficult to classify. His lyrical and wide-ranging baritone voice has drawn comparisons with those of various classic soul stylists of the 1970s, most often Al Green. As lead singer of the Seattle band Maktub, Watts has partnered with musicians from …
1908-2003 Singer Welch, Elisabeth, photograph. AP/Wide World Photos. Elisabeth Welch enjoyed a long and esteemed career as a cabaret singer and London stage star over several decades of the mid-twentieth century. A New York City native, Welch had her earliest successes in the all-black musical revues on Broadway in the 1920s. After a hiatus of nearly fifty years, she returned to perform in …
Nationality: American. Born: Eckington, Derbyshire, England, 1930; moved to the United States, 1961; became citizen, 1971. Education: The University of Birmingham, 1947-50, B.A. (1st class honours) 1950; Oxford University, 1950-52; Columbia University, New York, M.A. 1953. Military Service: Served in the Royal Air Force, 1954-57: flight lieutenant. Career: Assistant professor, 1957-58, and associa…
1977— Rapper, producer West, Kanye, photograph. Paul Hawthorne/Getty Images. The double-platinum, triple-Grammy award success of Kanye West's debut album, The College Dropout, was a surprise to many in the industry, but not to West himself. The young rapper and producer had confidently touted the classic status of his work, shaped creatively during a harrowing period of recove…
Name is a pseudonym. Nationality: American. Born: Phildalphia, Pennsylvania, 1925. Education: The University of California, Los Angeles. Military Service: Served in the United States Army Infantry, 1943-47. Career: Teacher, 1950-60; since 1960, full-time painter and writer. Awards: American Book award, 1980. Fantasy and intimacy are two main thrusts of my work. I usually write in the first person…
1948-1997 Historian, educator, minister The church is recognized as an institution of paramount importance in African-American life, and its character and development have been traced in detail by historians and popular writers. The lives of individual African-American religious believers, however, received less attention until the Rev. Dr. James Melvin Washington published Conversations with God:…
1918-1971 Football player While the pathbreaking accomplishments of his college teammate Jackie Robinson are known even to casual sports fans, Kenny Washington is not a familiar name even though he was the first African American to play in the modern-day National Football League (NFL). The difference in recognition may be due to the fact that baseball was the undisputed king of sports in the late …
1970— Political analyst, television commentator A political analyst and commentator who joined CNN's political team in 2003, Carlos Watson has been described as a rising star at the network, representing a new generation of political journalists and interested as much in personalities as he is in policies and political goals. A graduate of Harvard University and Stanford Law School, …
1950— Automotive executive Welburn, Edward T., photograph. AP/Wide World Phoros. Reproduced by permission. Edward T. Welburn became chief designer of General Motors Corporation, the world's largest automaker, in 2003. The appointment made him the first African American to rise to what is considered one of the most prestigious jobs in the automotive industry. Welburn's m…
(Lily Moon, Timothy Warnes) Born 1971, in London, England; Education: Kingston Polytechnic, diploma, 1990; Brighton University, B.A. (illustration; with honors), 1993. Religion: Christian. Hobbies and other interests: The natural world, photography, "walking, beachcombing, and going to the cinema, being a dad. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Little Tiger Press/Magi Publications, 1 The Coda Ce…
1955— Corporate executive President, CEO, and co-founder of Millennium Digital Media LLC, Kelvin R. Westbrook is one of the most sought-after executives and among the most influential black business leaders of the early twenty-first century. He sits on the boards of numerous high-profile companies, including the National Cable Satellite Corporation, better known as C-SPAN. In his early care…
Born 1942; wife's name Suella (a teacher and writer). Bayer Corporation Quality Assurance Water Analysis Laboratory, former chemist; freelance writer. Red Herring Mystery Magazine, founding editor. Whispering Prairie Press, member of board of directors and president; Potpourri Publications, member of board, 1989–95, treasurer, 1993–95. Teacher at writing workshops and at libra…
Married Lawrence Walsh (a chemist and writer). Editor and author. Former elementary school teacher; freelance writer. Whispering Prairie Press, member of board of directors; Potpourri Publications, member of board, 1989–95, secretary, 1991–95. Teacher at writing workshops and at libraries and schools, including Johnson County Community College, and Maplewoods College. Judge for writi…
Born 1957, in Lynchburg, VA; Ethnicity: "Caucasian." Education: College of William & Mary, B.A., 1979; University of Virginia, M.Ed. (reading), 1991. Religion: Protestant. Educator and writer. Harrington Waddell School, Lexington, VA, teacher, 1979–2006; Lynchburg College, Lynchburg, VA, assistant professor, 2006–. Shenandoah Reading Council Board, Central Virgin…
Born 1956, in La Mesa, CA; Ethnicity: "Caucasian." Education: University of California, San Diego, B.A., 1982; University of Oklahoma, M.L.I.S., 1990. Librarian and writer. Moore Public Library, Moore, OK, head of children's services, 1990–97; Oklahoma Department of Libraries, Oklahoma City, public library consultant, 1997–2002; Mustang Public Library, Mustang, O…
Born 1958, in Freeport, IL; Ethnicity: "Caucasian." Education: University of Illinois, B.F.A., 1980. Comic-book and children's picture book illustrator and author, and graphic artist. Obata Design, St. Louis, MO, creative director, 1989–. Creator of character The Sphinx, for comic-book series Big Bang. Creator of character Atomic Ace for children's picture-book s…
Born 1966, in Felixstowe, England; Education: St. Catharine's College, Cambridge, degree (theology). Religion: Church of England. Hobbies and other interests: Football (soccer), gardening. office—The Annexe, Belmont St., Brighton BN1 4HN, England. Writer and illustrator. Daily Gleaner, Kingston, Jamaica, staff cartoonist, 1987; artist for British Museum, 1989. Little Bean, Collins (L…
(Z.Z. Smith, David Kaplan Westheimer) OBITUARY NOTICE—See index for SATA sketch: Born April 11, 1917, in Houston, TX; died of heart failure November 8, 2005, in Los Angeles, CA. Journalist and author. Westheimer was a novelist best known for his books Von Ryan's Express and My Sweet Charlie. A 1937 graduate of Rice University, his early career was devoted to journalism. He was workin…
OBITUARY NOTICE—See index for SATA sketch: Born August 12, 1915, in Lansdowne, PA; died of heart disease June 11, 2004, in Lebanon, NH. Educator and author. Wallace was best known as the founder of the School for International Training, which promoted the understanding of inter national cultures through student exchange and education programs. After graduating from the University of Pennsyl…
Born 1957, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Education: York University, B.A., 1979, B.S.W., 1983, M.S.W., 1985; University of Toronto, B.Ed., 1989. Politics: Liberal. Religion: United Church of Canada. Hobbies and other interests: Playing and coaching basketball and soccer, music, playing the saxophone. office—c/o Author Mail, Orca Book Publishers, P.O. Box 468, Custer, WA 98240. Writer and ed…
Born 1957, in London, England; Education: University of Michigan, B.F.A., 1978; additional study at New York School of Visual Arts, 1986. Hobbies and other interests: Travel, ballet, sewing, quilting. Artist; freelance writer and illustrator of children's books, 1987—. Teacher at School of Visual Arts, New York, NY, 1994—. Formerly worked in antique galleries and at the Victor…
Born 1967, in Colorado Springs, CO; Education: Northwestern University, B.S. (speech), 1990. Politics: Democrat. Religion: Unitarian Universalist. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Hyperion Books, 114 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10011. Storyteller and actress. Sunday school teacher, 1995—. Member of board of directors for social service agency for people with developmental disabilities, 1994-96. …
Born 1963, in Detroit, MI; Education: University of Michigan, B.F.A. (graphic design). Collage artist and author and illustrator of children's books. Artist of the Month, Grey Advertising, 1998. (With Della Rowland) Ten Things I Know about Kangaroos, illustrated by Thomas Payne, Contemporary Books (Chicago, IL), 1989. (With Della Rowland) Ten Things I Know about Penguins, illustrated by Tho…
Born 1959, in New York, NY; Education: University of Pennsylvania, M.S.; Wesleyan University, M.A.; Columbia University Teachers College, M.Ed., doctoral study. Glastonbury High School, Glastonbury, CT, Spanish teacher, 1986–99; Catholic Relief Services, Hanoi, Vietnam, program manager of education, 1999–2002; Aid to Women Artisans (humanitarian concern), founder; writer. Three Natio…
1974— Professional basketball player Wallace, Ben, photograph. Lucy Nicholson/Reuters/Landov. The linchpin of the consistently successful Detroit Pistons teams of the early and middle 2000s, center Ben Wallace was an unusual star in the annals of the National Basketball Association. His forte was defense, not the flashy point-scoring that usually grabbed sports-section headlines. His…
1959— Vocalist Watley, Jody, photograph. Manny Hernandez/Getty Images. Vocalist Jody Watley has had a long-lasting presence in the R&B and dance music genres, beginning with her membership in the disco group Shalamar in the late 1970s and continuing into a solo career that saw her rise to the top of the pop scene in the late 1980s. More than most other African-American female …
1907-1998 Novelist Dorothy West's career has been as anomalous as her life. She had once described herself as "the best-known unknown writer of the time," as quoted in American Visions. Born to a freed slave, she lived in one of the very few well-to-do black families in Boston, almost a contradiction in terms. As a teenager she won short story prizes and was widely published; …
1948— College basketball player; law professor As the first African-American player in college basket-ball's Southeastern Conference (SEC), Perry Wallace pioneered the way for black players to excel in this sport. Yet his years on the Vanderbilt University varsity team were marked by racist incidents and by a sense of isolation on campus. Despite daunting obstacles, however, Wallace …
Born 1946, in Germany; came to the United States 1952, naturalized citizen, 1964; Education: Pratt Institute, B.F.A., 1968, M.F.A., 1970. Hobbies and other interests: Gardening, making pressed flower collages. Agent—Kirchoff/Wohlberg, Inc., 866 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017. Illustrator and author. American Home, New York, NY, assistant art director, 1972-73; New Ingenue, New Yor…
Born 1943, in New York, NY; Education: Attended Boston Museum School and a small private junior college (now defunct) in New York State. Religion: "Nominal Episcopalian." Allyn and Bacon, Inc., Boston, MA, art editor; Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., New York, NY, art designer; freelance author and illustrator, 1968—. Also worked at various jobs, including buyer of women'…
(Margaret Baldwin) Born 1948, in Independence, MO; Education: University of Missouri, B.A. (creative writing), 1970. Politics: "Independent." Office—P.O. Box 1106, Williams Bay, WI 53191. Agent—c/o Jonathon Lazear, Lazear Agency, 430 First Ave. N., Ste. 416, Minneapolis, MN 55401. Author and editor. Herald Publishing House, Independence, MO, advertising director, 1972&…
Surname sounds like "Wayne"; born 1955, in Flushing, NY; Education: Nassau Community College, A.A., 1975; State University of New York, B.A., 1977. Politics: Democrat. Hobbies and other interests: Swimming, traveling, reading novels and history, learning about ancient religions. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Andrea Brown, Literary Agent, 301 West 53rd St., Ste. 13B, New York, NY 1001…
Born 1961, in Weston, Ontario, Canada; divorced; Education: York University, B.A. (psychology; with honors), 1984. Agent—Pamela Paul, The Pamela Paul Agency, 12 Westrose Ave., Toronto, Ontario M8X 2A1, Canada. Writer and illustrator. Arthur Ellis Award shortlist, and Anthony Award for Best First Novel shortlist, both 1991, both for The Chocolate Box; Arthur Ellis Award for Best Short Story,…
Born 1960. Agent—c/o Author Mail, North-South Books, 875 16th Ave., Ste. 1901, New York, NY 10001. Writer of children's books. The Strongest Mouse in the World, illustrated by Nicholas d'Aujourd'hui, translation by J. Alison James, North-South Books (New York, NY), 1998. All-Weather Friends, illustrated by Nicholas d'Aujourd'hui, translation by J. Alison …
Born 1947; Education: Howard University, B.A., 1970; Bank Street College of Education, M.A.; Graduate School of Journalism, Columbia University, M.A. Agent—Faith Childs Literary Agency, 915 Broadway, Ste. 1009, New York, NY 10010. Scholastic News, associate editor, 1970–72; Essence, New York, NY, began as travel editor, 1988, became senior editor, 1990, executive editor, 1992–…
