Nicholasa Mohr: 1938—: Writer Biography

Nicholasa Mohr: 1938—: Writer.

Nicholasa Mohr achieved critical acclaim with her first novel, Nilda, published in 1973. In fact, Nilda won several notable literary awards. A classic novel of a Puerto Rican girl coming of age in New York City during World War II, Nilda included eight illustrations and a book jacket created by the author that also won several awards. One critic, Donald B. Gibson, wrote in Children's Literature, "[Nilda is] what I would call a significant book, a touchstone by which others may be judged." After such an auspicious beginning, Mohr continued to write, and was presented with the Hispanic Heritage Award for literature in 1997. These awards honor Hispanic Americans who "have made a significant contribution to our nation." Mohr has had her poems and short stories published in various journals and magazines, and have also appeared in numerous anthologies by women of color. In May of 1989 Mohr was awarded with the honorary doctor of letters degree from the State University of New York.