Virginia Hamilton

Virginia Hamilton (1936–2002) was a renowned African American children's author celebrated for her diverse works including folktales, realistic novels, science fiction, biographies, and mysteries that preserved black oral traditions and highlighted African American experiences. Growing up in Yellow Springs, Ohio, in a multigenerational family of storytellers with roots in slavery, she authored over 40 books, earning prestigious awards such as the Newbery Medal for *M. C. Higgins, the Great* (1975), the Hans Christian Andersen Award (1992), and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award (1995).[1][3][4]