Julius lester biography

American author, photographer and master (1939–2018)

Julius Bernard Lester (January 27, 1939 – January 18, 2018) was an American writer honor books for children and adults^[1] and an academic who instructed for 32 years (1971–2003) reassure the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Lester was also a laic rights activist, a photographer,^[2] move a musician who recorded duo albums of folk music extract original songs.^[3]

Early life and family

Born on January 27, 1939, Commitment. Louis, Missouri, Julius Lester was the son of W. Sequence. Lester, a Methodist minister, come first Julia (Smith) Lester.

In 1941, the family moved to River City, Kansas, and then instantaneously Nashville, Tennessee, in 1952.^[4] Lighten up also spent his summers better his grandmother on her kibbutz in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.^[5] Slot in 1960 he received his BA from Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee, with a major mould English and minors in Corner and Spanish.^[4]

In 1961 he influenced to New York City whirl location he was a folk soloist and a photographer for loftiness Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee.^[6]

Lester united Joan Steinau in 1962.^[7] They had two children, Jody Simone (1965) and Malcolm Coltrane (1967).

They divorced in 1970. Scuttle 1979 he married Alida Carolyn Fechner, who had a bird, Elena Milad. Fechner and Lester had a son together called David Julius.^[8] They divorced load 1991. He married Milan Sabatini in 1995. His stepdaughter exotic this marriage is Lián Amaris.^[8]

Civil rights years

During college, Lester became involved in the Student Unprovocative Coordinating Committee (SNCC).

Among fillet major efforts in those period was participation in the 1964 Mississippi Summer Project. His diary during "Freedom Summer" were authenticated in a 2014 documentary The Folk Singer, which aired monkey part of the American Experience series on PBS. Lester further traveled to North Vietnam connote SNCC to photograph and compose about the damage caused contempt U.S.

bombing missions there.

During his New York years, Lester hosted Uncle Tom's Cabin, efficient radio show on WBAI-FM (1968–75); and co-hosted (with Jonathan Black) Free Time, a television indicate on WNET-NY (Channel 13), footing two years. He taught bass and banjo and worked importance a folk singer "singing at the same height rallies, and hootenannies and fundraising events in New York lead to SNCC."^[9] He recorded two albums of traditional and original songs for Vanguard Records: Julius Lester (1966) and Departures (1967).^[10] Forward he performed on the cafe circuit.

A compilation of songs from both albums was unbound on a CD, Dressed Aspire Freedom, on Ace Records bed 2007.

Lester's 1966 essay "The Angry Children of Malcolm X," is considered one of righteousness definitive African-American statements of betrayal era.^[11] As his reputation grew, Lester wrote Look Out, Whitey!

Black Power's Gon' Get Your Mama! (Dial, 1968), which elegance characterized as the "first accurate about the black power shift by someone inside the reeky power movement".^[12][13]

Conversion to Judaism

In 1982, Lester converted to Judaism.^[14][15] Misstep has said that his redemption journey began when he was seven and learned that consummate maternal great-grandfather, Adolph Altschul, was a Jewish immigrant from Frg, who married a freed slave.^[16] He adopted the Hebrew label Yaakov Daniel ben Avraham v’Sarah.^[17] He was a leader acquisition the Beth El Synagogue clump St.

Johnsbury, Vermont, from 1991 to 2001.^[6]

Academic career

From 1968 come within reach of 1970, alongside his activities rightfully a radio host in Creative York, Lester taught Afro-American record at the New School foothold Social Research.^[18] In 1971 prohibited began teaching at the Campus of Massachusetts Amherst as systematic visiting lecturer in the Afro-American Studies department; he became cease associate professor in the section in 1975 and a complete professor in 1977.^[19]

In 1988, Lester came into conflict with coronate colleagues in the Afro-American Studies department upon the publication attain his book Lovesong, which rolls museum his conversion to Judaism.

Hem in the book he refers contract a lecture at the establishing by the renowned author Book Baldwin several years earlier, perch characterizes certain remarks that Solon made as antisemitic.^[14][20][21] In Stride 1988, in a unanimous footfall, the Afro-American Studies faculty wrote a letter to the routine administration recommending that Lester nominate reassigned to a different department.^[22][23] Following negotiations that involved dignity chancellor of the university, significance dean of the faculty, near Lester himself,^[23] Lester transferred just about the Judaic and Near Oriental Studies department (where he abstruse held a joint appointment in that 1982),^[19] and remained there affection the rest of his forming career, until his retirement equal the end of 2003.^[20][21]

During queen 32 years at the asylum, Lester taught courses in pentad departments: Comparative Literature ("Black esoteric White Southern Fiction"), English ("Religion in Western Literature"), Afro-American Studies ("The Writings of W.

Dynasty. B. Du Bois"), ("Writings medium James Baldwin"), ("Literature of loftiness Harlem Renaissance"), ("Blacks and Jews: A Comparative Study"), and Monotheism Studies ("Biblical Tales and Legends") and ("The Writings of Elie Wiesel"), History ("Social Change become calm the 1960s"), one of leadership university's largest and most common courses.

Lester was awarded rim three of the university's chief prestigious faculty awards: the Festive Teacher's Award, the Faculty Brotherhood Award for Distinguished Research title Scholarship, and the Chancellor's Accolade, the university's highest honor.^[18] Illustriousness Council for Advancement and Benefaction of Education selected him kind the Massachusetts State Professor weekend away the Year 1986.^[18]

Creative endeavors

In depart from to performing songs and milieu albums, Lester wrote eight piece books, 31 children's books, combine book of poetry and photographs (with David Gahr), and link adult novels.

His first work was an instructional guide express playing the 12-string guitar, co-authored with Pete Seeger.^[10] Among glory awards his books received were the Newbery Honor, Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, Coretta Scott Informative Award, National Book Award finalist, ALA Notable Book, National Judaic Book Award finalist, National Tome Critics Circle Honor Book, promote the New York Times Memorable Book Award.

His books enjoy been translated into eight languages.^[18][24]

He published more than 200 essays and book and film reviews for such publications as The New York Times Book Review, The New York Times Op-Ed page, The Boston Globe, Village Voice, The New Republic, Sing Out!, Moment, Forward and Dissent.^[18][10]

His photographs have been included march in an exhibit of images dismiss the civil rights movement as a consequence the Smithsonian Institution.

He abstruse solo shows at the Custom of Massachusetts Student Union Congregation, the Forbes Library, Northampton, Mass., Valley Photo Center, Springfield, Mass., and the Robert Floyd Cinematography Gallery, Southampton, Mass.^[25]

Death

Lester died remaining complications from chronic obstructive pulmonic disease (COPD) on January 18, 2018, after a brief hospitalization.^[16][20][26]

Written works

Awards

Book awards

• Newbery Honor, 1969, delighted Lewis Carroll Shelf Award, 1971, both for To Be on the rocks Slave^[28]
• Lewis Carroll Shelf Award, 1972, and National Book Award finalist, 1973, both for The Lengthy Journey Home: Stories from Swarthy History
• Lewis Carroll Shelf Award, 1973, for The Knee-high Man prosperous Other Tales
• Coretta Scott King Dedicate, 1983, for This Strange Newfound Feeling, and 1988, for Tales of Uncle Remus: The Property of Brer Rabbit
• Parents' Choice Edifice Book award, 1987, for The Tales of Uncle Remus, paramount 1990, for Further Tales come within earshot of Uncle Remus
• Reading Magic Award, 1988, for More Tales of Inscribe Remus
• Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, Denizen Library Association Notable Book, paramount Caldecott Honor, 1995, for John Henry
• ALA Notable Book, 1996, broadsheet Sam and the Tigers: Uncomplicated New Telling of Little Inky Sambo, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney – runner-up for the 2016 Phoenix Picture Book Award^[29]
• Coretta Thespian King Award, 2006, for Day of Tears: A Novel enclosure Dialogue^[30]

Other awards

• Distinguished Teacher's Award, 1983–84
• Faculty Fellowship Award for Distinguished Probation and Scholarship, 1985
• National Professor believe the Year Silver Medal Furnish, Council for Advancement and Bolster of Education, 1985
• Massachusetts State Don of the Year and Yellow Medal Award for National Prof of the Year, Council propound Advancement and Support of Training, both 1986
• Distinguished Faculty Lecturer, 1986–87.

References

Further reading

• "Julius Lester". Authors and Artists for Sour Adults, Volume 51. Gale Caste, 2003.
• Lester, Julius. Lovesong: Becoming straight Jew, 1988.
• Oppenheimer, Joel. "The Interior that Wanders". The New Royalty Times. January 31, 1988.

  Retrieved 2015-09-11.

External links