American Book Awards
1 appearances
-
Edition 43 (2022) Winner
Fatima Shaik
ファティマ・シャイク
Fatima Shaik
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1952-01-01 （New Orleans, Louisiana, United States）
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- New Orleans, Louisiana (raised) → New York City (residence/work) → Jersey City, New Jersey (Saint Peter's University faculty)
Career
- Occupations
- Writer, Journalist, University professor
- Active Years
- 1975-
- Affiliations
- PEN America (board/trustee), Writers Room (former board member), Saint Peter's University (faculty)
- Memberships
- PEN America (board/trustee), Writers Room (former board member)
- Influenced By
- Tradition of African-American literature (general), Creole culture and oral traditions of New Orleans
- Nominations
- Melitte — YALSA Best Books nomination (1998)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xavier University of Louisiana | — | — | — | 在籍2年間（卒業はBoston Universityへ移籍） | United States |
| Boston University | — | — | BS | — | United States |
| New York University | — | — | MA | — | United States |
Xavier University of Louisiana
Period:
在籍2年間（卒業はBoston Universityへ移籍）
Country:
United States
Attended two years before transferring to Boston University
Boston University
Degree:
BS
Country:
United States
Earned a Bachelor of Science
New York University
Degree:
MA
Country:
United States
Earned a Master of Arts
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Louisiana Writer Award | — | — | State Library of Louisiana / Louisiana Center for the Book | 受賞 |
| 1981 | NEH Fellowship | Study in Aesthetics and Popular Culture at the University of Chicago | — | National Endowment for the Humanities | フェローシップ |
| 1998 | YALSA Best Books (nomination) | Melitte | ヤングアダルト | Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) | ノミネート |
| 2019 | Research grant (Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities) | Research on the Société d’Economie | — | Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities | 助成 |
Louisiana Writer Award
2021
Organization:
State Library of Louisiana / Louisiana Center for the Book
Result:
受賞
NEH Fellowship
1981
Work:
Study in Aesthetics and Popular Culture at the University of Chicago
Organization:
National Endowment for the Humanities
Result:
フェローシップ
YALSA Best Books (nomination)
1998
Work:
Melitte
Category:
ヤングアダルト
Organization:
Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)
Result:
ノミネート
Research grant (Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities)
2019
Work:
Research on the Société d’Economie
Organization:
Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities
Result:
助成
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Melitte
1997 Young adult / Historical novelA historical novel set in New Orleans aimed at young readers, exploring cultural roots and identity.
Creole cultureFamilyIdentity
The Jazz of Our Street
1998 Children's / Cultural historyIntroduces New Orleans jazz culture to children, depicting the relationship between local history and music.
JazzLocal cultureEducation
On Mardi Gras Day
1999 Children's literatureA children's story depicting events on Mardi Gras Day, conveying cultural celebrations.
FestivalCommunity eventsTradition
The Mayor of New Orleans: Just Talking Jazz
1987 Short fictionA short work in a conversational style that captures the ambiance of New Orleans and the feel of jazz.
Dialogue-drivenJazzSouthern setting
Economy Hall: The Hidden History of a Free Black Brotherhood
2021 Non-fiction / HistoryA study centered on the Société d’Economie in New Orleans, exploring the history of free Black brotherhoods and mutual aid.
Mutual aidBlack historyLocal history
Bibliography
- The Mayor of New Orleans: Just Talking Jazz
- Melitte
- The Jazz of Our Street
- On Mardi Gras Day
- Economy Hall: The Hidden History of a Free Black Brotherhood
Adaptations
- Documentary film 'The Bengali'
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Conversational, dialogue-rich proseNarration rooted in New Orleans Creole cultureConcise, didactic tone in children's books
- Recurring Motifs
- New Orleans Creole cultureJazz and musicFamily and immigrant roots
Legacy
Fatima Shaik is known for works depicting New Orleans Creole culture and the African-American experience, contributing across children's literature and scholarly research. Her exploration of Bengali ancestry and research on the Société d’Economie have offered new perspectives on local history.
Academic Societies
- PEN America (board/trustee)
Archives
- Papers, 1987-1988 (Archive Grid)
- New Orleans related collections (materials from state humanities grants)
In Popular Culture
- Subject of the 2022 documentary 'The Bengali'
- Included in 'The Booklover’s Guide to New Orleans' and the 'Encyclopedia of African American Writers'
Trivia
- Her paternal grandfather immigrated from Bengal in the 1890s and settled in Tremé.
- Married artist James Little in 1984.
- Subject of the 2022 documentary 'The Bengali'.