American Book Awards
1 appearances
-
Edition 23 (2002) Lifetime Achievement Award
Lerone Bennett Jr.
レロネ・ベネット・ジュニア
Lerone Bennett Jr.
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1928-10-17 （Clarksdale, Mississippi, U.S.）
- Died
- 2018-02-14 （Chicago, Illinois, U.S.） age 89
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Religion
- Catholic (Roman Catholic)
- Residence History
- Clarksdale, Mississippi → Jackson, Mississippi → Kenwood, Chicago, Illinois
Career
- Occupations
- writer, author, scholar, social historian, journalist
- Active Years
- 1949-2018
- Influenced By
- Martin Luther King Jr. (intellectual/classmate influence), John H. Johnson (publisher influence)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morehouse College | — | — | — | — | United States |
Morehouse College
Country:
United States
Attended Morehouse College; classmate of Martin Luther King Jr.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Carter G. Woodson Lifetime Achievement Award | — | — | Association for the Study of African American Life and History | 受賞 |
| 1978 | Literature Award | — | — | American Academy of Arts and Letters | 受賞 |
| 1965 | Patron Saints Award | — | — | Society of Midland Authors | 受賞 |
| 1963 | Book of the Year Award | — | — | Capital Press Club | 受賞 |
| 1982 | Candace Award | — | — | National Coalition of 100 Black Women | 受賞 |
| — | Multiple honorary degrees | — | — | Morehouse College, Wilberforce University, Marquette University, and others | 授与 |
Carter G. Woodson Lifetime Achievement Award
2003
Organization:
Association for the Study of African American Life and History
Result:
受賞
Literature Award
1978
Organization:
American Academy of Arts and Letters
Result:
受賞
Patron Saints Award
1965
Organization:
Society of Midland Authors
Result:
受賞
Book of the Year Award
1963
Organization:
Capital Press Club
Result:
受賞
Candace Award
1982
Organization:
National Coalition of 100 Black Women
Result:
受賞
Multiple honorary degrees
Organization:
Morehouse College, Wilberforce University, Marquette University, and others
Result:
授与
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Before the Mayflower: A History of Black America, 1619–1962
1962 history / social historyA sweeping history of Black Americans from 1619 to 1962, emphasizing contributions and struggles; written in an accessible, journalistic style.
slavery and emancipationresistance and civil rightsmedia and narrative
What Manner of Man: A Biography of Martin Luther King, Jr.
1964 biography / historyA biographical account tracing Martin Luther King Jr.'s life and work, reflecting Bennett's journalistic perspective.
leadershipcivil rights movementethics and faith
Forced into Glory: Abraham Lincoln's White Dream
2000 history / critiqueA provocative critique of Abraham Lincoln's reputation as the 'Great Emancipator', challenging conventional narratives and prompting scholarly debate.
historical revisionismassessing leadershiprace and politics
Wade in the Water: Great Moments in Black History
1979 history / essaysA collection of readable essays highlighting key moments in Black history, intended to educate and inspire.
historical vignetteseducation and memoryfigures and events
Bibliography
- Before the Mayflower: A History of Black America, 1619–1962
- What Manner of Man: A Biography of Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Confrontation: Black and White
- Black Power U.S.A.: The Human Side of Reconstruction 1867–1877
- Pioneers In Protest: Black Power U.S.A.
- The Challenge of Blackness
- The Shaping of Black America
- Wade in the Water: Great Moments in Black History
- Forced into Glory: Abraham Lincoln's White Dream
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- journalistic, accessible proseinterpretive, evidence-based narrativepopularization of scholarly topics
- Recurring Motifs
- Black resistance and pridepower of media and imagebiographical approach
Health
-
vascular dementia晩年（正確な発症年は不明）Experienced cognitive decline in later years; complications contributed to his death in 2018.
Legacy
Lerone Bennett Jr. helped establish popular accounts of Black American history and, through decades at Ebony magazine, exerted wide influence. He published works that provoked scholarly debate and emphasized the significance of image and representation.
Academic Societies
- Association for the Study of African American Life and History (associated)
Archives
- Lerone Bennett Jr. Papers, Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library, Emory University
In Popular Culture
- Appearances on C-SPAN for interviews and panel discussions about his books
- Popular influence through long-term editorial work at Ebony magazine
Quotes
-
Image sees, image feels, image acts.
Source: Attributed in public commentary (appeared in Ebony and other contexts)
Trivia
- Was a classmate of Martin Luther King Jr. at Morehouse College.
- One son, Lerone Bennett III, died in 2013.
- Worked at Ebony magazine for over 50 years and served long-term as executive editor.