Candy Dawson Boyd

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Candy Dawson Boyd
BornMarguerite Cecille Dawson
(1946-08-08) August 8, 1946 (age 77)
Young adult fiction

Candy Dawson Boyd (born August 8, 1946) is an American writer, activist, and educator. She is an author of more than six children's books focused on African-American youth.

Early life and education

Boyd was born in 1946 in

Chicago, Illinois. Her birth name is Marguerite Cecille Dawson. Her parents were Mary Ruth Ridley and Julian Dawson. Boyd had two siblings and she was the oldest of the three. Her mother and father divorced. Boyd was raised by her mother. They lived in South Chicago. Boyd attended racially segregated elementary and middle schools. The library she used was also segregated. The library books were used from white schools that no longer wanted them. She graduated from high school in 1962.[1]

After high school she went to

Civil Rights Movement.[1] She worked for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.[2] She eventually graduated in 1967 with her Bachelor of Arts. After graduation, Boyd taught locally in Chicago. She moved to Berkeley, California in 1971 and commenced work towards her master's degree. She received her master's in 1978. She received the Ph.D in 1982.[1] Both degrees came from the University of California, Berkeley.[2] Boyd also worked for Rainbow/PUSH.[3]

Career

While teaching in California, she became concerned about the lack of quality books for children. She started writing

tenure at Saint Mary's. Boyd is divorced. She lives in Chicago.[2]

Writing

Boyd writes children's books that are "inspiring, positive, and realistic." Among the themes in her work are love,

African-American stereotypes.[1] Her books also pull influence from her experience in the Civil Rights Movement. Her first book was A Circle of Gold. The book was awarded a Coretta Scott King Award.[2]

Recognition

Works

  • Breadsticks & Blessing Places. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (1985).
  • Charlie Pippin. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (1987).
  • Chevrolet Saturdays. London: Puffin (1995).
  • Circle of Gold. New York: Scholastic (1984).
  • Daddy, Daddy, Be There. New York: Philomel (1995).
  • A Different Beat. London: Puffin (1996).
  • Fall Secrets. London: Puffin (1994).
  • Forever Friends. London: Puffin (1986).
  • (with Peter Afflerbach, James Beers, Camille Blachowicz, and Deborah Diffily) Scott Foresman Reading: Fantastic Voyage. Glenview: Scott Foresman & Co. (2000).

References