The Coretta Scott King Award

Established 1969. Designed to commemorate the life and work of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and to honor Mrs. Coretta Scott King for her courage and determination in continuing to work for peace and world brotherhood. Presented annually to an African American author and an African American illustrator for an outstandingly inspirational and educational contribution published during the previous year. The separate award for illustrator was added in 1979.

1999

Text - Angela Johnson, Heaven (Simon & Schuster)
Illustration - Michele Wood, i see the rhythm, text by Toyomi Igus (Children's Book Press)

1998

Text - Sharon M. Draper, Forged by Fire (Atheneum)
Illustration - Javaka Steptoe, In Daddy's Arms I Am Tall: African Americans Celebrating Fathers (Lee & Low)

1997

Text - Walter Dean Myers, Slam! (Scholastic Press)
Illustration - Jerry Pinkney, Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman, written by Alan Schroeder (Dial Books for Young Readers)

1996

Text - Virginia Hamilton, Her Stories, illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon
Illustration - Tom Feelings, The Middle Passage: White Ships Black Cargo (Introduction by John Henrik Clarke)

1995

Text - Patricia and Frederick McKissack, Christmas in the Big House, Christmas in the Quarters
Illustration - James Ransome, The Creation (Text: James Weldon Johnson)

1994

Text - Angela Johnson, Toning the Sweep
Illustration - Tom Feelings, Soul Looks Back in Wonder

1993

Text - Patrica McKissack, The Dark-Thirty: Southern Tales of the Supernatural
Illustration - Kathleen Atkins Wilson, The Origin Of Life on Earth: An African Creation Myth (Text: David A. Anderson)

1992

Text - Walter Dean Myers, Now Is Your Time! The Africian-Americian Struggle for Freedom
Illustration - Faith Ringgold - Tar Beach

1991

Text - Mildred D. Taylor - The Road To Memphis
Illustration - Leo and Diane Dillon, Aida (Text: Leontyne Price)

1990

Text - Patricia and Frederick McKissack, A Long Hard Journey: The Story of the Pullman Porter
Illustration - Jan Spivey Gilchrist, Nathaniel Talking (Text: Eloise Greenfield)

1989

Text - Walter Dean Myers, Fallen Angels
Illustration - Jerry Pinkney, Mirandy And Brother Wind (Text:Patricia McKissack)

1988

Text - Mildred D. Taylor, The Friendship
Illustration - John Steptoe, Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale

1987

Text - Mildred Pitts Walter, Justin And The Best Biscuits In The World
Illustration - Jerry Pinkey, Half A Moon And One Whole Star (Text: Crecent Dragonwagon)

1986

Text - Virgina Hamilton, The People Could Fly: American Black Folktales
Illustration - Jerry Pinkney, The Patchwork Quilt (Text: Valerie Flournoy)

1985

Text - Walter Dean Myers, Motown and Didi
Illustration - No award given.

1984

Text - Lucille Clifton, Everett Anderson's Goodbye
Illustration - Pat Cummings, My Mama Needs Me (Text: Mildred Pitts Walter)

1983

Text - Virgina Hamilton, Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush
Illustration - Peter Magubane, Black Child

1982

Text - Mildred D. Taylor, Let the Circle Be Unbroken
Illustration - John Steptoe, Mother Crocodile: An Uncle Amadou Tale From Senegal (Text adapted by Rosa Guy)

1981

Text - Sidney Poitier, This Life
Illustration - Ashley Bryan, Beat The Story-Drum, Pum-Pum

1980

Text - Walter Dean Myers, The Young Landlords
Illustration - Carole Byard, Cornrows (Text: Camille Yarbrough)

1979

Text - Ossie Davis, Escape To Freedom: A Play about Young Frederick Douglass
Illustration - Tom Feelings, Something On My Mind (Text: Nikki Grimes)

1978

Eloise Greenfield, text, and Carole Byard, illustration, Africa Dream

1977

James Haskins, The Story Of Stevie Wonder

1976

Pearl Baily, Duey's Tale

1975

Dorothy Robinson, text, and Herbert Temple, illustration, The Legend Of Africania

1974

Sharon Bell Mathis, text, and George Ford, illustration, Ray Charles

1973

Jackie Robinson, as told to Alfred Duckett, I Never Had It Made: The Autobiography of Jackie Robinson

1972

Elton C. Fax, Seventeen Black Artists

1971

Charlemae H. Rollins, Black Troubador: Langston Hughes

1970

Lillie Patterson, Martin Luther King, Jr.: Man of Peace