The Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement is named in memory of distinguished and beloved children’s author Virginia Hamilton. The award is presented annually and in even years (i.e. 2012, 2014, 2016…) to an African American author, illustrator or author/illustrator for a body of his or her published books for children and/or young adults who has made a significant and lasting literary contribution.

In alternate years (i.e. 2011, 2013, 2015…), the award honors a practitioner for substantial contributions through active engagement with youth using award-winning African American literature for children and/or young adults, via implementation of reading and reading-related activities/programs. The recipient may be a public librarian, academic librarian, school librarian (public or private), an educator (pre K-12 or any level therein, or higher education) or youth literature advocate whose vocation, work, volunteer service or ongoing promotion of books with and/or on behalf of youth is significant and sustained.

2011 Practitioner Award

Dr. Henrietta Mays Smith, professor emerita at the University of South Florida, Tampa, School of Library and Information Science, is the winner of the Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Practitioner Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Dr. Smith began her career as a children’s librarian and storyteller in the New York public library system in 1948. After receiving her Ph.D, Smith worked at Florida Atlantic University for 10 years before becoming the first African American faculty member at the University of South Florida, School of Information. Retiring in 1993, she remains on the faculty as professor emerita.

Dr. Smith has served in numerous capacities within the American Library Association and has served on the Newbery, Caldecott, Batchelder, Wilder and Pura Belpré award selection committees. As part of the Coretta Scott King Task Force since its inception, Smith has edited four volumes about the history of the award.