Coretta Scott King Book Award Winners 1970 to Present
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The CSK Book Awards seal and award names are owned by the American Library Association.
The Coretta Scott King Awards are presented annually by the American Library Association to honor African-American authors and illustrators who create outstanding books for children and young adults. “… an excellent start on your quest for the best in African-American literature for children.”
The award was established in 1969 to recognize authors. In 1979 it was expanded to include a separate award for illustrators. There are now five categories for book awards; Author, Author Honor, Illustrator, Illustrator Honor, and the John Steptoe Award for New Talent.
These awards are given to commemorate the life and work of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and to honor Mrs. Coretta Scott King for her continuing efforts in working for peace and civil rights issues. In 2015 The Coretta Scott King Awards became part of the Youth Media Awards. Here is a printable list of all the award winning books.
You may learn more about this award at the American Library Association’s website. Also check out our list of Top 100+ Recommended African-American Children’s Books, some are also CSK Award winning titles.
10 Coretta Scott King Award Winning and Honored Books for 2023
Freewater
- A 2023 Top 50 BLK Bestseller – Juvenile Fiction
- Coretta Scott King Award Winning Book 2023
- Newbery Honor Book 2023
Star Child: A Biographical Constellation of Octavia Estelle Butler
by Ibi Zoboi
The Talk
by Alicia D. Williams, Illustrated by Briana Mukodiri Uchendu
Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist for Justice
by Tommie Smith, Derrick Barnes, and Dawud Anyabwile, Illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile
Standing in the Need of Prayer (paperback): A Modern Retelling of the Classic Spiritual
by Carole Boston Weatherford, Illustrated by Frank Morrison
Me and the Boss: A Story about Mending and Love
by Michelle Edwards, Illustrated by April Harrison
Swim Team
by Johnnie Christmas, Illustrated by Johnnie Christmas
Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist for Justice
by Tommie Smith, Derrick Barnes, and Dawud Anyabwile, Illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile
We Deserve Monuments
by Jas Hammonds
Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civil Rights Movement
by Angela Joy, Illustrated by Janelle Washington
1-time BLK Bestseller, Juvenile Nonfiction
- A 2023 Top 50 BLK Bestseller – Juvenile Nonfiction
- Coretta Scott King Award Winning Book 2023
- Newbery Honor Book 2023