In celebration of fifty years, the CSK Marketing Committee will present a special series of blog posts entitled “CSK Winning Books through the Decades: Observations and Reflections.” Each CSK Marketing Committee member will reveal his or her unique prospective on a specific decade.  The 1970s were the formative years for the award as new African American writers emerged.  In the 1980s, the CSK Book Awards became an official ALA award as African American literature evolved and transformed the landscape of children’s literature.  The 1990s revealed  that the very existence of the Award provided opportunities to be published and recognized for African American authors and illustrators where none existed in the past. The 2000s saw the award raise the level of expectations for editors and creators of children’s literature, becoming a goal to aspire to for African American writers and illustrators.  Now, in the 2010s, the award has succeeded as one of ALA’s most prestigious honors.  Stay tuned to the CSK Blog for more illuminating facts about the CSK Book Awards through the decades!

Carolyn Garnes is the Chair of the CSK Marketing Committee.