Jacqueline Woodson was born in Columbus, Ohio but lived most of her youth in moving between South Carolina and Brooklyn, where she still resides. She credits one of her seventh grade teachers with encouraging her belief that she could be a writer and in 1985 she graduated from college with a BA in English. Even before then, Jacqueline knew she wanted to write. She explains, "I knew there were stories I wanted to tell, things I wanted to say. I wanted clarity. I wanted to be able to create a world in which I had all the answers, in which I could make up my own endings." (p. 560)[4] Perhaps this feeling was due in part to her perceived status as an outsider.
Raised in a very strict Jehovah's Witness household, Jacqueline was not able to celebrate birthdays or holidays, or pledge to the flag. When birthdays were celebrated in class she had to leave the room until the party was over. As an adolescent of color she felt even more alienated from mainstream culture. She states, "I began to challenge teachers, and when they couldn't give me the answers I wanted I became even more isolated."(p.240)[5]
As an adult Jacqueline has achieved her childhood dream, creating moving books about other outsiders -- minorities, gays, the poor. She explains, "I write about black girls because this world would like to keep us invisible. I write about all girls because I know what happens to self esteem when you turn twelve, and I hope to show readers the number of ways in which we are strong." (p 241)[6] Her novels do not shy away from difficult issues faced by so many young people today. She feels that she writes her books grow out of who she is as a person, not out of a particular ethnic community. She classifies her novels as "good" books and books that are more problematic and deal with issues like sex abuse and homosexuality that make some adults uncomfortable. Her first books, a trilogy that began with Last Summer with Maizon, are books about a close friendship between two African American girls and are what she refers to as her "good" books. With The Dear One Jacqueline dealt with teen pregnancy and includes a lesbian couple among the characters was among her more controversial books. Although she noted a sharp drop in speaking engagements when The Dear One was published Jacqueline has continued to deal with topics that are important to adolescents. Her I Hadn't Meant to tell you this revolves around the issue of sexual abuse. From the Notebooks of Melanin Sun and The House You Pass on the Way present a male protagonist who has difficulty dealing with his mother's lesbianism and his confusion about his own sexuality. Whether her books fall in the "good" or "Controversial" category none of them are one dimensional problem novels. Her characters are complex individuals who represent a broad spectrum of cultural venues and economic classes.
In a career that is really just getting started (Last Summer with Maizon, her first novel, was published in 1990) Jacqueline also contributed to her community. She has worked as a drama therapist with runaway and homeless children, taught in the MFA program and Goddard College and spent part of each summer at a writing camp for underprivileged children. She has also garnered accolades and awards for her many books. Including the Coretta Scott King award for Miracle's Boys. Jacqueline credits Author Virginia Hamilton for opening her eyes to the possibility that her African American culture could be represented in books for young people. With her many powerful and award winning books Jacqueline is a worthy successor to Hamilton's legacy of excellence.
[4] Op cit, Rockman [5] Something About the Author, Vol 94. Gale p. 240 [6] ibid
