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Born
Jacqueline Woodson was born on February 12th 1963.
Grew up in Greenville, South Carolina and later moved to Brooklyn New York. -
Woodson's Childhood
Growing up in South Carolina during the late 60’s and 70’s, she was keenly aware of discrimination
- Grew up as a Jehovah’s Witness, and in a very religious household
- Came out to her family during college
-Felt a conflicting identity between her southern self and her new life in the city -
Graduated from Adelphi University
Graduated from the Adelphi University with a B.A. in English and began working as a therapist for runaways and homeless children. -
Last Summer With Maizon
Woodson wrote her first book, Last Summer With Maizon, a few years after graduating college and after receiving her master's in creative writing from the New School. Woodson worked for a children's packaging company for a short time where she was able to make connections with editors of children's books and was able to show her work. -
Brown Girl Dreaming
Woodson had her book Brown Girl Dreaming, published in 2014. This book was a memoir of her life, and talks about the protagonist growing up in the late 60's in South Carolina and later New York. -Won Coretta Scott King Author Award -
Woodson's Family
Woodson lives in Park Slope, Brooklyn, with her partner Juliet Widoff, a physician. The couple have two children, a daughter named Toshi Georgianna and a son named Jackson-Leroi.