Dr. Maya Angelou was inducted into the North Carolina Literary Hall of Fame in October of 2012. Now, the National Book Foundation will honor both her and novelist E.L. Doctorow.
From the press release:
On November 20th, the National Book Foundation will present the 2013 Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters to E.L. Doctorow and the 2013 Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community to Dr. Maya Angelou.
Doctorow will be honored in recognition of his outstanding achievements in fiction writing. For over five decades, Doctorow’s work has been critically celebrated for its vivid depictions of nineteenth- and twentieth-century life, trenchant social criticism, and dazzling prose.
Angelou is a globally revered author and humanitarian. She is best known for I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, a groundbreaking autobiography that opened new literary avenues for the American memoir. Angelou’s numerous writings explore subjects such as identity, rape, racism, literacy, the importance of family, and the quest for independence.
For more information about the National Book Awards and Awards-related events, please visit nationalbook.org.
The video above was taken at Dr. Angelou’s NCLHOF induction. Ed Wilson talks about her time in San Francisco and how she came by her name.