Kadir Nelson – författare

The story of America and African Americans is a story of hope and inspiration and unwavering courage. Kadir Nelson''s award-winningHeart and Soul is aboutthe men, women, and children who toiled in the hot sun picking cotton; it''s about the America ripped in two by Jim Crow laws; it''s about the brothers and sisters of all colors who rallied against those who would dare bar a child from an education. It''s a story of discrimination and broken promises, determination, and triumphs.

Kadir Nelson''sHeart and Soul—the winner of numerous awards, including the Coretta Scott King Author Award and Illustrator Honor, and the recipient of five starred reviews—is told through the unique point of view and intimate voice of a one-hundred-year-old African-American female narrator.

This inspiring book demonstrates that in striving for freedom and equal rights, African Americans help our country on the journey toward its promise of liberty and justice—the true heart and soul of our nation.

The story of Negro League baseball is the story of gifted athletes and determined owners; of racial discrimination and international sportsmanship; of fortunes won and lost; of triumphs and defeats on and off the field. It is a perfect mirror for the social and political history of black America in the first half of the twentieth century. But most of all, the story of the Negro Leagues is about hundreds of unsung heroes who overcame segregation, hatred, terrible conditions, and low pay to do the one thing they loved more than anything else in the world: play ball.

Using an "Everyman" player as his narrator, Kadir Nelson tells the story of Negro League baseball from its beginnings in the 1920s through its decline after Jackie Robinson crossed over to the majors in 1947. The voice is so authentic, you will feel as if you are sitting on dusty bleachers listening intently to the memories of a man who has known the great ballplayers of that time and shared their experiences.

We Are the Ship is a tour de force for baseball lovers of all ages.

Winner of the Coretta Scott King Book Award 2009—author award and illustrator honor; Winner of the Sibert Medal Home Page Award 2009