- unitid
-
{"value"=>"Sc MG 416", "type"=>"local_call"}
{"value"=>"20669", "type"=>"local_mss"}
- unitdate
-
{"value"=>"1877-1991", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1877/1991"}
{"value"=>"1969-1989", "type"=>"bulk", "normal"=>"1969/1989"}
- date_inclusive_start
-
1877
- date_inclusive_end
-
1991
- keydate
-
1877
- unittitle
-
{"value"=>"John Steptoe Papers"}
- physdesc
-
{"format"=>"simple", "value"=>"3.2 linear feet (9 boxes)"}
- repository
-
{"value"=>"<span class=\"corpname\">The New York Public Library Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture</span>"}
- langmaterial
-
{"value"=>"English"}
- origination
-
{"value"=>"Steptoe, John, 1950-1989", "type"=>"persname"}
- bioghist
-
{"value"=>"<p>John Lewis Steptoe was the first prolific African-American author and illustrator of children's books. His books were written about African-American children, allowing them to identify with characters and environments that previous children's stories ignored. Steptoe was born in 1950; his parents, John Oliver and Elesteen Hill Steptoe, raised him in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, New York. Steptoe loved to draw as a child and later attended the Manhattan High School of Art and Design. He studied with painter Norman Lewis while working for HarYou Act, an anti-poverty program. He left high school in his final year, during which time the publishers, Harper & Rowe agreed to publish his first children's stories.</p> <p>In 1969, Steptoe's first book, <span class=\"emph\">Stevie,</span>was published; first in LIFE magazine, and then by Harper & Rowe. Prior to <span class=\"emph\">Stevie,</span>no children's story had ever been published in a national magazine. The story was written in “black English,” and was about a young boy living in the ghetto. The American Library Association (ALA) declared it a notable children's book, and the Society of Illustrators gave Steptoe a gold medal award. Publisher's Weekly and the School Library Journal each included <span class=\"emph\">Stevie</span>on their “Best Book of the Year” lists. In the following three years, Steptoe published three other children's stories with Harper & Rowe: <span class=\"emph\">Uptown</span>(1970), <span class=\"emph\">Train Ride</span>(1971), and <span class=\"emph\">Birthday</span>(1972).</p> <p>In his earliest books, Steptoe used his own experiences as the basis for his writing. Later, he turned to his children as models, and parenthood itself, as inspiration for his work. Viking Press published <span class=\"emph\">My Special Best Words</span>in 1974, a story told from his daughter Bweela's perspective. In <span class=\"emph\">Daddy Is A Monster... Sometimes</span>(Lippincott 1980), Steptoe used his relationship with his children as the basis for a story discussing parental mood-swings and how these emotional shifts are perceived by children. Steptoe's first novel, <span class=\"emph\">Marcia,</span>published in 1975 (Viking Press), is about growing up and some of the difficult issues which face teenagers. His final book, <span class=\"emph\">Baby Says</span>(1988), was written for infants and toddlers and was published by Lothrop.</p> <p>Steptoe began by writing everyday-life stories, but as his career progressed, he started writing fantasy tales. He believed that the latter would encourage children to exercise their imaginations and fulfill their dreams. In 1983 he illustrated and retold a Native American legend called <span class=\"emph\">The Story of Jumping Mouse</span>(Lothrop, Lee and Shepard). <span class=\"emph\">Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters,</span>an adapted Zimbabwean Cinderella story, was also published by Lothrop in 1987. He spent a year researching the plant and animal life which he recreated in his illustrations for this story. An unpublished fantasy tale entitled <span class=\"emph\">The Prince and the Enchanted Zebra,</span>also exemplifies this tendency towards fantasy.</p> <p>Steptoe illustrated several books written by other authors. These are: <span class=\"emph\">All Us Come Cross the Water</span>(1973) by Lucille Clifton, <span class=\"emph\">She Come Bringing Me That Little Baby Girl</span>(1975) by Eloise Greenfield, <span class=\"emph\">Mother Crocodile,</span>(1981) by Rosa Guy, and <span class=\"emph\">OUTside/INside Poems</span>(1981) and <span class=\"emph\">All the Colors of the Race</span>(1982) by Arnold Adoff. His early illustrations concentrated on color, then changed to black and white drawings with an emphasis on line and form, and ended with a combination of these two techniques. He received honors for many of his early books, and in 1970 a library in Brooklyn was named after him. Steptoe twice received the Coretta Scott King Award for Illustration for <span class=\"emph\">Mother Crocodile</span>and <span class=\"emph\">Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters.</span>In 1987 he was given the Boston Globe—Horn Book Award for Illustration. Both <span class=\"emph\">The Story of Jumping Mouse</span>and <span class=\"emph\">Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters</span>were declared Caldecott Honor Books by the ALA. Steptoe was also honored by receiving fellowships to the MacDowell Colony (an artists' retreat in New Hampshire), on four separate occasions.</p> <p>Throughout his career, Steptoe lectured at universities across the country, including Keene State College, Amherst College, and Louisiana State University, among others. He also taught a design class at the Brooklyn Museum School in 1971, and in 1976 he taught at the Eighth Annual Upper Midwest Writers' Conference at Bemidji State University in Minnesota. In 1986 he led a two week illustration seminar at Vashon High School in Missouri, however, the seminar was temporarily canceled due to teachers' disapproval over his students' time away from their regular course work. Steptoe occasionally exhibited his work at museums and other spaces, such as the Rochester Museum (1974), and the Boston Public Library (1975).</p> <p>Steptoe had two children; Bweela, born in 1970, and Javaka, born in 1971, whom he raised as a single parent. Steptoe also cared for his nephew, Antoine, intermittently throughout the child's early years and Antoine lived with Steptoe during the last three years of Steptoe's life. In the fall of 1987, John Steptoe contracted AIDS. He died on August 28, 1989. Two months later, the organization “Visual AIDS” declared an AIDS awareness day in which most museums closed to protest the large number of AIDS victims in the art community. On that day, the Museum of American Illustration exhibited some of Steptoe's original illustrations.</p>"}
- scopecontent
-
{"value"=>"<p>The bulk of the John Lewis Steptoe Papers date from 1964-1991. A file on the genealogy of the Steptoe family contains copies of documents dating from the 1930s and 40s, with one document dated 1877. The papers consist of Steptoe's personal papers, personal and professional correspondence, examples of his writings and illustrations, reviews of his work, clippings and programs regarding his seminars and lectures, and material from various organizations to which he belonged.</p>"}
{"value"=>"<p class='list-head'>The John Steptoe Papers are arranged in four series:</p>\n<ul class='arrangement series-descriptions'>\n<li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/20669#c647356'>Personal Papers</a></div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The <span class=\"emph\">PERSONAL PAPERS</span>series (.5 lin. ft.) contains four folders of personal correspondence, and a folder entitled “Family” which includes correspondence among immediate family members, and letters and brochures concerning Steptoe's children's education. There are journal/diary entries, book reports done by Steptoe when he was in grade school, and notes and correspondence written and received while Steptoe was at the MacDowell Colony in 1973. This series also contains Steptoe's résumé and biographical essays about him, and a folder of genealogical research comprised of photocopies of documents tracing the Steptoe family in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Lastly, there are obituaries and appreciations.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/20669#c647373'>Professional Papers</a></div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>The <span class=\"emph\">PROFESSIONAL PAPERS</span>series (1.2 lin. ft.) contains professional correspondence which is arranged alphabetically. There are separate folders of correspondence for Ann Armistead White, a long-time friend and Richard Gaugert. Gaugert was the Events Coordinator for the Saint Louis Art Museum, and an independent promoter of films and picture books for children, who was a friend, fan, and promoter of Steptoe's work. Fanmail is divided between adults and children, and is arranged chronologically. The series also contains requests from Steptoe's fans, and inquiries from artists seeking advice or asking him to illustrate their books. Press releases, nominations, honors and awards, speech and presentation notes, and material from courses Steptoe taught, are also part of this series, as well as a folder of writings by other authors which Steptoe saved.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/20669#c647399'>Writings and Illustrations</a></div>\n<div class='series-description'><p><span class=\"emph\">WRITINGS AND ILLUSTRATIONS</span>collection (1.4 lin. ft.) is the largest series, and contains manuscripts, rough drafts, outlines, galleys and editors' proofs of several of Steptoe's books. Oversize items from this series are housed in box #7. There are galleys and/or illustrations from <span class=\"emph\">Marcia, Inside Outside Poems, Train Ride, Daddy Is A Monster... Sometimes, Uptown, My Special Best Words,</span>and <span class=\"emph\">Baby Says.</span>Published reviews of Steptoe's books and illustrations are part of this series, and in box #9, there is a book of reviews and drawings entitled “IMPRESSIONS OF STEVIE,” which were created by children from District 16 (located in Brooklyn, New York), in 1970. Also included are poems, published artwork (non-book illustrations), and miscellaneous and unpublished writings, and an undated, reflective piece of writing entitled “Literary Retrospect of John Steptoe.”</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/scm/20669#c647442'>Organizations</a></div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>Steptoe belonged to several <span class=\"emph\">ORGANIZATIONS</span>(.1 lin. ft.); the collection includes pamphlets, brochures and newsletters from a variety of them. Many of the folders contain letters inviting him to join their group and it is unclear whether or not he did.</p></div></li></ul>\n", "type"=>"arrangement"}
- acqinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Gift of John L. Steptoe Estate</p> <p>by Ann Armistead White, Executrix, 1991.</p> <p>SCM91-9.</p>"}
- separatedmaterial
-
{"value"=>"<p>The following items were removed from:</p> <p><span class=\"emph\">Name of Collection/Papers</span>John Lewis Steptoe Papers</p> <p><span class=\"emph\">Accession Number</span>SCM 91-9</p> <p><span class=\"emph\">Donor:</span>John L. Steptoe Estate by Ann Armistead White, Executrix</p> <p><span class=\"emph\">Date received:</span>April 24, 1991</p> <p><span class=\"emph\">Date transferred:</span>May 4, 1991</p> <p>The item(s) listed below have been sent to the division indicated, either to be retained or disposed of there. Any items that should receive special disposition are clearly marked.</p> <p> <span class=\"emph\"> <span class=\"emph\">Schomburg Photographs and Print Division:</span></span></p> <p>Five (5) photos of John Steptoe. Five (5) photos of family and friends, two (2) slides of Steptoe's illustrations from The Story of Jumping Mouse (1983)</p> <p><span class=\"emph\">Processed by:</span>H. Bailey/T. Stewart/D. Lachatanere</p> <p><span class=\"emph\">Date:</span>July 28, 1995</p>"}
- relatedmaterial
-
{"value"=>"<p>Drawings by Steptoe can be found hanging in the Children's Room at the Stapleton Branch Library on Staten Island.</p>"}
- arrangement
-
{"value"=>"Organized into four series: I Personal Papers; II Professional Papers; III Writings and Illustrations; and IV Organizations", "supress_display"=>true}
- accessrestrict
-
{"value"=>"<p>Pamela Knicely-John Steptoe correspondence closed until December 31, 1996.</p>"}
- note
-
{"value"=>"<p>Photographs separated to Photographs and Prints Division</p>", "encodinganalog"=>"500"}
- abstract
-
{"value"=>"The John Steptoe Papers consist of personal papers, personal and professional correspondence, examples of his writings, reviews of his work, news clippings and programs regarding his seminars and lectures, and material from various organizations to which he belonged. The personal papers contain clippings and press releases about Steptoe's achievements, correspondence with family members, a resume and biographical essays, and obituaries. There is professional correspondence and fanmail from adults and children, as well as letters from other artists."}
- prefercite
-
{"value"=>"John Steptoe Papers, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, The New York Public Library"}
- processinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Processed by Tamara Stewart & Hanna Bailey; Machine-readable finding aid created by Apex Data Services.</p>"}
- date_start
-
1877
- date_end
-
1991
- date_bulk_start
-
1969
- date_bulk_end
-
1989