Eloise Greenfield’s heartwarming Author’s Note In The Land Of Words New And Selected Poems, Eloise addresses readers curiosity summarizing
I am often asked by children where my words-the words that I shape into stories and poems-come from. I don’t always know the answer.
The words can come from a memory, or a dream, or something I see or hear or wonder about, or imagine. But sometimes they just flow into my head and surprise me, and I have no idea how they got there.
Maybe there’s such a place where words live, where our minds and hearts can go and find them when we want to write-or read.
I like to imagine that there is such a place. I call it “The Land of Words.”
Won’t you come with me now for a visit to this land?
Eloise’s splendid opening enthralled me. Unequivocally, I began to perceive her as a kindred spirit. A poet, an accomplished author, and most importantly a woman who “believes in the land of words.” While I may not be a poet or an author, words accompany me wherever I go.
Eloise Greenfied was born the daughter of Weston W. Little and Lessie Jones Little in Parmele, North Carolina on May 17, 1929. As a young girl, Eloise was raised in Langston Terrace Washington, D.C.’s first federally funded housing project for African Americans. In her memoir Childtimes: A Three Generation Memoir, Eloise happily recollects visits to the library which stood within minutes of her home. Eloise spent a significant amount of time at the library where she fell in love with words.
In 1946, Eloise received her diploma from Cordozo Senior High School. Then she continued her education at Miner Teachers College in Washington, D.C. until 1949.
While working as a clerk-typist with the U.S. Patent Office, Eloise started to write poetry. Shortly thereafter, she recognized that not many children’s books revealed the truth about African Americans.
Then and there, I decided to make that my mission,
said Greenfield.
I wanted my books to enable Black children to realize how beautiful and smart they are. I wanted to write books that inspired and uplifted them, that made them laugh and be happy.
Initially, Eloise wrote humor-filled rhymes then songs. Eloise composed 3 short stories, but all 3 of her pieces were rejected. Tenaciously, Eloise kept practicing her writing until her pieces were finally published.
In 1972, after receiving 10 letters of rejection, Eloise’s first book Bubbles was published by the Drum and Spear Press. (The press was founded by members of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee-SNCC). Without the support of Drum and Spear Press Eloise’s stories may not have flourished.
Following the success of her first book, Eloise Greenfield specialized in authoring poetry, picture books, and biographies.
Throughout her life, Eloise continued to compose books, speak at conferences, and mentor other black children’s book authors.
In 2016, she earned the Teaching for Change Education for Liberation Award. During her acceptance speech, Eloise eloquently stated that
Our work is far from over. All of us — authors, illustrators, educators, and many others — will continue our commitment to this work so that children can see themselves in books, see their beauty and intelligence, see the strengths they have inherited from a long line of predecessors, see their ability to overcome difficulties, challenges, pain, and find deep joy and laughter in books, in characters they recognize as themselves.
Eloise Greenfield passed away on August 5, 2021. My wish for Eloise is that her words are accessible to children for years to come.
During her lifetime, Eloise’s books received many awards which include: Rosa Parks, (1973), She Come Bringing Me That Little Baby Girl, (1974), Honey, I Love (1978), Grandpa’s Face, (1988), Night on Neighborhood Street, (1996), Water, Water, (1999), MJ and Me, (1999), Grandma’s Joy, (1999), The Friendly Four, (2006), Paul Robeson,(2009) When the Horses Ride By: Children in the Times of War,(2010), The Great Migration: Journey to the North, (2011), The Women Who Caught the Babies: A Story of Africany American Midwives, (2019), Alaina and the Great Play, (2021), and others.
Featured Photo courtesy of Kayla/Ivory Mix
