On Friday, August 3, 2012, Living with Lynching won the American Theatre and Drama Society's award for best book published in 2011.
The selection committee chair, Jim Fisher, giving me the award. He is a prolific, well respected scholar, director, and stage actor. This is a truly humbling moment!
I don't think I could be smiling any harder! I was absolutely blown away by what he said about Living with Lynching before calling me up to accept the award.
I didn't want to lose all composure, so I wrote out my acceptance speech. It wasn't as boring as this looks. I managed to make pretty decent eye contact!
The next day, I got a chance to speak with both Professor Fisher and Professor Felicia Hardison Londré, who also served on the book award selection committee. She holds an endowed chair and has written or edited 14 books. Professor Fisher has written or edited no fewer than 8 books, so I surrounded myself with these two intellectual forces, hoping that some of their brilliance and discipline would rub off on me!!!
Seriously, I cannot say how much it means to have them—and so many others in ATDS whom I admire—see value in my work!
For more on the American Theatre & Drama Society, including how to become a member, please visit http://www.atds.org/
