Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote a children's book series about pioneer life.
Chicago-A division of the American Library Association voted unanimously to remove Laura Ingalls Wilder's name from a major children's literature award because the author's books about her life as a child in the late 1800s, which were written in the 1930s, referred negatively to Native Americans and blacks. Accordingly, the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award will now be known as the Children's Literature Legacy Award.
Wilder, who wrote the children's book series Little House on the Prairie, about what it was like to be a child during the westward expansion of the United States, was the first recipient of the award, which was established in 1954 and intended to honor books published in the U.S. that have greatly impacted children's literature.
The culture in which Wilder lived was sometimes disparaging to non-whites and some characters in her books reflected those cultural attitudes.
The Association for Library Service to Children first announced the considerations about stripping Wilder's name from the award in February, announcing that the author's legacy "may no longer be consistent with the intention of the award named for her."
"The decision was made in consideration of the fact that Wilder's legacy, as represented by her body of work, includes expressions of stereotypical attitudes inconsistent with ALSC's core values of inclusiveness, integrity and respect, and responsiveness," the ALSC said in a statement.
Some Wilder scholars say the author's work shouldn't be downplayed but should be scrutinized-and used to teach children of the historical context.
The Laura Ingalls Wilder Legacy and Research Association says that while Wilder's writing included "the perspectives of racism that were representative of her time and place," it also made "positive contributions to children's literature."
Debbie Reese, founder of American Indians in Children's Literature commented that the vote to change the award's name was a significant historic moment and added that "There are many more [steps] ahead of us."
Jacqueline Woodson, known for Brown Girl Dreaming and Another Brooklyn, will be the first honoree of the newly named Children's Literature Legacy Award.
