Ashley Bryan
He transformed African-American spirituals and folklore into radiant picture books, ensuring Black children saw their joy and history reflected in art.
1923–2022 (age 99)·American children's writer and illustrator·Birthday: July 13·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Ashley Bryan lived a life dedicated to unearthing and sharing light. Drafted into a segregated U.S. Army unit in World War II, he sketched on Omaha Beach, preserving beauty amidst horror. That commitment to creation defined his next seven decades. As an educator and artist, he mined the rhythms of African-American spirituals, Caribbean folk tales, and the poetry of Langston Hughes, rendering them in a jubilant explosion of color and cut-paper collage. His work rejected stereotypes, instead offering visions of Black childhood filled with play, wonder, and resilience. More than an illustrator, Bryan was a storyteller-performer, his voice singing the words off the page, making each book a communal celebration of spirit.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Ashley was born in 1923, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ashley Was Born
The biggest hits of 1923
#1 Movie
The Covered Wagon
Ashley's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1923Born
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1928Started school
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1936Became a teenager
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1939Could drive
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1941Could vote
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1944Turned 21
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1953Turned 30
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1963Turned 40
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1973Turned 50
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1983Turned 60
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1993Turned 70
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 80
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2022Died at 99
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
Key Achievements
- Awarded the Coretta Scott King–Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement (the Children's Literature Legacy Award) in 2009.
- Received the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal (now the Children's Literature Legacy Award) for his substantial and lasting contributions to children's literature.
- Earned a Newbery Honor for his powerful book 'Freedom Over Me,' which imagined the lives of enslaved individuals.
- Served as the U.S. nominee for the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2006.
Did You Know?
He was a skilled maker of sea glass windows and puppets from found materials on his island home in Maine.
Bryan was drafted into the U.S. Army and landed on Omaha Beach in 1944, secretly carrying a sketchbook in his gas mask.
He was a dedicated teacher for decades, serving on the faculty of Dartmouth College.
Bryan translated and illustrated collections of African folk tales, such as 'Beat the Story-Drum, Pum-Pum.'
“I look for the good and the beautiful in everything and everyone.”
