The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards recognize works that make important contributions to our understanding of racism and cultural diversity. The awards, now in their 80th year, are presented by the Cleveland Foundation. Winners each receive a $10,000 prize. This year’s Anisfield-Wolf awards will be presented at the Ohio Theatre in Cleveland on September 10.
There is only one woman among the five winners of the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards this year. Marilyn Chin is a professor of poetry at San Diego State University in California. She is being honored for her collection of poetry Hard Love Province (W. W. Norton, 2015). The book is her fourth published collection of poetry.
Professor Chin was born in Hong Kong and grew up in Portland, Oregon. She is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts and holds a master of fine arts degree in creative writing from the University of Iowa.