Afua Ava Pamela Cooper (born 8 November 1957) is a Jamaican-born Canadian historian. As a historian, "she has taught Caribbean cultural studies, history, women's studies and Black studies at Ryerson and York universities, at the University of Toronto and at Dalhousie University." who, as of 2018, has published five volumes of poetry.
Personal life and education
Cooper was born 8 November 1957 in Westmoreland, Jamaica to Edward and Ruth Campbell Cooper and had eight siblings—five sisters and three brothers. She is a descendant of Alison Parkinson, who was sold into West Indian slavery. In 2016, she led the creation of a minor program in black and African diaspora studies at Dalhousie.
Poetry and other writing
Breaking Chains, Cooper's first book of poetry, as published in 1983. It was shortlisted for the 2006 Governor General's Award for English-language non-fiction.
In 2009, Cooper published two historical novels for children about real historical figures, both published by Kids Can Press: My name is Henry Bibb: a story of slavery and freedom; and My name is Phillis Wheatley: a story of slavery and freedom, both published in 2009 by Kids Can Press.
In 2018, she was named poet laureate for the city of Halifax, holding the role until 2020.
Awards and honours
Cooper has several numerous scholarships, grants, and fellows, including the following: Margaret S. McCullough Graduate Scholarship from the University of Toronto (1997-1998), Federal Ministry of Heritage grant for historical research, University of Toronto Exceptional Student Award (1998-1999), the John Nicholas Brown Center Fellowship from Brown University (2001), Canada Council Research Grant (2001), and a Canada Council Writing Grant (2003). and in 2020, she was awarded the Portia White Prize at the Creative Nova Scotia Awards Gala.
In 2024, Cooper was made a Member of the Order of Nova Scotia.
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible"
|+Awards for Cooper's writing
!Year
!Title
!Award
!Result
!Ref.
|-
|1994
|We're Rooted Here and They Can't Pull Us Up
|Ontario Historical Society's Joseph Brant Award for History
|Winner
|
|-
|1992
|Memories Have Tongue
|Casa de las Américas Prize
|Finalist
|
External links
- Afua Cooper Papers at the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library - various personal and professional material, including poem and academic manuscripts
- Glossary of Canadian Poets