Viewing page 48 of 107

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

under chairman Vivian Henderson.  In the absence of the chairman, that report was postponed until later in the agenda.  Carleton Moss and Hale Woodruff were recognized as fellows-designee.

Dr. Lincoln asked John Williams to preside over the meeting during the remaining committee reports.  Mr. Williams took the chair.  He called for the awards committee report, by Dr. Adelaide Hill.  Dr. Hill had not arrived, and Mr. Williams move on to the report of the book committee, of which Mr. Williams was chairman.  THE Book Committee, Mr. Williams reported had 22 members, and held three meetings, of the three meetings.  The first was attended by M. Williams, John Clarke and Paule Marshall.  The second, by Chuck Stone, Ernest Dunbar, John Killens and Paule Marshall; The Third meeting was attended by Clarke, Mrs Dorothy Porter, and Mr. Williams.  Mrs Williams recommended that the size of the committee be reduced to a more workable group, not more than seven persons, including the chairman.  He suggested that the books to be considered be secured read and nominated no later than Spring, 1972, and that no title not published in 1971 be considered.  He reported that the committee on the letter competition, also known as the Book aWARDS, had established certain criteria for books to be considered; 1, year of publication; 2) that no books by fellows be considered [[strikethrough]] [[?]] [[/strikethrough]] eligible for competition, 3) Plays in book form were not [[strikethrough]] [[?]] [[/strikethrough]] considered on the basis that they were written to be acted, and fall into the area of performing arts, and not letters, 4) Anthologies are not to be considered as the emphasis is on creativity, not compilation, but if it is determined in another year that creative anthologies should be included than it should be placed in another category. 5) Not white authors; for this competition;

Among the criteria mentioned by Mr. Williams for the fi-tion [[fiction]] awards were originality of conception, execution, stylistic excellence, and contemporary significance as expressive of the black experience.