The First Annual Legacy Awards for black writers: borders books and music and the Hurston/Wright Foundation are pleased to announce the First Annual 2002 Legacy Awards for published writers of African descent. The awards will honor innovative black writers in three categories: literary fiction, nonfiction, and debut/first fiction - Borders - Brief Article

Black Issues Book Review, Jan-Feb, 2002

Novelist Marita Golden founded the Hurston/Wright Foundation in 1990 to preserve and nurture black writing and culture. Since its inception, the Foundation has developed an annual awards program for emerging black college writers, provided classes in creative writing for high-school students, and hosted an annual summer writing workshop, amongst other activities.

"Borders is proud to partner with the Hurston/Wright Foundation for the 2002 Legacy Awards and other programs and services the foundation offers black writers. We are committed to supporting and preserving black writing through our partnerships, in-store events, and charitable giving," said Borders President and CEO Greg Josefowicz.

Borders began supporting the Hurston/Wright Foundation last year by giving two students full scholarships to attend the Hurston/Wright Writers' Week at Howard University in Washington, D.C. In addition, Borders underwrote the first-place $1,000 prize for the foundation's competition for young writers. The winner, Tayari Jones, will have her first novel, Leaving Atlanta, published this year.

Borders also co-presented "In the Tradition: Reading from the African-American Canon," a benefit for the Hurston/Wright Foundation. Participants included Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Yusef Komunyakaa, novelist A.J. Verdelle, essayist Derrick Bell, and Golden.