FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Calle Andrus, Communications Specialist
216.916.6434 | calle.andrus@ideastream.org
ideastream and the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards Presented by the Cleveland Foundation to Share Original Television Special With Expanded Audience; Amplifying Diverse Literary Voices Across Digital Divide
Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Hosts “The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards 2020,” Premiering October 1, 2020 at 8 p.m. on WVIZ/PBS ideastream
CLEVELAND, Ohio (September 10, 2020) — ideastream, Ohio’s largest public media organization, is producing, distributing and broadcasting an original one-hour documentary highlighting the 85th Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards. Hosted by Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., popular public television personality, Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards jury chair, Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, literary scholar, journalist, cultural critic and institution builder, “The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards 2020” features visits to the hometowns of the four 2020 Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards honorees — historian Eric Foner, poet Ilya Kaminsky, scholar Charles King and novelist Namwali Serpell. During these visits, the honorees share readings of their award-winning work and their acceptance speeches. In addition, the film covers the inspiring history of the awards along with interviews of Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards jurors, including former U.S. Poet Laureate Rita Dove. The program will also serve to amplify diverse voices and foster dialogue about inclusivity that transcends the digital divide. During the current movement for racial equality, the necessity and relevance of these writings are as great as ever. The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards is presented by the Cleveland Foundation.
Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. said, “This year’s honorees remind us of nothing less than our shared humanity — a reminder sorely needed in these challenging times.”
At a time when hosting an in-person awards ceremony is not possible because of the coronavirus pandemic, ideastream, the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards and the Cleveland Foundation are partnering to offer this important film as an impactful, safe alternative. The special offers a unique opportunity to celebrate this year’s honorees and share significant literary works with the community in an accessible way. The broadcast premiere of the film takes place Thursday, October 1, 2020 at 8 p.m. on WVIZ/PBS ideastream. “The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards 2020” will also be available on ideastream.org for on-demand online viewing and offered to public television stations across the country.
"We are grateful that the 85-year-old chain of celebrating Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards recipients will remain unbroken," said Karen R. Long, manager of the awards. "Thanks to our longtime partners at ideastream, we are able to showcase the four new honorees for viewers everywhere, alongside the inimitable Henry Louis Gates, Jr. And this television special will sit on the right side of the digital divide — accessible to the greatest number of people."
Mark Rosenberger, chief content officer at ideastream, said, “It's truly an honor to partner with the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards to share this program with an expanded audience. The awards and the conversations around them are more relevant than ever."
About the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards
Cleveland poet and philanthropist Edith Anisfield Wolf established the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards in 1935, in honor of her father, John Anisfield, and husband, Eugene Wolf, to reflect her family’s passion for issues of social justice. Today it remains the only American book prize focusing on works that address racism and equity. Past winners have presented the extraordinary art and culture of peoples around the world, explored human-rights violations, exposed the effects of racism on children, reflected on growing up biracial, and illuminated the dignity of people as they search for justice. The Cleveland Foundation has administered the Anisfield-Wolf prize since 1963. Visit www.anisfield-wolf.org for more information.
About the Cleveland Foundation
Established in 1914, the Cleveland Foundation is the world's first community foundation and one of the largest today, with assets of $2.6 billion and 2019 grants of more than $114 million. Through the generosity of donors, the foundation improves the lives of residents of Cuyahoga, Lake and Geauga counties by building community endowment, addressing needs through grantmaking and providing leadership on vital issues. The foundation’s program areas include arts and culture, economic and workforce development, education, environment, leadership development, neighborhoods, and youth development and social services. For more information, visit www.ClevelandFoundation.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About ideastream
ideastream serves the people of Northeast Ohio as a trusted and dynamic multimedia source for illuminating the world around us. Publicly supported and locally owned, ideastream is indispensable and highly valued for its unique ability to strengthen our community. ideastream is the consolidation of WVIZ/PBS, with five channels of public television service (WVIZ/PBS-HD, WVIZ/PBS OHIO, WVIZ/PBS WORLD, WVIZ/PBS CREATE and WVIZ/PBS KIDS); 90.3 WCPN, Northeast Ohio’s NPR news and public affairs radio station; WCLV 104.9, Northeast Ohio’s classical music radio station; ideastream Education, with educational resources, services and the award-winning children’s series NewsDepth; and management of The Ohio Channel and the Ohio Public Radio and Television Statehouse News Bureau on behalf of all Ohio’s public broadcasting stations. For more information about ideastream’s rich legacy of innovation and credible content, visit ideastream.org.
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