For nearly a century, Ashley Bryan poured his creativity and compassion into poetry, performance, and art, forever transforming the world of children’s literature and storytelling.
Born in Harlem and raised in the Bronx, Bryan began making books in kindergarten by stitching together letters and numbers. That playful beginning grew into a lifelong vocation of blending words, rhythm, and imagery through painting, collage, stained glass, puppetry, and prose. He often said, “I try not to accept walls and boundaries and definitions in a strict way. I would hope that everything I do is interrelated.”
Drafted into a segregated unit during World War II, Bryan kept a sketchpad in his gas mask to preserve his humanity in the midst of war. His later memoir, Infinite Hope, revealed both the hardships and resilience of that time. Afterward, he completed his studies at Cooper Union, pursued philosophy and literature at Columbia University, and traveled to Europe on a Fulbright, before teaching at several institutions and retiring as Professor Emeritus at Dartmouth College.
Seeing few children’s books that reflected Black characters or the African oral tradition, Bryan made it his mission to change that. He retold folktales and spirituals with rhythm, music, and joy. His more than seventy titles include Beat the Story-Drum, Pum-Pum, Beautiful Blackbird, and Freedom Over Me. His work garnered numerous honors, including four Coretta Scott King Awards, the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal, the Virginia Hamilton Lifetime Achievement Award, and recognition as a New York Public Library Literary Lion.
Yet those who experienced him in person remember not just the books, but the way he embodied story. Bryan was a poet and performing artist who did not simply speak—he sang, clapped, and danced the words into being. Children and adults alike were swept up in his storytelling, eyes shining as his voice carried the rhythms of African and African American traditions.
Beyond the page and stage, Bryan was a humanitarian. He supported literacy efforts in Kenya and South Africa, earning the affectionate title “LongPapa.” He believed in connection, once sharing, “At every moment I strive for connection. If you are in the moment, you are stretching out to reach that which you recognize in others. That’s my secret.”
Connie Regan-Blake reflected, “My heart is so full, thinking about Ashley Bryan (1923–2022) and all that he gave (and through his creativity and compassion, continues to give) to the world. An amazingly gifted artist, author, friend and human being. I am so grateful to have known him.”
We at Story Crossroads join countless others in honoring Ashley Bryan. His books, poems, art, and performances ensure that his story lives on—sung, spoken, and celebrated.
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You can see more details on Ashley Bryan with the Story Artists Memorial.
Enjoy reflections, advice, and performance in this video of Ashley Bryan below:
Do you know a Story Artist who has passed on and want others to remember them? Memories? Pictures? You can submit names and memories of Story Artists who have passed on through our online form.
I remember when I first read Beautiful Blackbird. Little did I know that his beauty of language was more than writing and illustrating but of performance as well. His legacy of poetry, performance, and art lives on in every page he created and every story he brought to life. Through his books, his voice, and his vision, Ashley continues to remind us of the beauty, resilience, and joy within the human spirit.
Ashley Bryan still has a story. You have a story. We all have stories.