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Bernardine Evaristo elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences

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Professor Bernardine Evaristo, Booker Prize winning author and Professor of Creative Writing at Brunel University London, has been elected as an International Honorary Fellow to the highly prestigious American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Prof Evaristo was one of just 250 to be elected to the academy from across a wide range of fields and disciplines, joining other luminary figures such as Oprah Winfrey and Angela Davis on 2021’s list. Since its founding in 1780, the academy has sought to elect leading figures from each new generation, with past decades and centuries seeing Charles Darwin, Pablo Picasso and Toni Morrison all given membership.

“I was shocked to receive an email notifying me that I’ve been elected to such an august and selective organisation. I had to read it twice to make sure I hadn’t misread it,” said Professor Evaristo, who in 2019 became the first black woman to win the Booker Prize with her novel Girl, Woman, Other.

“Next, I had a look at my fellow inductees for 2021 and saw Oprah and Angela Davis among their number and thought, ‘Wow – great company’. I’m doubly pleased that this isn’t just an honour for me, but for Brunel University London, because although I am there as an independent writer, I’m also there as attached to this university.’

For further information on Creative Writing at Brunel, please visit: brunel.ac.uk/creative-writing

Reported by:

Tim Pilgrim, Media Relations
+44 (0)1895 268965
tim.pilgrim@brunel.ac.uk