What if he trips? Or walks too slowly? Or drops the rings? And what about his new stepsister, Sophie? She’s supposed to be the flower girl, but Jackson’s not sure she’s taking her job as seriously as she should. Jackson’s mama is getting married, and he gets to be the ring bearer. This is an enormous loss.Mama’s getting married, and Jackson has an important job to do! A story about love, weddings, and the special joy that is a blended family. For my first children’s book, I was so proud to share a project with him and really looked forward to doing so again. “I remember when I first received his initial pages for ‘Sisters & Champions’ I was just blown away. “Floyd was a wonderful artist and a fantastic collaborator,” Bryant told the AP in an email Saturday. He also collaborated with such top authors as Weatherford, Nikki Grimes, Walter Dean Myers, Jacqueline Woodson and Howard Bryant, whose “Sisters & Champions,” about the Williams sisters, was illustrated by Cooper. He illustrated dozens of books and his work on Joyce Carol Thomas’ “The Blacker the Berry” brought him the Coretta Scott King Award in 2009 for achievement by a Black illustrator. He later settled in Easton, Pennsylvania, with his wife and agent, Velma, and two sons.

But he showed an early gift for drawing and received a scholarship to attend the University of Oklahoma.Īfter working on greeting cards for the Hallmark company in Kansas City, he moved to New York City and illustrated his first published book, Eloise Greenfield’s “Grandpa’s Face,” which came out in 1988. He grew up poor, and spoke of moving around so often in Tulsa that he attended 11 different elementary schools. His legacy will continue to enlighten and to inspire for generations to come.”Ĭooper was a Tulsa, Oklahoma, native who drew upon his grandfather’s memories in illustrating Weatherford’s book on the 1921 tragedy.

“A devoted family man and genuine friend, Floyd was a gifted illustrator and truth-teller. “His cinematic illustrations brought stories to life and held readers close,” Weatherford said. She did not immediately provide further details. He was 65.Īuthor Carole Boston Weatherford, whose “Becoming Billie Holiday” and “Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre” were illustrated by Cooper, told The Associated Press in an email that he died early Friday after being ill with cancer for several months. NEW YORK (AP) - Floyd Cooper, an award-winning illustrator and author of children’s books whose mission to offer candid and positive images of Black history included subjects ranging from Frederick Douglass and the civil rights movement to Venus and Serena Williams, has died.

The ring bearer by floyd cooper