CHIMAMANDA ADICHIE BECOMES FIRST FEMALE NIGERIAN TO BE ELECTED INTO AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ARTS AND LETTERS
CHIMAMANDA ADICHIE BECOMES FIRST FEMALE NIGERIAN TO BE ELECTED INTO AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ARTS AND LETTERS
Adichie was elected alongside two other foreign members — Kaija Saariaho, a composer from Finland and
Zadie Smith, an English writer.
According to a press release by the 250-member organization, the honorary members will be inducted at the annual induction in mid-May by Calvin Trillin, secretary of the organistion.
“When the American Academy of Arts and Letters holds its annual induction and award ceremony in mid-May, Calvin Trillin, secretary, will induct fourteen members into the 250-person organisation and Yehudi Wyner, president will induct three foreign honorary members,” the statement read.
“Joyce Carol Oates will deliver the centennial Blashfield Foundation Address.
This induction will make Chimamanda the second Nigerian to be inducted into the academy after Wole Soyinka, a Nobel laureate, was inducted in 1986.
Some of her previous awards include, Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction 2007 (Half of a yellow Sun); The MacArthur Fellowship 2008 for Fiction and The PEN Open Book Award, 2007 (Half of a Yellow Sun).
