Noted writers Edwidge Danticat, Andrea Davis Pinkney, Lore Segal, and Garry Trudeau are among the seven members of the 2020-2021 Class of Inductees for the NYS Writers Hall of Fame. In addition, three deceased writers: Bill Finger, Anna Katharine Green, and Oscar Hammerstein II will be inducted.

This year's ceremony will be aired online. Those who register will be sent an unlisted link to the virtual event airing on the NYS Writers Institute YouTube channel.

If you would like to make a donation to support the projects and activities of the Empire State Center for the Book, please visit our donation page.

Ceremony will feature noted television journalist Roma Torre as Master-of-Ceremonies.

The full list of the 2020-2021 inductees is as follows:

Edwidge Danticat – New York raised and educated Haitian-American novelist.

Bill (Milton) Finger– Bronx raised co-creator of Batman.

Anna Katharine Green – Buffalo resident was the mother of the detective novel.

Oscar Hammerstein II – Lyricist and librettist of the American theatre.

Andrea Davis Pinkney –Author of numerous books for children and young adults.

Lore Segal –Novelist, short story writer and author of children’s books.

Garry Trudeau – Raised in Saranac is the creator of Doonesbury.

The Empire State Center for the Book is the New York State affiliate of the Library of Congress Center for the Book and is housed at the New York Library Association.

This year the NYS Writers Hall of Fame is presented in conjunction with the New York State Writers Institute, a literary organization which is based at the State University of Albany. The institute enhances and celebrate literature, writing, and performance.

This year’s NYS Writers Hall of Fame inductees were chosen by a selection committee: Barbara Genco, retired librarian from Brooklyn Public Library and Editor of Collection Management at Media Source; Paul Grondahl, Director of the New York State Writers Institute; Brian Kenney, Director of the White Plains Public Library; Stefanie Peters, Editor, Library of America; Lisa Lucas, Executive Director, National Book Foundation; Kathleen Masterson, Director of the Literature and Theatre Programs, New York State Council on the Arts; Ira B. Matetsky Esq., Partner, Ganfer, Shore, Leeds & Zauderer; Christine McDonald, retired director, Crandall Library in Glens Falls; Andrew Medlar, Director, Brooklyn & New York Public Libraries BookOps; Bertha Rogers, Creator, New York State Literary website and map; Will Schwalbe, Author and Journalist; Cynthia Shor, Executive Director of the Walt Whitman Birthplace Association; and Rocco Staino, Director of the Empire State Center for the Book.

For additional information on the Empire State Center for the Book and the New York State Writers Hall of Fame, please contact Rocco Staino at rocco.staino@gmail.com or 914-475-3857.