Jim Haskins exhibit opens in special collections gallery
The exhibit Jim Haskins: the professor, the writer, and the activist is open in the University of Florida Special Collections gallery on the second floor of Smathers Library through March 15, 2008. The gallery is open 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and is free and open to the public. Haskins (1941-2005) was a University of Florida English professor and prolific author, who wrote a book that inspired creators of the 1984 movie The Cotton Club. Included in the exhibit are all of his 150 books along with notes, awards and personal items from the collections of the George A. Smathers Libraries.
Haskins’ books covered numerous diverse subjects. Many of his books are non-fiction works for children but he also put African American history and experiences into his novels. The languages he wrote in were also diverse, from black dialect to Italian and Spanish.
His experience as a special education teacher in a Harlem public school led to his first book, Diary of a Harlem Schoolteacher. He later worked as a stock trader and then taught in several New York colleges and at Indiana University before joining UF's English department in 1977. Haskins was one of the founders of African-American studies at UF and he commuted between New York and Gainesville.
Haskins alternated between his roles as a professor, a scholar, a writer, an activist and an inspiration to other young African American students but through it all it was said that he always maintained a dignity and quiet intelligence which was noted and respected by those who knew him.
