Elsie B. Washington
Encyclopedia
Elsie Bernice Washington (December 28, 1942 – May 5, 2009) was an American
author whose 1980 work Entwined Destinies has been considered the first romance novel
written by an African-American author featuring African-American characters.
, graduating with a bachelor's degree.
, Life
and Newsweek
.
Her one and only novel, Entwined Destinies, was published by Dell Publishing
in 1980 under the pen name Rosalind Welles as the 575th in its "Candlelight Romance" series of books. The book tells the story of a female African-American magazine reporter who finds true love with an African-American oil executive. The book was described as "the first known romance featuring African-American characters written by an African-American author" in a 2002 issue of Black Issues Book Review
. By the time of Washington's death, several imprints were devoted to black romance novels, featuring books by authors such as Rochelle Alers
, Beverly Jenkins and Sandra Kitt
.
In 1996, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
called Washington the "mother of the African-American romance", setting the groundwork for a revolution in ethnic romance novels. Washington's book was the first "ethnic romance", a category conceived by Vivian Stevens, an African-American editor at Dell, viewing the book as the first of other such books also aimed at Native American
s and Chinese American
s. The company published 125,000 copies of Washington's novel, primarily distributed in cities on the East Coast
with large African-American populations.
Washington also wrote two works of non-fiction, her 1974 book Sickle Cell Anemia, co-written with Anthony Cerami
, and the Uncivil War: The Struggle Between Black Men and Women, published in 1996. A 1998 article she wrote for Essence magazine received notice after she criticized the trend of African Americans who comported to "white standards of beauty" through the use of tinted contact lenses and other techniques.
A resident of Yonkers, New York
, Washington died in Manhattan
at age 66 on May 5, 2009 due to multiple sclerosis
and cancer
. She was survived by her parents and a brother.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author whose 1980 work Entwined Destinies has been considered the first romance novel
Romance novel
The romance novel is a literary genre developed in Western culture, mainly in English-speaking countries. Novels in this genre place their primary focus on the relationship and romantic love between two people, and must have an "emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending." Through the late...
written by an African-American author featuring African-American characters.
Early life and education
Washington was born in New York on December 28, 1942 to Samuel Washington and Kathleen Peterson Erby. She majored in English at the City College of New YorkCity College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York is a senior college of the City University of New York , in New York City. It is also the oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning...
, graduating with a bachelor's degree.
Career
After completing college, she worked as a writer, and later as an editor, for several publications, including The New York Post, EssenceEssence (magazine)
Essence is a monthly magazine for African-American women between the ages of 18 and 49. The magazine covers fashion, lifestyle and beauty with an intimate girlfriend-to-girlfriend tone.-History:...
, Life
Life (magazine)
Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
and Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
.
Her one and only novel, Entwined Destinies, was published by Dell Publishing
Dell Publishing
Dell Publishing, an American publisher of books, magazines and comic books, was founded in 1921 by George T. Delacorte, Jr.During the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s, Dell was one of the largest publishers of magazines, including pulp magazines. Their line of humor magazines included 1000 Jokes, launched in...
in 1980 under the pen name Rosalind Welles as the 575th in its "Candlelight Romance" series of books. The book tells the story of a female African-American magazine reporter who finds true love with an African-American oil executive. The book was described as "the first known romance featuring African-American characters written by an African-American author" in a 2002 issue of Black Issues Book Review
Black Issues Book Review
Black Issues Book Review was a bimonthly magazine published in the U.S. in which books of interest to African-American readers were reviewed. It was published from 1999 through 2007....
. By the time of Washington's death, several imprints were devoted to black romance novels, featuring books by authors such as Rochelle Alers
Rochelle Alers
Rochelle Alers is an American writer of romance novels. She has also written under the pen names Susan James and Rena McLeary.-Biography:...
, Beverly Jenkins and Sandra Kitt
Sandra Kitt
Sandra Kitt is an African-American author of contemporary romance novels. Her works have frequently made it to Essence magazine's "Black Board" bestseller lists.-Early years:...
.
In 1996, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is a daily morning broadsheet printed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. It is the primary newspaper in Milwaukee, the largest newspaper in Wisconsin and is distributed widely throughout the state...
called Washington the "mother of the African-American romance", setting the groundwork for a revolution in ethnic romance novels. Washington's book was the first "ethnic romance", a category conceived by Vivian Stevens, an African-American editor at Dell, viewing the book as the first of other such books also aimed at Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
s and Chinese American
Chinese American
Chinese Americans represent Americans of Chinese descent. Chinese Americans constitute one group of overseas Chinese and also a subgroup of East Asian Americans, which is further a subgroup of Asian Americans...
s. The company published 125,000 copies of Washington's novel, primarily distributed in cities on the East Coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
with large African-American populations.
Washington also wrote two works of non-fiction, her 1974 book Sickle Cell Anemia, co-written with Anthony Cerami
Anthony Cerami
-Biography:Anthony Cerami is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Medicine. He is the founder and Chairman of the Board of Warren Pharmaceuticals, and the founder and chairman of the Board and CEO of Araim Pharmaceuticals. He received a Ph.D...
, and the Uncivil War: The Struggle Between Black Men and Women, published in 1996. A 1998 article she wrote for Essence magazine received notice after she criticized the trend of African Americans who comported to "white standards of beauty" through the use of tinted contact lenses and other techniques.
A resident of Yonkers, New York
Yonkers, New York
Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
, Washington died in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
at age 66 on May 5, 2009 due to multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
and cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
. She was survived by her parents and a brother.