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Nebraska Authors

Lela Knox Shanks

Born 1927-09-16 Oklahoma City, OK (USA)

Died 2011-10-24
Lincoln, NE (USA)

Buried
Lincoln, NE (USA)
Cremated

Lela Knox Shanks lived in Lincoln from 1965 to her death. Shanks cites as her influences her African-American heritage, her work in the 1960s civil rights movements, her parents, and her spiritual mentors. She was one of Lincoln, Nebraska's most respected civil rights leaders. Late in life she came to write about care-giving when her husband suffered from Alzheimers.

Places Lived

Lincoln, NE: 1965-2011
Oklahoma City, OK
St. Louis, MO
Jefferson City, MO
Chicago, IL
Denver, CO
Kansas City, KS

Author Of

  • Nonfiction
  • Poetry
  • Journalism

Keywords

Civil Rights; Social Activism; Social Commentary; Alzheimer's; Caregiving; Essays; Editorial

Education

Bachelor of Science Degree in Journalism, 1949, Lincoln University, Jefferson City, MO

Occupation

Reporter
Independent Scholar and Lecturer
Civil Rights Activist
Regional Field Supervisor
Writer

Places Worked

Chicago Defender
St. Louis Argus

Department of Labor

Honors

John H. Ames Reading Series, Featured Reader, 17 April 1997
NAACP Achievement Awards for Literature, 1997
YWCA Tribute to Women, 1997
Alice Paul Award
Lenora Letcher Community Award
Coalition for Older Adult Health Promotion Award
Caregiver of the Year Award

Associations

Activist Eric Shanks is her son

Bibliography

Your Name Is Hughes Hannibal Shanks. 1996.

Lela Knox Shanks' April 1997 Ames Reading Series presentation:

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(e.g. Author is buried in Fremont, not in David City / Also wrote for the Daily Nebraskan during her time as a student)