When did armstrong sperry die



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These pages are dedicated to the life and work of Armstrong Wells Sperry, my maternal grandfather (b. Nov. 7, 1897, d. April 26, 1976), who received the American Library Association's John Newbery Medal [off-site link] in 1941 for the most distinguished American children's book published in 1940: Call It Courage.

These pages link to pages about nearly every individual book. I am planning to add information about foreign-language editions as I locate them (See the Dutch edition of Coconut!) and more about his early career as an illustrator.

Sperry, Armstrong, 1897-1976

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Dates

Biography

Armstrong W. Sperry was born on November 7, 1897 in New Haven, Connecticut. Sperry was an American writer and illustrator of children's literature. His books include historical fiction and biography, often set on sailing ships, and stories of boys from Polynesia, Asia and indigenous American cultures. He is best known for his 1941 Newbery Medal-winning book "Call It Courage." Sperry died on April 26, 1976.

Found in 1 Collection or Record:

Armstrong Sperry manuscripts

 Collection

Identifier: MS-360

MS-360

Date(s): 1942 to 1954

Abstract

Armstrong Sperry (1897-1976), writer. The collection contains typescripts of two of his novels, "No Brighter Glory" (1942), and "Rain Forest" (1947), the latter with extensive handwritten corrections and illustrations, as well as a letter from Harold G. Rugg and a letter from Herbert F. West.

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The True Biographical Facts

I have read a variety of brief biographies -- and autobiographies -- of my grandfather, Armstrong Wells Sperry, which I have posted verbatim at this website, but frankly, they have all been less than accurate. This is a timeline of his early career, as derived from the records of the Yale Alumni Office, the Art Students League, ship passenger lists, and private correspondence from various sources. When I have a confirmation of the dates of his service in the Navy, and where he studied in Paris, I will add it.

There is anecdotal evidence that he studied at the Académie Colarossi (10 rue de la Grande-Chaumière, Paris), which closed in 1930, its archives apparently destroyed by Madame Colarossi, wife of the school's founder. I have not been able to prove that he attended, however.

DatesDescriptionSource
Jan. 23, 1894Capt. Sereno Dwight Armstrong, Armstrong Sperry's great-grandfather, died in New Haven, CTNew Haven Vital Records
Nov. 7, 1897Armstrong Wells Sperry born to Sereno Clark Sperry, Sr. & N

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