A Conversation With Erroll McDonald: Literacy Partners’ Distinguished Leadership in Literacy Award Recipient
Erroll McDonald at the Literacy Partners Gala (Courtesy of Instagram, @litpartners)
Literacy Partners recently hosted its Evening of Readings and Gala Dinner at Chelsea Piers’ Pier Sixty in New York City, bringing together literary, philanthropic, and civic leaders to celebrate the transformative power of literacy. Penguin Random House, a supporter of Literacy Partners and the annual gala since 1996, sponsored the event and donated books which were included in attendees’ gift bags.
At the gala, Oprah Winfrey presented the Distinguished Leadership in Literacy Award to our very own Erroll McDonald, Vice President & Executive Editor at Knopf. Literacy Partners honored individuals whose leadership and service reflect the organization’s mission to advance literacy two generations at a time.
Erroll was among an impressive group of honorees, including Cynthia McFadden Award-winning anchor and correspondent; Neil deGrasse Tyson, renowned astrophysicist; and Bob Woodward, investigative journalist. Throughout his career, Erroll has uplifted a diverse range of voices of acclaimed authors including Toni Morrison, Salman Rushdie, and Harold Bloom.
Erroll McDonald shared his experience being honored at the Literacy Partners Gala, how he was introduced to the publishing industry, and his most memorable career moments to date.
Q: What brought you into the publishing industry?
A: That’s a question I thought about that night [at the Literacy Partners Gala]. The recognition was not so much for me as it was for the three mentors who were key to my formation as an editor.
Those mentors were long-time editorial director, Jason Epstein, Toni Morrison, of course, and Albert Murray, a writer who played an important role in my life. Toni was the one who originally got me the job as an editorial assistant here, after meeting at Yale through a mutual friend.
Q: What does it mean to you to receive the Distinguished Leadership in Literacy Award?
A: [Said with a smile on his face] It means perhaps I haven’t wasted my time in publishing for so many decades.
Q: The Distinguished Leadership in Literacy Award honors your career and the impact you’ve made. Do you have any stand-out moments that come to mind when you think back on your career so far?
A: In 1986, Wole Soyinka was the first African writer to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in Stockholm. [As Wole Soyinka’s editor], I went to Stockholm for the first time. In that moment, the idea of recognition for major writers around the world was concretized for me. It fired my commitment to this kind of work.
Q: Are there moments from the Literacy Partners Gala that will stick with you?
A: To hear a highly intelligent and charming man talk about recently learning to read and the importance of that achievement. The statistics are astonishing for the number of people who are illiterate because of a lack of opportunities.
The mission of Literacy Partners spoke to me because I grew up in an immigrant family in Brooklyn, and not everyone in that family was literate. Being at the gala, I felt as if I’ve come a ways, so to speak.
Congratulations to Erroll on this incredible achievement!
Watch Erroll’s speech at the Literacy Partners Gala:
To learn more about the Literacy Partners Gala, check out the press highlights below:
Since 1973, Literacy Partners has provided free, high-quality literacy education to more than 25,000 adults and families through its two-generation approach. Its unique programs empower adults, parents and caregivers to create success for themselves and the children in their care by building adult capabilities and improving child outcomes. Learn more here.