Deborah Hopkinson's History
In addition to the writer bio that appears on this website, I wanted to tell you a little bit about myself.
I was a kid who loved to read. And I always wanted to be a writer. Although I don’t write directly about my own life, my books reflect what I care about. I grew up in Lowell, Massachusetts, the oldest of three girls. In the 1800s, the city was at the center of the Industrial Revolution. Maybe that’s how I got my interest in history – even though I didn’t realize it right away.
I did wonder why there were so few stories of women and African Americans in my history textbooks. So a lot of my stories are about amazing people who might not be well known. I’ve written about astronomer Maria Mitchell in Maria’s Comet, Ella Sheppard Moore and the Fisk University Jubilee Singers in A Band of Angels, and Henderson Luelling, who brought apple trees across the Oregon Trail in Apples to Oregon.
I met my husband, Andy, who is now the winemaker at Ankeny Vineyard in Salem, when I was at the University of Hawaii for my master’s degree, and we have two grown children, Rebekah and Dimitri.
In addition to writing, visiting schools, and speaking at conferences, I have a full time job. I was the first person in my family to go to college, and education is important to me. So for many years I’ve worked in philanthropy as an advancement (fundraising) professional for colleges and universities. Today I serve as vice president for advancement for Pacific Northwest College of Art in Portland, Oregon.
I love researching new ideas and projects – and enjoy hearing from teachers, librarians, and readers of all ages! Do you have an idea for me or need a speaker for your school or conference? Contact me at deborahhopkinson@yahoo.com.
