James Alan McPherson, first black writer to win Pulitzer Prize in fiction, dies

American author James Alan McPherson passed away on 27 July 2016 in Iowa City, U.S. He was 72. McPherson was the first black author to receive the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1978. Born on 16 September 1943, James Alan McPherson was an American short story writer and essayist.  In 1978, he won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction for his short story collection Elbow Room, becoming the first African-American to

win the Pulitzer for fiction. He was the recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship in 1981.

• In 1995, he was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

• In 2000, John Updike selected his short story Gold Coast for his collection Best American Short Stories of the Century.

• In October 2011, he was honoured as the inaugural recipient of the Paul Engle Award from the Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature.

• He was also a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship.

James Alan McPherson, first black writer to win Pulitzer Prize in fiction, dies ,  Paul Engle Award from the Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature.  Guggenheim Fellowship. Pulitzer Prize for fiction for his short story collection Elbow Room