CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. — A Virginia State University assistant professor and chair of the Languages and Literature department is celebrating a national honor.

Dr. Latorial Faison’s new book, “Nursery Rhymes in Black,” was just nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in poetry.

Her book re-imagines familiar childhood rhymes through the lens of Black history and being raised by her grandparents and in the church in Southampton County.

Dr. Faison started working on her poetic recollection of race, roots, culture, and identity shortly after her grandmother’s death in 2008.

In addition to her grandparents, she credits trailblazers like Dr. Joanne Gabbin, Judy Juanita, Glenis Redmond, Trudier Harris, Cedric Tillman, Gwendolyn Brooks, Lucille Clifton, and Nikki Giovanni for her success.

“When I gre

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