Judith Black is an American professional storyteller, who has toured internationally, telling stories to a wide ranging audience in the United States, Europe, and the Near East. She has produced thirteen CDs, and won a variety of awards, such as the coveted Oracle Award. Her work has been featured in venues such as the Smithsonian Institution and the Montreal Comedy Festival, and has been featured seven times at the National Storytelling Festival. In addition she has produced a variety of seminars and workshops for storytellers. She has been commissioned by the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Public Radio, religious institutions, and non-profit organisations to create original stories that strengthen their respective missions. Black studied education at Wheelock College, and drama at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She has also worked as an actress and founded the Three Apples Storytelling Festival. During her 24-year tenure as an adjunct professor with the Lesley University Graduate School, Black developed and implemented instruction in the use of storytelling to extend cognitive, curricular, social and emotional objectives in the educational setting. Black has also been instrumental in introducing story slams in Amsterdam, Finland, and Sweden, emphasising personal experience and authenticity in shaping stories for public telling. Reception Black was inducted into the National Storytelling Network's Circle of Excellence "for exceptional commitment and exemplary contribution to the art of storytelling." This award is offered to "artists who are recognized nationally by their peers to be master storytellers who set the standards for excellence." Black's contribution to storytelling comes in several forms, including commissioned work for the Disney Institute and the Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities, as well as presentations at the National Storytelling Festival, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Hillel International Leaders Assembly, and the National Museum of American History. She has won numerous awards and citations, such as the Oracle Award, the Gold Medal for Family Entertainer of the Year, and the National Youth Storytelling Pegasus Award. Black's publications can be found in Storytelling Magazine, The Yarnspinner, Journal of Reading, Chosen Tales: Stories Told by Jewish Storytellers, and Chicken Soup for the Single Soul. Notable reviews include a variety of media outlets, including: The Boston Globe: "For a wicked good time, see Judith Black's Banned in the Western Suburbs ... Black's lively presentation is more of a one woman show than a session of storytelling." The Boston Phoenix: "Her sympathetic persona