Support of Education selected him as the Massachusetts State Professor of the Year 1986. Creative endeavors In addition to performing songs and recording albums, Lester wrote eight nonfiction books, 31 children's books, one book of poetry and photographs (with David Gahr), and three adult novels. His first book was an instructional guide to playing the 12-string guitar, co-authored with Pete Seeger. Among the awards his books received were the Newbery Honor, Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, Coretta Scott King Award, National Book Award finalist, ALA Notable Book, National Jewish Book Award finalist, National Book Critics Circle Honor Book, and the New York Times Outstanding Book Award. His books have been translated into eight languages. He published more than 200 essays and book and film reviews for such publications as The New York Times Book Review, The New York Times Op-Ed page, The Boston Globe, Village Voice, The New Republic, Sing Out!, Moment, Forward and Dissent. His photographs have been included in an exhibit of images from the civil rights movement at the Smithsonian Institution. He had solo shows at the University of Massachusetts Student Union Gallery, the Forbes Library, Northampton, Mass., Valley Photo Center, Springfield, Mass., and the Robert Floyd Photography Gallery, Southampton, Mass. Death Lester died of complications from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on January 18, 2018, after a brief hospitalization. Written works The Folksinger's Guide to the 12-String Guitar as Played by Leadbelly, Lester and Pete Seeger (1965) Look Out, Whitey! Black Power Gon' Get Your Mama (1968) To Be a Slave (1968) Search for the New Land (1969) Revolutionary Notes (1969) Black Folktales (1969) The Seventh Son: The Thoughts and Writings of W. E. B. DuBois (1971) Two Love Stories (1972) Long Journey Home: Stories from Black History (1972) The Knee-High Man and Other Tales, illustrations by Ralph Pinto (1972) Who I Am, photographs by David Gahr (1974) All Is Well (1976) This Strange New Feeling (1982) Do Lord Remember Me (1984) The Tales of Uncle Remus: The Adventures of Brer Rabbit, illus. Jerry Pinkney (1987) Lovesong: Becoming a Jew (1988) More Tales of Uncle Remus: Further Adventures of Brer Rabbit, His Friends, Enemies, and Others, illus. Jerry Pinkney (1988) How Many Spots Does a Leopard Have? And Other Tales, illus. David Shannon (1989) Further Tales of Uncle Remus: The Misadventures of Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox, Brer Wolf, the Doodang, and Other Creatures, illus. Jerry Pinkney (1990)