Octavia Butler, born on June 22, 1947, in Pasadena, California, grew up under the care of her mother and grandmother after her father’s death when she was seven. Immersed in a strict Baptist environment, she developed a love for reading fantasy books at the Pasadena Central Library, which eventually inspired her to start writing as a teenager. After completing high school, Butler balanced work during the day with attending Pasadena City College at night. Her talent as a writer emerged when she won a short-story contest as a freshman, marking her first income from writing. Encouraged by her participation in the Open Door Workshop, she decided to attend the Clarion Workshop, which specialized in science fiction and was held in Pennsylvania at the time. This experience led to the sale of her first stories, “Childfinder” and “Crossover.” In the late 1970s, Butler’s success as an author allowed her to pursue writing full-time. Her books and short stories garnered positive attention from the public, resulting in numerous awards. In 1984, her short story “Speech Sounds” won the Hugo Award, followed by her collection of essays titled “Bloodchild,” which received the Hugo Award, the Locus Award, and the Science Fiction Chronicle Reader Award for Best Novelette in 1985. In 1995, she made history as the first science-fiction writer to receive a John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation fellowship. Alongside her writing career, Butler regularly taught at the Clarion’s Science Fiction Writers’ Workshop. In recognition of her contributions, she was inducted into Chicago State University’s International Black Writers Hall of Fame in 2005. On February 24, 2006, at the age of 58, Butler passed away outside her home in Lake Forest Park, Washington. Throughout her life, she maintained a strong connection with the Huntington Library, and in her will, she bequeathed her papers, including manuscripts, correspondence, school papers, notebooks, and photographs, to the library.
