Angie Thomas

About

Angela Thomas (born September 20, 1988) is an American young adult author, known for her contributions to young adult fiction. She gained international recognition for her novel The Hate U Give (2017) which addresses police violence and racism. Her second young adult novel, On the Come Up, was released on February 25, 2019. Her most recent novel, Concrete Rose, was released on January 12, 2021.

== Early life ==
Angie Thomas was born on September 20, 1988, in Jackson, Mississippi, where she was raised.
Thomas was subject to multiple instances of gun violence at a young age. She grew up near the home of assassinated civil rights activist, Medgar Evers, stating that her mother heard the gunshot that had killed him. When she was 6 years old, Thomas witnessed a shootout between gangs.
In an interview with The Guardian, she recounted how her mother took her to the library the following day to show her that, “There was more to the world than what [Thomas] saw that day.” This inspired her to take up writing.
In her adolescence, Thomas shared her skills as a rapper, although her career in music was short-lived. She was, however, the subject of an article in Right On! magazine. Thomas went on…