Alexander Bostic is a nationally recognized illustrator, painter, art professor, and author with nearly 50 years of experience, known for his contributions to children’s literature and the visual art world. His recent picture books include Free at Last: A Juneteenth Poem and Small Shoes, Great Strides. Bostic’s vibrant realist paintings, often depicting everyday life and the human figure, explore themes such as hope, resilience, and identity. Some of his most widely recognized recent works are his portraits of Edmonia Lewis, James Armistead, and Thomas Paine that were featured in stamp series commissioned by the U.S. Postal Service. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in illustration from Pratt Institute and a Master of Arts in illustration from Syracuse University. He has exhibited widely, and his works — illustrations and paintings — are held in public and private collections. He has taught at Pratt Institute, Kansas City Art Institute, Woodbury University, Virginia Commonwealth University, and in 2010 joined the Department of Art at Mississippi State University, where he became one of the university’s most celebrated art professors and received a Distinguished Educator Award in 2023. He emphasizes hands-on mentorship, echoing the early guidance that shaped his own development, and his students include Caldecott-winning illustrator Kadir Nelson.