Men To Watch Awards 2026 honors Julius B. Anthony
Julius B. Anthony inspires children to read. He is the founder of St. Louis Black Authors of Children’s Literature and The Believe Projects®. Mr. Anthony emphasizes the importance of third grade reading proficiency, representation in literature, and helping kids access stories that reflect their lived experiences. The Believe Projects® operates in 35 preschools, 14 elementary schools, and 1 middle school, supporting 6,000 students throughout metropolitan St. Louis, Missouri.
The Believe Projects has received national recognition and Mr. Anthony has received several awards for his work, such as the Children’s Education Alliance of Missouri’s IDEA Award (2019); Enduring Ideas 2020 Award from The Reinvention Lab at Teach for America; Nike, Inc. Black Community Commitment Award in Education Innovation (2022), Celebrating Literacy Award from the International Literacy Association (2023); Global Tassels Community Innovator Award (2023), FOCUS St. Louis What’s Right With the Region Award (2023), National English Honor Society Literacy Initiative Award (2024), Iota Phi Lambda Sorority Inc. Emerald Award (2024), the Metro Area Professionals Organization, Humanitarian in Education Honor (2025); and When Singers Meet Inc, Sacred Music Sacred People Community Service Award (2026).
Julius is also the author of Me! Ten Poetic Affirmations (2014), a poetry collection for children to discover courage, power, hope, and self-love. Julius B. Anthony serves on various boards, including, St. Louis Regional Literacy Association, Books for Newborns, Metro Theater Company, and Riverview Gardens Education Foundation. Julius is also a 2022 Camelback Ventures Fellow, Howard University and Clark Atlanta University graduate.
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