ABSTRACT
Steptoe was born in Brooklyn, New York. From early childhood he drew pictures and told stories to go along with them. He attended the New York High School of Art and Design, and studied with painter Norman Lewis. Recognition of his talents began with his first published book, Stevie, written and published when he was sixteen years old. It received outstanding critical acclaim for depicting a Black inner city child’s experiences in Black dialog and simple illustrations. It appeared in its entirety in Life magazine, hailed as “a new kind of book for Black children.”
