Read These Books With Your Kids During (and After) Black History Month
As we said earlier , one of the best ways to teach children to empathize is through fiction. I don’t remember any classroom lectures or black history lessons, but I do remember reading Thunder Rumble Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor with 9-year-old Cassie Logan, who grew up during the Great Depression. faces personal and institutional racism almost every day.
If you want to help your kids and teens reach Black History Month’s goals – celebrate the accomplishments and recognize the role of blacks in America – here are some expert-recommended books and writings that can help.
Underground Railroad: Escape to Freedom andEscaped Path: Escape to Freedom on the Underground Railroad
When Janus Adams, an Emmy-winning journalist, writer and historian saw that her twin daughters and their friends lacked “materials that respect them like girls and boys from different backgrounds,” she launched BackPax , a children’s media company which publishes books. audio and board games for children aged 9 and older.
” Underground Railroad ” and “Steal Away ” are two of her favorite explored recordings that were recorded on site.
“The audio for the two titles was recorded locally along the tracks of the underground railways from northern Virginia to Canada,” says Adams. “We even spent the afternoon with Harriet Tubman’s great-niece, who showed us her six-year-old photograph at Tubman’s funeral in 1913.”
” Under One Sun ” by Sharon Robinson
Adams also recommends ” Under one sun “, a story for children 5-8 years old Surprise grandma Bibi on its 85 – anniversary of the safari in the Serengeti national park, “And in the bitter-sweet moment on the ruins of the old slave port. , Bibi’s grandchildren, born in Africa, come to find out what happened to their ancestors, who went on a slave ship to America, ”reads the book’s description.
“ Promises to keep: Jackie Robinson changed America ,” Sharon Robinson
For older children, ages 9-14, Adams offers Keeping Promises , a story told by his daughter, American sports legend and civil rights activist Jackie Robinson.
” Be Boy Buzz ” by Bell Hooks
“I’ll be a boy. Bliss everyone, boy. Everything is hitting normally. That’s it, handsome. Excellent, ”the story says. The rhythm and poetry of Kryukov’s story for children 5-6 years old is told in a visual haiku with beautiful, captivating illustrations.
But Paula Ash, a writer and educator at Purdue University in Fort Wayne, points to a deeper meaning: “The ode to black adolescence of a black feminist is a lyrical and thoughtful exploration of multifaceted masculinity,” she says.
Every Little Thing by Sedella Marley
This book for children ages 5-6 is based on the song “Three Birds” by Bob Marley (the author’s father) and “offers a delightful story of positivity and hope,” says Ash.
“ Whose knees are these? »Jabari Asim
Ideal for children between 2 and 4 years old. “Asim’s adorable story of toddler’s knees is a delight to read based on the value of black boys.”
“The Hate You Give Up ” by Angie Thomas
This book for children 12 and older is about a young black girl trying to fit in two cultures while she deals with her girlfriend being shot by the police – and she’s the only witness.
“The perfect moment is when she finally finds her voice and speaks to a large group about her feelings and understands who she really is and what really matters to her,” says Matthew Shank, Senior Lecturer at Kent State. University. “It’s a tough book about current problems, but great for teens of all races to read.”
Shank also notes that for teens who love movies more than books, the movie released last year is a great adaptation.
“It removes some of the clichés of youth,” says Shank, who also teaches literature to youth and children. “And the girl who plays the lead is amazing.”
” March Forward, Girl: From Young Warrior to Nine of Little Rock ” by Melba Pattillo Beals
Beals was one of the Nine Little Rock, a group of black students who entered Little Rock Central High School, which was formerly all white, in 1957. In her story, Beals writes about how the Clansmen hanged a man at a prayer meeting and how she was nearly raped as a teenager after being unknowingly brought to a KKK meeting.
“The adults in her life wanted her to be silent out of fear, but she refused: she knew there was a future in which she could live freely,” reads a list of 40 inspiring books about girls and women defending civil rights from A Mighty Girl. Movement .
15 Years On The Road To Freedom: My Story of Selma’s March for Suffrage , Linda Blackmon Lowry
Lowry’s memoir – full of hope and optimism – recounts her teenage protest in Selma. She was the youngest to attend Selma’s voting rights march, and by the time she was 15, she had been arrested 11 times and imprisoned.
“While she does not shy away from the reality of what the protesters faced, she emphasizes that she endured these ordeals to change American history for the better,” reports A Mighty Girl .
Little Leaders: Brave Women in Black History by Vashty Harrison
” Little Leaders, ” the first in a series for children ages 8-11, is an easy-to-read narrative of 40 black women leaders , ”said Natasha Macpherson, assistant professor of history at the University of California, Riverside. Plus, his illustrations are beautiful and engaging.
Never Caught: The Story of Ona Judge (Young Reader Edition) by Erica Armstrong Dunbar and Kathleen Van Cleave
The children’s version of Dunbar’s famous book on Ona Judge, Never Caught : Relentless Pursuit of Their Fugitive Slave, She Is Judge in Washington, details the story of an enslaved woman belonging to George and Martha Washington.
Judge boldly fled and escaped capture for the rest of her life. “The book is beautifully written and adapted for young readers between the ages of 9 and 13,” says McPherson, whose research specialties include African American history and the development of black families and communities.
Underground: Seeking Light to Freedom by Shane W. Evans.
Metro tells the story of a family who used the underground railroad on their way to freedom. Although this book is written simply for early readers, McPherson says, the book conveys historical narrative well and includes compelling illustrations.