Teaching Black History Through Books
Caribbean Life, FEBRUARY 5-11, 2021 35
By Terri Schlichenmeyer
When you’re a kid, there are
so many things to learn.
Someone has to teach you
your A-B-Cs, and to count to a
hundred. You have to learn to
tie a knot and set the table and
stay safe. And this month, you
should learn more about Black
History, and that can be fun
with these great books…
For the littlest reader ages 3
to 5, “The ABCs of Black History”
by Rio Cortez, illustrated by
Lauren Semmer is a great way
to start the lesson. This most
fundamental book includes holidays,
cities, people, and music
that forms the base of Black History,
in colorful drawings and a
format that’s fun.
Slightly older kids ages 4
to about 7 — those who still
love picture books — will want
“Stompin’ at the Savoy” by
Moira Rose Donohue, illustrated
by Laura Freeman, which is
a book about the life of famed
drummer Chick Webb; or “Life
As You Climb: The Story of Ella
Baker” by Patricia Hruby Powell
and R. Gregory Christie, the tale
of activist Baker and her inspirational
work.
Also look for “The Teacher’s
March! How Selma’s Teachers
Changed History” by Sandra
Neil Wallace and Rich Wallace,
illustrated by Charly Palmer. It’s
the story of Reverend F. D. Reese
and his co-workers in Selma,
Alabama, in 1965.
For middle graders, “This is
Your Time” by Ruby Bridges
is a quick but impactful book,
perfect for Black History Month.
Bridges, of course, is a Civil
Rights worker and this is the
story of her life, and the day she
was six years old and was escorted
by federal marshals, a little
Black girl heading to a white
school. Her tale will inspire
young readers to help create
justice in their classrooms and
neighborhoods.
Also for older kids ages 12
and up, “Ida B. The Queen” by
Michelle Duster looks like it
might be a storybook. The truth
is that it is a story — it’s a bunch
of stories, in fact — first, of Ida
B. Wells, crusader, writer, and
suffragist, but not just her. The
book is also about the people
she inspired, the singers, lawmakers,
inventors, thinkers, and
others. Keep in mind that this
is a big book, with lots of sidebars
in a skinny cover; having a
bookmark and notebook nearby
might be handy.
And finally, for high school
readers, “Separate No More: The
Long Road to Brown v. Board
of Education” by Lawrence
Goldstone begins more than
100 years ago with a landmark
ruling on education for Black
citizens and ends with another
one that turned the first one
upside down. Not just a story
of an event, though, this book
also looks at the people involved:
judges, parents, teachers, politicians,
citizens, and students who
merely wanted to go to school.
If these books don’t quite fit
your child’s interests, ask your
librarian or bookseller for ideas.
There’s sure to be a book that
you and your child will love to
read and share because, when it
comes to Black History, there’s
really so much to learn.
Black History Books for
Kids ages 3 to 18
Various authors and
illustrators,
Prices ranging from
$14.95 to $27.00
Covers of Black History books suitable for children. Photo by Terri Schlichenmeyer
Ingrid Griffith portrays Shirley Chisholm in ‘Unbossed & Unbowed’
By Tangerine Clarke
Guyanese born actress
Ingrid Griffith, a Caribbean
Life Impact Award recipient,
pays tribute to late Congresswoman
Shirley Chisholm in
“Unbossed & Unbowed,” a solo
show streaming On-Demand
through Feb. 28, at www.tinyurl.
com/unbossedunbowed in
celebration of Black History
Month.
The presentation will
include Griffith’s various characters
during a general access
viewing for a donation of $15,
and VIP Access including a
Q&A segment, for a $25.00
donation. Tickets are available
at www.stellartickets.com.
Griffith’s one-woman satirical
drama “Demerara Gold”
about growing up in Guyana
and the United States, which
made her a phenomenal success,
is still being raved about
as the multi-talented performer,
playwright, and instructor
continues her streak of soldout
shows across the United
States and Guyana.
Audiences will be educated
about Shirley Chisholm’s
life and legacy. She played
an instrumental role in the
struggle to make MLK Day a
national holiday, an element
of her political contribution
Griffith will depict.
Shirley Anita Chisholm was
an American politician, educator,
and author. In 1968,
she became the first Black
woman elected to the United
States Congress, representing
New York’s 12th congressional
district for seven terms
from 1969 to 1983. In the
1972 United States presidential
election, she became the
first African-American candidate
for a major party’s nomination
for President of the
United States, and the first
woman to run for the Democratic
Party’s presidential
nomination.
For 15 years after King’s
assassination, racists in the
House & Senate obstructed
the legislation, however,
Chisholm helped keep the legislation
alive until it was finally
signed into law in 1983.
Chisholm, who was born to
a factory laborer from Guyana,
and a seamstress from Barbados,
accepted a 1970 petition
to Congress to designate Martin
Luther King Day a holiday,
and maintained a tradition of
commemorating King’s legacy
every year on college campuses
throughout the nation,
will be brought to life in this
moving tribute.
Griffith, who teaches Public
Speaking and Civic Engagement
in the Communication
and Theatre Arts Department,
received her Bachelor’s
Degree in English in 2005 and
a Master’s Degree in Creative
Writing in 2009 from The City
University of New York.
For more information,
click on: www.tinyurl.com/
unbossedunbowed.
Actress Ingrid Griffi th in her
portrayal of Shirley Chisholm
in “Unbossed & Unbowed” -
a one woman, On-Demand
show.
Greg Donaldson
/www.stellartickets.com
/unbossedunbowed
/unbossedunbowed
/unbossedunbowed
/
/www.stellartickets.com
/
