February is Black History Month when we honor those who braved and still brave the worst part of our country.
Here are some readings to get you and your family started:
Little Ones
MyFirst board book, Ella Fitzgerald: Little People, Big Dreams.
Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996), world-renowned jazz singer or the “Queen of Jazz.” Follow her as she gets her start singing in her early childhood days to her first singing gig, then to her going on to win awards like the National Medal of Arts!
Did you know that so much of the music we listen to today like Blues, Jazz, and Hip-Hop are created by Black people and inspired by Black culture?
I Promise by LeBron James.
Three-time NBA Champion, LeBron James wrote a children’s book filled with encouragement and self-esteem boosting reminders like “success starts with YOU.” This book was inspired by James’ I PROMISE School in Akron, Ohio. He motivates us to strive for greatness by promising to be the best version of ourselves and to never give up!
“I promise to use my voice to stand up for what’s right. And when things get tough, to keep up the fight.”
Visit www.LeBronJames.com for more information about his legacy and his family.
Kiddos
Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison.
“Meet the Little Leaders. They’re brave. They’re bold. They changed the world.”
This book features 40 trailblazing Black Women in American history from Harriet Tubman, an abolitionist, to Alma Woodsey Thomas, a teacher and a painter.
Read their biographies and see how they broke boundaries and achieved such glorious things! Find heroes and role models in well-known, famous Black Women like Angela Davis and in everyday women who did extraordinary things! They all deserve recognition!
“Bold women whose actions and beliefs contributed to making the world better for generations of girls and women to come.”
A Picture Book of Martin Luther King Jr. by David A. Adler.
Learn about Martin Luther King Jr’s life from where he grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, how he led bus boycotts in Montgomery, Alabama, and became one of the most influential activists with his infamous “I Have a Dream” speech. Every third Monday of January is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday honoring his legacy, teachings, and life.
Other picture book biographies by Adler:
A Picture Book of Rosa Parks
A Picture Book of Frederick Douglass
Who is Barack Obama? By Roberta Edwards
Learn about the life of the 44th President, the first Black President of the United States, in this graphic novel! See how a boy from Hawaii worked hard and became President and be inspired!
The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander
“With references to lyrics and lines originally shared by our most celebrated heroes, this poem digs into the not-so-distant past to underline the endurance and spirit of those surviving and thriving in the present.”
This poem is described as a love letter to America, but more importantly, Black America. To all the artists, athletes, activists and dreamers who came before us.
“This is for the unforgettable. The unafraid. The undefeated.”
"This is for the undefeated. This is for you. And you. And you. This is for us."
Visit www.kwamealexander.com to learn more about the writer.
More Readings:
The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama
Becoming by Michelle Obama
How to be an AntiRacist by Ibram X. Kendi
AntiRacist Baby by Ibram X. Kendi
The Watsons go to Birmingham-1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis
Just Like Martin by Ossie Davis
Embrace, Educate, Advocate.
Love,
Pinocchio’s