by Bryan Patrick Avery I just got home from Las Vegas and a trip that gave me the opportunity to witness the incredible magic of David Copperfield up close and personal. In all the excitement, I lost track of the days and realized just this morning that it’s February. That means it’s Black History Month, which gives me the chance to talk about some wonderful alternative ways to bring stories to kids. I think these alternative approaches are important because the subject matter can, at times, be difficult to digest. A great example of this is the graphic novel series March, written by Congressman John Lewis and Andrew Aydin, and illustrated by Nate Powell. The first graphic novel to receive the John F. Kennedy Book Award, March tells the inside story of the Civil Rights Movement as lived by Congressman Lewis. The story is compelling and the artwork is engaging which pulls readers, young and old, into the story of a key movement in our nation’s history. It is written in a style that is accessible to all, and a shining example of sequentiall storytelling, as evidenced by the 2016 Eisner Award it received. If ever there was a way to make such a complex and challenging topic interesting to kids, this is it. Another great way to expose kids (and adults, too) to Black History is through the poetry of African-Americans through the centuries. From Phillis Wheatley, who in 1770 became the first published African-American to Maya Angelou, perhaps the most well-known African-American poet, there are endless resources available to read and hear the voices of the American-American experience. One of the greatest African-American poetic voices is that of Langston Hughes. My favorite poet, Hughes used his poetry to describe the emotions and challenges associated with being Black in America. His poems “I, Too” and “Harlem (What Happens to a Dream Deferred?)" are classics and can be easily understood by, and discussed with, kids. My personal favorite is the Carol of the Brown King. As a child, I would recite it every Christmas Eve for my family after our traditional creole feast. It, and many of Hughes poems, are a reminder of the desire we all share to see ourselves in important stories. I’d recommend checking out Selected Poems of Langston Hughes for sampling of this master poet’s work. You won’t be disappointed. In addition to poetry, there’s a vast array of reference books available that families can use to get a clearer picture of African-American history. The African-American Archive, edited by Kai Wright, has occupied a prominent place on our bookshelf for a long time. It includes transcripts of documents and speeches, poems and novel excerpts starting in the 1600s and leads all way to the current century. It is an eye opening look into the forces and experiences that have shaped African-Americans and the country.
Inside, you’ll find a treatise describing the best place to find slaves (see “Negroes Might Easily Be Had on the Coast of Guinea”), the full text of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream Speech”, and Bill Clinton’s 1997 apology for the so-called Tuskegee Experiments. While not all the subject matter is pleasant, it is an historical record of 400 years of African-American history and can provide children, parents, and writers a window into the African-American experience. There are, of course, many other resources. I’ve always believed that African-American history should be viewed as more than just a set of facts. There is a rich, diverse experience from which everyone can learn. Learning more about the African-American experience may help you write more authentically, and with more compassion and insight. And that’s pretty magical.
7 Comments
5/26/2017 11:57:57 pm
Lots of the African exist in the America and working so nicely. They have the history in America and white people now showing the discrimination and it is not good for the American people. Overall, it is the good information you share.
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6/1/2017 04:43:52 pm
Despite the fact that book learning is extremely essential it is by all account not the only type of education. A few people have the capability to self-teach, that is they seek after learning all alone outside a formal classroom utilizing books and web as their mediums.
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10/30/2017 10:47:54 pm
Spiritual means to learn about the world and religion. Personally, I have lots of problems which I face nowadays and I need to know about these problems by reading the spiritual books. Such kind of books provides good knowledge so that we can thinks and solve out the problems and can relax mentally.
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11/12/2017 02:29:17 am
Long distance calls sprinkled over Internet Connections are now possible, due to Voice over internet protocol address. With huge economies in Phone invoices and effortless calling, and this technological breakthrough is ringing in The next generation in communicating.
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11/16/2017 07:02:05 pm
A good book raises interest in reading the next book. The author focuses on some famous author's books here. Which is really complimentary. Especially the writers of David Copperfield, John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, Carol etc.
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8/12/2018 07:45:36 pm
Your blog very helpful for job seekers. Thank you for hard working. Also, it’s help more.
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