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"Dark Was the Night: Blind Willie Johnson's Journey to the Stars" by Gary Golio, illustrated by E.B. Lewis
It's almost time for lights out. Just before that, though, you have a ritual: you wash your face, brush your teeth, put on your jammies, crawl into bed, and get a bedtime story. Then it's lights out until morning but before your good-night kiss tonight, ask for one last thing. Ask for "Dark Was the Night" by Gary Golio, illustrated by E. B. Lewis.
“Keep Your Airspeed Up: The Story of a Tuskegee Airman” by Harold H. Brown with Marsha S. Bordner
In things of great importance, you stand on the shoulders of giants. Those who came before you gave you a boost to get you where you are. They cleared your path and knocked aside obstacles. You stand on the shoulders of those giants even if, as in the new book “Keep Your Airspeed Up” by Harold H. Brown (with Marsha S. Bordner), the giant was once kinda scrawny.
“The Broken Road: George Wallace and a Daughter’s Journey to Reconciliation” by Peggy Wallace Kennedy with Justice H. Mark Kennedy
The path your parents first set you on is not the path you ended up taking. Somewhere along the way, you veered to the left or stepped to the right. You found your own groove, made your own decisions and made adjustments while you learned where you were going. And as in the new book “The Broken Road” by Peggy Wallace Kennedy (with Justice H. Mark Kennedy), it was essential to know where you came from.
“A Bound Woman is a Dangerous Thing” by DaMaris B. Hill
Hands on the wheel. Hands on the hood, in the air, on the wall, on the ground. No sudden moves, no waving “hey” or scratching your nose, and don’t reach for a thing. Hands up – although, as you’ll read in “A Bound Woman is a Dangerous Thing” by DaMaris B. Hill, there are times when that doesn’t matter.
“The Blood of Emmett Till” by Timothy B. Tyson
You really can’t remember. For sure, something important happened years ago, something you should recall very easily, but time’s made things fuzzy. Have you forgotten or, worse yet, have you just remembered everything wrong? Usually, you suppose, it wouldn’t matter but in the new book “The Blood of Emmett Till” by Timothy B. Tyson, it surely does.
“The Code of the Righteous Warrior” by Rev. Dr. Alyn E. Waller
These days, you just don’t know what to expect. Things used to be laid out nice and easy: a real man took care of business, he settled disagreements with his fists, and he was head of his household. But it’s a new world now with new expectations, and in “The Code of the Righteous Warrior” by Rev. Dr. Alyn E. Waller, you’ll know how to get through it.
“The Long Haul” by Finn Murphy
From here to there. That’s where you need to move your stuff: from Point A to Point B. Take it out of one place and put it in another, possibly many miles away. And it’s not like you can wiggle your nose or wave a magic wand to do it, either; you need someone who knows what he’s doing. In “The Long Haul” by Finn Murphy, there’s somebody like that out there.
“Brown White Black: An American Family at the Intersection of Race, Gender, Sexuality, and Religion” by Nishta Mehra
Column A or Column B? Truth is, you don’t fit in either. You’re unique, from your toes to your hair, inside and out. People can try to categorize you, but it just won’t work. As you’ll see in the new book “Brown White Black” by Nishta J. Mehra, there’s a lot to learn.
“Ladysitting: My Year with Nana at the End of Her Century” by Lorene Cary
You were their hope for the future. For your elders, your birth represented things they wished would happen but that they’d never know. It was a joy for them to see you come into the world but for you, as in the new book “Ladysitting” by Lorene Cary, it’s harder to see them go.
“On Point: Zayd Saleem, Chasing the Dream” by Hena Khan
In your lifetime, you’ve done many amazing things. You learned to walk. Imagine how hard that was, and you did it! You learned to make words and put them into sentences, which is no easy feat, either. You know how to get to school, do math, read, and play ball. But, as in the new book “On Point” by Hena Khan, could something be holding you back from greatness?
Black History Books for Adults
The month of February has whipped by so fast that you almost missed it.
“You Can’t Go Wrong Doing Right: How a Child of Poverty Rose to the White House and Helped Change the World” by Robert J. Brown
Do unto others. Three words that are a shorthand reminder to be nice and treat people in the manner that you’d want to be treated. Do unto others and make life smoother. Be good, and be of service because, as Robert J. Brown reminds readers, “You Can’t Do Wrong Doing Right.”
"She Raised Her Voice! 50 Black Women Who Sang Their Way into Music History" by Jordannah Elizabeth, illustrated by Briana Dengoue
Tap, tap, tap, tap. That's often the start of some good music. The sound of sticks hitting cymbals. The pat of a hand on a stomach or thigh, just keeping the beat. It's what your toes do when you're about to break out into a dance because the tunes are just so good. Tap, clap, tap, and read "She Raised Her Voice! by Jordannah Elizabeth, illustrated by Briana Dengoue.
“Soul Survivor: A Biography of Al Green” by Jimmy McDonough
Difficult. We all know someone like that, who could charitably be called a challenge. Someone who swims against the current, who rubs people the wrong way, who makes you growly. In the new book “Soul Survivor: A Biography of Al Green” by Jimmy McDonough, ruffled feathers can come from surprising places.
"A World Without Work: Technology, Automation, and How We Should Respond" by Daniel Susskind
Click. And with that quiet little sound, an email's sent, a door's unlocked, an alarm is engaged, a recipe's downloaded, a machine is launched. Whether you listen for it or you’re so used to it that you don’t hear it anymore, the fact is that we need that click to happen. In the new book “A World Without Work” by Daniel Susskind, you’ll see if it doesn’t need us.
Black History Month books for Kids
You know your history. You know about slavery and Jim Crow and Harriet Tubman and Malcolm X. You know about all those things, and more. So now make sure your child knows, too, by bringing home these great Black History Month books for kids...