Shining a Light on Black Voices in February and All Year

This February, and every month, is a fine time to shine a still overdue light on Black people who contributed and lead the way in the arts, civil rights, politics, and science. Black history is our history.

It’s a great time to be inspired to write some poetry too.

Representation is important. Let this be a month where all students see themselves in poetry, in books, in all texts in the curriculum and everywhere. Let this be a month of broadening and deepening students’ perspectives and understanding of history. Let this be a month of light and celebration, standing on shoulders and in footsteps of those who came before. Let this be a month that leads to the integration of Black voices all year long.

Remembering those who came before, those whose shoulders we stand on and whose footsteps we dance in will help students celebrate and honor them and gather strength to work for peace and justice. Here are some books to help.

From among our 27 powerful 2020 Finalists, the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award Selection Committee has chosen the following 2021 Winning and Honor titles. Amongst them all are so many great resources for Black Lives Matter at School, Black history month, and all the time!

Black Lives matter at school.
Black Lives Matter.
All year.
Every day.

This month we highlight a few finalists to invite young people and their adults to engage in the kind of dialogue that leads to active participation in change for racial justice.

FIFTY-SIX YEARS AGO, 105 BLACK TEACHERS RISKED THEIR JOBS AND LIVES BY MARCHING TO THE COURTHOUSE TO DEMAND THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE.

“They helped pass the Voting Rights Act and we honor their courage.” Sandra Neil Wallace.

Check out author interviews, resources, and guides at Teachingbooks.net (can also be accessed via our website)

THIS BOOK AMPLIFIES BLACK WOMEN’S VOICES TO ENGAGE CHILDREN IN RECOGNIZING INDIVIDUAL AND SYSTEMIC INJUSTICE ESPECIALLY AROUND POWER AND EQUALITY FOR BLACK WOMEN.

Filled with thought-provoking quotes, one-page biographies and captivating illustrations. Readers will feel like they’ve spent time with the Brave Black women via these words and illustrations and will be better able to imagine becoming change-makers themselves. Check out an interview with author Cheryl Willis Hudson and other resources at Teachingbooks.net. (can also be accessed via our website)

“Women, Blacks, brown, the young, the old, activists for social change… we are going to prove that our candidates and our policies and our government are not the exclusive preserve of the financial community, the political establishment, and the opinion polls.”

Those were Shirley Chisholm’s words on January 25, 1972. The first Black woman elected to Congress opened her historic campaign for U. S. President in Brooklyn, New York 49 years ago.

Can you hear Shirley Chisholm calling us to action?

Help students make connections with current events and learn more in this book and at The Zinn Education Project. And investigate other resources at Teachingbooks.net (can also be accessed via our website)

Revisit previous Jane Addams winners and honor books to help students learn about, deepen and broaden their understanding of our history.

Amplify, uplift and include Black voices, characters and history.

Celebrate community, friendship and song. Sing! Rise! Resist!

Black is a rainbow color! This beautiful book is about Black color, culture, and history and is a powerful poetic inspiration for the addition to the rainbow of strong bright leaders. Find related resources at Teachingbooks.net (can also be accessed via our website)

Shine a light! Support, uplift and amplify Black authors, illustrators, educators and bookstores.

Black Lives Matter at School is a national coalition of educators organizing for racial justice in education. Each year, during the week of action, thousands of educators across the country participate to affirm the lives of Black students. Educators teach lessons about structural racism, Black history, and anti-racist movements during the week of action and beyond. Find Black Lives Matter at Schools Curriculum Resource Guide here.

Check out CenterRacialJustice.org for an extensive collection of links to information, think pieces, curriculum, lesson plans and more from Teaching Tolerance, Rethinking Schools, Smithsonian, Edutopia, Zaretta Hammond and so so many more.

Find Black owned bookstores in the United States that focus on Black books.

Inspire Young Change-makers with Information from the Jane Addams Peace Association Website!

Books! Social justice learning! Our mission & vision! History of the book award! How to get involved! Free resources! This newsletter! And more!

You can find resources associated with each of our winning and honor books from Teachingbooks.net. For resources for the recent Finalists, Winners, and Honor Books just click through on the book. For all other books go to Browse Books.

Jane Addams helped shine light on racism.

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Know of a good book published or to be published in 2021 that helps children engage in deep dialogue that leads to positive change?

Take a look at the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award criteria and guidelines here and submit your book suggestion here! Thank you!