Black History, Sequential Art, and the Power of Representation – AAIHS
*This post is part of our blog series on The World of the Black Panther. This series, edited by Julian Chambliss and Walter Greason, examines the Black Panther and the narrative world linked to the character in comics, animation, and film. Adequate—and accurate—representation of one’s culture is critical to any racial group’s collective self-esteem. Because we live in a visual society, images of people, events, religion, and places are often perceived as truth.
Common Portrayals of Persons with Disabilities
The Canadian Association of Broadcasters report found that disabled “individuals are viewed as the objects of pity and depicted as having the same attributes and characteristics no matter what the disability may be.” Similarly, the website Media and Disability, an organization advocating for broader representation of people with disabilities, points out that “disabled people, when they feature at all, continue to be all too often portrayed as either remarkable and heroic, or dependent victims.” Not only are people with disabilities stereotyped, the full range of disabilities is not reflected in media portrayals. Lynne Roper of Stirling Media Research Institute, in her article “Disability in Media,” notes that “wheelchairs tend to predominate… since they are an iconic sign of disability. Most actors playing disabled characters are, however, not disabled. Victim
The Crisis in Black Education: Crafting Mirrors Where Kids Can See Themselves
Sharif El-Mekki is the principal of Mastery Charter-Shoemaker Campus, a predominantly African American 7th- to 12th-grade school that was recognized by President Barack Obama as an exemplary turnaround school. El-Mekki has been immersed in the challenge of improving black education since he was an elementary student at a Philadelphia Freedom School in the early 1970s. El-Mekki was also a Principal Ambassador Fellow at the U.S.
Why children’s books that teach diversity are more important than ever
If you think back to your childhood, what sticks with you? For many people, it’s those cosy times when they were cuddled up with a parent or grandparent, being read a story. But bedtime stories aren’t just lovely endings to the day or a way to induce sleep, they are also a safe way to experience and discuss all sorts of feelings and situations.
African-American Literature
William Wells Brown William Wells Brown was a prominent abolitionist lecturer, novelist, playwright, and historian. Born into slavery in the Southern United States, Brown escaped to the North, where he worked for abolitionist causes and was a prolific writer. Brown was a pioneer in several different literary genres, including travel writing, fiction, and drama, and wrote what is considered to be the first novel by an African American. An almost exact contemporary of Frederick Douglass, Wells Brown was overshadowed by Douglass and the two feuded publicly.
Reading LGBTQ-Inclusive Children’s Books in Schools
Download PDF Click here for WS Boolists with Great Diverse Books Before Reading A Book to Your Class First, think about whether or not reading an LGBTQ-inclusive book is the place to start in developing a welcoming school or do you need to lay more groundwork in your school community. Consider whether you will have support from your school’s administration if parental concerns arise regarding LGBTQ topics or gender roles.
21 YA Books To Read For Black History Month
Young adult books go above and beyond when it comes to representation—and it’s something that we, the YA community, authors, and readers continue to fight for every day. So, in honor of Black History Month, we want to take a look at some of the books that have been influential in this wave of representation and encourage you to read your way through the month! And, let’s be real: They’re all really, really good. From anthologies to graphic novels, atmospheric fantasies to realistic tales tinged by everyday issues, there’s something to offer every type of reader in every one of these stories.
10 African-American Authors Everyone Should Read
The majestic Maya Angelou, whom I met years ago at San Francisco’s Glide Memorial Church, once remarked, “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” Sadly, this agony was once common to millions of African-Americans, whose stories often went untold or unheard, let alone published and read by the world. Nevertheless, many inspiring and irreplaceable voices heroically surfaced over the years.
1000 Black Girl Books Resource Guide – GrassROOTS Community Foundation
This resource guide was created in direct response to the multiple requests made by educators, parents and students. Like Marley Dias, so many of you have asked for books with black girls as the main characters. And because of you, we have received thousands of books. Here we are sharing with you the first 700 book titles.
