Join us for a critical webinar on Wednesday, January 19th, 2022 at 4:00 PM EST about using children’s books to teach Reconstruction. Reconstruction was a brief period in American history from 1865–1877 when efforts were made to confer citizenship rights on the 4.4 million African Americans emancipated from slavery as well as approximately 500,000 African Americans who were already freed from slavery.
For Black History Month, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite resources for readers and educators alike. Though this month is dedicated to uplifting Black history, culture, movements, and gamechangers, we must remember that Black history IS American history and should be celebrated all year round.
Learn about how to bring the Black Lives Matter movement into your school, classroom, library or home in this powerful discussion on Wednesday, January 20th at 4:00 PM ET.
We couldn’t let Black History Month go by without sharing one of our most anticipated books of Fall 2019: Rise! From Caged Bird to Poet of the People, Maya Angelou. Written by award-winning biographer Bethany Hegedus and illustrated by fine artist Tonya Engel, Rise! will be the first in-depth picture book biography of Dr. Angelou and will be published ahead of the fiftieth anniversary celebration of Angelou’s masterpiece, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Continue reading
February is Black History Month, which was created to remember the important people and events in the history of the African diaspora and to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history. While ethnic heritage months can be problematic, they are also a good reminder to highlight the achievements of particular cultures, and can make people from those cultures feel acknowledged and appreciated. In this blog post, we’ve rounded up some of our best Black History Month resources. Continue reading
As February comes to an end, we round out Black History Month with a spotlight on William “Doc” Key, a self-taught veterinarian who taught his horse Jim Key how to read, write, and calculate math problems. Teaching a horse these skills might sound preposterous, but Doc was able to nurture Jim’s ability through kindness, patience, and empathy. Together they traveled throughout the United States and impressed audiences with Jim’s amazing performances. In the process, they broke racial barriers and raised awareness for the humane treatment of animals.
Here’s what Donna Janell Bowman, author of Step Right Up: How Doc and Jim Key Taught the World About Kindness, had to say about William “Doc” Key’s legacy and the amazing duo’s story:
February is Black History Month and while we think it’s great to celebrate the accomplishments and contributions made by African Americans, we also believe that Black history is American history and should be celebrated and taught all year long. But this month can be a great time to shine a spotlight on favorite books or freshen up a dated collection with new titles. Here are ten of our favorite Black History Month Books for middle school: Continue reading
February is Black History Month and while we think it’s great to celebrate the accomplishments and contributions made by African Americans, we also believe that Black history is American history and should be celebrated and taught all year long. But this month can be a great time to shine a spotlight on favorite books or freshen up a dated collection with new titles. Here are ten of our favorite Black History Month Books for third grade through sixth grade: Continue reading
As Fast As Words Could Fly 
was selected by the Screen Actors Guild Foundation for its latest read aloud on Storyline Online, an interactive literacy website where well-known actors read popular, award-winning children’s books to help students fall in love with reading.
As Fast As Words Could Fly was written by Pamela M. Tuck, illustrated by Eric Velasquez, and read by actor Dulé Hill now on Storyline Online.
February is almost upon us! At Lee & Low, we believe that Black history is American history and should be celebrated and taught all year long. But February can be a great time to shine a spotlight on favorite books or freshen up a dated collection with new titles. Here are eight of our favorite Black History Month Books for kindergarten through second grade: Continue reading
