Tag Archives: Black Was the Ink

Black Was the Ink Connects Past and Present

This post by Michelle Coles originally appeared on We Need Diverse Books in November 2021. Black Was the Ink is available wherever books are sold!

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Utilizing Picture Books in Upper-Grade Curriculum

Many middle school teachers are skeptical of utilizing picture books in the upper-grade curriculum. While they have positive attitudes toward picture books in general, there can be hesitancy to add them to core curriculum. Taraneh M. Haghanikar, Associate Professor of Children’s Literature at the University of Northern Iowa, shares four tips on how to integrate picture books into upper-level curriculum.

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Watch the Webinar: The Importance of Reconstruction in Today’s Classrooms and Libraries

Thank you to all who joined us for our most recent webinar, “The Importance of Reconstruction in Today’s Classrooms and Libraries,” with New Visions Award Honor Michelle Coles (Black Was the Ink) and New Voices Award-winning author Rita Lorraine Hubbard (Hammering for Freedom).

If you missed it live (or just want to watch it again), you can access the webinar below, or here on YouTube. Keep reading for links to resources and booklists shared during the webinar and feel free to reach out for more information and/or a Professional Development certificate.

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Upcoming Webinar: The Importance of Reconstruction in Today’s Classrooms and Libraries

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.

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New Releases: Black Was the Ink and Thirty Talks Weird Love

Today we are celebrating the release of two heart-stopping young adult titles—Black Was the Ink written by Michelle Coles with illustrations by Justin Johnson and Thirty Talks Weird Love by Alessandra Narváez Varela!

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Teaching about United States Reconstruction with Black Was the Ink

Next month is the release of Black Was the Ink by New Visions Award winner Michelle Coles and illustrated by Justin Johnson. Motivated by Coles’ frustration with the pace of racial progress in America, she wrote this book for readers to discover the critical work of Black congressmen during Reconstruction, an often overlooked time period, and make critical connections to present day.

Black Was the Ink, an extraordinary work fueled by rigorous research and impactful history, is a critical text for high school students and educators looking for authentic, honest history about the United States.

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Cover Reveal: Black Was the Ink by Michelle Coles

Today we’re so excited to reveal the cover for our upcoming young adult novel, Black Was the Ink by Michelle Coles with illustrations by Justin Johnson, coming September 2021!

In Black Was the Ink, sixteen-year-old Malcolm is sent on a journey through Reconstruction-era America with the help of a ghostly ancestor. At the same time, he must work to save his family’s farm in present-day Mississippi from being claimed by the State.

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