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!
Black Was the Ink Connects Past and Present
Tag Archives: Reconstruction
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.
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.
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.