5 books for young Arizona readers to learn Black history all year long

When Black scholar Carter G. Woodson was barred from attending the American Historical Association conference despite being a member of the group, he moved to make his own institutions.

In 1915, he founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, now the Association for the Study of African American Life and History. The following year, he started the Journal of Negro History, and, in 1926, he launched Negro History Week. His work led to the establishment of Black History Month in 1976.

But Woodson never meant to limit learning about the contributions of Black Americans to one month a year.

The Arizona Republic spoke to educators about books readers can use to learn about Black history all year round. Some of the books they suggested help young readers learn about Black history in the Southwest; others are about race and identity for older readers.

Natasha Alston, who teaches African American history at Mountain Pointe High School in the Tempe Union High School District, said she sees books as a way to show her students the myriad ways they can live in the world.

She gives her students a book list that takes them beyond the readings and authors she has time to discuss in class. She wants to make sure they can follow their curiosity when reading. One student may want to delve into the work of Audre Lorde. Another may want to pick up "The Warmth of Other Suns," Isabel Wilkerson’s magnum opus on Black migration.

For school librarian and literacy tutor GiGi Northrop, reading is essential for students, particularly for a generation raised with constant access to technology.

“You hold the book in your hand, you flip the pages, and your mind does all the picture-making,” said Northrop, who is based in Holyoke, Massachusetts. She teaches at a school that did not have a librarian for the past three years. “The library is very important for just fostering that love of curiosity and literature.”

For Black History Month this year, she put drawings of famous African Americans on the back of chairs in the library.

“It just starts a conversation. They’re like, 'Who is on this chair? Who is this person?' Then we’ll start to talk about it," Northrop said.

Then she introduces them to Toni Morrison, Billy Porter and Billie Holiday.

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Here are some of the books recommended by Alston and Northrop:

Black Cowboy, Wild HorsesAuthor: Julius LesterIllustrator: Jerry PinkneyPublisher: Penguin Random House

From the publisher: "Bob Lemmons is famous for his ability to track wild horses. He rides his horse, Warrior, picks up the trail of mustangs, then runs with them day and night until they accept his presence. Bob and Warrior must then challenge the stallion for leadership of the wild herd. A victorious Bob leads the mustangs across the wide plains and for one last spectacular run before guiding them into the corral. Bob’s job is done, but he dreams of galloping with Warrior forever to where the sky and land meet."

Stamped: Racism, Anti-Racism and YouAuthors: Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. KendiPublisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

From the publisher: "The construct of race has always been used to gain and keep power, to create dynamics that separate and silence. This remarkable reimagining of Dr. Ibram X. Kendi's National Book Award-winning 'Stamped from the Beginning' reveals the history of racist ideas in America, and inspires hope for an antiracist future. It takes you on a race journey from then to now, shows you why we feel how we feel, and why the poison of racism lingers. It also proves that while racist ideas have always been easy to fabricate and distribute, they can also be discredited."

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Bill Pickett: Rodeo-Ridin’ CowboyAuthor: Andrea Davis PinkneyIllustrator: Brian PinkneyPublisher: Perfection Learning Corp

From the publisher: "The true sweat-and-dirt tale of the feisty cowboy-child who became the most famous black rodeo performer who ever lived. Includes a note about the history of the black West and a bibliography."

Chocolate MeAuthor: Taye DiggsIllustrator: Shane W. EvansPublisher: MacMillan Publishers

From the publisher: "A timely book about how it feels to be teased and taunted, and how each of us is sweet and lovely and delicious on the inside, no matter how we look. The boy is teased for looking different than the other kids. His skin is darker, his hair curlier. He tells his mother he wishes he could be more like everyone else. And she helps him to see how beautiful he really, truly is."

Fearless Mary: Mary Fields, American Stagecoach DriverAuthor: Tami CharlesIllustrator: Claire AlmonPublisher: Albert Whitman & Company

From the publisher: "A little-known but fascinating and larger-than-life character, Mary Fields is one of the unsung, trailblazing African American women who helped settle the American West. A former slave, Fields became the first African American woman stagecoach driver in 1895, when, in her 60s, she beat out all the cowboys applying for the job by being the fastest to hitch a team of six horses. She won the dangerous and challenging job, and for many years traveled the badlands with her pet eagle, protecting the mail from outlaws and wild animals, never losing a single horse or package. Fields helped pave the way for other women and people of color to become stagecoach drivers and postal workers."

Yana Kunichoff is a reporter on The Arizona Republic's K-12 education team. You can join The Republic's Facebook page and reach Yana at ykunichoff@arizonarepublic.com.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 5 books about Black history for young readers