Learn about Black History at local libraries

Question: How do potato chips, peanuts and cotton candy relate to Black History Month? Answer: These foods were developed by black Americans.

February is Black History Month. The St. Louis city and county libraries have developed a bunch of interesting programs that explore the nation's rich black culture.

(Also, see the sidebar below that lists special book lists on Black History subjects.)

"Papa" and Jackie Wright

The programs are scheduled for library branches throughout the area. Some are repeated at different branches on different days so you can attend close to where you live.

Many of the programs were created especially to kids. But, there are others with serious, adult historical themes that will interest all members of families, including kids.

For instance, the landmark court case that ruled segregation was unconstitutional was Brown vs. the Board of Education. This is the 50th anniversary of that 1954 decision that started in Topeka, Kan.

Linda and Cheryl Brown were young Kansas school children 50 years ago. This month, the sisters, now middle-aged women, will be in St. Louis for an anniversary program, sponsored by the St. Louis Public Library.

The Bown sisters

The anniversary program will be at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22, in the Great Hall of the central library in downtown St. Louis.

At the time of the U.S. Supreme Court's 1954 ruling, St. Louis County had 14 school districts operating separate schools for black students.

The city libraries also will show several films about segregation battles. "Crisis at Central High School" and "The Earnest Green Story" deal with desegregation at Little Rock, Ark., schools. These and other films will be shown at various times during February.

Storyteller Glenn "Papa" Wright will give his "Taste of Black History" talk several times in February. That's where he explains the black history link to potato chips, peanuts, cotton candy and other foods.

"Papa" and Jackie Wright also are part of the St. Louis County Library's Black History programs. They present "The Lion and the Mouse," a puppet show adaptation of a famous Aesop's fable concerning kindness.

The County Library's Dream Weavers presentations involve many different aspects of Black History.

For instance, Gregory Carr presents a one-man show, "The Adventures of James Beckwourth." That tells the true story of an African-American frontiersman who became the chief of a tribe of Crow Indians.

Other dramatizations tells stories of "A Voyage through Africa" and "Africans in the Caribbean."

A neat hands-on program is The Jewelry Making Workshop. It will be repeated at 16 different county library branches. There, kids will learn how to create unique, multi-colored African jewelry.

Gregory Carr

The Black History Month offerings at both the city and county libraries are free and open to the public. However, it would be prudent to call ahead since seating will be limited for some programs.

(For a complete listing of all library presentations during Black History Month, visit the websites of the two libraries. The city library's website is at www.slpl.lib.mo.us. The county library's website is www.slcl.org.

(In addition, both library systems have created brochures that list all the programs, with dates and locations. The county's brochure is titled "Celebrating Our Accomplishments." The city's brochure is "Brown vs. Board of Education, 50th Anniversary." Check with local branches for a free copy.)

On February 26, the county library will hold an awards ceremony at the headquarters building. The ceremony will be in the auditorium, starting at 6:30 p.m. Among the awards to be given are for essay and poster contests.

The city's brochure also includes recommended Black History readings, including many for kids and young adults.

Also, the county library created for Young Saint Louis.com a list of 10 recommended books about Black History.

For those listings, see the sidebar below.

 

Reading lists for Black History Month

The St. Louis city and county libraries have developed recommended reading lists to help kids understand African-American history in the U.S.

The city library included an extensive list of books for both kids and adults. The children and young adults categories include picture books, juvenile fiction, young adult fiction, non-fiction and biography.

City county library recommendations included 10 specially selected books. The list was done for Young Saint Louis.com viewers by Mildred Rias of the library's Young Readers' Services Department.

A sampling of juvenile and young adult books from the city library include:

Juvenile fiction:

• "The Jacket," by Andrew Clements, 2002
• "Jericho Walls," by Kristi Collier, 2002
• "The Red Rose Box," by Brenda Woods, 2002

Young adult fiction:

• "Circle of Fire," by Evelyn Coleman, 2001
• "The Starplace," by Vicki Grove, 1999

Non-fiction:

• "The Story of Ruby Bridges," by Robert Coles, 1995
• "Cracking the Wall: The Struggles of the Little Rock Nine," by Eileen Lucas, 1997
• "Linda Brown, You Are Not Alone," edited by Joyce Carol Thomas, 2003

Biography:

• "Thurgood Marshall," by Ruth Tenzer, 2001.

The list of 10 recommended books for kids by the county library:

Fiction:

• "From Miss Ida's Porch," by Sandra Belton
• "No Bad News," by Kenneth Cole
• "Born to Sin," by Evelyn Coleman
• "My Home over Jordan," by Sandra Forrester
• "Running Girl: the Diary of Ebonee Rose," by Sharon Mathis

Non-fiction:

• "Slaves who Dare: the Stories of Ten African-American Heroes," by Mary Garrison.
• "Conjure Times: Black Magicians in American," by James Haskins
• "Sink or Swim: African American Lifesavers on the Outer Banks
• "A Forgotten Champion: the Story of Major Taylor." by Mary Wilds
• "From Slave to World-Class Horseman: Tom Bass," by Tom Bass