Jasper Winterton
Feature Editor
“Recently one of my favorite (books) is ‘Field Guide to the North American Teenager’ by Ben Philippe,” Liz Forderhase, library media specialist, said.
The library has multiple ways to commemorate Black History Month, and has a number of popular books about black history. Some things the library does includes displays, advisory activities and bulletin boards, the main activity being a mural with a number of key figures in black history that students can try to identify in their advisory’s.
“We have tons of titles, Jason Reynolds is great. Publishing companies have really made strides in honoring minority authors,” Forderhase said.
According to Newark Trust for Education, teaching people about black history and spreading awareness from a young age encourages enhanced consciousness, leadership, and ingenuity.
“We do have specific displays, highlighting specific things including African American authors and books we get,” Forderhase said.
According to Goodreads, some of the most popular books about black history include “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas, “The Color Purple” by Alice Walker and “The Vanishing Half” by Brit Bennett.
“The Hate U Give” follows 16-year-old Starr, who witnessed her friend get killed by a police officer. It shows the community’s aftermath of the killing, and her continuously speaking up against racism and police brutality. The book has been banned in various schools across the U.S. According to CBC news- a division of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, it was removed due to its depictions of racism, profanity, and anti-police views.
“The Color Purple” is about a teenager being raised in Georgia in the early 1900s, showing her struggles and experiences with racism, poverty, abuse and teenage pregnancy. The book has been challenged dozens of times and was banned from at least five libraries across the U.S. between 1984 and 2010.
“The Vanishing Half” follows two identical twin girls, both black, who run away from home at the age of 16. One twin, Desiree, marries a dark skinned man while the other, Stella, lives her life being perceived as a white woman. The book shows their different experiences and tracks their lives across generations.
“Field Guide to the North American Teenager” is about a Black French Canadian teenager who moves from Canada to Texas in the middle of the school year, while dealing with his parents’ divorce.
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Jasper Winterton-Feature EditorThis will be Jasper Winterton’s first year on ECHO staff. He made several contributions while taking journalism class his freshman year. |
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