For the latter half of February, we focused on the challenges and contributions of African-Americans to our cultural heritage and history. We read some wonderful literature (recommended titles to follow), went on a field trip, sang spirituals, and created art inspired by what we were learning.
We enjoyed a field trip to Riverside Community College to watch a play, “Letters to Harriet Tubman.” This well-done performance featured only two actors but kept a lively audience informed and entertained with spirituals, work songs, and stories from this inspiring woman’s life.
We read excerpts from a chapter book, American Diaries: Zellie Blake by Kathleen Duey. This historical fiction followed its hard-working heroine as she started a new life in a boardinghouse for factory girls. As an African-American in the North in 1834, Zellie was “free” from slavery but still endured segregation and discrimination. Her bravery and integrity shines through.
We also read and sang “This Little Light of Mine” with a gloriously illustrated rendition in a picture book title Let it Shine by Ashley Bryan. The kids marveled at the cut-paper collage, appreciating the intricate illustrations even more after their own experiences with this art form. The kids also played a host of authentic African percussion instruments during a repeat of the song.
Our art class featured creating a paper “story quilt” inspired by our readings. Several books we read featured the symbolic quilts used in the Underground Railroad to convey secret messages to runaway slaves. Students in art class created their own autobiographical story quilts and made paper collages with a variety of patterns. Some created very symmetric or geometric “quilts” while others made fun “crazy quilts.”
One parent asked, so I'm sharing my current Top Three books related to African-American History:
1. Show Way (Newbery Honor Book) by Jacqueline Woodson (Author) and Hudson Talbott (Illustrator).
This wonderful book gives an overview of African-American history-in-a-nutshell through the autobiographical story of one family line from slavery to the Civil Rights Movement and beyond. The beautiful illustrations include quilting patterns in the frames along with symbolism found in the quilts, and the book emphasizes the power of love and strength prevailing through hardship. I highly recommend it.
2. Barefoot: Escape on the Underground Railroad by Pamela Duncan Edwards (Author) and Henry Cole (Illustrator).
This fictional account creatively shows how animals help a runaway slave.
3. Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom (Caldecott Honor
Book) by Carole Boston Weatherford (Author) and Kadir Nelson (Illustrator).
This one illuminates the spiritual leading Harriet Tubman followed to find freedom and lead others to freedom in the North. Very well done, if you are interested in a book with a lot of religious inspiration.
