#black voices matter
Black history is not static, limited purely to the past—it’s made year-round. Keep reading books by Black authors and amplifying Black voices when it’s not Black History Month:
Picture Books/Early Reader
- Tami Charles – ALL BECAUSE YOU MATTER
- Ibram X. Kendi – ANTIRACIST BABY
- Nikki Grimes – BEDTIME FOR SWEET CREATURES
- Angela Joy – BLACK IS A RAINBOW COLOR
- Amyra Leon – FREEDOM, WE SING
- Laronda Gardner Middlemiss – I LOVE ME
- Alice Faye Duncan – JUST LIKE A MAMA
- Valerie Bolling – LET’S DANCE
- Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow – MOMMY’S KHIMAR
- Malcolm Mitchell – MY VERY FAVORITE BOOK IN THE WORLD
- Tricia Elam Walker – NANA AKUA GOES TO SCHOOL
- Ashley Franklin – NOT QUITE SNOW WHITE
- Kirstie Myvett – PRALINE LADY
- Doyin Richards – WATCH ME
- Derrick Barnes – WHO GOT GAME
Middle Grade
- B.B. Alston – AMARI AND THE NIGHT BROTHERS
Valerie L. Williams-Sanchez – “Celebrating the Anniversary of THE BROWNIES’ BOOK by W.E.B. DuBois”
Young Adult
Further Reading & Resources
- WNDB’s Resources for Race, Equity, Anti-Racism, and Inclusion – Includes Black-Owned Bookstores, Black-led organizations, & book lists
The Black Creatives Fund – An initiative with a mission of supporting new and existing Black writers and illustrators. It will feature three initiatives in 2021, including a Revisions Workshop(which is currently accepting applications!), a mentorship program, and a marketing symposia in partnership with the Brown Bookshelf.
- The Brown Bookshelf’s 28 Days Later – Featuring a Black creative (authors and illustrators both) every day for the month of February!
- Deadline City Podcast – Co-hosted by WNDB COO Dhonielle Clayton: “Publishing is a big scary world to many of us, and our goal is to pull back the curtain on some of the mystery by simply talking about it.”
- @minoritiesinpublishing – Podcast hosted by former WNDB team member Jennifer Baker: “An interview-format podcast where Jennifer discusses the lack of diversity in the book publishing industry with other underrepresented professionals working in/associated with the literary scene. Featured guests include VPs and executive editors, literary agents, marketers, authors, illustrators, and more.”
- J. Nailah Avery – “Black-Owned Independent Bookstores Face Unique Challenges”
- “The Free Black Women’s Library Celebrates Black Authors and Readers”
- Kaya Thomas Created We Read Too for Readers of Color
- “Stop Calling Popular Tropes in YA Novels ‘Overused’”
- “How Children’s Authors Create Change Outside of Their Books”
- Jas Perry, Literary Agent & WNDB Internship Grant Winner
- Autumn Allen – “Three Keys to Writing a Novel From a Boston Public Library Writer-in-Residence”
Post link
Jemina-Ben For 2024 - Think Outside The Box!
Join Jemima Greenand Ben Rice (not related to Condoleeza Rice) in 2024.
Portraying Jemima was a little tricky, since the logos are difficult to work with. Candidate Jemima is based on the logos from the 50’s until the late 80’s, model Anna Short Harrington who promoted the brand until 1953, and blues singer Edith Wilson who became the first AJ to appear on TV and Radio. I kept her curves but no more head scarf.
Follow me on Instagram.
Post link
NASCAR Driver ‘Bubba’ Wallace
We need to support the good to flush out the bad. And because it’s more fun to watch good drivers than racist assholes.
Monkey Crisis On Mars - Copyright 2020, All Rights Reserved
Post link
Blue Colors
I started a series of drawings of police officers leading by example. You can find their stories on my IG account. Like Sergeant Murphy who told his men to stand back to give protesters room because ‘you have a right to be upset!’. Gay police chief Erika Shields who advocates new ways of policing. Captain David Dorn who was a big mentor to the youth in his community and shot by looters. Officer Krystle Smith who stood up against a colleague who pushed a protester to the ground. Sikh Deputy Sandeep Dhaliwal who was passionate about building bridges, shot during a traffic stop. Officer CaTari Jackson, Shreveport PD’s first black female mounted patrol officer. Please support the work of good cops to wash out the bad.
Post link
