AFRICAN-AMERICAN CHILDREN’S PICTUREBOOKS: EXAMINING THE GENRE OF CHILDHOOD,

RESISTANCE, AND CULTURAL IDENTITY THROUGH STORYTELLING

BY: ANGELINA M. BAIR

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DID YOU KNOW?• A 1965 survey highlighted the lack of racial diversity in children’s

literature, finding that over 5,200 children’s books included a Black character.1 13

• In a recent follow up study, a review of all new children’s books in 2013 showed that only 10.5% depicting human beings include a person of color.2 13

• Almost 90% of books reviewed by the New York Times in 2011 were written by white authors.3

• According to a Lee & Low Books Survey, just under 80% of publishing staff and review journal staff are white while only 20% are from underrepresenting groups.4 13

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Diversity Baseline Survey, Lee & Low: http://blog.leeandlow.com/

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TRACING THE GENRE OF RESISTENCE• Research shows that children begin to recognize their own ethnicity and

other ethnicities between the ages of 3 and 8.5 13

• Young children rely heavily on illustrations to decode the meaning of picturebooks.6 13

• In studies of educational programs, multicultural education plays an important role in teaching children the strengths and achievements of their own culture.7 13

• Literacy is enhanced for children of color when there are culturally relevant characters and stories reflected in their books.8 13

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HISTORY OF AFRICAN AMERICANS IN PICTUREBOOKS

• In the late 1800s through the 1940s, depictions of African-American children in picturebooks heavily featured racist depictions and harmful stereotypes. 10 13

• Through the 1950s, many authors of Color struggled to get their works published 10 13

• Following the rise of the Civil Rights Movement Black authors found success in publishing children’s books about the Black experience. 10 13

• But by the 1990s and 2000s Black authors began to move away from writing for Black audiences and toward writing for general audiences. 10 13

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TEACHING AFRICAN-AMERICAN PICTUREBOOKS

• Michelle Martin’s work Brown Gold (2004) highlights the history of African-American children’s books. 10 13

• African-American children’s literature speaks to all audiences for teaching tolerance. 11

• Teaching African-American children’s literature in community settings, has key value for children of all races and backgrounds. 10 12 13

• Texts with Black protagonists teach children the importance of diversity, normalize positive depictions of Black characters, and prepare Black children for adulthood. 10 13

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HAVE ATTITUDES CHANGED?N p

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REFERENCES• 1Larrick, N. (1965). The all-white world of children's books. Saturday Review, 48(11), 63-65.• 2Horning, K. (2014). Children’s Books: Still an All-White World?. School Library Journal. Retrieved

March 14, 2016 from: http://www.slj.com/2014/05/ diversity/childrens-books-still-an-all-white-world/. • 3Low J. (2015). Where is Diversity in Publishing? Lee and Low Blog. Retrieved March 14, 2016 from

http://blog.leeandlow.com/2016/01/26/where-is-the-diversity-in-publishing-the-2015-diversity-baseline-survey-results/

• 4Gay, R. (2012). Where Things Stand. The Rumpus. Retrieved March 10, 2016 from: http://therumpus.net/2012/06/where-things-stand/.

• 5Aboud FE. (1987). The Development of Ethnic Self-Identification and Attitudes. In: Jean S. Phinney, Rotheram MJ, eds. Children’s Ethnic Socialization: Pluralism and Development. Newberry Park, CA: SAGE Publications, Incorporated.

• 6 Roethler J. (1998). Reading in Color: Children’s Book Illustrations and Identity Formation for Black Children in the United States. African American Review, 32(1): 95-105

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REFERENCES• 7Phinney JS, Rotheram MJ. (1987). Children’s Ethnic Socialization: Themes and Implications. In: Jean S. Phinney,

Rotheram MJ, eds. Children’s Ethnic Socialization: Pluralism and Development. Newbury Park, CA: SAGE Publications, Incorporated.

• 8Barkely, H., Hughes-Hassel, S. & Koehler, E. (2009). Promoting Equity in Children’s Literacy Instruction: Using a Critical Race Theory Framework to Examine Transitional Books. Research Journal of the American Association of School Librarians, 12, 1-20.

• 9Thibault. Children’s literature promotes understanding. (2014). Learn NC: K-12 Retrieved March 14, 2016 from Teaching and Learning from the UNC School of Education: http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/635.

• 10Martin, M. (2004). Brown gold: Milestones of African American children's picture books, 1845-2002. Routledge.• 11Southern Poverty Center. (2016). Inclusion Through Empathy. Retrieved March 14, 2016 from

http://www.tolerance.org/blog.• 12Capshaw K. Children’s Literature of the Harlem Renaissance. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press; 2006.• 13Schubert Center for Childhood Studies. (2016). African-American children’s literature: Examining the genre in

childhood. Retrieved March 14, 2016 http://schubert.case.edu/files/2016/02/IssueBrief_Feb2016Final.pdf. W

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IMAGE CREDITS• AWilliam & Associates (2015). Let’s Talk. Retrieved March 10, 2016 from: http://www.williamstraining.com/Contact-Us.html

• BNCSU Libraries (1940). Group portrait of African-American women and girls. Retrieved from March 10, 2016 from: http://d.lib.ncsu.edu/collections/catalog/0226399.

• BHerzber, I. (1968). Brooklyn Life African-Americans. Retrieved March 10, 2016 from Brooklyn Public Library: http://www.bklynlibrary.org/slideshows/brooklyn_life_african_americans/index5558.html?topicid=7.

• CGerald Decilien (n.d.) Beautiful Haitian art. Retrieved March 30, 2016 from The Haitian Art Company: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/65724475787741049/.

• DTravel Channel (n.d.). Caribbean Festivals and Events. Retrieved March 30, 2016 from http://www.travelchannel.com/interests/arts-and-culture/articles/caribbean-festivals-and-events.

• ELow J. (2015). Where is Diversity in Publishing? Retrieved March 16, 2016 from Lee and Low Blog. http://blog.leeandlow.com/2016/01/26/where-is-the-diversity-in-pub.lishing-the-2015-diversity-baseline-survey-results.

• FMoore, H. (1862). Sweet potato planting, Hopkinson's Plantation. Retrieved March 30, 2016, from Library of Congress: https://www.loc.gov/item/2010651644/.

• GOak Alley Plantation (n.d.). Homepage. Retrieved March 30, 2016 from: www.oakalleyplantation.com.

IMAGE CREDITS• HUnited Nations Association (2013). Celebrate Human Rights Day. Retrieved March 10, 2016 from:

http://www.una-sf.org/845/.

• IThing Link. (n.d.). The Harlem Renaissance. Retrieved March 10, 2016 from: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/8b/d6/ee/8bd6ee3fbefb3a6869081cfaed931928.jpg.

• KEtsy. (2016). Yoruba beaded crown. Retrieved March 10, 2016 from: https://www.etsy.com/listing/233844953/yoruba-beaded-crown-adenla-Nigeria.

• LHammill, T. (n.d.). Yoruba Stool 2. Retrieved March 10, 2016 from http://www.hamillgallery.com/YORUBA/YorubaStools/YorubaStool02.html.

• MMetropolitan Museum of Art. (n.d.). Nineteenth century Yoruba aso oke shawl. Retrieved March 10, 2016 from: http://metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/321217.

• NRandom House. (2016). A fine dessert Poster. Retrieved March 10, 2016 from: http://www.randomhouse.com/teachers/resource/a-fine-dessert-poster-and-activities-with-ccss-tie-ins/.

• OAmazon. (2016). A birthday cake for George Washington. Retrieved March 10, 2016 from: http://www.amazon.com/A-Birthday-Cake-George-Washington/dp/0545538238.

• PAmazon. (2016). Last stop on market street. Retrieved March 10, 2016 from: http://www.amazon.com/Last-Stop-Market-Street-Matt/dp/0399257748/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1459373734&sr=1-1&keywords=last+stop+on+market+street.

• QAmazon. (2015). Mamma Miti. Retrieved March 10, 2016 from: http://www.amazon.com/Mama-Miti-Wangari-Maathai-Trees/dp/1416935053/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1459373607&sr=1-1&keywords=mama+miti.

IMAGE CREDITS• RAmazon. (1976). The Snowy Day. Retrieved March 10, 2016 from:

http://www.amazon.com/Snowy-Day-Ezra-Jack-Keats/dp/0140501827/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1459373770&sr=1-1&keywords=the+snowy+day.

• SAmazon. (2013). Lullaby for a black mother. Retrieved March 10, 2016 from: Amazon. (2016). The Snowy Day. March 10, 2016 from: http://www.amazon.com/Lullaby-Black-Mother-Langston-Hughes/dp/054736265X/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1459373899&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=lullabye+hughes.

• TRomare Bearden Foundation. (n.d.). The train. Retrieved March 10, 2016 from: http://www.beardenfoundation.org/exhibitions/current.shtml.

• UBasquiat, J.M. (1975). Flexible. Retrieved March 10, 2016 from http://jaspert.free.fr/paris_contemporary_art/pages/jean_michel_basquiat.htm.

• VAkan Tribe. (n.d.). African Royalty. Retrieved March 10, 2016 from: https://www.tumblr.com/search/akan%20tribe.

• WGoogle Images. (n.d.). West African Mask. Retrieved March 10, 2016 from: https://www.google.com/search?q=romare+bearden&biw=1280&bih=610&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj5tJ7Or-nLAhXjn4MKHW4FAroQ_AUIBigB#tbm=isch&q=african+mask&imgrc=vsMZobqi9lXqlM%3A.

• XPrezi. (n.d.). Blood Diamonds. Retrieved March 10, 2016 from: https://prezi.com/rteamxzevols/blood-diamonds/.

• YLike A Whisper (2009). African American Women Quilters. Retrieved March 10, 2016 from: https://likeawhisper.wordpress.com/2009/02/25/bhm-african-american-women-quilters-as-herstorians-and-keepers-of-our-dreams/.

• ZAmazon. (2016). Trombone Shorty. Retrieved March 10, 2016 from: http://www.amazon.com/Trombone-Shorty-Troy-Andrews/dp/1419714651/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1459787047&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=trombone+shorty+book.

ANY QUESTIONS? Email: Angela Bair @: abair5@kent.edu

All clipart for this presentation is from Bing Image Search: https://www.bing.com/images?FORM=Z9LH.