This year we celebrate Black History Month by sharing future leaders, visionaries and an exceptional array of role models from around the Black Diaspora. We hope you enjoy this selection. If you have a book you'd like to suggest for this collection, please feel free to contact us below? We always love to hear from our students.
Power in Protest
The history of Mary Prince : a West Indian slave
The amazing first hand account of a slave woman, born in Bermuda, who presented a petition to Parliament. In her autobiography, Mary Prince gives a harrowing and honest account of her life being born a slave, sold next to her mother and then resold three more times in her lifetime. Prince went on to spend all of her adult life advocating for and exposing the abuses to which slaves in the Caribbean were being submitted.
Strategies for Freedom: The Changing Patterns of Black Protest” by Bayard Rustin
This work manages to invoke empathy from all readers as the author, Ruskin provides examples of the deeper context of historical boundaries US Blacks had to overcome battling the dual handicap of racial and class discrimination. Building on their place in society, he reveals the three principles that have changed that place and continue to develop a role of equality for Blacks globally. A fascinating and insightful read.
Pride in our Roots
Pan-African history : political figures from Africa and the Diaspora since 1787 by Hakim Adi and Marika Sherwood
W.E.B. Dubois and Malcolm X are only a few of the more iconic leaders and Pan-African idealists, who’s philosophies are explored in this noble attempt to make sense of a community still in the throws of defining it’s identity.
Sisters in Science : Conversations with Black Women Scientists on Race, Gender, and Their Passion for Science by Diann Jordan
If you are looking for inspiration and role models, this is the book to read this Black History month. This primary source details incredible women and their impressive achievements. A feel good book with the keys and the formula for success.
Icons of Influence
“The Chiffon Trenches” by Andre Leon Talley
Arguably one of the most influential fashion changemakers of the 20th century, Andre Leon Talley discovered Karl Lagerfeld, befriended a young Anna Wintour and diversified the colour of the catwalk…but what most people don’t hear is the story of the little boy, who grew up poor in the south, getting out via a French scholarship at Brown and decisively creating his own future in a time, when blacks and whites were just becoming desegregated and homosexuality was a punishable offense. He was always true to himself and the importance of art, music, literature and history in all factors of fashion.
“Face that Changed it all” by Beverly John with Allison Samuels
Beverly Johnson shares insights and surprising stories of her meteoric rise to the top of the fashion world. This book is not only her story but the history of the representation of Black identity in all aspects of the media.
Black Excellence in the Arts
Margaret Bonds by John Michael Cooper
Ever wondered about the Harlem Renaissance? It wasn’t just jazz club singers and zoot suits. Margaret Bonds may be most known as the long time Langston Hughes collaborator. However, a great legacy she instilled into the American song book was the recording and creation of popular arrangements of many African American spirituals, which were a common part of the oral tradition in slave culture (the only allowed form of artistic expression in slave culture).
Eubie Blake: Rags, Rhythm, and Race by Ken Bloom and Richard Carlin
This book is the best reflection of the professional and societal barriers black artists endured in the space of Eubie Blake’s lifetime - the century of 1890s through the 1980s. The best reflection of the African American artist experience from primary sources (including personal archives), interviews with Blake, his friends, and other scholars.
Service and Sacrifice
The Wonderful Adventures of Mrs. Seacole in Many Lands by Mary Seacole
Nicknamed the "Black Florence Nightingale", Mary Seacole was rejected by the British government to voluntarily work as a nurse in the Crimean War, so she funded her own trip. Driven by a deep commitment to helping the suffering and nurturing the sick, Mary Seacole battled racism and never let it stop her from pursuing her great passion for nursing. This is her personal autobiography.
George Washington Carver by Christina Vella
Orphaned, kidnapped, returned and adopted and raised by his slave owners, (who did not believe in slavery) Carver was raised with love and encouragement to pursue his love of nature and an education. Carver’s contributions span stopping the onset of a national dustbowl by diversifying crops, innovating and teaching crop rotation and navigating the economy away from pure dependency on cotton (which was heavily labour intensive). He received numerous accolades from the US Presidents, the NAACP and continues to be hailed for his foresights by many of today’s environmentalist organizations.
Future in Focus
The Power of Music: A celebration of how music connects us all by Sheku Kanneh-Mason
A first hand account of growing up in a state school in Nottingham, touring the greatest stages of the world as a performer, playing at the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and all his work behind the scenes to give back. An inspiring book from an inspiring performer. Readers, who enjoy this can also check out the other Kanneh-Mason books in our Black History and Culture Collections.
“The Hill We Climb” by Amanda Gorman
Read the Innaugural poem that brought this youngest poet laureate fame and led to her life in activism. A beautiful black voice that brought light in a time of darkness.
All images are copyrght free and presented in order below:
AI generated image of African American women Howard college graduates courtesy of Freepik.com
Mary Prince Front Page Image, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1663485
Peaceful Black Protesters AI generated image courtesy of Freepik.com
W.E.B. Dubois image (item number: NPG.80.25) provided under CCO by National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
Female Scientist AI generated image courtesy of Freepik.com
André Leon Talley By David Shankbone - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6682533
Beverly Johnson By Christopherpeterson at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3010848
Margaret Bonds image in Public Domain, LOC 1956, This image is available from the United States Library of Congress's Prints and Photographs division under the digital ID cph.3c14532.
Photograph of the Broadway Jones Trio, first published 1918. Broadway Jones is the drummer, Jessie Wilson the banjoist, and Eubie Blake the pianist. Public Domain File:Broadway Jones Trio, c. 1918.png Courtesy of Wikipedia
Mary Seacole by Unknown author - https://www.starkefrauen.online/home/wollen-ist-knnen-atybc-5eewc, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=105279929
By Adam Cuerden - Tuskegee University Archives/Museum, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46611459
Amanda Gorman speaking at LOC 2017, Copyright free image from LOC provided by Wiki-Commons.