Whether on the air with The Conversation With Al McFarlane or in my column, I have stated what it was like, as a Baby Boomer, to only find books like Further Adventures of Dick and Jane during my childhood of the 1950s and early 1960s. Author Crown Shepherd noted on TCWAM that the primary reason Black boys started to fall behind in reading was because there were no characters in children’s books who looked like them, which was one of the motivations for her to write and publish her children’s book Black Boy Black Boy.
That being said, as an author myself, I was honored and delighted to meet and connect with Black authors of children’s books at the Black Children’s Book Fair, held at the Black Youth Healing Arts Center in St. Paul on August 12, hosted by Dr. Talaya Tolefree, the founder of Sankofa Moments Publishing.
Among the group of amazing authors were Shayla Michelle Reaves, Rosemond Sarpong Owens, Lehman Riley, Josalyn Thomas, J. Darnell Johnson, Nadvia Davis, Thomas Davison, Mizz Mercedez, and of course, Dr. Talaya and Nia-Imani Tolefree. In addition, representatives of the Network for the Development of Children of African Descent were also in attendance. As one who was a voracious reader as a child, I am wholeheartedly in line with their motto, “Reading = Success!”
From the sharing of stories to the author panel, the event was fun, educational, and engaging. There were games and prizes for the kids, plus the opportunity to meet and greet the authors. I wholly appreciate the need for authors of Black children’s books to have an affirming space to share their work and let the community know about it, and I thank Dr. Tolefree for making this event possible.
For further information about Sankofa Moments Publishing, check out Dr. Tolefree’s website at sankofamomentspublishing.org.
Let’s continue to support these events in our community, and encourage our children in the joy, value, and power of books and reading for success. That being said, check out my latest column for a review of one of the extraordinary authors who participated in the Black Children’s Book Fair, Mizz Mercedez.
Representation matters!
W.D. Foster-Graham
W.D. Foster-Graham is a native son of Minneapolis, Minnesota. He received a B.A. in psychology from Luther College, and he was an original member of the multi-Grammy-Award-winning ensemble, Sounds of Blackness. He has also been recognized by the International Society of Poets as one of its “Best New Poets of 2003,” is a guest writer for journalist/author/entertainer Wyatt O’Brian Evans.
