History books fail to give a realistic perception of how life once was for Blacks. Historical media has taken over as a way to share the past. This is great because history books have continued to fail in public schools and the teaching of Black History as a whole.
I'm concerned that our history will one day be lost, which to me is repetitive to the history of our people. How can our children understand who they are if they are oblivious to where they come from. Grand parents that carry a lot of history are dying, and so are the stories of the past. So how can we ensure people of color are well informed? Every year when new history books are printed the section that teaches Black History continues to diminish.
Unfortunately, as parents we have to take up the slack and offer opportunities for our children to learn about who they are, our ancestors, and how they continue to contribute to our world today. To get started there are many wonderful books available to begin great conversations about African American History with your student. I recommend two books for your 7 to 10 year old child. Grandmama's Pride by Brecky Birtha and illustrated by Colin Bootman, it gets down to the nitty gritty by giving an account of African Americans and how they managed day to day during segregation. It is beautifully told and illustrated. The second book begins the conversation of what is happening in our world today. Daddy, There's a Noise Outside written by Kenneth Braswell and illustrated by Joe Dent and Julie Anderson. The illustrations are great, realistic, and will immediately capture the attention of your 7 to 10 year old child. Enjoy!
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