As we focus
on biographies, we will be reading a variety books including ones about black
history. Last week we read The Story of Ruby Bridges and discussed how
difficult it must have been to be one the first black students being integrated
into a white school.
We will
read from the series “Who Was…?” The
stories contain various topics such as slavery, segregation, racism, hate
groups, assassinations and discuss the historical events of that time. Your child may come home with questions, so
please address them as you see fit.
Here is an
overview of some of the titles we will be reading:
Who was
Rosa Parks?
Rosa Parks
remains one of the most prominent figures representing the struggle for Civil
Rights when she refused to give up her bus seat for a white person in 1955.
From the "Who Was...?" series, Who Was Rosa Parks recounts the
life of Rosa Parks. McDonough takes readers back to the beginning of Rosa's
life when she was born in Alabama in 1913 and details the events in Rosa's life
and the people that influenced her that helped shaped the courageous woman she
would become. Working multiple jobs cleaning houses and as a seamstress, Rosa
worked tirelessly at her jobs and selflessly gave her free time to work for the
NAACP and fight for equal voting rights. The day that Rosa took a stand against
inequality would eventually lead to the Supreme Court decision that would
declare bus segregation unconstitutional. Readers will be touched by the story
of this inspirational woman.
The Story
of Ruby Bridges
Celebrate
the 50th anniversary of the first African American child to integrate a New Orleans
school with this paperback reissue!
The year
is 1960, and six-year-old Ruby Bridges and her family have recently moved from
Mississippi to New Orleans in search of a better life. When a judge orders Ruby
to attend first grade at William Frantz Elementary, an all-white school, Ruby
must face angry mobs of parents who refuse to send their children to school
with her. Told with Robert Coles' powerful narrative and dramatically
illustrated by George Ford, Ruby's story of courage, faith, and hope is now available
in this special 50th anniversary edition with an updated afterword!
For months
six-year-old Ruby Bridges must confront the hostility of white parents when she
becomes the first African American girl to integrate Frantz Elementary School
in New Orleans in 1960.
Who was
Harriet Tubman?
Born a
slave in Maryland, Harriet Tubman knew first-hand what it meant to be someone's
property; she was whipped by owners and almost killed by an overseer. It was
from other field hands that she first heard about the Underground Railroad
which she travelled by herself north to Philadelphia. Throughout her long life
(she died at the age of ninety-two) and long after the Civil War brought an end
to slavery, this amazing woman was proof of what just one person can do.
Who was
Abraham Lincoln?
Born to a
family of farmers, Lincoln stood out from an early age—literally! (He was six
feet four inches tall.) As sixteenth President of the United States, he guided
the nation through the Civil War and saw the abolition of slavery. But Lincoln
was tragically shot one night at Ford’s Theater—the first President to be
assassinated. Over 100 black-and-white illustrations and maps are included.
Who Was
Jackie Robinson?
As a kid,
Jackie Robinson loved sports. And why not? He was a natural at football,
basketball, and, of course, baseball. But beyond athletic skill, it was his
strength of character that secured his place in sports history. In 1947 Jackie
joined the Brooklyn Dodgers, breaking the long-time color barrier in major
league baseball. It was tough being first- not only did "fans" send
hate mail but some of his own teammates refused to accept him. Here is an
inspiring sports biography, with black-and-white illustrations throughout.
Let me know
if you have any questions,
Ms. Lackey