Reading Nook: African-American History Month Book Picks

February is African-American History Month, which aims to raise awareness about the African-American experience and celebrate black Americans' achievements.

What had previously been a weeklong celebration "was expanded to a month in 1976, the nation's bicentennial," according to the Library of Congress. "President Gerald R. Ford urged Americans to 'seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.' "

In that spirit, Director Anne Hage has selected several titles that embody the mission of African-American History Month, including:

Children's books

• Harriett Tubman, Secret Agent by Thomas B. Allen, 2006: How daring slaves and free black people spied for the Union during the Civil War.
• The Watsons Go To Birmingham by Christopher Paul Curtis, 1995: Kenny Watson’s brother, Byron, keeps getting into trouble so the family heads south to see Grandma, the one person who can whip him into shape. While they are in Birmingham, AL, Grandma’s church is bombed. 
• Henry Aaron’s Dream by Matt Tavares, 2010: A biography of Henry Aaron– from his time playing in sandlot league to his time in the Negro League to the when he played his first spring training game for the Braves.

Adult books

• At the Dark End of the Street by Danielle L. McGuire,  2010: This book describes the years of degradation black women in Montgomery, AL, endured using city buses to get to and from work in the segregated South. (Fun fact: McGuire is a Huntington Woods resident!)
• The Girl Who Fell From the Sky by Heidi W. Durrow, 2010: After a family tragedy, a biracial girl must cope with race and class issues in society. This book is a winner of the Bellwether Prize for fiction.