If you had to make a list of everything that happened in
Black History, you’d have to put the year 1500 on the top of
your list because that’s where African-American history
began. On your list, there’d be a lot of names and dates,
too, but four names may stand out for you…
Born in 1820, Araminta was a slave because her parents and
grandparents were slaves. Called by her mother’s name, young
“Harriet” worked hard at everything she did but she was
beaten because she was also “rebellious.” It was that
rebellion – and fear of being sold – that made her escape
from her master. It was freedom that made Harriet Tubman
want to help others to escape, too.
When Jackie Robinson began playing baseball, there were
“rules” that told him where he could eat, live, and even get
a drink of water. But Robinson wanted to play ball and so he
smashed a few rules to be the first African-American
major-leaguer in the modern age.
Even before he was born, “Barry” Obama’s mother believed in
him: Barry’s real name is Barack, which means “blessed” in
his father’s native language. Barry was a good student, and
had a sense of humor, but he was teased because he was the
only black kid in his school. That was all just a memory
when Barack Obama became President of the United States.
And “On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks stepped onto a bus –
and into history.”
So your child has been given an assignment to read one
biography this winter. Just one – but one will turn into
four when you’ve got “Time for Kids: Heroes of Black
History” on your shelf.
The first thing kids will notice about this book is its
easy-to-understand narrative and easy-to-read print; it’s
just enough of a challenge, but not overly so. Kids will
also like the artwork in this book, including photographs
from different eras in history. The four subjects here are
examined with a young audience in mind: each mini-chapter
includes a bit about the childhoods of Tubman, Robinson,
Parks and Obama, which keeps the information relevant for
children. Parents will appreciate that there’s a glossary
and thumbnail bios of other black heroes for plenty of
further learning.
Though it can surely be read by anyone, Time for Kids:
Heroes of Black History is really meant for kids ages
eight and older, especially those who love history. If you
know a child like that, you might as well find it now. It’s
a book your kids will want to look up.
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