Black History in the Pages of Children's Literature

Teachers, parents, and others who want to gain a greater understanding of Black history will find a new book by UM-Flint Associate Professor Rose Casement to be an excellent resource.

In her book, Black History in the Pages of Children's Literature, Casement presents Black history contextualized in chapters that provide both an introduction to historical periods and an annotated bibliography of outstanding children's literature that can be used to introduce and teach the history of each period. These children's books provide stories and information that can help students develop deeper understandings of the distinct history of African Americans within the encompassing history of America.

Besides an interest in Black History and children's literature, Casement felt that few students, regardless of race, leave school with an understanding of the depth and breadth of Black experience in America.

Author Casement provides a complete historical timeframe from pre-colonization to the present, with chapters specifically covering the colonization of North America, the years of slavery, the Civil War and Reconstruction, the role African Americans played in westward expansion, the Jim Crow years, and contemporary stories that depict the present. Accompanying each chapter's bibliography are notations as to the recommended grade levels for the books presented. A glossary of terms and an index are also provided for clarification and easy access to specific areas of study.

Rose Casement is associate dean of the School of Education and Human Services at the University of Michigan-Flint.