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A Century of Black History Commemorations |
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Carter G. Woodson: A Life in Black History
by Jacqueline Goggin
Biography: In 1912, Woodson (1875-1950) became the first and only individual of slave parentage to earn a Ph.D. in history. He founded the Journal of Negro History, wrote and edited numerous books and publications, and through his research and writing established black history as a legitimate field of inquiry. This biography profiles a complex and dedicated pioneer.
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Carter G. Woodson: The Father of Black History
by Patricia C. McKissack
Easy Biography: An important figure for children to know about, Carter G. Woodson founded Negro History Week, later expanded to Black History Month, and educated people about the accomplishments and achievements of African Americans.
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February 20th - World Day of Social Justice
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Unrig the Game: What Women of Color Can Teach Everyone about Winning
by Vanessa Priya Daniel
Non-fiction: As the clock counts down towards game over on our planet-as we fight to protect democracy and build a fair society-social justice movements seem to be doing just that. Women of color are top scorers for social change and responsible for many of the biggest victories of our time. From the streets, to the ballot box, to elected office, no other demographic group stands up more consistently and unequivocally against hate and injustice. Yet, in this clutch moment in history, when humanity can least afford it, the full power and potential of their leadership is too often benched by those who tear them down. Lighting The Path equips us to support our MVPs so we can all win. A former community and union organizer who started one of the largest foundations to resource women of color-led organizing, Vanessa Daniel draws on candid interviews with 45 different women of color movement leaders, along with her own experience at the helm of an organization, to offer an on-the-ground perspective of the obstacles leaders face, how they navigate them, and how allies can show up. Daniel skillfully spotlights the superpowers these leaders bring to social change, while rejecting the magical thinking that identity alone makes anyone a good leader inherently.
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The Other Talk: Reckoning with Our White Privilege
by Brendan Kiely
Young Adult Non-fiction: All too many kids of color get 'the talk.' The talk about where to keep their hands, how to wear their clothes, how to speak, how to act around police-an honest talk, a talk about survival in a racist world. The get "the talk" because they must. But white kids don't get this talk. Instead, they're barely spoken to about race at all-and that needs to change. The Other Talk begins this much-needed conversation for white kids. In an accessible, anecdotal, and honest account from his own life, Brendan Kiely introduces young readers to white privilege, unconscious bias, and allyship-because racism isn't just an issue for people of color, it's an issue white people have to deal with, too, and it's time we all start doing our part.
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Social Justice All Around Us
by Adrienne Van Der Valk
Juvenile Non-fiction: In Social Justice All Around Us, students will look at real world issues, like environmentalism and poverty, through the lens of identity, diversity, justice, and action. Readers will see how bias can negatively impact the world around them--and learn what to do about it. Engaging inquiry-based sidebars encourage students to think, create, guess, and ask questions around the content.
Part of the Anti-Bias Learning; Social Justice in Action Series
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Right Now!: Real Kids Speaking Up for Change
by Miranda Paul
Easy Non-fiction: A joyful, inspiring picture book that introduces readers to eleven young people from around the world who didn't wait until they were grown to speak up about things that matter to them and change the world for the better.
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MCLS 2026 Reading Challenge - That's a Coming of Age Story
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Sag Harbor
by Colson Whitehead
Fiction: The warm, funny, and supremely original new novel from one of the most acclaimed writers in America The year is 1985. Benji Cooper is one of the only black students at an elite prep school in Manhattan. He spends his falls and winters going to roller-disco bar mitzvahs, playing too much Dungeons and Dragons, and trying to catch glimpses of nudity on late-night cable TV. After a tragic mishap on his first day of high school--when Benji reveals his deep enthusiasm for the horror movie magazine Fangoria--his social doom is sealed for the next four years. But every summer, Benji escapes to the Hamptons, to Sag Harbor, where a small community of African American professionals have built a world of their own. Because their parents come out only on weekends, he and his friends are left to their own devices for three glorious months. And although he's just as confused about this all-black refuge as he is about the white world he negotiates the rest of the year, he thinks that maybe this summer things will be different. If all goes according to plan, that is. There will be trials and tribulations, of course. There will be complicated new handshakes to fumble through, and state-of-the-art profanity to master. He will be tested by contests big and small, by his misshapen haircut (which seems to have a will of its own), by the New Coke Tragedy of '85, and by his secret Lite FM addiction. But maybe, with a little luck, things will turn out differently this summer. In this deeply affectionate and fiercely funny coming-of-age novel, Whitehead--using the perpetual mortification of teenage existence and the desperate quest for reinvention--lithely probes the elusive nature of identity, both personal and communal.
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The Ping-Pong Queen of Chinatown
by Andrew Yang
Young Adult Fiction: High school junior Felix Ma wants to prove to his parents that he's not a quitter. After crashing out of piano lessons and competitive ping-pong, Felix starts a film club at his school in a last-ditch attempt to find a star extracurricular for his college applications. Then he meets Cassie Chow, a bubbly high school senior who shares Felix's anxieties about the future and complicated relationship with parental expectations. Felix feels drawn to Cassie for reasons he can't quite articulate, so as an excuse to see her more, he invites Cassie to star in his short film--
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The Boys in the Back Row
by Mike Jung
Juvenile fiction: Best friends Matt and Eric are hatching a plan for one big final adventure together before Eric moves away: during the marching band competition at a Giant Amusement Park, they will sneak away to a nearby comics convention and meet their idol--a famous comic creator. Without cell phones. Or transportation. Or permission. Of course, their final adventure together is more than just that--really, it's a way for the boys to celebrate their friendship, and their honest love and support for one another. That's exactly what we love so much about The Boys in the Back Row: it's an unabashed ode to male friendship, because love between boys, platonic or otherwise, is something to celebrate. And of course, because this is Mike Jung, we'll be celebrating it with hilariously flawed hijinks and geekiness galore!
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Waiting for Chicken Smith
by David Mackintosh
Picture Book: Every year, I stay in the same cabin at the beach with my family, and every year Chicken Smith's here too, with his Dad and his dog, Jelly. But this year, something's different." As we hang on the words of the narrator, we learn of the legendary Chicken Smith and the beachside town that has been the backdrop to their school-holiday adventures for years. But will Chicken Smith turn up this year? Or will a friendship of a different kind blossom. A story about childhood friendship, the inevitability of change and the magic of anticipation.
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Library Programs of InterestFor a full listing of our programs this month see our Events Page.
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Mercer County Library System
2751 Brunswick Pike Lawrenceville, New Jersey 08648 609-882-9246
https://mcl.org
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