Black History Month

Each Literacy Together staff member chose something different to share in honor of Black History Month. These are pieces of Black history and culture we have taken into our lives — meditated on, laughed with, danced to, felt deeply, learned from — and continue to celebrate all year round. We are grateful to share these things with you because they mean a lot to us!

Lucille Clifton poem (Rebecca)

lucy and her girls

lucy is the ocean extended by
her girls
are the river
fed by
lucy
is the sun
reflected through her girls
are the moon
lighted by
lucy
is the history of her girls
are the place where lucy
was going

This Chris Rock interview on The Breakfast Club (2020) is amazing. Also, here are some of my favorite songs:

Adnis (Jay-Z), Umi Says (Mos Def), and We Almost Lost Detroit by Gil Scott Heron.

I love Maya Angelou! Here she’s with Oprah (LuAnn).

Maya Angelou on finding courage.

These two Black women activists (as well as authors/poets/philosophers) have always inspired me (Meghan).

Angela Davis:

“You have to act as if it were possible to radically transform the world. And you have to do it all the time.”

Maya Angelou:

“The caged bird sings with a fearful trill,
of things unknown, but longed for still,
and his tune is heard on the distant hill,
for the caged bird sings of freedom.” (from poem)

Here are Four Rules For Achieving Peace and Justice by Bryan Stevenson (Cindy).

Below is a link to a reading of I Am Enough by the author, Grace Byers, and illustrator, Keturah Bobo. I Am Enough is a beautiful picture book about loving who you are, respecting others, and being kind to one another (Julie).

Here are a few books that my children and I have really loved! They’re all beautifully illustrated and inspiring books that expose young ones (and adults!) to historical and present-day black icons and heroes (Tiffany).

Young, Gifted, and Black (words by: Jamia Wilson / illustrated by: Andrea Pippins).

Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History (by: Vashti Harrison), also, Little Legends: Exceptional Men in Black History.

Change Sings: A Children’s Anthem (words by: Amanda Gorman / pictures by: Loren Long).

I’d like to pass on local resources to learn more about African-American history (and present) in our region (Erin).

Hood Huggers
The Racial Equity Institute
Building Bridges
The Equal Justice Initiative
YMI Cultural Center

Cothinkk

Triangle Park in The Block (by the YMI Cultural Center) is one of my favorite spots Downtown. The memorial mural honors the history of African-Americans in Asheville (Laura).

Also, I loved this Visit Asheville’s Instagram reel featuring all the Black-owned businesses in and around Asheville.

Finally, did you know that from 1897 to 1974 the Asheville Office Park site (where our office is located) was the home of the Allen School, a boarding school for African-American girls? Two of the most well-known graduates include Nina Simone, class valedictorian in 1950, and Dr. Christine Darden, class valedictorian in 1958, who went on to a distinguished career at NASA and whose life was represented in the book Hidden Figures.

I love Nina’s interpretation of this song. It’s so full of love and vitality, and a reminder that we are all unique and have a special superpower to share with the world. I dare you not to dance!