"If we do not learn our history, we are bound to repeat the mistakes of the past". As I reflect on recent events, it continues to become even more apparent that key parts African American History are unknown to many. Events like the Tulsa Massacre, significance of Junteeth, The Black Codes, Emitt Till case etc. are not part of our mainstream History curriculums in schools. As parents, we therefore can't leave the responsibility of history education solely in the hands of the schools. We have to intentionally curate the messages and awareness of history we want to pass on to our kiddos.
To help with this, we are moving ahead from the Pre-K books and bringing you to the next installment of our Diversity Starter Kit. This list is for our kiddos ages 4-7.
We educate them today, not to raise the smartest kids, but to help them develop the skills to navigate the world as well-informed individuals, who are conscious, empathetic and accepting of varying racial identities.
Our book list is as follows.
1. Little Leaders By Vashti Harrison
2. All Diffferent Now: Junetenth, the First Day of Freedom. By Angela Johnson
3. The Proudest Blue: By Ibtihaj Muhammad, S. K. Ali and Hatem Aly
4. I am Rosa Parks (Ordinary People Change the World). By Brad Meltzer
6. Hidden Figures. By Margo Lee Shetterly
7. What if We Were All The Same! By C. M. Harris.
8. Separate is Never Equal. By Duncan Tonatiuh