This blog was written by Jasmine McNeil, outreach specialist for Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

Diversity in Children’s Literature has been an on and off topic of discussion in the literacy and education field for some time now. There has been a significant disparity in literary representation seen across the United States in classrooms, curriculum, and libraries for as far back as I can remember. As a child, rarely seeing a character that I can physically relate to, became the norm. I was an adult before I knew that these books existed. 

The National African American Read-In, is an initiative created in 1990, to promote children’s books that feature African American characters in a normal way, and books that are written by African American authors. This initiative takes place during Black History Month, for the entire month, every year. 

This year, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is hosting our 3rd Annual Celebration of the National African American Read-In, for the first time in person. We will be hosting an event open to the public on Saturday, February 18th, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. It will be held at Sugar Creek Charter Elementary (4101 N. Tryon Street). 

Join us for workshops for all ages (registration required), live performances, traditional storytelling, a free food truck (while supplies last) and so much more.  

We hope to see you there! 

*Written by Lisa Swayne Proud of the Plaza Midwood Neighborhood Association*

The Plaza Midwood Neighborhood Association was thrilled to be gifted the old Penguin sign, but how could we best honor and display the sign? After a lot of starts, stops, discussions and Board votes, we found the perfect solution with the help of the Plaza Midwood Merchants Association and WhirlyPig Design.

Together and just in time for PMNA’s 50th anniversary, we’re creating a permanent Plaza Midwood exhibit at the Plaza Midwood Branch of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. In addition to the Penguin sign, the exhibit will include old business signs that neighbor Murray Chapple of WhirlyPig Design has collected over the years: the 1510 antiques, City Supply and Fresh Produce.

"As a community hub, our goal is to create a welcoming space that reflects the diversity and unique character of the neighborhood. The Library is proud to preserve the rich history of Plaza Midwood through this new exhibit," said Catherine Haydon, Plaza Midwood Library Manager.

We’re thrilled the Plaza Midwood Library has agreed to host this exhibit. Plus, add to it! Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room staff is curating historic Plaza Midwood photography to be displayed with the old business signs. The new exhibit will also include pieces that the very first PMNA President Mary Anne Hammond donated like the old trolley track that ran down Central Avenue and a copy of PMNA’s very first neighborhood directory.

Thank you to the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library for hosting the exhibit, WhirlyPig Design for installing all of the pieces and PMNA for funding the project. We can’t wait for the neighborhood to see it

This blog was written by children’s author Charlitta Hatch to promote the National African American Read In on February 18, 2023.

As a mother of two young children, I am constantly reading all types of books to my son and daughter. They range from books on animals, trucks, and unicorns. Some of the books have only pictures and we make up our own story. Some are books with diverse characters. Some you may call boy books and others you may call girl books. If in those books, you see images of only girls cooking, then what does that tell girls? What message does that also send to boys? The images tell a story about what our children can be and also tell a story of what others can or cannot be. As an author, consultant, and parent, here are 3 things to consider when thinking about whether the books you expose your children to matter.

1. When we can relate to the content, we become more interested in the journey that the characters will take. The journeys the characters take can also shape the journey we believe we can take.  Providing diverse and relatable reading content for children can reinforce positive self-images, principles of diversity, and introduce children to others who are different.
2. Books are one of the tools that help children develop an awareness and recognition of diversity early in life. In 2006, a study of 36 infants showed that children develop a bias towards their own race as early as three to six months of age. In 2018, a study found that preschool-aged children were better able to understand the moral of a story and apply it to real-life situations when the story was presented with human characters rather than animal characters.
3. In 2014 and 2018, studies showed the impact that a single storybook reading can have on a young child. For example, after hearing a story some participants would make comments such as, “I have a frisbee at home,” connecting the story to their own lives through the presence of a particular object without ever mentioning the characters within the story. It is important to have diverse authors and illustrators a part of the diverse story telling so that the store is authentic. Children connect with different components of the children’s books beyond the character’s name and race. To increase interest and ensure the content is relatable, representation at the writing and drawing tables is key.

I challenge you to reflect on the images that dominate the various forms of media, specifically children’s books. I know that representation matters, and I know that reading is fundamental. What changes can we make to forming a positive self-identity? Can we change the narrative from Black boys being known as thugs and athletes to literary scholars? Is the first step critically thinking about the children’s books we have in our home and classroom libraries?

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This year, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is hosting our 3^rd Annual Celebration of the National African American Read-In, for the first time in person. We will be hosting an event open to the public on Saturday February 18^th, from 10am-2pm. It will be held at Sugar Creek Charter Elementary (4101 N. Tryon Street). 

Join us for workshops for all ages (registration required), live performances, traditional storytelling, a free food truck (while supplies last) and so much more.  

We hope to see you there! 

This blog was written and contributed by local author Kristi Cruise to promote the National African American Read In on February 18, 2023.

I have published eight books, and counting, for literacy leadership company Living Libraries. Seven of those books feature bilingual text, six feature children of color on the cover and all eight of those books feature minority children as lead protagonists. Why? Because the mainstream children’s book industry is in many ways white-washed and it’s time we start talking about it. Representation is important. Children of color deserve and NEED to see themselves in children’s books.

For 10 years in my previous role, I led the largest book up-cycling distribution organization in Charlotte, NC. I started this non-profit humbly out of my garage following the housing recession of 2008. The organization grew quickly to distributing 20,000+ free books a month all coming from children who have simply outgrown them, going to children living primarily in Charlotte’s pre-identified book deserts. According to data from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, 75% of elementary children in the district identify as “one or more minority” races, yet the books they were receiving from our organization to create at-home libraries featured 95%+ Caucasian characters. Even the human cartoon characters where were almost all undoubtedly white. And this is none one’s fault, in my opinion, as these precious books that children love and then love again were simply coming from Charlotte homes and reflected the homes they came from, but we cannot ignore the fact that minority children, at home and at school, are too often looking at books that feature children who do not look like them. This we believe can lead to a disconnect with reading and learning in general. 

When children receive books that feature predominately white characters, several things happen. White children are conditioned to think subliminally, “Oh, I must be superior, as clearly I am on the covers of all the books.” Minority children, conversely, may unconsciously think, “What is wrong with me? I don’t look like the kids in these books.” This kind of underlying, subliminal, unconscious racism is plaguing our country and I, along with others, am invested in working to do something positive about it.  

I am a white woman with three white children whom have access to more than enough books featuring children that look just like them. I feel it’s my duty to give my children access to books featuring children of color, because they also need to experience this reality. I can’t tell you how powerful it was when I gave my five-year-old daughter a book called Unicorn Dreams which featured an African American girl on the cover. Up until that point she had never seen a Black girl on a book with a unicorn before. This comes as no surprise to the author, Lawrence Gordon, because he couldn’t find one either – that’s why he wrote it.  

All my books feature children of color because representation is important and moving forward will feature bilingual text as well. I do this not because these characters represent my own children, but rather because they don’t.  

I wholeheartedly support the National African American Read In (NAARI), because, the NAARI goes a long way to helping our community understand why it’s so important that children of color, and all children get to see African Americans and other minorities celebrated in books. Until we can advocate for more representation in books, we have not gotten to the root cause of racism in America. Look at a string of TV commercials on just about any network coming into any home and you will find diversity abounds, because it reflects the colorful world we live in. The same should also be said of children’s bookshelves in any given home. The solution is simple: support diversity in children’s literature, support diversity driven authors who write them. It’s as easy as buying, borrowing or simply reading a diverse book to a child.  

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This year, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is hosting our 3^rd Annual Celebration of the National African American Read-In, for the first time in person. We will be hosting an event open to the public on Saturday February 18^th, from 10am-2pm. It will be held at Sugar Creek Charter Elementary (4101 N. Tryon Street). 

Join us for workshops for all ages (registration required), live performances, traditional storytelling, a free food truck (while supplies last) and so much more.  

We hope to see you there!