Girls Rock on 2017 Amelia Bloomer List
There were a lot of amazing books recognized last month at the Youth Media Awards during the American Library Association Midwinter Conference in Atlanta (poor Falcons). Picture an Academy Awards celebration … Continued
Black History Month Staff and Board Member Book Picks
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh staff and board members recommend these must read books that celebrate African American authors, culture and history.
The Blues and Langston Hughes
Langston Hughes was a poet, novelist, and playwright who captured and chronicled the collective and individual experiences of African Americans. First recognized as a literary figure during the Harlem Renaissance, Hughes … Continued
Coretta Scott King Book Award Winners: Not Just For Kids
The Coretta Scott King Book Awards are given out yearly to “outstanding African American authors and illustrators of books for children and young adults that demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture and universal human values.” Since 1970, the award named for Martin Luther King Jr.’s wife has honored such authors as Toni Morrison, Sharon Draper, and Walter Dean Myers. Although the books receiving the award are written for a young audience, many of them are also great reads for adults. Take a look at some of these winning titles.
The Best Short Stories by African American Authors
I cannot even tell you how long it has been since I picked up a collection of short stories (seriously…it’s pretty embarrassing). But I have always loved diving into a good short story. Filled with symbolism and a conclusion that doesn’t take 300 pages to get to, they are a true literary snack. Or in some cases like, Children of the Night: The Best Short Stories by Black Writers 1967 to the Present, a great meal.
Not Your Grandma’s Digital Media Service
Some streaming media services either leave users with too many movies and shows to pick from or nothing available to match their mood. The price can also add up when viewers … Continued
Examining Privilege
You may have seen this quote or a variation of it floating around in the current political ether: “Privilege is when you think something is not a problem because it’s … Continued
Gimme Some Sugar
Last year was a pretty good year for Black television. FX gave us Donald Glover’s show Atlanta and HBO gave us Issa Rae’s Insecure. One great show that may have slipped your radar came from Oprah’s OWN network: Queen Sugar, based on the book of the same name. While I haven’t read the book yet, I really enjoy the TV show.
Eleventh Stack Presents: Black History Month
This month, Eleventh Stack is celebrating Black History Month by featuring posts only about Black and African-American authors, artists and organizations. As librarians and library workers, its our job to make sure our community is represented in our collections, and that we highlight books, movies and music by a diverse set of creators. We also acknowledge that those efforts cannot be limited to one month of the year. Even, so, I’m excited by the content we have planned this month.
Verónica Reyes Presents Poetry from Bordered Lives
The first time you pick up Chopper! Chopper! Poetry from Bordered Lives, the temptation to dig through your old college textbooks for your Spanish/English dictionary might be hard to resist. Verónica Reyes charges her lines—nearly every single one—with the sharp electricity of her East L.A. tongue. It’s this dance, this lingual limbo, that transports you straight into the streets of her city. Not tethering herself to English alone allows her to draw beauty from both languages, to choose her words twice as thoughtfully.