: For Students, Faculty, and Staff
A few people have been asking about the lack of postings here on the Blue Ox Review lately.
This is a time of listening, learning, and reflections.
I have been thinking a lot of the 2014 May Hill Arbuthnot Lecture. The honoree, Andrea Davis Pinkney chose to speak about American history, Black history, children’s literature, racism, brutality, and social justice.
A still from the 2014 Arbuthnot Lecture
And of the exhibit where the Kerlan Collection featured Marilyn Nelson’s A Wreath for Emmett Till. We display the Nelson’s poems and the art from the book surrounded with primary source materials and newspaper clippings giving context to the art and and his story. I was grateful for this opportunity to tell Emmett Till’s story through these materials from the Kerlan and Givens collections.
The video of the 2020 May Hill Arbuthnot Lecture
Many are making the connection between the lynching of Emmett Till and the murder of George Floyd as turning points in the history of the United States.
Resources
On National Public Radio
What does it mean to be anti-racist and how should adults talk to kids about race and racism? NPR’s Noel King talks to children’s author Renee Watson and anti-racism scholar Ibram Kendi.
How can parents help their children understand how to be antiracist?
There are many anti-racist and diverse booklists being posted right now for children and young adults, for teachers and librarians, for parents and caregivers.
Title Card #KidLit4BlackLives
The Brown Bookshelf: United in Story
Produced KidLit Rally 4 Black Lives: Anti-Racist Resources for Children, Families, and Educators
The Brown Bookshelf hosted the KidLit4BlackLives Rally that took place on June 4, 2020. Led by Kwame Alexander, Jacqueline Woodson, and Jason Reynolds, the Rally featured inspiring words, music, and numerous calls to action in support of equity and justice. For resources, please visit https://thebrownbookshelf.com/2020/06…
Black Lives Matter Instructional Library
Black Lives Matter Instructional Library Title Slide
Children’s Book read aloud videos and links to websites.
From Publishers’ Weekly
A children’s and ya anti-racist reading-list
Antiracist Baby by Ibram X. Kendi, illus. by Ashley Lukashevsky (Kokila, June 16, $8.99, 9780593110416, ages up to 3.
From School Library Journal
On Being Comfortable with Discomfort: Tiffany Jewell Explains What It Means To Be Anti-Racist
Tiffany Jewell’s recently published anti-racist primer, This Book Is Anti-Racist: 20 Lessons on How To Wake Up, Take Action, and Do The Work (Quarto/Frances Lincoln; Gr 5 Up), aims to provide everyone, especially young readers, with ways to combat racism.
Jewell discussed her book, its message, and the importance of educators and teachers decolonizing their bookshelves with SLJ.
https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=tiffany-jewell-anti-racism-childrens-nonfiction-author-interview
#OperationReadAloud
We are aggregating booklists, websites and events.
Minnesota Writers, Actors, and Artists
have come together to create, A Breath for George
New Dawn Theatre stands shoulder-to-shoulder with six Twin Cities’ theaters — Penumbra, Pillsbury House, Mixed Blood, Yellow Tree, Gremlin, Plymouth Congregational Church — to present for free outdoor screenings of A Breath for George, a collection of songs, interviews, and poems created to honor the life of George Floyd. Artists featured include: James T. Alfred, Aimee Bryant, Wanda Christine, Perri Gaffney, Peter Macon, Thomasina Petrus, T. Mychael Rambo, Frank Sentwali, Regina Marie Williams and Jevetta Steele. Interviews with Sarah Bellamy, Harvey Blanks, Melvin Carter Jr., James Craven, Talvin Wilks and Professor John Wright are also included in the collection. All screenings are free and open to the public.
A Breath for George Public Showings
Monday, June 15 @ 7:30PM & 8:30PM
MIXED BLOOD THEATRE
1501 S 4th Street
, Minneapolis, MN 55454
Tuesday, June 16 @ 7:30PM & 8:30PM
PENUMBRA THEATRE
270 N Kent St.,
St. Paul, MN 55102
Wednesday, June 17 @ 7:30PM & 8:30PM
GREMLIN THEATRE
Annex Building, 550 Vandalia St. #177,
St. Paul, MN 55114
Thursday, June 18 @ 7:30PM & 8:30PM
PLYMOUTH CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
1900 Nicollet Ave S. Minneapolis, MN 55403
Friday, June 19 @ 7:30PM & 8:30PM
PENUMBRA THEATRE
270 N Kent Street, St. Paul, MN 55102
Saturday, June 20 @ 7:30PM & 8:30PM
PILLSBURY HOUSE AND THEATER
3501 Chicago Avenue
, Minneapolis, MN 55407
Sunday, June 21 @ 7:30PM & 8:30PM
YELLOW TREE THEATRE
320 5th Ave SE Osseo, MN 55369
Screening are free but donations and/or action is requested for the organizations listed at the New Dawn Theatre Company website
https://www.thecurrent.org/events/2020/06/15/6731/a-breath-for-george—a-collection-of-songs-interviews-and-poems-created-to-honor-the-life-of-george-floyd
