Books by Tonya Bolden
Great Minds of Science (Black Lives #1): A Nonfiction Graphic Novel
by Tonya Bolden
Matilda Evans. Archie Alexander. Gladys West. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson. These Aren't Names That Many People Learn About In School, But They're Some Of The Greatest Scientists That People Should Know About-doctors, Engineers, Mathematicians, And Biologists. Even Though They Faced Discrimination For Being The Only Or Some Of The Only Black Scientists In The Rooms They Were In, They Didn't Back Down. They Kept Experimenting And Questioning And Learning, And They Made Significant Contributions In Each Of Their Scientific Fields! Black Lives Is The New Graphic Novel Series From Award-winning Author Tonya Bolden And Illustrator David Wilkerson That Celebrates The Lives Of Black Innovators And Legends And Helps Brings Lesser-known Histories To Life-- Provided By Publisher.
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Strong Voices: Fifteen American Speeches Worth Knowing
by Tonya Bolden, Cokie Roberts
Strong Voices: Fifteen American Speeches Worth Knowing is a collection of significant speeches, made both by those who held the reins of power and those who didn’t, at significant times in American history. Read the original words—sometimes abridged and sometimes in their entirety—that have shaped our cultural fabric. A Chicago Public Library Best Book!
"A wide-ranging collection of speeches and a worthwhile resource for students of American history." —Booklist
"A golden celebration of the multicultural voices who demand the U.S.—and the world—do better." —Kirkus
"An important addition to American history collections." —School Library Journal
Introductions by acclaimed writer Tonya Bolden provide historical context and critical insights to the meaning and impact of every speech. Illustrations by award-winning artist Eric Velasquez illuminate what it was really like at each moment in history. This collection includes the following: Patrick Henry, “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” George Washington, Farewell Address Red Jacket, “We Never Quarrel about Religion” Frederick Douglass, “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” Sojourner Truth, “I Am a Woman’s Rights” Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address Theodore Roosevelt, “Citizenship in a Republic” Franklin Delano Roosevelt, “The Only Thing We Have to Fear Is Fear Itself” Lou Gehrig, “Farewell to Baseball” Langston Hughes, “On the Blacklist All Our Lives” John Fitzgerald Kennedy, “We Choose to Go to the Moon” Martin Luther King, Jr., “I Have a Dream” Fannie Lou Hamer, “I Question America” Cesar Chavez, Address to the Commonwealth Club of California, 1984 Hillary Rodham Clinton, “Women’s Rights Are Human Rights”
Strong Voices includes a foreword by #1 New York Times bestselling author and celebrated journalist Cokie Roberts, as well as a timeline in the back of the book, along with letters to the reader from Tonya Bolden and Eric Velasquez.
Strong Voices is a tremendous introduction to the extraordinary words spoken in history.
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Portraits of African-American Heroes
by Tonya Bolden
Here, ideal for African-American History Month, is a stunningly beautiful book consisting of portraits-in pictures and words-of twenty outstanding African-Americans. The individuals range from historical to contemporary figures, such as the dancer Judith Jamison, and represent diverse fields of endeavor, from the law (Supreme Court justice Thurgood Marshall) to athletics, science, and more. For each individual, there is a three-page biography by the noted author Tonya Bolden and a striking black-and-white portrait that captures not only the subject's likeness but is a work of art in itself. A book to inspire, to teach, or to display, with its large trim size and striking design, it is as handsome as it is important.
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The Champ
by Tonya Bolden
Muhammad Ali is one of the world’s best-known figures, and this incredible biography delves into precisely why. From his unlikely beginnings as a skinny, young Cassius Clay learning to box at a local gym to becoming the heavyweight champion of the world at the famous “Rumble in the Jungle,” where even the skies let loose with rain right after his victory, Ali has captivated the world. Tonya Bolden’s careful research and elegant telling, paired with R. Gregory Christie’s incredible paintings, make this a book that will inform and inspire readers of all ages.
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Take-Off (Bk & CD): American All-Girl Bands During World War II
by Tonya Bolden
The 1940's was a time when society thought it improper for women to make a sax wail or let loose hot licks on skins, but with the advent of World War II and many men away fighting the war, women finally got their chance to strut their stuff on the bandstand. These all-girl bands kept morale high on the homefront and on USO tours of miltary bases across the globe while also helping to establish America's legacy in jazz music.
"Take-off?" Oh, yeah. Several all-girl bands did.
This book includes a hip swing CD.
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Cause: Reconstruction America 1863-1877
by Tonya Bolden
After the destruction of the Civil War, the United States faced the immense challenge of rebuilding a ravaged South and incorporating millions of freed slaves into the life of the nation. On April 11, 1865, President Lincoln introduced his plan for reconstruction, warning that the coming years would be “fraught with great difficulty.” Three days later he was assassinated. The years to come witnessed a time of complex and controversial change.
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FDR's Alphabet Soup: New Deal America 1932-1939
by Tonya Bolden
FDR’S New Deal, which followed the 1929 stock market crash, was a hugely influential moment in the history of the United States, encompassing everything from the arts to finance, labor to legislation, and some think it helped bring the country out of the Great Depression. Here, Tonya Bolden, writing in her trademark accessible style, creates a portrait of a time that changed American history both then and now.
FDR’s First 100 Days and how the United States was changed by it then are closely examined, especially now. The 2009 financial situation is eerily mirrored by that of the late 1920s, and this is a perfect book to help teens understand history and its lasting impact on current events.
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No Small Potatoes: Junius G. Groves and His Kingdom in Kansas
by Tonya Bolden
Discover the incredible true story of how one of history's most successful potato farmers began life as a slave and worked until he was named the "Potato King of the World"!
Junius G. Groves came from humble beginnings in the Bluegrass State. Born in Kentucky into slavery, freedom came when he was still a young man and he intended to make a name for himself. Along with thousands of other African Americans who migrated from the South, Junius walked west and stopped in Kansas. Working for a pittance on a small potato farm was no reason to feel sorry for himself, especially when he's made foreman. But Junius did dream of owning his own farm, so he did the next best thing. He rented the land and worked hard! As he built his empire, he also built a family, and he built them both on tons and tons and tons of potatoes. He never quit working hard, even as the naysayers doubted him, and soon he was declared Potato King of the World and had five hundred acres and a castle to call his own.
From award winning author Tonya Bolden and talented illustrator Don Tate comes a tale of perseverance that reminds us no matter where you begin, as long as you work hard, your creation can never be called small potatoes.
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Rock of Ages
by Tonya Bolden
In her moving homage to the Black Church, Tonya Bolden has written a poem spanning centuries of oppression, freedom, prejudice, and joy. From times when slaves worshipped secretly in fields at night to the grand city churches of today, the Church has been there to help its community, inspire its congregants, and teach us what is possible when people join together.
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How to Build a Museum: Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture
by Tonya Bolden
Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture is truly groundbreaking!
The first national museum whose mission is to illuminate for all people, the rich, diverse, complicated, and important experiences and contributions of African Americans in America is opening.
And the history of NMAAHC--the last museum to be built on the National Mall--is the history of America.
The campaign to set up a museum honoring black citizens is nearly 100 years old; building the museum itelf and assembling its incredibly far-reaching collections is a modern story that involves all kinds of people, from educators and activists, to politicians, architects, curators, construction workers, and ordinary Americans who donated cherished belongings to be included in NMAAHC's thematically-organized exhibits.
Award-winning author Tonya Bolden has written a fascinating chronicle of how all of these ideas, ambitions, and actual objects came together in one incredible museum. Includes behind-the-scenes photos of literally "how to build a museum" that holds everything from an entire segregated railroad car to a tiny West African amulet worn to ward off slave traders.
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The Green Piano: How Little Me Found Music
by Tonya Bolden, Roberta Flack
This autobiographical picture book by the multiple Grammy Award-winning singer Roberta Flack recounts her childhood in a home surrounded by music and love: it all started with a beat-up piano that her father found in a junkyard, repaired, and painted green.
Growing up in a Blue Ridge mountain town, little Roberta didn't have fancy clothes or expensive toys...but she did have music. And she dreamed of having her own piano.
When her daddy spies an old, beat-up upright piano in a junkyard, he knows he can make his daughter's dream come true. He brings it home, cleans and tunes it, and paints it a grassy green. And soon the little girl has an instrument to practice on, and a new dream to reach for--one that will make her become a legend in the music industry.
Here is a lyrical picture book--perfect for aspiring piano players and singers--that shares an intimate look at Roberta Flack's family and her special connection to music.
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$18.99
W. E. B. Du Bois: A Twentieth-Century Life (Up Close)
by Tonya Bolden
William Edward Burghardt Du Bois, perhaps best known for his seminal work The Souls of Black Folk and as the founding editor of the NAACP?s groundbreaking magazine The Crisis, was ever a soul in motion for justice. Whether he was protesting Jim Crow laws and lynch mobs in the Deep South, advocating for the end of European Colonialism, or campaigning for world peace, Du Bois was always speaking out for others.
This fascinating Up Close biography by award-winning author Tonya Bolden tells the story of how one man?tirelessly and never quietly? fought for equality until his death at age ninety-five.
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Say a Little Prayer
by Tonya Bolden, Jenna Voris, Dionne Warwick, David Freeman Wooley
American icon and international superstar Dionne Warwick presents an inspiring and entertaining children's picture book that encourages kids to find their best talent in life and embrace it.
Little D” is ambling through childhood like any other little kidenjoying her family and neighbors, her pet dog, her hobbies, and schoolwhen one day she discovers that she has a special talent. In her first-ever singing performance in front of an audience, Little D brings the house down! And she discovers, with her grandfather's encouragement (If you think it, you can do it!”), that everyone has a special talent and it's up to each person to find it, embrace it, perfect it, and enjoy it!
The book includes audio CD featuring an exclusive recording of the gospel song Jesus Loves Me” (the first song young Dionne performed before an audience, as told in the book), as well as a reading of the book by Ms. Warwick.
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Say a Little Prayer
by Tonya Bolden, Jenna Voris, Dionne Warwick, David Freeman Wooley
Saved! meets Casey McQuiston in this wry, heartfelt tale of a teen who's taking her church camp by storm—one deadly sin at a time.
Riley quietly left church a year ago when she realized there was no place for a bi girl in her congregation. But it wasn’t until the pastor shunned her older sister for getting an abortion that she really wanted to burn it all down.
It’s just her luck, then, that she’s sent to the principal’s office for slapping a girl talking smack about her sister—and in order to avoid suspension, she has to spend spring break at church camp. The only saving grace is that she’ll be there with her best friend, Julia. Even if Julia’s dad is the pastor. And he’s in charge of camp. But Riley won’t let a technicality like “repenting” get in the way of her true mission. Instead of spending the week embracing the seven heavenly virtues, she decides to commit all seven deadly sins. If she can show the other campers that sometimes being a little bad is for the greater good, she could start a righteous revolution! What could possibly go wrong? Aside from falling for the pastor’s daughter . . .
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M.L.K.: Journey of a King
by Tonya Bolden
An inspiring biography of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. from Coretta Scott King Honor Award winner Tonya Bolden
Most people know Martin Luther King, Jr. as a Nobel Peace Prize winner, a renowned orator, and a central and revered figure in the history of the struggle for civil rights. Tonya Bolden traces how he became this public figure, discussing the events, people, and decisions that shaped his destiny.
Bolden collaborated with civil rights photographer Bob Adelman to include more than 80 images of M.L.K. preaching, leading marches, being arrested, and overcoming the violence and prejudice around him juxtaposed with images of his wife and family, of his fellow protestors, and of other leaders of the day. A wonderful tribute, M.L.K. provides readers the opportunity to see the world through King’s eyes, introducing a fresh, moving perspective to a familiar historical figure.
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Maritcha: A Nineteenth-Century American Girl
by Tonya Bolden
Discover the remarkable story of a free Black girl born during the days of slavery in this Coretta Scott King Honor Award-winning picture book
“To do the best for myself with the view of making the best of myself,” wrote Maritcha Rémond Lyons (1848—1929) about her childhood.
Based on an unpublished memoir written by Lyons, who was born and raised in New York City, this poignant story tells what it was like to be a Black child born free during the days of slavery. Everyday experiences are interspersed with notable moments, such as a visit to the first world’s fair held in the United States. Also included are the Draft Riots of 1863, during which Maritcha and her siblings fled to Brooklyn while her parents stayed behind to protect their Manhattan home. The book concludes with her fight to attend a whites-only high school in Providence, Rhode Island, and her victory of being the first Black graduate.
The evocative text, photographs, and archival material make this book an invaluable cultural and historical resource. Maritcha brings to life the story of a very ordinary—yet remarkable—girl of nineteenth-century America.
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Tell All the Children Our Story: Memories and Mementos of Being Young and Black in America
by Tonya Bolden
From the first recorded birth of a black child in Jamestown, through the Revolution, the Civil War, Reconstruction, and the fight for civil rights, right on up to the present, the author brings to light how African-American children have worked and played, suffered and rejoiced.
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Wake Up Our Souls: A Celebration of African American Artists
by Tonya Bolden
Published in conjunction with the Smithsonian American Art Museum, an accompaniment to a traveling exhibition highlights influential and important African-American twentieth-century artists, from those of the early part of the century to important participants in the Harlem Renaissance and right up to those involved in the vigorous contemporary art scene.
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George Washington Carver
by Tonya Bolden, In Association with The Field Museum
A Coretta Scott King Honor Award author offers a fresh look at this pioneering American innovatorShampoo from peanuts? Wallpaper from clay? Ink from sweet potatoes? Discover Carver's imagination and inspiration in this one-of-a-kind biography. With imagination and intellect, George Washington Carver (1864-1934) developed hundreds of unexpected products from everyday plants. This book reveals what an exceptionally uncommon man Carver was: trailblazing scholar, innovative scientist, pioneering conservationist, and impassioned educator. This book follows his life from slave and orphan to his college days as the first African American to attend Iowa State College (where he later taught), and on to his life and work in the field of agriculture. Illustrated with historical artifacts and photographs, the book traces Carver's life, discoveries, and legacy.Book Details:Format: HardcoverPublication Date: 1/1/2008Pages
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George Washington Carver
by Tonya Bolden, In Association with The Field Museum
A fascinating picture book biography of pioneering American innovator George Washington Carver from Coretta Scott King Honor Award winner Tonya Bolden
Shampoo from peanuts? Wallpaper from clay? Ink from sweet potatoes? With imagination and innovation, George Washington Carver (1864–1934) developed hundreds of unexpected products from everyday plants.
Carver was an exceptionally uncommon man: trailblazing scholar, innovative scientist, pioneering conservationist, and impassioned educator. This book follows his life from enslaved orphan to his student days as the first African American to attend Iowa State College (where he later taught) and on to his work in the field of agriculture. Illustrated with historical photographs, and published with The Field Museum, Chicago, the book traces Carver’s life, discoveries, and legacy.
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Facing Frederick: The Life of Frederick Douglass, a Monumental American Man
by Tonya Bolden
Frederick Douglass (1818–1895) is best known for the telling of his own emancipation. But there is much more to Douglass’s story than his time spent enslaved and his famous autobiography. Facing Frederick captures the whole complicated, and at times perplexing, person that he was. Statesman, suffragist, writer, and newspaperman, this book focuses on Douglass the man rather than the historical icon.
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$19.99
Facing Frederick: The Life of Frederick Douglass, a Monumental American Man
by Tonya Bolden
From award-winning author Tonya Bolden comes the fascinating story of one of America’s most influential African American voices in Facing Frederick: The Life of Frederick Douglass, a Monumental American Man.
Teacher. Self-emancipator. Orator. Author. Man. Frederick Douglass (1818–1895) is one of the most important African American figures in US history, best known, perhaps, for his own emancipation. But there is much more to Douglass’s story than his time spent in slavery and his famous autobiography.
Delving into his family life and travel abroad, this book captures the whole, complicated, and at times perplexing, person that he was. As a statesman, suffragist, writer, newspaperman, and lover of the arts, Douglass the man, rather than the historical icon, is the focus in Facing Frederick.
Includes color and archival images
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12 Days of New York
by Tonya Bolden
When a group of students wins a trip to New York City, accompanied by their teacher, they aren’t sure where to start. Soon enough, they’re roaming the city, from the Statue of Liberty to Times Square, from Chinatown to Central Park, in order to discover what makes New York one of the greatest cities on Earth.
Structured like the popular song “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” Tonya Bolden’s text captures the fun and fast-paced spirit of New York, while Gilbert Ford’s illustrations embody its dynamic beauty and odd quirks. The book includes a map of all five boroughs of the city highlighting kid-friendly places to see when you visit.
Praise for 12 Days of New York
"Ford's illustrations, rendered in a variety of media including India ink, gouache, dyes and Photoshop, depict the city in bright, glowing tones that are cartoonlike but manage to capture the essence of the people and places."
―Kirkus Reviews
"Ford’s mixed-media art features chunky India ink outlines and a broad palette that portrays afternoon, twilight, indoor, and outdoor scenes with equal skill… While the venues are recognizable, the adventurous perspectives Ford uses gives them a welcome freshness."
―Publishers Weekly
"Richly colored cartoon illustrations, with a dialogue bubble here and there for added humor, depict the wide-eyed characters and their surroundings with a fair amount of detail without overwhelming… A jolly jaunt introducing a few classic Big Apple landmarks."
―Booklist
"Vibrant illustration."
―School Library Journal
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Pathfinders: The Journeys of 16 Extraordinary Black Souls
by Tonya Bolden
Discover the lives of 16 extraordinary Black Americans in this engaging collection from Coretta Scott King Honor Award winner Tonya Bolden
Untold numbers of Black men and women in America have achieved great things against the odds. In this insightful book, award-winning author Tonya Bolden commemorates the lives of sixteen Black individuals who dared to dream, take risks, and chart courses to success. They were Pathfinders.
In these pages you will meet Katherine Johnson, a mathematician who was instrumental in putting U.S. astronauts on the moon; Venture Smith, an African man who was enslaved in America but later bought his own freedom; Richard Potter, a magician whose methods paved the way for entertainers like Harry Houdini; Sissieretta Jones, an opera singer who captivated audiences all over the world with her enchanting voice; James Forten, a powder boy then prisoner of war during the Revolution who grew up to be one of Philadelphia’s leading abolitionists and wealthiest citizens; James McCune Smith, the first Black university-trained physician in the United States; Mary Bowser, a spy during the Civil War; Allen Allensworth, town founder; Clara Brown, one of the first Black women to settle in what would become Colorado; Maggie Lena Walker, the first Black woman to run a bank; Charlie Wiggins, a race car driver; Eugene Bullard, a combat pilot in World War I; Oscar Micheaux, filmmaker; Jackie Ormes, cartoonist; Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander, an economist and attorney who fought for civil rights; and Paul R. Williams, architect of luxury homes and many iconic buildings in Los Angeles.
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We Are Not Yet Equal: Understanding Our Racial Divide
by Tonya Bolden, Carol Anderson
This young adult adaptation of the New York Times bestselling White Rage is essential antiracist reading for teens.
An NAACP Image Award finalist
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
A NYPL Best Book for Teens
History texts often teach that the United States has made a straight line of progress toward Black equality. The reality is more complex: milestones like the end of slavery, school integration, and equal voting rights have all been met with racist legal and political maneuverings meant to limit that progress. We Are Not Yet Equal examines five of these moments: The end of the Civil War and Reconstruction was greeted with Jim Crow laws; the promise of new opportunities in the North during the Great Migration was limited when blacks were physically blocked from moving away from the South; the Supreme Court’s landmark 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision was met with the shutting down of public schools throughout the South; the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965 led to laws that disenfranchised millions of African American voters and a War on Drugs that disproportionally targeted blacks; and the election of President Obama led to an outburst of violence including the death of Black teen Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri as well as the election of Donald Trump.
Including photographs and archival imagery and extra context, backmatter, and resources specifically for teens, this book provides essential history to help work for an equal future.
Copies
No copies available.
We Are Not Yet Equal: Understanding Our Racial Divide
by Tonya Bolden, Carol Anderson
This young adult adaptation of the New York Times bestselling White Rage is essential antiracist reading for teens.
An NAACP Image Award finalist
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
A NYPL Best Book for Teens
History texts often teach that the United States has made a straight line of progress toward Black equality. The reality is more complex: milestones like the end of slavery, school integration, and equal voting rights have all been met with racist legal and political maneuverings meant to limit that progress. We Are Not Yet Equal examines five of these moments: The end of the Civil War and Reconstruction was greeted with Jim Crow laws; the promise of new opportunities in the North during the Great Migration was limited when blacks were physically blocked from moving away from the South; the Supreme Court’s landmark 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision was met with the shutting down of public schools throughout the South; the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965 led to laws that disenfranchised millions of African American voters and a War on Drugs that disproportionally targeted blacks; and the election of President Obama led to an outburst of violence including the death of Black teen Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri as well as the election of Donald Trump.
Including photographs and archival imagery and extra context, backmatter, and resources specifically for teens, this book provides essential history to help work for an equal future.
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Crossing Ebenezer Creek
by Tonya Bolden
When Mariah and her young brother Zeke are suddenly freed from slavery, they join Sherman's march through Georgia. Mariah wants to believe that the brutalities of slavery are behind them, but even as hope glimmers, there are many hardships yet to come. When she meets a free black named Caleb, Mariah dreams in a way she never dared . . . of a future worth living and the possibility of true love. But even hope comes at a cost, and as the difficult march continues toward the churning waters of Ebenezer Creek, Mariah's dreams are as vulnerable as ever.
In this powerful exploration of a little-known tragedy perfect for fans of Ruta Sepetys, readers will never forget the souls of Ebenezer Creek.
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Dark Sky Rising Reconstruction and the Dawn of Jim Crow
by Tonya Bolden, Henry Louis Gates Jr.
"This is a story about America and the shaping of its democratic values during the Reconstruction era, one of our country's most pivotal and misunderstood chapters. In this stirring account of the Civil War, emancipation, and the struggle for rights and reunion that followed, one of the premier US scholars delivers a book that is as illuminating as it is timely. Real-life accounts of heroism, grit, betrayal, and bravery drive this book's narrative, spanning America's history from 1861 to 1915 and drawing parallels with today. Topics include the destruction of slavery, the Reconstruction Amendments, and African American resilience in times of racial unrest. Notable figures cited throughout include Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln, Henry Adams, Booker T. Washington, Harriet Jacobs, Charlotte Forten, W.E.B. Du Bois, and more. Here, you will come face-to-face with America's challenge to create a society in which black and white citizens could, after a violent civil war, find a lasting peace without new lines of inequality and separation being drawn. The people and events of that noble experiment, and its violent overthrow and eventual undermining in the Jim Crow era, are central to this story. In introducing them to young readers, Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., shares a history that remains vitally relevant to the challenges of our own time."--Dust jacket.
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One Person, No Vote (YA edition): How Not All Voters Are Treated Equally
by Tonya Bolden, Carol Anderson
A timely and essential history of Black voter suppression, adapted from the National Book Award longlisted adult book
This young adult adaptation brings to light the shocking truth about how not every voter is treated equally. After the election of Barack Obama, a rollback of voting rights occurred, punctuated by a 2013 Supreme Court decision that undid the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Known as the Shelby ruling, this decision allowed districts with a history of racial discrimination to change voting requirements without approval from the Department of Justice. This book follows the stunning aftermath of that ruling and explains how voter suppression works, from photo ID requirements to gerrymandering to poll closures. It also explores the resistance: the organizing, activism, and court battles to restore the basic right to vote to all Americans.
Complete with a discussion guide, photographs, and information about getting involved with elections in teens' own community, this is an essential explanation of the history of voting rights-and a call to action for a better future. As the nation gears up for the 2020 presidential election season, now is the time for teens to understand the past and work for change.
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Saving Savannah
by Tonya Bolden
From acclaimed author Tonya Bolden comes the story of a teen girl becoming a woman on her own terms against the backdrop of widespread social change in the early 1900s.
Savannah Riddle is lucky. As a daughter of an upper class African American family in Washington D.C., she attends one of the most rigorous public schools in the nation--black or white--and has her pick among the young men in her set. But lately the structure of her society--the fancy parties, the Sunday teas, the pretentious men, and shallow young women--has started to suffocate her.
Then Savannah meets Lloyd, a young West Indian man from the working class who opens Savannah's eyes to how the other half lives. Inspired to fight for change, Savannah starts attending suffragist lectures and socialist meetings, finding herself drawn more and more to Lloyd's world.
Set against the backdrop of the press for women's rights, the Red Summer, and anarchist bombings, Saving Savannah is the story of a girl and the risks she must take to be the change in a world on the brink of dramatic transformation.
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Inventing Victoria
by Tonya Bolden
As a young black woman in 1880s Savannah, Essie's dreams are very much at odds with her reality. Ashamed of her beginnings, but unwilling to accept the path currently available to her, Essie is trapped between the life she has and the life she wants.
Until she meets a lady named Dorcas Vashon, the richest and most cultured black woman she's ever encountered. When Dorcas makes Essie an offer she can't refuse, she becomes Victoria. Transformed by a fine wardrobe, a classic education, and the rules of etiquette, Victoria is soon welcomed in the upper echelons of black society in Washington, D. C. But when the life she desires is finally within her grasp, Victoria must decide how much of herself she is truly willing to surrender.
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Searching for Sarah Rector: The Richest Black Girl in America
by Tonya Bolden
The incredible and little-known story of Sarah Rector, once the wealthiest Black woman in America, from Coretta Scott King Honor Award winner Tonya Bolden
Searching for Sarah Rector brings to light the intriguing mystery of Sarah Rector, who was born into an impoverished family in 1902 in Indian Territory and later was famously hailed by the Chicago Defender as “the wealthiest colored girl in the world.”
Author Tonya Bolden sets Rector’s rags-to-riches tale against the backdrop of American history, including the creation of Indian Territory; the making of Oklahoma, with its Black towns and boomtowns; and the wild behavior of many greedy and corrupt adults.
At the age of eleven, Sarah was a very rich young girl. Even so, she was powerless . . . helpless in the whirlwind of drama—and danger—that swirled around her. Then one day word came that she had disappeared.
This is her story, and the story of other children like her, filled with ups and downs, bizarre goings-on, and a heap of crimes.
Out of a trove of primary documents, including court and census records, as well as interviews with family members, Bolden painstakingly pieces together the events of Sarah’s life.
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Star Sailor My Life as a NASA Astronaut
by Tonya Bolden, Charles Bolden
Space science and shared humanity shine as the first Black head of NASA offers an up-close and thrilling account of his shuttle missions, including some of the defining moments of NASA's history. With immersive full-color photos.
Sail the stars with astronaut Charlie Bolden as he recounts his amazing shuttle missions, including deploying the Hubble Space Telescope, training with Sally Ride, and leading the first US space mission that included a Russian cosmonaut as a crew member. Charlie even got to congratulate Star Wars creator George Lucas at the Academy Awards--from space! Follow Charlie's incredible story, from watching movies as a kid about Flash Gordon flying to Mars--from the balcony where Black people had to sit--all the way to becoming the first Black NASA Administrator. From the thrill of watching lightning storms from the mesosphere to the heartbreak of the Challenger disaster, Charles's life as a star sailor is full of adventure and discovery, told in his own words along with award-winning author Tonya Bolden. In-depth looks at how astronauts train, work, and live are complemented by diagrams, highlighted vocabulary, scientific sidebars, and incredible personal photographs. Back matter includes an author's note and timeline.
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Great Minds of Science (Black Lives #1) A Nonfiction Graphic Novel
by Tonya Bolden
Dive in to an exciting nonfiction graphic novel series about some of the greatest Black lives in history! "Sure to delight middle graders and encourage interest in STEM careers." (School Library Journal)
This fun and accessible graphic novel for middle grade readers brings to light the lives of great but lesser-known Black scientists. Great Minds of Science is a kid-friendly introduction to some of the greatest scientists in history--doctors, engineers, mathematicians, and biologists.
Each of them faced challenges as they rose to the top of their professions, but they didn't back down. They kept experimenting and questioning and learning, and they made significant contributions in each of their scientific fields.
Black Lives is the new graphic novel series from award-winning author Tonya Bolden and illustrator David Wilkerson that celebrates the lives of Black innovators and legends and helps bring these histories to life.
Celebrate the lives and contributions of Black scientists throughout history with the inspiring Great Minds of Science.
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