TAN: Good morning, Williamsburg! We’re your school librarians, Ms. Tan…
LORD: And Ms. Lord. February is Black History Month, and today we’re here to introduce the National African American Read-In — the nation’s first and oldest event dedicated to diversity in literature.
TAN: The African American Read-In was established in 1990 by the Black Caucus of the National Council of Teachers of English. Its goal was to make LITERACY a significant part of Black History Month.
LORD: The Read-In will run for two days during Wolf Time. For today’s portion, we begin with Ms. Jayla Parks from the Arlington County Public Library — who will present a pair of book talks featuring prominent African American authors. TAN: Get ready for a good read!
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TAN: Welcome back! As Ms. Parks just said, there are so many wonderful books by African American authors — and it would be our pleasure to help you find the right book for you.
LORD: Just come by the library to see everything we have to offer!
TAN: Up next, we have a short film focusing on acclaimed author, Walter Dean Myers. Myers’ wrote more than 100 books in a career that spanned over 50 years. He’s received the Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults; he won the Coretta Scott King Award FIVE TIMES; and the Newbery Honors, twice.
LORD: One of his most famous books, Monster, was the first winner of the Michael L. Printz Award, a National Book Award Finalist, and a New York Times Bestseller.
TAN: Following his death in 2014, a new award was created in his honor: The Walter Dean Myers Awards for Outstanding Children’s Literature — but it’s more commonly just referred to as: the “Walter.” The Walter” honors and celebrates diverse books written by diverse authors.
LORD: Now stay tuned for a film that honors both Walter Dean Myers himself, as well as the recipients of his namesake award, the “Walter.”
TAN: We hope it will inspire a good conversation about the importance of diverse literature in our society.