The Herkimer County Hunger Coalition and Greater Herkimer Lions Club have donated the books 'The 1619 Project: Born on the Water' and 'Black Heroes: 51 Inspiring People from Ancient Africa to Modern-Day U.S.A.' to the 12 elementary schools and six libraries in the county.
Herkimer County elementary school students recently received the latest of an annual gift dedicated to making them more aware of the lives and history of African Americans.
The Herkimer County Hunger Coalition has again teamed up with the Greater Herkimer Lions Club for Black History Month to this year donate the books "The 1619 Project: Born on the Water" and "Black Heroes: 51 Inspiring People from Ancient Africa to Modern-Day U.S.A." to the 12 elementary schools plus six public libraries in the county.
"We want to make kids more aware of Black culture," coalition Founding Director and Lion Ray Lenarcic explained.
"Black Heroes" by Dr. Arlisha Norwood is a Black history book designed for kids. It tells the stories of familiar figures like Martin Luther King Jr., Barack Obama and even King Tut as well as the lesser-known Benjamin Banneker, a self-educated astronomer and mathematician, and Dorothy Height, an activist, philanthropist and organizational leader.
"There are a lot of people in there I had never heard of - that's how valuable this book is," Lenarcic said.
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The Lions Club donated that book.
"Born on the Water" by Nicole Hannah-Jones, Renee Watson and Nikkolas Smith is the story of a young Black student who is tasked to trace her family tree for an assignment. Thanks to her grandmother's stories, she discovers her own heritage leads back to Africa - until her ancestors were stolen from their lives and culture and brought to America by European slavers.
"She finds that Blacks had their own culture in Africa and learns the ways they have maintained aspects of that culture," Lenarcic explained.
The coalition donated this one.
This is the fifth year for the educational outreach, Lenarcic noted. Previous books donated included the works of Langston Hughes, James Baldwin and Angie Thomas.
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The books were delivered the first week in February along with some suggested curriculum ideas for discussion in class. Lenarcic said their goal is to share Black history that isn't normally taught in schools.
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Benton Hall Academy in Little Falls was one of the elementary schools receiving the books. Principal Joe Long said the donation is much appreciated.
"The kids really love it," Long said. "The 'Black Heroes' book has facts about real people who are truly larger than life because of all that they have accomplished. 'Born on the Water' tells a wonderful story. The books are just so addictive."
The books are prominently displayed on the top shelf of the school library's Black History Month display when not in a student's hands and will remain on the library shelves for years to come. Long said he also notified the teachers to take a look at the books for themselves to potentially inspire discussion in their own classes.
"They are just a great way to pay tribute and educate at the same time," Long complimented.
Learning the real stories of the Black people of the past who have helped shape the world of today is an invaluable resource for the young students, Lenarcic said.
"Truth is power," he explained.
This article originally appeared on Times Telegram: Herkimer County schools, libraries get new Black History Month books
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