Special Collections
Black History Month
Description: Black History Month is celebrated in October each year.
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To Kill a Mockingbird
by Harper LeeScout, the keen-eyed narrator, and her brother Jem interrupt their games to champion their lawyer father when, in a hostile, racist town in the American South, he battles to defend Tom, who is black and accused of murder.
To Kill a Mockingbird
by Harper LeeScout, the keen-eyed narrator, and her brother Jem interrupt their games to champion their lawyer father when, in a hostile, racist town in the American South, he battles to defend Tom, who is black and accused of murder. Readership age: 11 to 18. Interest level:14+.
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
by Mildred Taylor and David Stone and John LawMississippi in the 1930s is a harsh place for a young black girl. Cassie's mother tells her '... nobody no matter what colour, is better than anybody else'. Asserting her equality however would mean endangering family and friends. Cassie learns the truth of a bitter situation and the inner strength and conviction of her mother's words must sustain her despite what she sees around her. Newbury Award winner. Written by senior examiners to meet the AQA/B specification, this text aims to help both higher and foundation students develop skills needed for the exam. It has sample questions, guidance on how to answer them and practical advice on how the exam will be marked and what examiners are looking for.
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (PDF)
by Mildred Taylor and David Stone and John LawMississippi in the 1930s is a harsh place for a young black girl. Cassie's mother tells her '... nobody no matter what colour, is better than anybody else'. Asserting her equality however would mean endangering family and friends. Cassie learns the truth of a bitter situation and the inner strength and conviction of her mother's words must sustain her despite what she sees around her. Newbury Award winner. Written by senior examiners to meet the AQA/B specification, this text aims to help both higher and foundation students develop skills needed for the exam. It has sample questions, guidance on how to answer them and practical advice on how the exam will be marked and what examiners are looking for.
Purple Hibiscus
by Chimamanda Ngozi AdichieThe limits of fifteen-year-old Kambili's world are defined by the high walls of her family estate and the dictates of her fanatically religious fath. Her life is regulated by schedules: prayer, sleep, study, prayer. When Nigeria is shaken by a military coup, Kambili's father, involved mysteriously in the political crisis, sends her to live with her aunt. In this house, noisy and full of laughter, she discovers life and love - and a terrible, bruising secret deep within her family. This extraordinary debut novel from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, author of 'Half of a Yellow Sun', is about the blurred lines between the old gods and the new, childhood and adulthood, love and hatred - the grey spaces in which truths are revealed and real life is lived.
Purple Hibiscus (PDF)
by Chimamanda Ngozi AdichieThe limits of fifteen-year-old Kambili's world are defined by the high walls of her family estate and the dictates of her fanatically religious fath. Her life is regulated by schedules: prayer, sleep, study, prayer. When Nigeria is shaken by a military coup, Kambili's father, involved mysteriously in the political crisis, sends her to live with her aunt. In this house, noisy and full of laughter, she discovers life and love - and a terrible, bruising secret deep within her family. This extraordinary debut novel from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, author of 'Half of a Yellow Sun', is about the blurred lines between the old gods and the new, childhood and adulthood, love and hatred - the grey spaces in which truths are revealed and real life is lived.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (PDF)
by Maya AngelouMaya Angelou's six volumes of autobiography are a testament to the talents and resilience of this extraordinary writer. Loving the world, she also knows its cruelty. As a Black woman she has known discrimination and extreme poverty, but also hope, joy, achievement and celebration. In this first volume of her six books of autobiography, Maya Angelou beautifully evokes her childhood with her grandmother in the American south of the 1930s. She learns the power of the white folks at the other end of town and suffers the terrible trauma of rape by her mother's lover.nbsp;
Gangsta Rap (PDF)
by Benjamin ZephaniahRay has been excluded from school and attends a Social Exclusion Project which means he can develop his music skills. However, another rap band takes a dislike to Ray's music and gang warfare is the result.
Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence
by Pilkington and Doris Garimara and NugiThis is the true account of Doris Pilkington Garimara's mother Molly, made legendary by the film Rabbit-Proof Fence. In 1932 Molly led her two sisters on an extraordinary 1,600 kilometre walk across remote Western Australia. Aged 8, 11 and 14, they escaped the confinement of a government institution for Aboriginal children removed from their families. Barefoot, without provision or maps, tracked by Native Police and search planes, the girls followed the rabbit-proof fence, knowing it would lead them home. Their journey - longer than many of the celebrated walks of our explorer heroes - reveals a past more cruel that we could ever imagine.
Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence (PDF)
by Pilkington, Doris|Garimara, NugiThis is the true account of Doris Pilkington Garimara's mother Molly, made legendary by the film Rabbit-Proof Fence. In 1932 Molly led her two sisters on an extraordinary 1,600 kilometre walk across remote Western Australia. Aged 8, 11 and 14, they escaped the confinement of a government institution for Aboriginal children removed from their families. Barefoot, without provision or maps, tracked by Native Police and search planes, the girls followed the rabbit-proof fence, knowing it would lead them home. Their journey - longer than many of the celebrated walks of our explorer heroes - reveals a past more cruel that we could ever imagine.
Black Pride and Black Prejudice
by Paul M. Sniderman and Thomas PiazzaDo "black pride" and "black prejudice" come hand in hand? Does taking pride in being black encourage the rejection of a common bond with other Americans? In this groundbreaking study, two leading social scientists mount a challenge to those who would answer "yes." Paul Sniderman and Thomas Piazza probe these questions in the only way possible--asking black Americans themselves to share their thoughts about each other, America, and other Americans. Writing in a strikingly transparent style, they open a new window on the ideas and values of real individuals who make up the black community in America today. Contrary to the rhetoric of some black leaders, Sniderman and Piazza show that African Americans overwhelmingly reject racial separatism and embrace a common framework, culture, and identity with other Americans. Although the authors find that levels of anti-Semitism are notably higher among black Americans than among white Americans, they demonstrate that taking pride in being black does not encourage blacks to be more suspicious or intolerant of others who are not black. The higher levels of anti-Semitism are instead associated with a gallery of oversimplified and accusatory ideas, including a popularized Afrocentrism and charges of vast conspiracies, that have won substantial support in the black community. Readers of this book will come away with an understanding of how African Americans, while insistent on winning racial justice, are deeply committed to the values of the American ethos and their identity as Americans.
Black Brother, Black Brother
by Jewell Parker RhodesA powerful coming-of-age story about two brothers - one who presents as white, the other as Black - and the ways they are forced to navigate a world that doesn't treat them equally.Donte wishes he were invisible. As one of the few black boys at his school, he feels as if he is constantly swimming in whiteness. Most of the students don't look like him. They don't like him either. Dubbed the 'Black Brother', Donte's teachers and classmates make it clear they wish he were more like his lighter skinned brother, Dre. When an incident with a white student leads to Donte's arrest and suspension, he's sure the only way to get even is to beat the student at the school's most valued game: fencing. With the help of a former Olympic fencer, Donte embarks on a journey to carve out a spot on the school's fencing team and to find a way to make people at school see past the colour of his skin to who he really is.From NYT bestselling author Jewell Parker Rhodes, another poignant and gripping story about how children and families face the complexities of race and racism in today's world.
Black and She's Leaving Home
by Keith SahaBlack Nikki doesn't think her dad is a racist … He just cares deeply about his community … But when a Zimbabwean family move in over the road, the dog won't stop barking … The local kids start lobbing stones … And her dad starts laying down the law.Black is a hard-hitting play about racial tensions in the UK todayShe's Leaving HomeAt 15, Kelsey has her whole life in front of her and feels that she has everything she wants: good mates, a supportive family and big ambitions. But as the years roll by she slowly realises that leaving home to fulfill her dreams isn't as easy as she first imagined.She's Leaving Home was commissioned by Culture Liverpool as part of the 50th Anniversary of the Beatles seminal album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.With bracing insight into the worlds of two young women with very different struggles, Keith Saha's Black and She's Leaving Home force the issues of modern Britain to take centre stage. This edition was published to coincide with 20 Stories High's national tour of Black in 2018.
Black and She's Leaving Home
by Keith SahaBlack Nikki doesn't think her dad is a racist … He just cares deeply about his community … But when a Zimbabwean family move in over the road, the dog won't stop barking … The local kids start lobbing stones … And her dad starts laying down the law.Black is a hard-hitting play about racial tensions in the UK todayShe's Leaving HomeAt 15, Kelsey has her whole life in front of her and feels that she has everything she wants: good mates, a supportive family and big ambitions. But as the years roll by she slowly realises that leaving home to fulfill her dreams isn't as easy as she first imagined.She's Leaving Home was commissioned by Culture Liverpool as part of the 50th Anniversary of the Beatles seminal album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.With bracing insight into the worlds of two young women with very different struggles, Keith Saha's Black and She's Leaving Home force the issues of modern Britain to take centre stage. This edition was published to coincide with 20 Stories High's national tour of Black in 2018.
Staying Power
by Peter FryerStaying Power is recognised as the definitive history of black people in Britain, an epic story that begins with the Roman conquest and continues to this day. *BR**BR*In a comprehensive account, Peter Fryer reveals how Africans, Asians and their descendants, previously hidden from history, have profoundly influenced and shaped events in Britain over the course of the last two thousand years.*BR**BR*This edition includes a foreword by Paul Gilroy explaining the genesis of the book and its continuing significance in black history today.
Staying Power
by Peter FryerStaying Power is a panoramic history of black Britons. Stretching back to the Roman conquest, encompassing the court of Henry VIII, and following a host of characters from Mary Seacole to the abolitionist Olaudah Equiano, Peter Fryer paints a picture of two thousand years of Black presence in Britain.*BR**BR*First published in the '80s, amidst race riots and police brutality, Fryer's history performed a deeply political act; revealing how Africans, Asians and their descendants had long been erased from British history. By rewriting black Britons into the British story, showing where they influenced political traditions, social institutions and cultural life, was - and is - a deeply effective counter to a racist and nationalist agenda.*BR**BR*This new edition includes the classic introduction by Paul Gilroy, author of There Ain't No Black in the Union Jack, in addition to a brand-new foreword by Guardian journalist Gary Younge, which examines the book's continued significance today as we face Brexit and a revival of right wing nationalism.
The Black Peoples Of America (PDF)
by Douglas R FeatonbyThe Black Peoples of America is an essential and unique Key Stage 3 resource for teaching and learning about the issues and events that characterise the history of Black peoples from Slavery up to the struggle for Civil Rights and life in modern America. It never lets go of the period's story, providing innovative and exciting opportunities to examine the Big Picture and Investigate particular topics. This foundation edition has been written for use with lower attainers and promotes literacy as well as knowledge and understanding. Discover how at least 12 million Black people were taken as slaves from Africa to America in the three hundred years after 1532 (and why at least two million died during the sea journey); how one slave hid in a box, 'posted' himself to freedom in the North and afterwards was know as Henry 'Box' Brown; and how Black people who volunteered to fight against slavery in 1861 were turned away because it was thought to be a 'White man's war'!
Black People in the British Empire
by Peter Fryer'Fantastic … the most important book on Black British history’ - Akala Black People in the British Empire is a challenge to the official version of British history. It tells the story of Britain's exploitation and oppression of its subject peoples in its colonies, and in particular the people of Africa, Asia and Australasia Peter Fryer reveals how the ideology of racism was used as justification for acquiring and expanding the Empire; how the British Industrial Revolution developed out of profits from the slave trade; and how the colonies were deliberately de-industrialised to create a market for British manufacturers. In describing the frequency and the scale of revolts by subject peoples against slavery and foreign domination - and the brutality used in crushing them - Peter Fryer exposes the true history of colonialism, and restores to Black people their central role in Britain's past.
Black People in the British Empire
by Peter Fryer'Fantastic … the most important book on Black British history’ - Akala Black People in the British Empire is a challenge to the official version of British history. It tells the story of Britain's exploitation and oppression of its subject peoples in its colonies, and in particular the people of Africa, Asia and Australasia Peter Fryer reveals how the ideology of racism was used as justification for acquiring and expanding the Empire; how the British Industrial Revolution developed out of profits from the slave trade; and how the colonies were deliberately de-industrialised to create a market for British manufacturers. In describing the frequency and the scale of revolts by subject peoples against slavery and foreign domination - and the brutality used in crushing them - Peter Fryer exposes the true history of colonialism, and restores to Black people their central role in Britain's past.
The Black Pimpernel
by Zukiswa WannerThe story of Nelson Mandela’s early years on the run from the apartheid authoritiesJOHANNESBURG. MARCH 1961.Thirty-one activists are on trial for treason. Among their number is Nelson Mandela, a rising star of the resistance movement and one of the biggest threats to the South African government and their racist system of apartheid. To everyone's surprise, they are found not guilty. But rather than relish his newfound freedom, Nelson disappears.With this, the incredible true story of Nelson Mandela's life on the run begins. For months, he is an outlaw, the police and secret services hunting him in vain, living under new identities and separated from his young family. His mission? To set up armed resistance to apartheid, and in doing so change the course of history.Zukiswa Wanner is the award-winning author of four novels, three children’s books and two nonfiction books. Her last children’s book was Africa: A True Book (2019). In 2020, she became the first African woman to be a Goethe Medailist. In the same year she founded the virtual literary festival Afrolit Sans Frontières and was selected among New African’s 100 Most Influential Africans.
Going to the Mountain
by Ndaba Mandela‘You empower yourself and then you reach out to others.’ Uplifting life lessons from one of the greatest leaders the world has ever known... through the eyes of the grandson whose life he changed forever.In his book Going to the Mountain, Ndaba Mandela shares the story of his coming-of-age alongside South Africa’s rebirth. It is a remarkable journey, and one that took him from the violent, segregated Soweto ghettos to his grandfather’s presidential home.As a young boy, Ndaba was constantly shunted from place to place. But at eleven years old he was unexpectedly invited to live with his grandfather, Nelson Mandela, even though he had met him only once before, during a prison visit. And, slowly, they built a relationship that would affect both of them profoundly. Ndaba's teenage years were complicated, but as he approached his twenty-first birthday, Mandela decided that Ndaba was finally ready to ‘go to the mountain’ – a test of courage during which you become a man. At the end of this gruelling ritual journey, the elders of the Mandelas’ tribe gathered and Ndaba’s grandfather was there, as ever, to share his greatest life lessons.From Nelson Mandela, Ndaba learned the spirit of endurance, the triumph of forgiveness, the power of resistance and the beauty of reconciliation. And as Mandela grew older, Ndaba had the chance to repay his grandfather’s love and support by demonstrating the ways in which he’d understood all that he had taught him. Intimate and inspirational, Going to the Mountain is a powerful reminder of how one person can impact profoundly on another, and a testament to the awesome power within us to change ourselves and our world.
Nelson Mandela
by Ann KramerTwentieth Century History Makers: Nelson Mandela offers a fascinating and complete look at one of the 20th century's great leaders and humanitarians. Beginning with his early life in a rural part of South Africa, the book traces the course of Mandela's life - his legal studies, helping to found the ANC, freedom fighting, trial for treason and harsh imprisonment. The story continues with Mandela's release from prison, the incredible story of the defeat of apartheid and his election as president, retirement, humanitarian activities and his death and funeral in 2013.
Nelson Mandela
by Ann KramerTwentieth Century History Makers: Nelson Mandela offers a fascinating and complete look at one of the 20th century's great leaders and humanitarians. Beginning with his early life in a rural part of South Africa, the book traces the course of Mandela's life - his legal studies, helping to found the ANC, freedom fighting, trial for treason and harsh imprisonment. The story continues with Mandela's release from prison, the incredible story of the defeat of apartheid and his election as president, retirement, humanitarian activities and his death and funeral in 2013.
Nelson Mandela
by Barbara Kramer and National Geographic KidsNational Geographic Primary Readers is a high-interest series of beginning reading books that have been developed in consultation with education experts. The books pair magnificent National Geographic photographs with lively text by skilled children’s book authors across four reading levels. Nelson Mandela, who courageously dealt with adversity and emerged a world leader, has been an inspirational role model for millions of people around the world, from students to presidents. After being imprisoned for 27 years, in 1994 he became South Africa's first democratically-elected president and shared the Nobel Peace Prize. Learn all about his life, especially the challenges he faced and how he persevered, in this thoughtful biography. Level 4: Independent reader: Perfect for kids who are reading on their own with ease and are ready for more challenging vocabulary with varied sentence structures. They are ideal for readers of White and Lime books
The Extraordinary Life of Nelson Mandela
by E. L. NorryThe story of the first black president of South Africa.NELSON MANDELA is known for dedicating his life to fighting for equality in South Africa and overthrowing racial segregation. He grew up hearing the elders' stories of his ancestors' fighting in the wars of resistance, and he dreamed of fighting for the freedom of his people. His childhood wish was granted when he became the first black president of South Africa, and an icon for hope, change and equality.Extraordinary Lives is a bold, inclusive biography series shining a light on modern and historical figures. Entertaining, accessible and educational, they are the perfect introductions to these amazing people and their achievements.Collect them all:Collect them all!Michelle ObamaMalala YousafzaiStephen HawkingNeil ArmstrongKatherine JohnsonAnne FrankMahatma GandhiRosa ParksMary SeacoleComing in 2020:Greta ThunbergAlan TuringFreddie MercurySerena WilliamsSteve JobsAmelia EarhartNelson Mandela