African-American Picturebooks: Examining the Genre through Storytelling Dr. Marianne Martens, Dr. Michelle Martin, Angelina Bair, M.L.I.S.

 Introduction

Methodology ConclusionA. Abstract:By tracing a genre of resistance and cultural identity through African-American children’s picturebooks we can learn about the importance of how children understand themselves and their place within the community. Even during the current Golden Age of publishing, picturebooks still continue to lack African-American writers and illustrators. The question of why this is happening will be covered throughout this study by investigating statistical and scholarly sources. Also, the history of how African-Americans were portrayed in picturebooks through racist and stereotypical portrayals will be examined. Even today scholars continue to debate as to whether published works for children continue to contain racist depictions of Blacks. African-American children’s literature can be used as a tool to discuss how to reimagine racist stereotypes and be aware of the racist history within the stories marketed to children. The political benefit of teaching African-American picturebooks within community settings has key value for children of all races and backgrounds and provides role models that validate the importance of the Black experience in literature. Positive portrayals of African-Americans teach Black children the importance of diversity and prepare them for adulthood. By highlighting African-American children’s literature through before or after school programs and camps, children will learn the importance of the Black cultural experience and understand the value of sharing and recognizing in the celebration of everyday Black life.

B. Background: Publishing Trends

Images from Nancy Larrick’s Original Article, Saturday Review, September 11, 1965 and Lee & Low Books Survey, 2014.In a study published in 1965, Nancy Larrick exposed the lack of racial diversity in children’s books and representation of minority culture, finding that only out a sample of 5,206 children’s books only 6.7% included a character of Color.1 Nearly, fifty years after Larrick published “The All-White World of Children’s Books” in the Saturday Review, scholars continue to report that only a fraction of children’s books still represent children of Color. 2 3 4

Images from North Illinois University and Cooperative Children’s Book Center Studies.A Northern Illinois University study and a 2015 survey by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC) found that 5% of illustrators were African-American and that out of a total of 3,400 books only 106 were by African-American authors.5 6

The History of African-Americans in Children’s Literature

The artistic and literacy legacy created by African-American authors, illustrators, and editors is recognized in today’s Golden Age of African-American children’s literature. Before the early 21st century few books existed that realistically portrayed people of Color as recognizable human beings in normalized everyday settings.7 8 Although the past few decades have changed, the global business of children’s book publishing still continues to discriminate against authors of Color who face “literary lockout” from the five biggest publishing conglomerates. 9 10 11 Before the 1950s the majority of picturebooks with Black characters were written by White authors for a White audience. By tracing the literary history of Black children’s literature, scholars have noted the theoretical shift within the genre of resistance written by Black authors for African-American audiences that celebrate the Black experience.8

Timeline of how African-Americans were portrayed in children’s literature.

Today, children’s literature resists White superiority and is focusing more on positive depictions of African-Americans in everyday life.12 13 The contemporary picturebooks Firebird by Misty Copeland, Knock Knock by Daniel Beaty, Last Stop on Market Street by Matt De La Peña, Sunday Shopping by Sally Derby, Trombone Shorty by Trombone Shorty Andrews and Visiting Day by Jacqueline Woodson discuss realistic portrayals of African-American children in everyday settings.

C. Problem

Image of children reading from Horne’s What’s Up with Literacy Rates.In 2009, the U.S Department of Education reported that literacy rates for 50% African-American children was below basic skills level.14 By having books that children of Color can relate to, they can build literacy skills and use positive role models in their own real or imagined lives.15

D. Results

Images from SlideShare African-American Picturebooks Presentation.African-American children’s literature not only speaks to children of Color but all audiences and ages. Children’s literature with negative stereotypes and positive depictions of African-American children in everyday settings can be used as discussion tools within the classroom for discussing White and Black literary standards. The remaking of White literary books can make adults aware of the racist history of stories for children and make them experience narrative crafted positively. 8 Teaching African-American picturebooks in key community settings has key value for children of all races and backgrounds.

E. Discussion & Conclusion

Today’s published children’s literature continues to seldom depict characters of Color and will not be ready for the future U.S. Census Bureau’s projected 2060 majority-minority population boom. In view of the fact that a lack of diversity is still present in publishing houses and literature, work still has to be done to change the past negative stereotypes of African-Americans in children’s literature which is still carried on in today’s popular culture.

References 1Larrick, N. (1965). The all-white world of children's books. Saturday Review, 48(11), 63-65.2Blair, E. (2013). As demographics shift, kids' books stay stubbornly White. Retrieved March 14, 2016 from National Public Radio: http://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2013/06/25/193174358/as-demographics-shift-kids-books-stay-stubbornly-white.3Berlatsky, N. (2014, Dec. 2). The answer to implicit racism might be in children's literature. Retrieved March 14, 2016 from Pacific Standard: https://psmag.com/the-answer-to-implicit-racism-might-be-in-children-s-literature-afb9d04bcee4#.b90ke2me4.4Lee, J. (2013). The diversity gap in children’s publishing. Retrieved March 14, 2016, from Lee & Low Books: http://blog.leeandlow.com/2015/03/05/the-diversity-gap-in-childrens-publishing-2015/.5Koss, M. D. (2015). Diversity in contemporary picturebooks: A content analysis. Journal of Children's Literature, 41(1), 32.6Cooperative Children’s Book Center. (2016). Publishing statistics on children's books about people of Color and first/Native Nations authors and illustrators. Retrieved March 10, 2016, from http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/books/pcstats.asp.7Bishop, R. S. (2011). Researching its development, exploring its voices, 225-236. Handbook of research on children's and young adult literature. New York, NY: Routledge. 8Martin, M. (2004). Brown gold: Milestones of African American children's picture books, 1845-2002. New York, NY: Routledge.9Taxel, J. (2011). The economics of children's book publishing in the 21st century. Handbook of research on children's and young adult literature (pp. 479-494). New York, NY: Routledge.10Brown, A. (2013). Literary lockout: Black authors bemoan lack of diversity & deals in publishing industry. Retrieved April 5, 2016, from Madame Noire: http://madamenoire.com/255383/literary-lockout-black-authors-bemoan-lack-of-diversity-deals-in-publishing-industry/.11Martin, M. (2011). African American. Nel, P. & Paul, L. (Eds.) Keywords for Children’s Literature (pp. 9-13). New York, NY: New York University Press.12McNair, J. C. (2013). “I never knew there were so many books about us” parents and children reading and responding to African American Children’s Literature Together. Children's Literature in Education, 44(3), 191-207.13Schubert Center for Childhood Studies. (2016). African-American children’s literature: Examining the genre in childhood. Retrieved March 14, 2016 from Case Western Reserve University: http://schubert.case.edu/files/2016/02/IssueBrief_Feb2016Final.pdf.14Horne, D. (2013). What’s up with African American literacy rates?. Retrieved April 22, 2016 from Our Weekly Los Angeles: http://ourweekly.com/news/2013/oct/03/whats-african-american-literacy-rates/.15Meier, T. (2015). "The Brown face of hope:" Reading engagement and African American boys. Reading Teacher, 68(5), 335-343.

Images from SlideShare African-American Picturebooks Presentation.

Images from SlideShare “African-American Picturebooks Presentation.”