CityView Magazine

36 Februar y 2022 GOOD READS Honoring Black History Month BY DIANE PARFITT F ebruary is recognized as Black History Month throughout the United States, but the evolution of this designation is worth noting. In 1915, the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History was founded by eminent American historian Carter G. Woodson. His college fraternity, inspired by Woodson, introduced Negro History and Literature Week in 1924. anks to this growing interest, Woodson decided to launch Negro History Week in 1926, which later evolved into Black History Month. So, from a movement that began almost 100 years ago, Black History Month is now observed across America, and it is a good time to recognize black writers, to hear their stories and to honor their works. rough the published works of African-American authors, readers of all races can understand the struggles and triumphs of black people in America. From the stories of Charles Chesnutt to writer, poet and sage Maya Angelou, to new voices like Amanda Gorman and Ta-Nehisi Coates, here are some of the all-time classics and some new books by black authors to add to your reading list. 1. "The House Behind the Cedars" by Charles W. Chesnutt (1858-1932) Charles W. Chesnutt, our nation's first successful African-American author, was a prolific writer who could have very well passed for white but refused to. He grew up in Fayetteville during Reconstruction, and his experiences here provided material for many of his books. In this, his first novel, Chesnutt tells the story of Rena Walden, a young woman of mixed white and black ancestry, who is prompted by her brother to pass as white. Leaving her hometown, loosely based on Fayetteville, Rena meets and falls in love with an aristocratic white man. e secret comes to haunt her, and the resulting tragedy emphasizes the themes of interracial relations and racial identity in the American South. 2. "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou (1928-2014) Maya Angelou wrote seven autobiographies, each focusing on a particular time of her life and written in her beautiful poetic and powerful voice. Oen considered the poet laureate of black women, Angelou celebrates motherhood and family, and the quest for independence, personal dignity and self-definition. Although both joyful and painful, this story captures the longing of lonely children and the dehumanizing effects of bigotry. Angelou shares the wonder of words, especially words that are used to make the world a better place. 3. "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison (1931-2019) is is Morrison's first novel and tells the story of Pecola Breedlove, an 11-year-old who prays for her eyes to turn blue so she will be as beautiful and beloved as all the blond, blue- eyed children in America. rough Morrison's beautiful writing, we feel the loneliness of a child yearning to be something they are not. "e Bluest Eye," adapted from this novel, was performed in 2014 at the Cape Fear Regional eatre. 4. "Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe (1930-2013) e author's first novel, published in 1958 and since translated into over 50 languages, has sold nearly 20 million copies. It tells the story of the devastating encounter with Europe's colonial presence on the African continent. Okonkwo, a wealthy and brave Igbo warrior in the late 1800s, faces the British political and religious forces that threaten to devalue and destroy his traditions and culture. He attempts to resist these changes, but eventually sees the futility of his efforts as his community capitulates to the powerful new order. 5. "Between The World and Me" by Ta-Nehisi Coates (1975- ) A 2015 winner of the National Book 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

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