Go Forth and Tell: The Life of Augusta Baker, Librarian and Master Storyteller by Breanna J. McDaniel, illustrated by April Harrison (Dial Books, 40 pages, grades 2-5). Augusta Baker was raised on her grandmother’s tales of Br’er Rabbit and King Arthur. A college class on folklore encouraged Augusta to become a storyteller herself, and she got a job at a branch of the New York Public Library in Harlem, where she found audiences of children eager for her stories. While most of her young patrons were African American, the books Augusta found in the library rarely had Black characters, and when they did, the portrayals were “RUDE, MEAN, and JUST PLAIN WRONG.” She searched for books (and wrote some of her own) that sought to correct that, compiling lists to share those books with others. Over the years, her work influenced Black writers and educators like James Baldwin, Audre Lorde, Carter Woodson, John Steptoe, and Virginia Hamilton. She extended her outreach through teaching at Columbia and the University of South Carolina, a radio show, and an appearance on Sesame Street and is honored by the city of Columbia, SC each year with a festival called A(ugusta) Baker’s Dozen. Includes a timeline, citations, an author’s note, and photos.
Bridges Instead of Walls: The Story of Mavis Staples by Mavis Staples and Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Steffi Walthall (Rocky Pond Books, 48 pages, grades 2-5). Mavis Staples tells the story of her life (in third person), beginning with her family’s trip north during the Great Migration. Mavis was the youngest, born in Chicago, and as she grew older, she began singing with her father and siblings. They became popular as the Staples Singers, performing gospel music in churches around the Midwest, gradually expanding their repertoire to include blues and folk music. Although their lives and music were firmly grounded in their faith, eventually their fame spread to the secular entertainment world, as well as to supporting Martin Luther King, Jr. and the civil rights movement. Mavis also enjoyed a solo career, which continues to this day, as she is the last surviving member of the Staples Singers. Includes a timeline and lists of recommended listening (songs by the Staples Singers and Mavis Staples) and recommended viewing (documentaries).
These two excellent picture book biographies will introduce readers to amazing Black women who overcame discrimination and other barriers to share their gifts of storytelling and singing. Both are pretty long with lots of references to historical figures that will likely need some introductions for kids. The illustrations in both are amazing and do a great job of incorporating each woman’s art into the story.