KRLemmons African American History, Resources

March 5 Woman of the Day: Leontine Turpeau Current Kelly

In 1920, Leontine Turpeau Current Kelly is born in Washington, DC.
Later, she will become the first African American woman to be named a bishop of the United Methodist Church. She joined the ancestors June 28, 2012.

Information about her, can be found at this link: http://www.post-gazette.com/obituaries/2012/07/11/Obituary-Leontine-T-C-Kelluy-First-black-woman-bishop-in-a-major-Christian-denomination/stories/201207110127 and this link: http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jul/07/local/la-me-leontine-kelly-20120707

Video: http://www.visionaryproject.org/kellyleontine/

KRLemmons Resources

March 4 Woman: Barbara McNair, Actress, Singer, TV Host

Today’s Woman is Barbara McNair: Actress, Singer, and one of the first African American women to host a TV show.  Information about this multitalented woman can be found at these links:

NYTimes Obituary: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/06/arts/television/06mcnair.html?_r=0

TV Biography:                                                              http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/barbara-mcnair/bio/141186

 

 

KRLemmons Resources

March 3 Woman: Juanita Kidd Stout, Pioneer Judge in Pennsylvania

The woman for March 3 is Juanita Kidd Stout, the first African American woman to serve on a state supreme in Pennsylvania.  Find out more about this woman by clicking on the links below:

NYTimes Obituary: http://www.nytimes.com/1998/08/24/us/j-k-stout-pioneering-judge-in-pennsylvania-is-dead-at-79.html

Library of Congress American Memory: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/awhhtml/awmss5/judg_attys.html

KRLemmons African American Authors, African American Literature, African American Young Adult Literature, Lesson Plans, Resources

Happy Birthday Ralph Waldo Ellison!

Ralph Waldo Ellison, the author of the classic book Invisible Man was born on March 1.  Information on this author can be found by clicking on the following links:

Library of Congress. Type Ralph Ellison in the search box and view hundreds of primary resources on this author at http://loc.gov

PBS: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/ralph-ellison/an-american-journey/587/

NPR: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9977702

Lesson plans/activities on Invisible Man

Random House: http://www.randomhouse.com/highschool/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780679732761&view=tg

PBS: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/lessons_plans/ralph-ellisons-invisible-man/ 

Ms. Effie’s LifeSavers for Teachers: http://mseffie.com/AP/Invisible%20Man.pdf

KRLemmons African American History, Resources

Rebecca Lee Crumpler: First African American Female Doctor

In honor of Women’s History Month, I will regularly post information on famous African American women.  Today’s woman is Rebecca Lee Crumpler, who was born on March 1 and became the first African American woman who earned her M.D. in 1864.

For more information about Dr. Crumpler, visit the following links below:

National Library of Medicine: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/changingthefaceofmedicine/physicians/biography_73.html

PBS:                  http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/partners/early/e_pioneers_crumpler.html

KRLemmons African American Literature, Children's literature, Lesson Plans, Resources

Zora and Me

This week, the Zora Neale Hurston Organization is hosting its annual Zora Neale Hurston Festival in Eatonville, Florida.  This is the 25th year of the festival and it is a week-long celebration with workshops, activities, and other events.  I mention this festival as a segue into my review of the children’s book, Zora and Me.

Zora and Me, written by Victoria Simon and T.R. Simon, imagines the childhood of Zora in Eatonville, Florida.  The story is narrated by Carrie and Zora’s storytelling gives Carrie plenty to say.  When a decapitated body is found on a railroad track, Zora creates a believable yet scary story that she is willing to tell anyone who wants to hear it.  In fact, Zora also believes she knows the murderer, and, recruiting Carrie and her friend Teddy, goes to many lengths to prove her theory.

Zora and Me is beautifully written, with Carrie’s voice that draws one into the mystery.  Carrie and Teddy are fully developed characters and just the right friends for the imaginative Zora.  Other characters are developed, too, and the issues of race, particularly passing, racism, poverty, and equality are woven carefully in the story as the mystery unfolds and reveals the killer.

Zora and Me has won a few awards, including the The Coretta Scott King-John Steptoe New Talent Award.

A discussion guide and lesson plans are available for this book.  The discussion guide can be accessed by clicking here: http://www.candlewick.com/book_files/0763643009.bdg.1.pdf

The lesson plan, and other resources can be found on The Teaching Books.Net: http://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tid=21622&a=1

Zora and Me, 192 pages.  Hardcover: 978-0763643003; Paperback:  978-0763658144 Grades 5 and up.