Did you talk to someone using a cellphone or laptop today? Well, you have James E. West to thank! Dr. West, a Black scientist and inventor, holds more than 250 patents. He developed a type of microphone that's used in phones and laptops. In fact, 90 percent of all mics used today, from baby monitors to hearing aids, are based on this technology!
Learn more about Black inventors you might not have heard of before. The accomplishments of Black people are often overlooked because of racism. How many names do you recognize on this Periodic Table of Canadian Black History? That's why it's important to read about people with different experiences. Find out more about the people who achieved great things but you don't learn about in school. Enjoy stories about characters who look like you and characters who don't. Read diversely all year round, not just this month!
Clean Getaway by Nic Stone
Scoob goes on a road trip with his grandma, who is acting strangely. Does it have something to do with the past and the grandfather he never met? And what is that green book G'ma brought along?
A Likkle Miss Lou by Nadia L. Hohn and Eugenie Fernandes
Do you sometimes feel like you can't find your voice? Be inspired by the story of Jamaican poet Louise Bennett. Discover more about the life of Miss Lou and her Toronto connection in this online presentation from author Nadia L. Hohn, available until April 29, 2021.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul by Carole Boston Weatherford and Frank Morrison
Winner of the 2021 Coretta Scott King Book Award in the Illustrator category! This is a biography of the famous singer Aretha Franklin. She didn't just raise her voice in song, she also spoke out against injustice and fought for civil rights.
Lifting as We Climb by Evette Dionne
Suffrage means the right to vote. Women had to fight for it, but the faces of the women's suffrage movement are usually white. Black women had a much harder battle for the ballot box, and this book tells their story.
Root Magic by Eden Royce
As if being a Black kid in South Carolina during the 1960s isn't tough enough, there are supernatural forces in town. Jez and her twin brother Jay must learn to use their new powers to protect their family.
For more recommendations, check out these awesome reading lists: