with Artika Tyner and Yohuru Williams

Saturday, October 14, 2023
Youth Stage, 12:45-1:30pm

Join Artika Tyner, author of several books in the biography series First But Forgotten, and Yohuru Williams, co-author of More Than a Dream: The Radical March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, as they discuss how they write Black History for middle-grade readers, and why their subjects are important to read about!  In Tyner’s series, you’ll learn about unsung heroes such as Annie Turnbo Malone, who built a huge business creating hair care and cosmetic products for Black women in the early 1900s, and John P. Parker, who helped enslaved people gain their freedom through the Underground Railroad. In Williams’s book (longlisted for this year’s National Book Award for Young People’s Literature!), you’ll discover how one of the most important protests in American history has deeper nuances than most people know, such as the underappreciated role that Black women played in the march. A great event for middle-grade readers with an interest in history and social justice!  Ages 8-14.

About the Authors

Dr. Artika Tyner is a motivational speaker, author, and educator who helps people of all ages connect with their gifts and develop sustainable change in their family, workplace, community, or school. Tyner’s work is grounded in extensive experience as a lawyer, social change agent, researcher, and nonprofit founder of the Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute. As a thought leader, author, and designer of programs to drive organizational DEI initiatives, she has had an impact that spans from Fortune 500 companies to grassroots organizations; as an author, she has inspired and educated young people through books such as Amazing Africa A to Z, Justice Makes A Difference, and Your Passport to South Africa. Her most recent books are The Untold Story of Sarah Keys Evans: Civil Rights Soldier; The Untold Story of John P. Parker: Underground Railroad Conductor; and The Untold Story of Annie Turnbo Malone: Hair Care Millionaire (all in the First But Forgotten series from Capstone Press, ages 8-12) and Black Achievements in STEM: Celebrating Katherine Johnson, Robert D. Bullard, and More; Black Achievements in Activism: Celebrating Leonidas H. Berry, Marley Dias, and More; and Black Achievements in Politics: Celebrating Shirley Chisholm, Barack Obama, and More (all in the Black Excellence Project/Read Woke Books series from Lerner Publications, ages 10-14).

Dr. Yohuru Williams is Distinguished University Chair and Professor of History and founding director of the Racial Justice Initiative at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. The former chief historian of the Jackie Robinson Foundation, he appeared in Ken Burns’s Jackie Robinson and was one of the hosts of Sound Smart, the History Channel’s popular YouTube program. His educational videos on civil rights, social movements, and other historic events have garnered over 1 million views. He is the author and editor of numerous books, including the recently released After Life: A Collective History of Loss and Redemption in Pandemic America, and he has appeared on a variety of media outlets, including ABC, CNN, MSNBC, HISTORY, BET, CSPAN, and NPR.