A triumphant acknowledgement of Black people’s trials and achievements.
A comprehensive collection of historic events showcasing the experiences of Black people across time and all over the world.
In this work that is organized around the months of the year, readers are immersed in grit, violence, pain, and struggle—as well as triumph. The first of the 366 entries, “January 1, 1960—The Year of Africa,” presents Ahmadou Ahidjo, the prime minister of Cameroon, who on that date declared his country’s freedom from France. The three pages for this section also briefly cover the origins and impact of the Pan-African movement. In March 1581, Yasuke, a man who’s believed to originally have come from Mozambique, traveled to Japan as the bodyguard of an Italian Jesuit missionary. His presence caused a stir, and the warlord Oda Nobunaga took him under his wing. Yasuke became a samurai, going into battle as Nobunaga’s weapon-bearer (and later inspiring a Netflix anime series). Readers will encounter notable people, groups, and events who will be new to them, as well as more familiar names, such as George Washington Carver, Rosa Parks, Nelson Mandela, Trayvon Martin, Colin Kaepernick, Kamala Harris, and more. Placing these widely recognized figures within a global historical context makes for an enriching and enlightening reading experience. Text boxes labeled “Did You Know?” add intriguing tidbits, and black-and-white photos and illustrations break up the text. The fascinating, well written profiles will motivate many readers to explore further.
A triumphant acknowledgement of Black people’s trials and achievements. (authors’ note, timelines, glossary, quote sources, image credits, index) (Nonfiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 30, 2025
ISBN: 9798893030938
Page Count: 512
Publisher: The Experiment
Review Posted Online: Aug. 29, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2025
PERSPECTIVES
Small but mighty necessary reading.
A miniature manifesto for radical queer acceptance that weaves together the personal and political.
Eli, a cis gay white Jewish man, uses his own identities and experiences to frame and acknowledge his perspective. In the prologue, Eli compares the global Jewish community to the global queer community, noting, “We don’t always get it right, but the importance of showing up for other Jews has been carved into the DNA of what it means to be Jewish. It is my dream that queer people develop the same ideology—what I like to call a Global Queer Conscience.” He details his own isolating experiences as a queer adolescent in an Orthodox Jewish community and reflects on how he and so many others would have benefitted from a robust and supportive queer community. The rest of the book outlines 10 principles based on the belief that an expectation of mutual care and concern across various other dimensions of identity can be integrated into queer community values. Eli’s prose is clear, straightforward, and powerful. While he makes some choices that may be divisive—for example, using the initialism LGBTQIAA+ which includes “ally”—he always makes clear those are his personal choices and that the language is ever evolving.
Small but mighty necessary reading. (resources) (Nonfiction. 14-18)Pub Date: June 2, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-09368-9
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2020
A powerful reminder of a history that is all too timely today.
A beautifully heart-wrenching graphic-novel adaptation of actor and activist Takei’s (Lions and Tigers and Bears, 2013, etc.) childhood experience of incarceration in a World War II camp for Japanese Americans.
Takei had not yet started school when he, his parents, and his younger siblings were forced to leave their home and report to the Santa Anita Racetrack for “processing and removal” due to President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Executive Order 9066. The creators smoothly and cleverly embed the historical context within which Takei’s family’s story takes place, allowing readers to simultaneously experience the daily humiliations that they suffered in the camps while providing readers with a broader understanding of the federal legislation, lawsuits, and actions which led to and maintained this injustice. The heroes who fought against this and provided support to and within the Japanese American community, such as Fred Korematsu, the 442nd Regiment, Herbert Nicholson, and the ACLU’s Wayne Collins, are also highlighted, but the focus always remains on the many sacrifices that Takei’s parents made to ensure the safety and survival of their family while shielding their children from knowing the depths of the hatred they faced and danger they were in. The creators also highlight the dangerous parallels between the hate speech, stereotyping, and legislation used against Japanese Americans and the trajectory of current events. Delicate grayscale illustrations effectively convey the intense emotions and the stark living conditions.
A powerful reminder of a history that is all too timely today. (Graphic memoir. 14-adult)Pub Date: July 16, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-60309-450-4
Page Count: 208
Publisher: Top Shelf Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 4, 2019
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