The South County Regional Library is in South Charlotte, on the corner of Rea Road and Pineville-Matthews Road. A beautiful public art piece, Open Book, Open Mind by North Carolina artist and sculptor Jim Gallucci, features colorful book covers with classic titles, brightens up the exterior of the branch. This southernmost location in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg County Library system is freshly renovated. On the first level of the two-story building, our popular collection, composed of the newest adult books, DVDs, books on disc, and playaways, is the first department visible from the front door. The children’s department houses a new storytime room with a wooden tree that grows up to the ceiling! Also located on the first floor is a “cafe” with vending machines, tables, and a laptop bar.

Upstairs there is an awesome teen zone with a private teen loft set aside for studying and teen programming. Tables, chairs, and booths fill the second level and create perfect spaces for customers to read, write, and tutor. There are also windowed alcoves for customers who desire more privacy. The majority of the adult collection can be found upstairs. Genres range from romance to mystery, and best sellers to independent publishing houses. There are adult and young adult graphic novels, an adult large print collection, public computers, and printers as well.

South Charlotte is a growing community full of residents from all over the world. To assist them to the best of our ability, our library houses an extensive collection of world language materials for all ages. In the young adult collection, there are books in Spanish, Chinese, Gujarati, Hindi, Japanese, Russian, and Vietnamese. For adults, there is a world language section which includes Arabic, French, German, Gujarati, Marathi, Telugu, Hindi, Russian, Chinese (there is a substantial number of books!), Vietnamese, and Spanish (this is another extensive collection). Finally, the children’s department contains books in Spanish, Spanish/English (books that have both languages on the pages), Gujarati, Hindi, Telugu, French, German, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese. In addition to the languages in print found at South County, there are also members of the staff who are fluent in Russian, Greek, Vietnamese, German, Hindi, Marathi, and Afrikaans, to name a few!

The Four Mile Creek greenway is walking distance from South County, and is a popular, outdoor, walkable park. If you are looking for a beautiful location to jog, walk, or bike, this greenway is a wonderful place to be outdoors and avoid car traffic. Across the street from the greenway is a Trader Joe’s location, which always keeps the parking lot on the corner of Rea Rd and Bevington Place busy.

There are a wide range of communities and shopping centers within a 20-minute radius of South County. The Arboretum (Pineville Matthews Road near Providence Road), Stonecrest (Rea Road, near 485), and Blakeney (the intersection of Rea Road and Ardrey Kell) are examples of local shopping centers which house stores and restaurants for all your shopping and dining needs, such as Wal-Mart, Target, Old Navy, Harris Teeter, Marshalls, Malaya Kitchen, Nothing but Noodles, Greco, 131 Main, and Zoe’s Kitchen. A nearby neighborhood named Ballantyne has much to offer including a location named, Ballantyne’s Backyard. It is an old golf course converted into a community park. For our Hindu neighbors, the Hindu Center of Charlotte is a 30-minute drive away from this branch.  

New to Charlotte? Explore other neighborhoods through the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library blog and WelcomeCLT, a digital space created for newcomers to Charlotte.

Resources:

• South County Regional Library – 5801 Rea Rd, Charlotte, NC 28277 | 704-416-6600
• Trader Joe’s -- 6418 Rea Rd, Charlotte, NC 28277 | 704-543-5249
• The Arboretum -- 8008 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC 28277
• Stonecrest -- 7900 Rea Rd, Charlotte, NC 28277
• Blakeney -- 9870 Rea Rd, Charlotte, NC 28277
• Malaya Kitchen -- 8200-400 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC 28277 | 704-541-6668
• Greco -- 9820 Rea Rd Suite E, Charlotte, NC, 28277 | 704-542-7770
• Ballantyne’s Backyard -- 11611 N Community House Rd, Charlotte, NC 28277 | 704-248-2000
• Hindu Center of Charlotte -- 7400 City View Dr, Charlotte, NC 28212 | 704-607-8412

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This blog is written by Kristiana Belsito, a library assistant for Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

If you thought we’d get emotional about your kind words about how much you love the Library, you were right. We can’t help it – you’re our people.

As we cling to our mission to improve lives and build a stronger community, we wholly commit ourselves to being the best Library we can be for everyone who enters our doors, visits us online, hangs out on our Mobile Library and more. Through our programs, partnerships, resources and services, we make connections and build relationships that sometimes last a lifetime.

February is Library Lover’s Month and we wanted to give you the floor - or a blog post - to gush or boast about what you love about the Library, friendships you've made, programs you'll always remember, your favorite librarian, and even the impact Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has made on your life. And we hope you know; the love is mutual.

Here’s what you had to share:

“Love the virtual rookie science programs at my library. Very engaging for me and my little ones!”

- Joan (North County)

“As a 5-and-a-half-year-old girl in blue overalls and blonde pigtails, I would pull my red wagon up to the Myers Park Library and fill my wagon with books that I loved to read. It was a passion that I would do every few days. Books took me to far away places, and taught me a love of animals and how to protect them. There was no better place to feel safe and secure. Because I loved reading, I became a reading teacher for many years. I am always with a book!

- Linda (Myers Park)



"When I was single, I used to rent movies, read real estate magazines and just hang out there reading different books of interest. As a student at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, I used the room provided to study and PC rooms to revise my resume. Now married with kids, I love the fact that you guys have bilingual reading events. For me, it's beneficial for my kids to be bilingual and it's good to start early."

- Christian (North County)

"I still remember when my dad took me to University City Regional Library for the first time and got my library card. The cube when you first walk in had me awestruck. Over the years, I moved and I always missed and longed for this library. Finally, I moved back and Covid hit, but this library helped me virtually connect with so many book clubs and now new friends!"

- Heather (University City)

"When my family and I moved to Charlotte in 2007, I had no idea the trips to SouthPark Library with my then, two-year-old, would provide the missing puzzle piece to determining what type of writer I would become. While I'd always loved to write, reading multiple picture books with my daughter created a new passion and desire to write one myself. Fast-forward 15 years. I have published one picture book, and have a chapter book series coming out fall 2022. Among a few other things, I owe my love for children's lit and ultimately my writing career, to those library treks with my toddler in tow. Some of my fondest memories for sure."

- Dorothy (SouthPark)

"We have the Library to thank for our love story. Meeting at a book club in fall 2017, it wasn't quite love at first sight, but many years wiser and book discussions later, we started dating in 2020. Nurtured by our book club leader, who encouraged our romance, we enjoy reading together, sharing recommendations, and discussing what we're reading. We're a nerdy match made in book club heaven."

- Sarah (Plaza Midwood)



"My mom took me to UC and ImaginOn for years, but I first started frequenting the UC library when I was pulled out of CMS and homeschooled in 2012-2013. I had been struggling a lot academically and emotionally, and felt very alone. The library was a place I knew I could always escape and do schoolwork, and get lost in books about airplanes, electronics, and Guinness World Records. Even now years later, I always feel comforted knowing the library is always there even when I feel lost."

- Ben (University City)

Paws to Read program:

"Hi Kristen, thank you so much, that was exceptional. I could hear Ruben’s owner interacting and laughing at the pictures and that means a lot to Ari. It’s such a positive experience to have these interactions. CMLibrary's OUTSTANDING librarians and staff have made our lives rich with positivity in this world tragedy. As a mom, having these lights shining in my daughters and my life makes my heart sing!"

- Ari & Lesle (Matthews 

Harry Golden (1902-1981) was born Harry Goldhirsch on May 6, 1902 in eastern Galicia. In 1905, he immigrated to America with his parents Leib and Anna Klein Goldhirsch. The family settled in the Lower East Side of New York City and changed their last name to Goldhurst. Leib Goldhurst worked as a teacher and later served as the editor of the Jewish Daily Forward. 

Harry was an excellent scholar and equally well-read in areas of literature, history and philosophy. During the day, Harry peddled newspapers and clerked for Oscar Geiger’s Fur Manufacturing Company. At night, he attended East Side Evening High School and graduated in 1921. For the next three years, he attended night classes at the City College of New York, but left before graduating.  From 1918-1921 while working for Oscar Geiger, he became involved with the Round Table Literary Club. It was through this organization that Harry rounded off his education and became a public speaker for the Socialist Party and social reforms. 

Harry Golden. Photographed by Verdie Perille, 1956. (Courtesy of RSCR, H_2000_01_349_20) 

After leaving college, Harry worked as a stockbroker and by 1926 he was the head of the firm Kable and Company. That same year he married Genevieve Alice Marie Gallagher, a schoolteacher. The couple had four sons, Richard (b. 1927), Harry Jr., (b. 1927), William (b. 1929) and Peter (1938-1957).  

In 1929, Harry’s brokerage firm filed bankruptcy and he was charged with mail fraud. Found guilty, Harry spent three and half years in the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary. He returned to New York in 1933 and worked for his brother, Jacob, who ran a hotel. However, Harry’s new aspiration was to become a journalist. Between 1939 and 1941, he sold advertisements for the New York Daily Mirror and the New York Post. It is reported that he worked at a number of southern newspapers at this time, but there is no verification of the exact locations. 

By late 1941 after a stint in Norfolk, Virginia, Harry settled permanently in Charlotte. He changed his last name to Golden to protect his prison record, which was later revealed in the late 1950s. His first job was selling advertising and writing editorials for the Charlotte Labor Journal and the Charlotte Observer. It was in Charlotte that Harry Golden’s reputation as a defender of civil rights and social justice solidified.  

Masthead of the Carolina Israelite, 1956. Courtesy of UNC-Charlotte's Race & Education in Charlotte Exhibit. 

“...It wasn’t that it was easier to start a newspaper in Charlotte than it was in New York—it is hard to start a newspaper anywhere—it was that the big story was in the South...” -Harry Golden 

In October 1942, he worked with the Charlotte News to print his own newspaper, the Carolina Israelite. Two years later Harry assumed all publishing and printing duties, which enabled him to publish the Carolina Israelite on a regular basis. The paper was solely Golden’s creation--he sold advertisements, wrote articles, and built an international circulation of 30,000. In 1958, a fire destroyed his subscription lists. This event was soon followed by the publication of his criminal record. However, Harry and the Carolina Israelite persevered until it folded in 1968. 

 

Left to right: Harry Golden, Richard E. Thigpen, Judge John J. Parker, and Judge Francis Biddle. Harry Golden awarded the Carolina Israelite Gold Medal Award to Judge John J. Parker at Hotel Charlotte, February 1949. Courtesy of Charlotte Observer. 

Harry Golden became the spokesperson for the rights of the oppressed, whether by race, religion, or economic status. His articles, although satirical in nature, raised subjects that were often taboo in the south, including equal rights for the Black community and discrimination against Jewish people. Harry wrote for the Nation, Commentary Life, and Congress Weekly, and in 1961, he covered the infamous Eichmann Trial. 

In 1958, Golden became a best-selling author with the publication of his essays entitled Only in America. One year later the book was adapted by famed playwrights Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee and presented on Broadway. Other works by Golden include Jews in American History: Their Contributions of the United States of America with Martin Rywell (1950), Jewish Roots in the Carolinas: A Pattern of America Phil-Semitism (1955), For 2 cents Plain (1959), Enjoy, Enjoy! (1960) Carl Sandburg (1961), Five Boyhoods (edited by Martin Levin, 1962), You’re Entitle’ (1962), The Harry Golden Omnibus (1962), Mr. Kennedy and the Negroes (1964), So What Else is New? (1964), Ess, Ess, Mein Kindt (1966), The Best of Harry Golden (1967), The Right Time; an Autobiography; an Autobiography (1969), So Long As You’re Healthy (1970), The Israelis; Portrait of a People (1971), The Golden Book of Jewish Humor (1972), The Greatest Jewish City in the World (1972), Travels through Jewish America (with Richard Goldhurst, 1973), Our Southern Landsmen (1974) and Long Live Columbus (1975). At the time of his death, Golden left an unpublished manuscript, “America, I Love You.” 

 

Harry Golden in his Charlotte home (Courtesy of RSCR, MIC_2013_08_274_00) 

In addition to his career in journalism, he was also a member of the American Jewish Congress, NAACP, Southern Regional Council, the Catholic Interracial Council, and B’nai B’rith.   

On October 2, 1981, Harry Golden died in his beloved, adopted city of Charlotte, and is buried at the Hebrew Cemetery. 

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The Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room houses the Harry Golden Papers, 1960-1978. To learn more about collection materials, view the finding aid on ArchivesSpace.  

Written by Shelia Bumgarner, Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room librarian. 

As an African American educator and children’s author,  in prior years I’ve noticed the lack of literature that our children have access to.  Literature that’s easy to read, understand and serves as a representation of themselves. However, current data includes some things to celebrate, and we are celebrating them! The number of diverse books published has increased substantially.

African American authors are misunderstood, misrepresented and fighting hard, frequently thankless, and it’s easy to become burnt out to get a spot on the shelf with African American representation in literature.  

Join us on Tuesday, February 22, 2022, as the Library hosts its second annual celebration of the National African American Read-In, an event for the entire family. This event will be live-streamed on the Library’s YouTube & Facebook Pages, and there, myself and a few other panelists will be expounding on this topic.

To see more information on the 2nd Annual National African American Read-In, click here.

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This blog was written by author Shaketa Richardson 

When my son arrived, I established a goal to read two books a day with him. Together, we read a variety of books featuring animals, shapes, children and letters. I enjoyed picture books where I was able to make up my own bedtime story for him. During those moments, I would usually make him the leading character and use his favorite toys or foods all throughout the story. A few months into our reading time, I began to take inventory of the children’s books within our home library. I became intrigued by the lack of diversity within the children’s books within our home and specifically the lack of everyday stories featuring young Black boys as the protagonist.

I started to get more specific on the type of book that I was looking for featuring a young Black boy. Many people love the children’s book I Love You Forever by Robert Munsch. It is a story of a mother who loves her son and follows their journey from the son being raised by his mother until the son ends up being the caregiver for his mother until she dies. I loved this story and the bond that it represents between a mother and her son. I felt confident that I would be able to find this everyday story told with mothers and sons from different cultural backgrounds. I decided to look online to see if I could find a few versions of this book and surprisingly, I could not find it. Instead, I found that there were more books with animals and trucks as the protagonist than there were about people of Color.

My entire life I have been exposed to the positive images of Black boys through my own personal encounters. Alternatively, I have watched the media publish demonizing images and stereotypes of Black boys that did not match my everyday experience.

As a parent, I am passionate about marrying the media images of Black boys with the actual joy and experience that exists within my everyday life. I believe that once the two images match that society will begin to see Black boys as humans and not “things” such as a thug or athletes. The labels that are put on Black boys allow society to detach itself from the idea that Black boys are indeed humans that are loved by their mothers and bring joy to those around them.

Join us on Tuesday, February 22, 2022, as the library hosts its second annual celebration of the National African American Read-In, an event for the entire family. This event will be live-streamed on the library’s YouTube & Facebook Pages, and there, myself and a few other panelists will be expounding on this topic.

To see more information on the 2nd Annual National African American Read-In, click here.

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This blog was written by author and National African American Read-In panelist Charlitta Hatch

Did you recently start a business and need to brush up on Excel to track your budget and other spreadsheets? Have you just started using a computer or smartphone? Do you need to expand your knowledge of Microsoft Office and Google Workspace Apps for your job?  

No matter where you are on your journey learning about technology and software, our DigiLit classes are a wonderful place to start! DigiLit is the brand for Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s suite of Digital Literacy classes. We offer classes that will get you started with the basics, and then connect you with the best resources to continue your learning! 

We are currently offering our DigiLit classes online using Zoom. To view our full schedule visit: cmlibrary.org/calendar.  

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has been hosting reading and literacy programs for many years and our annual Community Read program is part of that history. My time with Community Read goes back to its beginnings in 2014, where at the time, the Library selected and offered only one book for the community to read. The initiative lasted one week and included planned programming that support the themes of the book. Over time, the program has changed, grown, and evolved from a library-led program to being more community centered featuring support through Library staff and resources. One thing however has remained the same — Community Read invites everyone to read or listen to books of current and relevant topics and participate in discussions, book clubs and events hosted by community partners and the Library.

Everyone can participate in Community Read as the program features books and events for all ages and reading levels. This year, our signature title is Tomorrow’s Bread by Anna Jean Mayhew. We also have two companion titles for children Windows by Julia Denos and The Blue House by Phoebe Wahl as well as two middle grade books, Take Back the Block by Chrystal D. Giles and  The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora by Pablo Cartaya. For teens and those who enjoy the young adult genre, we have also included the book Pride by Ibi Aanu Zoboi. Our theme for this year’s program is “finding common ground” and all the selected titles share the common themes of gentrification and urban renewal. We encourage readers and book clubs to get together virtually, or safely in person, to discuss the common themes found in all the books. Speaking of finding the books, all the titles are available for checkout in several formats, but also available for free at all branch locations while supplies last — a far cry from our original one book program.

Over the last 8 years, Community Read has grown to offer programming and events for an entire month during March and a complete list of programs and events offered by our partners and staff can be found on our website. Community Read is designed to get everyone involved and our goal is to engage 10,000 people, or 10% of Mecklenburg County in the program. We invite you to do this by taking the Beanstack Reading Challenge to log reading and activity time and by joining us for our signature author events throughout the month.

What does it take for us to find common ground when discussing these important topics? We invite you to Read the books and join the discussion as we find the answers together.

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This blog was written by Meryle Leonard, assistant director of outreach at Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

Independence Regional Library can be found at the corner of Conference Drive and Monroe Road. We are proud to serve a diverse community, with many nearby schools including East Mecklenburg High School, Idlewild Elementary School, McClintock Middle School, Greenway Elementary School, Rama Road Elementary. We also serve families with young children and individuals from around the world who call Charlotte home. Visit us and you will discover a wide range of programs offered to people of all ages. We have a diverse staff who offer a variety of language learning programs,  an excellent group of children’s storytellers doing amazing work with babies and school age children, and we have many skill-building programs offered to teens to help them prepare for their future. Come and meet our library staff members who care very much about their work and the people they serve.   

If you like the outdoors, you will surely enjoy getting off the beaten path to stroll down local Greenways, McAlpine Creek and Campbell Creek. Experience wildlife and a fishpond available with stocked fish and accessible with a fishing permit. McAlpine Creek Park’s entrance is on Monroe Road near Village Lake Drive. Another fun outing for families with young children is at Grier Park. StoryWalks, provided by Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, is a unique storybook adventure for children and their families found within the park’s natural setting. This encounter is a lively story outside the pages of a traditional book. 

Near our branch is the Time Out Youth Center who welcome all who enter. It’s a special place for young people to feel a sense of belonging and community whether they identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, a straight ally – or just dislike being labeled at all. They offer a safe space and always respect the journey of each individual youth and young adult. Time Out Youth works to teach, lead discussions and workshops and gives resources to schools in the Charlotte area and surrounding counties.

Another wonderful organization making a difference in our community are the Monroe Road Advocates (MORA). They are a huge source of support in creating public art, hosting community workshops and so much more. MORA is fueled and supported by a group of neighbors and stakeholders that operate in volunteer roles. You are encouraged to visit this area and enjoy the sights, sounds, food and experiences!

Our community also has a lot of resources and organizations that serve refugees and immigrant families. The staff at Carolina Refugee Resettlement Agency embrace refugees and recognize their troubling experiences. The goal is to ease the transition into a new country while respecting people’s need to remember their roots, cultures and traditions left behind back home. At Refugee Support Services, they provide a multitude of programs to help refugees who’ve chosen to settle in Charlotte. Families and individuals can come and partake in workshops, learn about nutrition, cooking, home-buying, voting clinics, financial literacy, family first-aid, personal hygiene, college prep/admissions and more.

The Hindu Center of Charlotte is a temple that has served the Hindu Indian community in Charlotte for many decades, and they have a very active member base. The entire year is filled with traditional and colorful events seeped in the Hindu religion. If you love Indian cuisine, don’t miss out on their take-out services which help support the Center’s year-round activities.

And of course, if you are looking for a more diverse selection of groceries, we have the Super-G International Market. If you love food (and who doesn’t), please make time to visit Super-G International Market for a grocery store visit like no other. While their main emphasis is Asian foods, they have an abundance of products from South America, Europe, and Africa just to name of few. Think of it as an amusement park for food enthusiasts. One prominent place is their food court where the Korean soups, kimchi, Vietnamese hot steam buns and Chinese bakery treats will take your tastebuds to far-away places with no required passport.

The staff at Independence Regional Branch has many local suggestions as well. Patchwork is a montage of colorful street art designed and created by local artists and trailblazers, MyLoan Dinh and Bunny Gregory. It’s art that adds a curiosity and playfulness to this region. You’ll find the colorful quilt-like inspired displays at several intersections along Monroe Road.  Another staff favorite is Thursdays Live, a seasonal and free concert series allowing people and families to gather and enjoy local musicians — great for the whole family to connect with neighbors in an exciting atmosphere. Pictured here is a 16-foot-high sculpture project that was led by Lee Baumgarten. Public artist Leslie Scott is the designer/creator of this landmark that is a beacon in our area where we live, shop and explore.  One of many ethnic restaurants is Halal Street Food. Specializing in traditional Middle Eastern dishes like kebabs, shawarma, platters, doner kebab, wraps and gyros, they also have many delicious options for vegetarians. A new restaurant, but with recipes from olden times.

New to Charlotte? Explore other neighborhoods through the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library blog and WelcomeCLT, a digital space created for newcomers to Charlotte.

Resources:

• Independence Regional Branch – 6000 Conference Drive Charlotte, NC 28212 | 704-416-4800
• McCalpine Creek and Campbell Creek Greenway
• Grier Heights Memorial Park Storywalk - 3110 Leroy Street Charlotte, NC 28205
• Time Out Youth Center - 3800 Monroe Rd, Charlotte, NC 28205 | 704-344-8335
• Monroe Road Advocates
• Carolina Refugee Resettlement Agency - 5009 Monroe Rd Ste 100, Charlotte, NC 28205 | 704-535-8803
• Refugee Support Services - 3601 Central Ave, Charlotte, NC 28205 | 704-458-3245
• Hindu Center of Charlotte - 7400 City View Dr, Charlotte, NC 28212 | 704-535-3440
• Super-G International Market - 7323 E Independence Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28227 | 980-321-4048
• Halal Street Food - 4044 Connection Point Blvd Suite B, Charlotte, NC 28212 | 704-595-3876

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This blog post was written by Alice Araiza, library assistant for Charlotte Mecklenburg Library.

This blog was written as part of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's Black Lives Matter program initiative. Learn  more about the program and corresponding events here.

As February 2022 and Black History Month comes to an end, the NFL, a pro sport dominated by Black athletes, is still making headlines. The NFL celebrated its Super Bowl contest on February 13 and ended its season but the news for aspiring coaches is not over.  

This month began with former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores filing a lawsuit against the NFL, and   three NFL teams including the Dolphins, claiming racial discrimination in hiring practices. NPR reported in a Monday sports article that Flores said in his lawsuit “that the NFL is ‘managed much like a plantation’ and that its 32 owners, none of whom is Black, profit from the labor of its players — 70% of whom are Black. He is seeking compensatory and punitive damages for the league's other Black head coaches, offensive and defensive coordinators and quarterback coaches and general managers, as well as African American candidates for those positions.”

For weeks, Flores continued to job-hunt and recently accepted a new job last week with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The team announced he will become its senior defensive assistant and linebacker coach.  Flores’ lawsuit, however, is still ongoing.

The NFL initially disagreed with the lawsuit claims but NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is reversing its stance by saying the league’s existing efforts to hire minority coaches are “unacceptable.”

This subject is addressed in the fourth chapter of the new John Feinstein book, Raise a Fist, Take a Knee: Race and the Illusion of Progress in Modern Sports. Entitled “Still Climbing the Wall,” the chapter includes discussions with former Black head coach Tony Dungy about Blacks and coaching. He can ignore limited hiring cycles for Black candidates in coaching but bemoans the results. “Two of the last twenty head-coaching coaching hires in the NFL have been African Americans,” he said. “That’s not a good number.” And Flores was one of the two hires.

Discrimination in sports has been a large historical topic whether looking at the stories of the determined Jackie Robinson integrating Major League Baseball during the 1940s or the flamboyant boxer Jack Johnson in the 1900s fighting white boxers. Serving as a forebear, Robinson had many to follow with dreams of opportunities and success. But the path for the Black athlete in the United States is not surefooted with the simple focus of sports and family. As a microcosm of greater society, the sports world was surrounded by the one-time Jim Crow era along with still present racist attitudes. When facing those situations, some Black athletes turned to different methods including activism to confront racism.     

In 2016, then NFL player Colin Kaepernick began silent protests of police brutality and racial inequality by taking a knee during the playing of the national anthem at the start of those football games. For a period, some followed his lead—intended as an act of peaceful protest—until criticism grew when others called the act unpatriotic. The football season ended and Kaepernick was released from his team to never play in the NFL again. The following year, he filed a lawsuit against the NFL that he was blackballed for his protests. In 2019, Kaepernick withdrew the lawsuit after a confidential settlement was reached. 

This month, another challenge to discrimination is playing out with the NFL being a direct participant. Flores’ lawsuit against the NFL loomed as another Black head coach, Lovie Smith, joined the Houston Texans and Mike McDaniel, of biracial descent, replaced Flores at Miami. To date, the NFL can claim to have five head coaches of color, three of whom are African American including McDaniel.   

Want to learn more about this topic? Black athletes are involved multiple sports including basketball, baseball, golf, tennis, among others. The disturbing conclusion is that these life stories include talented Black people being ignored, marginalized or feared. It is a cycle they confront with some major wins.

The Library has multiple titles about this subject for adults, teenagers and children readers including e-books, streaming videos and more.  Check the separate booklists for additional readings.

This blog was written by Lawrence Turner, adult services librarian at South County Regional Library.

Thank you to everyone that was able to join our Second Annual Celebration of the National African American Read-In. Our panelists did a wonderful job at discussing the lack of representation and diversity in children’s literature. Our authors also provided a read-aloud of their books.

Check out their titles below:

1. Harrison Martin: I want a Pet; The Bacon Tree; B is For Bacon Tree: Bacon A to Z
2. Shaketa Richardson: I am! I can! And I will!
3. Shirell Bates: Woolly Bully
4. Serenity Rankin: What Will I Be…?
5. Richye Porter: Big Brother Big Shoes; The NO that Meant GO! Go Harder!!!!
6. Charlitta Hatch: Black Boy Joy; Black Boy Joy Christmas Countdown
7. Dr. Janaka Lewis: Brown All Over; Freedom Narratives of African American Women; Bold Nia Maria Passes the Test; Dr. King is Tired Too!!

If you missed the celebration, don’t worry, you can get all caught up HERE and stay tuned to the Reading in Color Playlist on our YouTube channel for additional resources, and recommended black reads.

Download the accompanying PDF from this year's event with more reading recommendations, author bios, activities and more.