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Black History Month

Celebrating DPS Cultural Moments

Black HistoryMonthCelebrating DPS Cultural Moments
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February is Black History Month.


Celebrate the vibrant impact and legacy of Black authors! We've included a curated list of new and well-reviewed books written by Black authors, links to relevant Sora collections, links to vetted external resources for lesson plans and activities, and more.


Access the entire Black Authors Sora collection here.

Elementary Reads

Click for more elementary picture books.

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Born on the Water by Nikole Hannah-Jones

ebook


Stymied by her unfinished family tree assignment for school, a young girl seeks Grandma's counsel and learns about her ancestors, the consequences of slavery, and the history of Black resistance in the United States.

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We Wait for the Sun by Dovey Johnson Roundtree

ebook


A beautiful and uplifting non-fiction picture book about trailblazing civil rights lawyer and activist Dovey Johnson Roundtree.

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The Highest Tribute : Thurgood Marshall's Life, Leadership and Legacy by Kekla Magoon

ebook


Profiles the life and achievements of Supreme Court Justice and civil rights leader Thurgood Marshall. Includes a time line, summaries of major court cases, and resources.

Elementary Chapter Book Reads

Click for more elementary chapter books.
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Stamped (For Kids) : Racism, Antiracism and You Adapted by Sonja Cherry-Paul

ebook | audiobook


This chapter book edition of the #1 New York Times bestseller by luminaries Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds is an essential introduction to the history of racism and antiracism in America.

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Claudette Colvin (She Persisted) by Lesa Cline-Ransome

ebook | audiobook


Before Rosa Parks famously refused to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, fifteen-year-old Claudette Colvin made the same choice. She insisted on standing up--or in her case, sitting down--for what was right, and in doing so, fought for equality, fairness, and justice.

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Bayard Rustin (Leaders Like Us) by J.P. Miller

ebook


A brief biography of civil rights activist Bayard Rustin, who helped organize the March on Washington in 1963.

Middle School Reads

Click for more middle school books.
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Recognize! An Anthology Honoring and Amplifying Black Life

ebook | audiobook


An anthology featuring over thirty Black authors and illustrators to honor Black life past, present, and future.

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Becoming: Adapted for Young Readers by Michelle Obama

ebook


Young reader adaptation of: Becoming by Michelle Obama. An autobiography of lawyer and American First Lady Michelle Obama.


Available in Spanish in Titlewave.

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Defiant: Growing up in the Jim Crow South by Wade Hudson

ebook


The memoir of Wade Hudson, a Black man and Civil Rights activist who came of age in the 1960s at the height of the Civil Rights Movement

High School Reads

Click for more young adult and adult books.
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The 1619 Project : A New Origin Story

ebook


The 1619 Project tells this new origin story, placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans at the center of the story we tell ourselves about who we are as a country.

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Ida B. Wells-Barnett : Suffragette and Social Activist by Naomi E. Jones

ebook


About the life and legacy of activist Ida B. Wells-Barnett.

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Paul Robeson: No One Can Silence Me (Adapted for Young Readers) by Martin B. Duberman

ebook


The life and legacy of vocal artist and civil rights icon Paul Robeson-one of the most important public figures in the twentieth century-adapted for young adults.

Resources
Resources include lesson plans, activity ideas, local calendar of events, change-maker biographies and Sora navigation.
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African American History Month

A collaborative project of the Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. Learn more here.
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Know Justice Know Peace: DMLK's "The Take" Podcast

The podcast, titled, “Know Justice, Know Peace, DMLK’s The Take” will offer listeners the chance to hear directly from the next generation of leaders on politics and first-hand accounts of the black experience in America. Subscribe here.
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Denver Public Schools Celebrating Cultural Moments

Denver Public Schools strives to recognize cultures and identities year round. With equity as our core identity, we aim to celebrate the significant cultural moments of our students and staff, especially those that have not been historically and consistently recognized.
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Sora All-in-One Resource

Click here to access the Sora All-in-One resource for teachers.
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Sora Tutorial Video

Click here to watch a tutorial video and learn all the basics of Sora-- how to log in, browse, and check out books.
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Databases All-in-One Resource

Click here to access the suite of DPS-subscribed databases, ready to support research on Hispanic Heritage topics.
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Titlewave Cart

All titles in this Smore have been added to a Titlewave cart. If you would like this cart to be shared with your Titlewave account, please email amanda_samland@dpsk12.org.
Learning for Justice
Includes classroom resources, professional development and more.
Black Authors Sora Collection
Over 1,200 titles, including fiction, memoirs, nonfiction and audiobooks.
History Liberated Sora Collection
Books highlighting the perspectives of historically marginalized groups to provide a well-rounded view of our nation's past and present.
Know Justice, Know Peace Sora Collection
This collection is inspired by the Know Justice Know Peace Resolution by four DMLK students. The titles selected illuminate the themes of anti-racism, Blackness, self-confidence, youth activism and Black joy.
Black Boy Joy! Sora Collection
Books celebrating the humanity of Black boys.
#1000BlackGirlBooks Sora Collection
A collection of books based on Marley Dias' initiative to curate and promote books that reflect the lived experiences of Black girls.
Blind Date with a Sora eBook
Share with your school community! https://forms.gle/PZpBKa2yEYMSYWvG8
This flyer is a part of Library Services Diverse Books Initiative that seeks to support culturally responsive education in Denver Public Schools where all students have equitable access to reading materials that reflect and honor their lives, and connect them with the world.