Welcome to Litsy!

Happy #Juneteenth! Check out the suggested reads (short list tagged in comments) from the Natl. Museum of African American History and Culture. #Blitsy

https://nmaahc.si.edu/visit/museum-store/juneteenth-reading-list

“We Specialize in the wholly impossible.“—Nannie Helen Burroughs
Daughter of a formally enslaved mother who left VA for Washington DC in search of a better life,Nannie assumed the presidentship of the National Trade and Professional School for Women in DC.Under her stewardship it grew from a small building on a clay hill to an 8 building compound.She emphasized work, self reliance, classical & industrial education,black pride,voting & feminism.

My son & I stopped in at Barnes & Noble to pick up my #studentbuddyread book & of course I left with more - #bookslut

Today a student asked if I would read this with her. So excited & honored. She has shared her summer work for COVID-Black+BHCA Summer Program via discussion & sharing their podcasts on Spotify
#studentbuddyread #CovidAndBlack #BHCASummerProgram #Insidemymind #myvoiceispower #dearwhitepeople

https://open.spotify.com/show/40BwLF9SLK53kN9pWBOER0?si=PL81d1hsTsGX0jLu5WUJgw&d...

Adams wrote to his wife Abigail, "The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America"– although Independence Day is actually celebrated on July 4, the date that the wording of the Declaration of Independence was approved.

I‘m listening to this #audiobook while running a few errands. It‘s a slow read and dense with details but very much worth the read. I think this will be better served as a print book in my collection so that I can refer back to it later but the only way I‘ll read it cover to cover is on audio. #Blitsy #BlackLitsy #BlackHistory #ReadDiverseBooks #IntegrateYourShelves

This was an meticulously researched collection of historical writings presented about the lives of Black women that spans the history of this country. It was refreshing to read history interpreted from a viewpoint other than that of a white male. This should be required reading for anyone who wants to truly understand our world today by learning the lessons offered by these amazing women of history. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Especially important today!

Really something to read this on the weekend we elected the first Black woman VP. Obvs that doesn‘t fix everything—this country owes a massive debt to Black women that it probably can‘t ever fully repay. This is a terrific overview of what the history of the nation looks like through their lens, highlighting their bravery, ingenuity, & faith. Very impactful and engaging. First few chapters not quite as strong, but as a whole it‘s wonderful. 4/5 ⭐️

For many others tapping into the spirit through Freedom songs helped address their suffering. Born of the blues, Negro spirituals, and Black gospel traditions, these songs‘ rousing, harmonious, and, sometimes, haunting tones reached deep into the soul of a people at war. They acted as a restorative balm for the bruising rounds protesters faced.

Said it many times before and I‘ll say it many more times: Diane Nash is fucking hardcore. One of my absolute heroes.

Few Black women harbored delusions about America‘s racist double standards, yet they never stopped believing that they deserved better.

Black women...seized the new opportunities available to them, which in addition to factory work, included jobs in the garment industry & greater representation as nurses & social workers. Some Black women even found work as correctional officers. However, they earned between 10 & 50 percent less than white women, and on shop floors white women refused to work with Black women, leaving them with onerous tasks regarded as unsuitable for white women.

What did the war years mean for Black women, for those who remained on plantations and those who fled? How did Black women transition from slavery to freedom, how did they make sense of their new lives? Black women feared for their safety from soldiers on both sides of the war. The sounds of cannons, the military men who abused them, and the uncertainties about the future made the war experience particularly difficult for women, enslaved and free.

While the whites in the country around them boasted about life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, Black women used the courts, and their feet, words, and actions, to liberate themselves from the yoke of slavery.

Figured it was a good time to pick this one up. My next pick for #NonfictionNovember, for the “Time” prompt.

A kaleidescope of powerful, courageous, intelligent, furious, fed up Black women who embody our nation's history and reveal a legacy of resistance and resilience. A necessary primer and a reminder of how much hard work, time, blood, tears, and lives have gone into battling our broken, racist democracy. A battle cry to us all now to stay in the game and keep fighting.

Done! Excellent 👍👍

Due back at the library so time to finish it! 🙂😬😂

97 pages for #joysofjune #readathon

I spotted this one on bookstore run last week and immediately added it to my list on Goodreads. I‘ve always felt like there was more missing from Black History discussions in school, and now that more of these stories are starting to surface in different forms, I finally get the chance to fill in those spots.

#tbrtuesday

This was excellent and sweeping! Loved hearing american history from a different perspective, and so inspiring for all the work to do. Recommend reading this with the 1619 Project, they complement each other very well. And for another lens on american history, The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee is great!

17 Nonfiction Books Feminists Should Read in 2020

https://www.bitchmedia.org/article/bitchreads/most-anticipated-nonfiction-books-...