2011 marks the 22nd National African American Read-In. During February, schools, libraries and community organizations across the country organize read-ins that feature African American writers as a tie-in with the celebration of Black History Month. Learn more about the African American Read-In, or explore related resources from Thinkfinity below.
Special African American Read-in Resource Collection
- August Wilson was one of the most significant African American playwrights of the 20th Century. Share his writings with your 9-12th grade students and see why he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize.
- Explore the writings of Frederick Douglass in a 3-part lesson covering his autobiographies and his thoughts on how slavery was allowed in a land founded on the concept of freedom. (Grades 9-12)
- A Raisin in the Sun, written by Lorraine Hansberry, explores the concept of the quest for the American Dream during the of the economic and social climate 1950’s. (Grades 9-12)
- Maya Angelou, considered one of the finest poets of her generation, wrote a number of books that can be shared and incorporated into lessons for your 7-12th grade students.
- Explore the OurStory collection of American History stories and activities to find more great works by African American authors. (Grades K-12)
- In Folklore in Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God, students will learn to define folklore and understand its impact in the novel. (Grades 9-12)
- Help your students start Writing Poetry Like Pros as they explore poems from Langston Hughes and Paul Dunbar. (Grades 3-5)
- Analyze poem line breaks and the impact of enjambment on reading and interpretation in The Impact of a Poem’s Line Breaks: Enjambment and Gwendolyn Brooks’ “We Real Cool”. (Grades 9-12)
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