This
guest post is by Tia Beaumont, School librarian. Tia's Black History Month
displays are both educational and entertaining. The perfect mix of digital
media & traditional books to appeal to the varied tastes of Robertson’s
kids. This included Author bio's, Book Reviews, scannable barcodes and video
footage on iPads/computers.
Of
all the books and dynamic video footage of amazing & notable people who've
contributed so impressively to our society, the one that's getting the most
attention from the children is Jazz Age
Josephine
Josephine
Baker was born Freda Josephine McDonald in 1906 to a laundress and a musician.
At the age of 13, she began touring the United States with the Jones Family
Band and The Dixie Steppers, two comic groups. She performed various comical
skits. When the troupes split, she tried to advance to a chorus girl, but she
was turned down because she was “too skinny and too dark.” She continued to
have trouble landing roles as a singer, actress, and dancer, so she moved to
France.
She
was wildly popular in France. During World War II, she performed for the French
troops and smuggled secret messages for the French government that were written
on her music sheets. In the 50s and 60s, she visited the United States to help
fight for Civil Rights. She spoke out about her experience of being refused
service at the Stork Club. To show that children of different colors could get
along, she adopted 12 children from around the world. She called her family the
Rainbow Tribe. She spoke at rallies and was a speaker at the civil rights
convention where Martin Luther King Jr. gave his “I Have a Dream” speech.
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