My Heroes, My People: African Americans and Native Americans in the West [Hardcover]

Ruth Katcher (Author), Morgan Monceaux (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

An artist's look at how the West was won by some -- and lost by others.

This unique album introduces readers to African Americans and Native Americans who had a role in the westward expansion of the United States, as fur traders, stagecoach drivers, cowboys, soldiers, nurses, mail-order brides, and tribal chiefs. Through Morgan Monceaux's striking portraits (executed in oil pastels, paint, markers, and collage) and the accompanying biographical sketches and historical notes, readers meet some of the men and women -- black and red -- whose names have come down to us through legend and history. Some are well known; others were minor players on a great stage whose lives can be traced through a photograph, a letter, or a government record. Taken together, they give us an extraordinary picture of the West and an appreciation of the human need to be free -- for as African American settlers were enjoying newfound freedom, their Native American neighbors were fighting to preserve theirs.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In a companion volume to his Jazz: My Music, My People, self-taught artist Monceaux pairs brief biographical essays with mixed-media portraits of people of color who were "significant in the history of the Western United States." The book opens with a section featuring legendary figures Montezuma, Pocahontas and Toussaint L'Ouverture (who seem oddly placed in a book about the American "landscape beyond the Mississippi"), then shifts to present 19th-century African-Americans, grouped primarily by profession. While the stories of little-known African-Americans are the focus here, the next section profiles prominent Native American tribal chiefs and leaders and their often disastrous interactions with whites. The brevity of the book's text does not allow Monceaux and Katcher to present more than the barest outlines of their subjects' lives, but their presentation has a brisk, crisp style. The real draw here is Monceaux's arresting artwork (originally shown in a gallery). He renders his stylized, dignified portraits in pastels, markers and paint and adorns them with buttons and fabric, toy guns and playing cards. He encircles each portrait with text in a style similar to that of Faith Ringgold's work; the paintings will inspire both deep examination and contemplation. Ages 10-up. (Oct.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Grade 5 Up-The 36 heroes of the title include fur traders, cowboys, outlaws, buffalo soldiers and their nurse, a stagecoach driver, chiefs, and myriad other "people of color" who played a role in developing our country. Most of these Native Americans, African Americans, Mexicans, and individuals of mixed ancestry were part of the American West, but the section titled "The Legends" goes as far back as Montezuma and Pocahontas. For each hero, there is a short biographical note ranging from a phrase to two pages of text. These are appetizers, not full meals. Historical information is presented, but judgments are left to readers. The true focus of each of the entries is a buoyant, colorful portrait done in mixed media. Monceaux has added phrases and sentences to the art, as well as feathers, shells, cloth, coins, and even a pair of toy guns. The result is a striking, personal expression full of energy. An attractive layout with generous white space contributes to the high-quality presentation. An interesting and up-to-date annotated bibliography adds a finishing touch.
Darcy Schild, Schwegler Elementary School, Lawrence, KS
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR); 1st edition (October 22, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0374307709
• ISBN-13: 978-0374307707
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 9.7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,348,057 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful!, February 17, 2000

By 

Lois Szymanski (Westmisnter, MD) - See all my reviews

This review is from: My Heroes, My People: African Americans and Native Americans in the West (Hardcover)

What a beautiful book covering history in a new light. It is good to see in print heros who have seldom gained recognition in children's literaure. The illustrations are beautiful. A must for your child's growing library!