Black History Month is only a few months away. This book describes in some detail 333 activities for that commemoration, arranged in such subject areas as art and architecture, cooking, genealogy, math, religion and ethics, sewing and fashion, speech and drama, and storytelling. The subject areas of the typical elementary and secondary curriculum are well represented by activities that are, for the most part, typically absent from the schools. In addition, most of the activities are also appropriate for civic or church groups, clubs, scout troops, book clubs, museums, festivals, or other audiences and settings.
Each entry includes age or grade level or audience from preschool to adult, a description, the procedure, a rough estimate of budget, a list of sources, and alternative applications or activities. For example, "Black Landmarks" suggests organizing a display featuring monuments significant to black history and provides a sample list. "Sharing Words from Different Worlds" provides a list of Swahili terms and their meanings. "Graphing Racial Data" suggests having students chart demographic data on African and African American peoples and suggests sources for the data.
Several features add to the book's usefulness. An eight-page appendix lists books, articles, publishers, films and videos, video distributors, dance ensembles, theater companies, software packagers, computer networks, supplies, and resource centers that the editor "found most helpful in compiling this work." While helpful, many outstanding sources mentioned in the text, such as the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and the Alvin Ailey Dance Company, are absent from the appendix. Entry-name, age/grade-level, and budget indexes conclude the book; a subject index would have provided even greater access.
In the interest of an integrated curriculum, Black History Month Resource Book should be used in schools whenever appropriate--not just in February. Public libraries should also consider purchasing a copy for use in their own programming and by community groups. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
