Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Celebrating Black History Month

February is Black History Month and the Alexandria Campus celebrated with a batch of recommended books.

We owe the celebration of Black History Month, and more importantly, the study of black history, to Dr. Carter G. Woodson. Born to parents of former slaves and enrolled in high school at age twenty, he graduated within two years and later went on to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard. In his studies he was disturbed to find that history books largely ignored the black American population, and it was not until the 20th century that they gained respectable presence in history books. Woodson determined to write black Americans into the nation’s history. In 1915 he established an organization to promote the scientific study of black life and history, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), and a year later founded the widely respected Journal of Negro History. In 1926, he launched Negro History Week as an initiative to bring national attention to the contributions of black people throughout American history. Woodson chose the second week of February for Negro History Week because it marks the birthdays of two men who greatly influenced the black American population, Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. However, February has much more than Douglass and Lincoln to show for its significance in black American history; each day of the month has its own accomplishments. After launching Negro History week (which became Black History Month), Woodson chose to provide a theme for each year to focus the public’s attention.

 
Barber, John T.  Black Digital Elite: African American Leaders of the Information Revolution. E185.615.B297 2006

Brodie, James Michael.  Created Equal: The Lives and Ideas of Black American Innovators. E185.96.B835 1993

Edmonds, Anthony O.  Muhammad Ali: A Biography.  GV1132.A4 E43 2006

Fritts, Ron and Ken Vail.  Ella Fitzgerald: The Chick Webb Years and Beyond.  ML420.F52 F74 2003

Gates, Jr., Henry Louis and Cornel West.  The African-American Century: How Black Americans Have Shaped Our Country.  E185.96.G38 2000

Gibbs, C.R.  Black Inventors: From Africa to America.  T39.G458 1999
 
Haber, Louis.  Black Pioneers of Science and Invention.  Q141.H2 1991
 
Hughes, Langston.  I Wonder as I Wander: An Autobiography.  PS3515.U274 Z466 19

Kremer, Gary R. George Washington Carver: A Biography.  S417.C3 K736 2011

Kessler, James H.  Distinguished African American Scientists of the 20th Century. REF Q141.D535 1996

Lobb, Nancy.  16 Extraordinary African Americans. ESL E185.L83x 1995

Mabee, Carleton.  Sojourner Truth: Slave, Prophet, Legend. E185.97.T8M32 1993
 
Nightfighters: The True Story of the 332nd Fighter Group, the Tuskegee Airmen. AV D790.N54x 2003
 
Sluby, Patricia Carter.  The Inventive Spirit of African Americans.  T39.S57 2004
 
Wilkinson, Brenda.  African American Women Writers.  ESL PS153.N5 W49 2000



Friday, February 01, 2013

International Day of Zero Tolerance to FGM

February 6 is the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation:

The International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation is observed each year to raise awareness about this practice. Female genital mutilation of any type has been recognized as a harmful practice and violation of the human rights of girls and women.  Read more about this controversial cultural practice:




Dorkenoo, Efua. Cutting the Rose: Female Genital Mutilation. GN484 D64 1999


Gruenbaum, Ellen. The Female Circumcision Controversy: An Anthropological Perspective. GN484 .G78 2001

Horsbrugh-Porter, Anna. Created Equal: Voices on Women’s Rights. HQ1236 .H67 2009

Kassindja, Fauziya and Layli Miller Bashir.  Do they Hear You When You Cry?  JV6601 K37 1998

Mayer-Hohdahl, Marion. Female Circumcision: Human Rites. (DVD) AV GN484 .F44247x 2004

Metcalf, Charlotte. Welcome to Womanhood. (DVD) AV GN484 .W45366x 2006

Parmar, Pratibha. Warrior Marks. (DVD) AV GN484 .W352x 2005

Shell-Duncan, Bettina and Ylva Hernlund (ed). Female “Circumcision” in Africa: Culture, Controversy, and Change. GN484 .F443 2000

Skaine, Rosemarie. Female Genital Mutilation: Legal, Cultural, and Medical Issues. GN484 .S485 2005

Toubia, Nahid. Female Genital Mutilation: A Call for Global Action. GN484 T68x 1995

Walker, Alice and Pratibha Parmar. Warrior Marks: Female Genital Mutilation and the Sexual Binding of Women. GN484 .W35 1993

World Health Organization. Female Genital Mutilation: A Joint WHO/UNICEF/UNFPA Statement. GN484 F48 1997

World Health Organization. Female Genital Mutilation: An Overview. GN484 .T69 1998