The 1619 Project: Born on the Water

"A class assignment to “trace your roots” leads one Black child to ask her grandmother about her own family history. Grandma responds with a proud history of what it means to come from a resilient people that have loved, resisted and persevered. Beginning with the rich cultures of West Africa, the book tells how, after the Middle Passage, Black Americans created a new people in America. This Black history (told in poetry) does not begin in slavery, struggle and strife but instead “bridges the gap between Africa and the United States of America.” Strong poems. Necessary history. Extraordinary art. (For ages 7 to 10)"