Story Tags

rhythm ride by andrea pinkney

The Black Experience, New and Noteworthy Children's Books

The books listed here are all inspirational and true.  They take the reader through lives that may seem like our own, but become extraordinary through the individual’s creativity or inventiveness, singular devotion to improving their lives and the lives of others, and or the individual’s supportive family and community.  Some have won recent national awards.  Some have been passed around a lot. Some are meant to be read aloud.  Some are visually stunning.  All are worth enjoying.

Mumbet's Declaration of Independence

Fabulous Females

Books to Enjoy for Women's History Month

March is fast approaching, so let's celebrate Women's History Month!  Here are some of my favorite young biographies of some fabulous females. Discover the stories of these less well-known ladies who left their mark in the fields of athletics, politics, science, and more. 

Sasha and Emma: The Anarchist Odyssey of Alexander Berkman and Emma Goldman

I Fought the Law and the Law Won

Writers Who Got Booked

Writers and creative thinkers may spend much of their time in scholarly pursuits, but many have also been historically prone to brushes with the law- whether for committing an actual crime, or being deemed undesirable for speaking out against the laws of the time. Here are a few arrested authors to read up on:

Image of My Brilliant Friend book cover

Friendships Between Women

Well-depicted female bonds in Literary Fiction and one Memoir.

Intimate. Challenging. Supportive. Absorbing. Provocative. Close friendships between two women can be all of these things and many more -- sometimes all at once. Just as no woman -- no human being -- is like another, so too are bonds between women diverse, and just as women as individuals continue to develop throughout life, so too can the bonds between them.

Portrait of John Philip Sousa

Marching Along with John Philip Sousa

An evening with the famous "March King"

The library will present a special performance by local actor Dwane Starlin as he embodies the life and spirit of the great American bandmaster and composer John Philip Sousa (1854-1932), known for his military and patriotic marches such as "The Washington Post," "Semper Fidelis," and "Stars and Stripes Forever" and who was born in Washington DC, on Wednesday, November 4, at 7 p.m.

The Unwritten Volume 1: Tommy Taylor and the Bogus Identity

Not Your Average Character

Graphic Novels for People Who Don’t Like Superheroes

I hear a lot of complaints about graphic novels from adults who don’t understand the genre. They say, “Oh, I don’t like graphic novels, they’re all about superheroes and they always have the same type of villain. It’s all about the comic book artwork and not about the plot. They’re too predictable.” These graphic novels are anything but predictable.

Song of Dewey Beard book cover

"Song of Dewey Beard" by Philip Burnham

Author talk on September 17, 7 p.m.

Join us on Thursday, September 17, 7 p.m., for Dr. Phllip Burnham's discussion of Dewey Beard (1858-1955), the last known survivor of the 1876 Battle of Little Bighorn and the 1890 Massacre of Wounded Knee. Based on archival research and personal interviews, Song of Dewey Beard relates a life encompassing nearly a century of major historical events. Tom Powers describes Dr.

Tracks

Books to Inspire Wanderlust

Nonfiction Books About Hitting the Road

It’s mid-August and the end of summer is a lot closer than anyone would like to admit. Maybe you didn’t have the chance to do as much vacationing as you would have liked to, or maybe you got badly sunburned and have vowed to never go outside again (like me). Whatever the case, these books about wanderlust filled individuals will help to stave off the doldrums of returning to one’s regular life and may even inspire your next journey.

The Devil In The White City Book Cover

True Life Terror

Before I started working at the library, I read almost exclusively fiction books. Seeing all of the great nonfiction titles available, however, reminded me of the pleasures of reading stories of real life. Some of the titles on this list are historical and some are more modern, but they are all gripping tales, made even more gripping by the fact that they are true.

Chip Py

Chip Py: Go-Go Photographer

Chronicler of Godfather of Go-Go Chuck Brown's last year!

Please join us Aug. 17 at 6:30 p.m. in the Black Studies Center as we launch our celebration of Chuck Brown's birthday with a presentation by photographer Chip Py. Py has been shooting the D.C. music scene for the past 10 years and most recently had the unique opportunity to photograph Chuck Brown in his last year.

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