African American History Day by Day: A Reference Guide to Events

Gr 6 Up—Organized by the calendar year, this expansive reference work covers the people and events that have shaped African American history. Covering from January 1, 1880, when the transatlantic slave trade was banned in the U.S., to December 31, 1930, when blues singer Odetta was born, the book touches on the breadth of the African American experience in politics, education, civil rights, art, literature, sports, and science. Each date highlights a major entry, with year, description, excerpts from primary sources, and a list of books and websites for further reading. Most days also include other "Also Noteworthy" events. Educators can find lesson connections here for every day of the year, while an extensive bibliography and index provide multiple ways to get at the information. Unlike other recent books on the topic, Carrillo focuses on events in a historical context, rather than merely presenting the same lists of famous African Americans. The day-by-day approach allows the author to go beyond the well-known to celebrate more events and people who shaped American history.—Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, Carroll County Public Library, MD