An Examination of Literary/Ideological Stances Found in Augusta Baker's The Black Experience in Children's Books

• In Event: 65.080 - Roundtable Session 24
  In Roundtable Session: 65.080-2 - Toward Justice: Critical Perspectives on Diverse Books for Young Audiences

Abstract

This literary essay investigates the image of the “Negro” depicted within Augusta Baker’s bibliography entitled The Black Experience in Children’s Books (1971). Baker, a renowned Black American children’s librarian, was compelled to construct this bibliography to provide counter-narratives to the racist, stereotypical propaganda that was circulated regarding the Black experience. She identified three criterion to utilize when identifying exemplary literary works about the Black experience for children (i.e. language, theme, and illustration), which are the perspectives that inform this essay. This qualitative study’s significance lies in the historical import of Baker’s work as a librarian and literary critic, which she utilized to help advocate for the creation/dissemination of more socially just literature, particularly about Blacks and the Black experience.

Author

• Regina Carter, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign