Black Power Children's Literature: Julius Lester and Black Power

Abstract

This article examines a small selection of children's books by Julius Lester, a black power activist, considering them in the context of the black power movement. Lester is frequently cited for his activism and polemical works on black power but no study of his works for children has yet been published. The works considered in this article provide an example of how children's books during this period reflected aspects of black power ideology, language and imagery. Whilst books for black children in the USA had a long history of trying to instil racial pride and knowledge of African American history, these efforts were nevertheless restricted for various reasons. This article argues that it was the black power movement that provided a context in which books directed at black children could flourish. Librarians, activists, educators and publishers now engaged in providing literature for black children in a more comprehensive and directed way than before. Within this context, authors like Julius Lester could write books that celebrated African American history and folklore and could at the same time address issues of racial tension and white cultural hegemony.