by Anne on September 3, 2010
Bessie Delany, dentist and author
Sept. 3, 1891- Sept. 25, 1995
Women of Hope: African Americans Who Made a Difference by Joyce Hansen (Scholastic, 1998)
Bessie Delany, who lived to be 104, came to national attention when she and her sister and a New York Times reporter collaborated on the story of her and her sister’s life: Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters’ First 100 Years. Delany was the second African American woman to become a dentist in NY.
For more information about the Delany sisters, visit a Having Our Say page.
by Anne on September 2, 2010
Alia Muhammed Baker, librarian
20th century-
The Librarian of Basra: A True Story from Iraq by Jeanette Winter (Harcourt, 2005)
What courage! This is the story of a librarian’s daring rescue of books from her library in Basra during the war in Iraq. Until there is peace, the collection will remain in her care.
Read an interview with Jeanette Winter about the writing of this book.
by Anne on September 1, 2010
Josefina Aguliar, artist
20th century-
Josefina by Jeanette Winter (Harcourt, 1996)
A day in the life of Oaxaca, Mexico folk-artist Josefina Aguilar comes to life in this treasure about her and her painted ceramic figures, one by one.
If you Google Josefina Aguilar’s name, you can find cool images of her work (for sale.)
by Anne on August 29, 2010
Wendell Scott, stock car racer
August 29, 1921-December 23, 1990
Racing Against the Odds: The Story of Wendell Scott, Stock Car Racing’s African-American Champion by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Eric A. Velasquez (Marshall Cavendish Children’s Books, 2009)
Scott’s foot was on the pedal of his family’s car well before he was old enough to get a license. At 14 he bought his first car. He began racing in 1947 and in 1963 was the first and only African-American to win a NASCAR race.
Legends of Nascar.com offers several articles about Scott along with a list of some of his awards.
by Anne on August 29, 2010
John McCain, politician
August 29, 1936-
My Dad, John McCain by Meghan McCain, illustrated by Dan Andreasen (Aladdin, 2008)
Written by McCain’s eldest daughter, this is a loving tribute to the life of her father that portrays his perseverance and strength as a child, naval officer, prisoner of war, US Senator and Republican candidate for the president.
McCain currently represents Arizona as a member of the US Senate. Visit his website to learn more about him and the issues and legislation he is interested in.
