Video: African American Read-In Comes to Starkville

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STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Starkville residents are highlighting the works of African American writers this weekend. The African American Read In event encourages students to read, and exposes students of all ages and backgrounds to African American authors.

“I think a lot times that African American authors are overlooked and we don’t celebrate them as much as we should because they have contributed a lot to the community of writers that we have,” says William Paul Ellis, the student liaison for African American Read In.

Books by writers like Walter Mosley, Zora Neale Hurston and Toni Morrison were on display at the Starkville Public Library. The event also included original poetry and dance. Performance Artist Kayla Marie Gilmore used poetry and interpretive dance to showcase the story of Harriet Tubman.

“I recited some poetry of my own about Harriet Tubman. Well within that poetry there was also educational points in there that people were able to obtain about Harriet Tubman. So it’s very important that we grasp books and different things that our African American authors have written,” says Gilmore.

Gilmore says the African American Read In gives parents a great opportunity to read with their children.

“The advice I would give to parents is to be involved with your children. Take time to read along with them. Whether they’re black or white children it doesn’t matter, to be able to get to know one another. To see the different cultural backgrounds,” says Gilmore.

Black Caucus members of the National Council of Teachers of English created the program. Read-In events can be held any day in February each year.

For more information about the African American Read In, go to National Council of Teachers of English: http://www.ncte.org/action/aari/packetinfo.