ENROLLED ORIGINAL
1
A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION
25-184
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
March 5, 2024
To recognize and celebrate the legacy and history of African American children’s literature in
the District of Columbia.
WHEREAS, children’s literature written by African Americans, including authors like
Sterling Brown, May Miller Sullivan, Eloise Greenfield, Lucille Clifton, E. Ethelbert Miller, Jason Reynolds, Kwame Alexander, Joy Jones, Tricia Walker, and others who have lived or worked in
Washington, DC, has been an essential vehicle for conveying Black history and culture since the 18
th
century;
WHEREAS, African American children’s literature is a necessary component of children
of the African diaspora seeing themselves and others with empathy, diversity, critical-thinking,
cultural awareness, inspiration, role-models, community- building, improved mental health , and
advanced academic performance;
WHEREAS, Black authors have had to struggle against various mainstream forces in
America, including white supremacy, to ensure the authentic representation of African American
history and culture through their books -- including self-publishing and self-distribution by
African American bookstores like Pyramid Books, Drum & Spear Bookstore, Sanfoka, Busboys
and Poets, Social Justice Books, and Mahogany;
WHEREAS, the success of African American authors of children’s literature, the artists
who illustrated their books, and the businesses and academic institutions that promoted their work,
such as Carter G. Woodson’s Associated Publishers, Howard University, the University of the
District of Columbia, and the D.C. Public Library among other supporters and patrons, has
contributed greatly to the socioeconomic advancement of generations of African Americans throughout the world, in the United States, and especially in Washington, D.C. -- the nation’s
capital;
WHEREAS, because of their creativity, advocacy, and sheer determination to ensure the
accurate and positive historical and cultural portrayal of Blacks in America and around the world, African American authors of children’s literature who lived and worked in Washington, D.C. made
the District a vital contributor to the literary canon of this country through the New Negro
Movement, the Black Arts Movement, and into this 21st Century; and ENROLLED ORIGINAL
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WHEREAS, on March 2, 2024, the first African American Children’s Literature
Symposium and Exhibition supported by Humanities DC, being held on the campus of Trinity
Washington University, presented by Esther Productions Inc, t he Black Student Fund, and curated
by Dr. Bernard Demczuk and others will demonstrate the longevity, essence and power of local
and national authors and illustrators of African American children’s literature.
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
resolution may be cited as the “African Americans and Children’s Literature: A Symposium and
Exhibition Ceremonial Recognition Resolution of 2024”.
Sec. 2. The Council recognizes and celebrates the rich history, legacy, and future of
Washington, D.C.’s African American children’s literary community, and declares March 2, 2024
as African American Children’s Literature Day in the District of Columbia .
Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately.