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We are saddened to hear about the passing of Dorie Ann Ladner, lifelong voting rights activist. 🕊️🗳️

Ms. Ladner participated in every major civil rights protest of the 1960s, including the March on Washington and the march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. She was a key organizer in her home state of Mississippi, with contributions to the NAACP and Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. In June 1964, she launched a volunteer campaign called “Mississippi Freedom Summer,” with a goal of registering as many Black voters as possible. 

We remember and honor Dorie through the words of her sister and fellow activist, Joyce Ladner: as someone who “fought tenaciously for the underdog and the dispossessed,” and “left a profound legacy of service.”

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Andre Douglas

A Virginia native, Andre Douglas served in the U.S. Coast Guard as a naval architect and salvage engineer. Douglas later worked as an engineer for Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory on NASA's DART mission to redirect an asteroid. https://go.nasa.gov/48FBlam

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space!

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Chris Williams

Born in New York City, Chris Williams considers Potomac, Maryland, to be his hometown. A private pilot and Eagle Scout, Williams is a board-certified medical physicist and holds a doctorate in physics from MIT. https://go.nasa.gov/49YJJmf

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space!

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Effie Lee Morris stands as a towering figure in the realm of children's literature and library services, leaving an indelible mark through her visionary leadership and tireless advocacy. Born into an era marked by racial segregation and systemic barriers, Morris defied the odds, rising to become a beacon of change and progress. Her journey began as a public librarian in Cleveland and later in the Bronx, where she cultivated a deep appreciation for the transformative power of literature and education.

In 1971, Effie Lee Morris shattered barriers as the first African-American president of the Public Library Association, a milestone that underscored her commitment to equity and inclusion in library spaces. Her groundbreaking work extended beyond administrative roles; Morris played a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of children's literature by spearheading the establishment of the Coretta Scott King Award. By crafting the original selection criteria in 1970, she laid the foundation for recognizing and celebrating African-American authors and illustrators, ensuring their voices resonated prominently in the literary world.

Morris's impact reverberated within the walls of the San Francisco Public Library (SFPL), where she assumed the role of the first coordinator of children's services. During her tenure, she revolutionized children's literature by establishing a research collection of out-of-print books, meticulously documenting the evolving portrayals of ethnic and culturally diverse groups. This collection, later renamed the Effie Lee Morris Historical and Research Collection in her honor, served as a testament to her unwavering dedication to preserving diverse narratives and fostering cultural understanding.

Beyond her professional achievements, Morris's advocacy extended into the realm of social justice and community engagement. She founded the San Francisco chapter of the Women's National Book Association and actively participated in the American Library Association's Social Responsibilities Round Table, championing causes aimed at combating racism, inequality, and poverty. Her contributions were met with widespread recognition, as evidenced by numerous accolades, including the Silver Spur Award and the Grolier Foundation Award, affirming her status as a trailblazer in the literary landscape.

Effie Lee Morris's legacy transcends generations, inspiring future leaders and storytellers to uphold the values of diversity, inclusion, and equity in children's literature and library services. Her visionary spirit lives on in the countless lives touched by her work, serving as a timeless reminder of the transformative power of literature in bridging cultures, fostering empathy, and igniting change.

Read more about Effie Lee Morris here.

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🌈 24 BLACK QUEER BOOKS!

Hello Rainbow Readers! February is Black History month, and today we're featuring 24 Black Queer books to add to your TBR! Anytime is a great time to pick up a Black Queer book and find a new favorite. These books include a multitude of age categories and genres. These are brand new recs continuing from parts 1 and 2 we posted in 2023 (shared in stories for more recs)!

Have you read any of these? Do you have any others we missed? Add the title & author in the comments so we can find new favorites too!

Queer stories that feature Black MCs are always needed and we hope to see even more continue to be published in the future whether that’s traditionally or through indie publishing. Speaking of indie books, if you are a Black author with a Black queer story: we want your books! Please consider adding your book to our submissions via the link in our bio so we can review your book for a future special edition printing! PSA: Indie means small press AND self-published books. We're looking for both!

🌈 Our February crate will include the first two books on this list: Infinity Alchemist by Kacen Callender and The Fall That Saved Us by Tamara Jerée. Subscriptions and one time purchases for this box are currently open. Both books have brand new covers exclusive to Rainbow Crate. 

Books listed above their respective graphics.

📷: Thanks to @foreverinastory for the photo of our The Sound of Stars magnet as the background!

ID: A post of seven slides. Slide 1: A photo of a magnet of two Black kids with a stack of rainbow books in between the two. The magnet rests on a wood log with purple, blue and green flowers next to it. Overlaid is pink slightly opaque circle with text on it that says “24 Queer Black Books” in white font with a black outline. Slides 2-7: The background is the same photo of the magnet with an added blur effect. Over the photo are four book covers in a 2 x 2. End ID.

Infinity Alchemist by Kacen Callender

The Fall That Saved Us by Tamara Jerée

The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta

The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow

Stud Like Her by Fiona Zedde

I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me by Jamison Shea

Blood Debts by Terry J. Benton-Walker

The Principle of Moments by Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson

Here For it; Or, How to Save Your Soul in America: Essays by R. Eric Thomas

I Have Always Been Me: A Memoir by Precious Brady-Davis

So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole

The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimmons

The Scourge Between Stars by Ness Brown

The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr. 

Survive The Dome by Kosoko Jackson

This is What it Feels Like by Rebecca Barrow

Right Where I Left You by Julian Winters

Rise to the Sun by Leah Johnson

The Romantic Agenda by Claire Kann

An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon

Outdrawn by Deanna Grey

The Stars & the Blackness Between Them by Junauda Petrus

Rainbow Milk by Paul Mendez

Escaping Exodus by Nicky Drayden

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field reporter

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my “tangled” sketchbook spread and some photocard prints I made a few months ago!☀️

all of my paintings are available on my etsy! click the link in my bio to check out my art and help support me as a small artist! hope you enjoy these paintings🌿🪷

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Rebecca Lee Crumpler was the first Black woman to become a doctor of medicine in the United States.

After moving to Charlestown, Massachusetts in 1852, Rebecca Crumpler worked as a nurse for eight years. At that time, the lack of official schools of nursing meant she required no formal training for the job. But she certainly wasn't afraid of some hard work. She was admitted into the New England Female Medical College in 1860 and graduated four years later with her M.D.

After the end of the Civil War in 1865, Dr. Crumpler moved to Richmond, Virginia to provide medical care for the freed slaves who would otherwise have no one else to turn to. She dedicated herself to the understanding of diseases that particularly afflicted women and children, and when she eventually returned to Massachusetts, she opened her own clinic in Boston. She saw poverty stricken patients and treated them regardless of their ability to pay her.

Read more: https://www.nps.gov/people/dr-rebecca-lee-crumpler.htm

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Black history: Did you know?

Phillis Wheatley was only 12 when she became the first female African American author published.

Despite Phyllis Wheatley’s fame, we know surprisingly little about her early life. She was taken from her home in Africa when she was seven or eight, and sold to the Wheatley family in Boston. The family taught her to read and write, and encouraged her to write poetry as soon as they witnessed her talent for it. In 1773, Phyllis published her first poem, making her the first African American to be published. She was only 12 at the time.

Read more: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/phillis-wheatley

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So my friend @toiletpotato suggested this TEDTalk on another post where I suggested reading some Kimberlé Crenshaw, and frankly.... You all need to watch it. If you want to understand the frustrations, fears, and the perspectives of being Black women and how and why our needs are different, and you want a place to start? Watch this video. If you really want to be that intersectional, true feminist and ally? Watch this video. If you want to be better, it's time to do better, and I think this is a very good introduction.

The Urgency of Intersectionality- Kimberlé Crenshaw (version w/transcript)

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Happy black history month! Emu ft. the rest of wxs >o<

I rlly like how the hair turned out... i love learning about poc hairstyles

Close ups:

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BEFORE GRUNGE WAS BIG, IT WAS BLACK

L: Tina Bell, Bam Bam R: Doug Pinnick, King's X

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rose quartz

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Black History Month Art Challenge

DAY 14: A.J. - The Fairly Odd Parents

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Here I stand

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Costume for the Wizard in The Wiz on Broadway, 1975.