Public Library Of Youngstown & Mahoning County: Black History Month Podcast 2022

Press release from the Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County:

Cindy Beach

February 14th, 2022

Tune into this month’s episode of the PLYMC Library Anywhere Podcast for a celebration of Black History Month! Two librarians discuss how the library is honoring Black History all through the month of February with information, programs, and book recommendations. 

The theme for 2022 by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) is “Black Health and Wellness.” On their website, find resources including a virtual festival and a list of recommended books and websites on topics ranging from the fight to improve healthcare for Black Americans to the celebration of the legacies of Black trailblazers in medicine. 

Additionally, Black History Month.gov has virtual events and exhibits you can include in your commemoration of Black History Month. Browse tons of texts and images from the Library of Congress and National Archives. There is also a section including resources for teachers to bring Black History into the classroom through primary and secondary sources. 

Finally, be sure to check out the American Library Association’s Coretta Scott King Book Awards. This year’s winners and honors were announced in January. Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre, written by Carole Boston Weatherford and Illustrated by Floyd Cooper, took home top honors for 2022. 

The last two years have seen the release of some superb books you can use to observe Black History Month. For a full list of recommended titles by our Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Librarian, see this BiblioCommons list: Books for Children, Teens, and Adults that Celebrate and Examine the Black Experience. All of these titles were published in 2021 or 2022. 

Black History Month is a great time to delve into the rich history and culture of Black Americans, and we especially want to highlight wonderful books about Black excellence and Black Joy. We also encourage the community to celebrate Black History not just during February, but year-round. Below are all of the titles we recommend in the podcast, as well as some other recent favorites, so be sure to check them out! 

Recommended Reads 

Picture Books:  

Middle Grade: 

Teen: 

Adult:  

This press release was produced by the Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County. The views expressed here are the author’s own.