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![]() Related Guide Picks"Portraits of African-American Heroes"Profiles of 20 Remarkable Men and WomenGuide Rating - ![]() "Portraits of African-American Heroes" combines the striking sepia-toned paintings of Ansel Pitcairn with three-page text profiles by Tonya Bolden of 20 African-American men and women. While there are similar children's books that focus on the nineteenth century, this children's book is unusual in that it includes the nineteenth through the twenty-first centuries in its profiles of remarkable men and women. Unlike many brief biographies that are long on facts and short on the details that help the reader understand why a person was able to succeed against the odds, "Portraits of African-American Heroes" focuses on each persons struggles and successes in terms of their motivation and beliefs. Each profile also highlights a direct quotation that sheds light on the individual, such as this one from performer Paul Robeson, who suffered terribly for standing up for his beliefs at a time of rampart racism:
They include a college president, several visual and performing artists, sports figures, authors, politicians, and civil rights activists, among others. They are -
The author, Tonya Bolden, has written a number of nonfiction books for children, including "Tell All the Children Our Story" and "Wake Up Our Souls." "Portraits of African-American Heroes" is artist Ansel Pitcairns first picture book. I recommend it for mature seven years olds through high school age. (ISBN: 0525470433. Dutton Childrens Books, A division of Penguin Young Readers Group, 2003)
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