Black History Month Inspiration
Celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
3 Reasons to Give Uncle Jed’s Barbershop This Christmas
Uncle Jed was the only black barber in the county. And he had a dream. Living in the segregated South of the 1920’s, Uncle Jed had to travel all over the county to cut his customers’ hair. He lived for the day when he could open his very own barbershop. But Uncle Jed encountered setback after setback that delayed his dream. However, not even the Great Depression could force him to give up on his dream. Uncle Jed finally opened his barbershop after saving for years and years. The community celebrated with him and so did his niece, Sarah Jean.
Uncle Jed’s Barbershop is a stirring story of dreams long deferred and finally realized.
Here are three reasons to give Uncle Jed’s Barbershop to the child on your Christmas list.
- Uncle Jed’s Barbershop inspires children to dream great dreams for their lives and realize that those dreams can come true. I will always remember the girl in Little Rock, Arkansas who said to me, “I want to be a doctor when I grow up, but my Grandmama says I will never be one. Now I know I can be a doctor.”
- An award-winning musical has been adapted from Uncle Jed’s Barbershop. The most recent honor is a Henry Award nomination for Outstanding New Musical. Theatre critics say: “Get ready for some toe-tapping fun!” – “Uncle Jed’s Barbershop leaps from the bookshelf to the stage!” –
- James Ransome’s wonderful richly colored paintings bring the story to life.
Learn about Uncle Jed’s Barbershop
Learn about Uncle Jed’s Barbershop Musical
Celebrate African-American Music Appreciation Month with When Grandmama Sings
President Obama has issued a proclamation naming June as African-American Music Appreciation Month. I recently sat down with the Jazz Collaborative to discuss When Grandmama Sings. Following are excerpts from that conversation.
JC: Your book, When Grandmama Sings, intermingles jazz with Southern history. Describe the story.
MM: When Grandmama Sings takes place in the 1940’s. Belle’s grandmother is a local singer in a small town in Mississippi. She gets an opportunity to go on a tour of the South and she takes Belle with her.
When Grandmama Sings shows what life was like for black entertainers who traveled from place to place. Grandmama is protective of Belle but she doesn’t shelter her from the harsh realities of life. They encounter separate hotels for blacks and whites. They can’t eat in a restaurant after a show because of the color of their skin. Grandmama meets with injustice in New Orleans when a club owner wants her to perform without pay. And when she performs in a big venue in Atlanta the audience is segregated: whites sit on the main floor and black people have to sit in the balcony.
JC: But after the tour great things happen for Grandmama.
MM: Absolutely. I love happy endings. I want students to know that life isn’t fair or equal at times. Regardless of how you are treated, if you remain focused on the gift you have inside of you, no one act or person can put your light out.
JC: What defines the relationship between Belle and her grandmother?
Trust defines their relationship. Bell travels with her grandmother and helps her read signs, menus, newspapers, etc. Even though she is a child, Belle is providing a valuable service to her grandmother. Grandmama trusts Belle to read everything to her. And Belle trusts her grandmother to take care of her.
JC: I love the relationship between Belle and her grandmother. Tell us about your relationship with your grandmother.
MM: My grandmother and I were very close. When she visited her sisters in other cities, she took me with her. My earliest memories are of me sitting in a chair beside my grandmother and she is teaching me how to read. When I was older my grandmother taught me how to cook. I will always cherish those moments in the kitchen with her teaching me her secret recipes. I wanted to show the same closeness between Belle and her grandmother.
JC: Why is it important for children to read books like When Grandmama Sings during African-American Music Appreciation Month?
MM: With budget decreases in schools and arts programs being cut, students are not being exposed to music and art programs. It is important that students learn to appreciate different types of music. They should know that certain types of music were born out of struggle. If students hear music and can read about the challenges the artist faced, they will have a better appreciation of what it takes to build a career.
JC: Students loved your program on When Grandmama Sings where you introduced female blues and jazz singers. Why is it important that they actually hear the music from that era?
MM: Students are familiar with music of today: rap, hip hop, and pop songs. It isn’t every day that they hear a different type of music. By introducing them to blues and jazz singers, I hope the music will speak to something inside of them. They will see that stories can be told through music.
JC: When Grandmama Sings is a recipient of the Living The Dream Award. What does this honor mean to you?
MM: It is extra special because students voted on the books. I am honored that When Grandmama Sings touches the hearts and minds of students.
JC: What does African-American Music Appreciation Month mean to you?
MM: It means that adults and children can learn about the rich heritage of African American music. African-Americans played an integral role in all types of music: blues, jazz, soul, rock & roll, musical theater, opera, classical, and choral music. This month is a great time to learn about their contributions.
JC: Any final thoughts about music?
MM: There is strength in music. The songs of the Civil Rights Movement provided strength and hope during the entire struggle for equal rights. There is joy in music. A song has the ability to lift people to a higher realm. That’s joy! There is power in music. Music has the power to change moods. Music, in all of its styles, is part of our lives. It is like the different color strands in fabric that when woven together creates a beautiful garment.
JC: Thanks so much for talking to us. If people want to learn more about your books, where can they reach you?
MM: http://margareekmitchell.com
Book information, as well as contact information, is there.
3 Ways To Inspire Students On School Visits
My chief mission on school visits is to inspire students to dream big and believe their dreams can come true. When I volunteered in schools, I discovered that many students had no dreams beyond going to school every day. They didn’t connect the present to the future. They didn’t realize that doing well in school now could make possible a great life in the future. In the process of working with the students I learned that first and foremost they needed someone to believe in them. Someone to tell them they were smart. Someone to encourage them to believe that they could do great things in life.
Now when I visit with students to talk about my books, regardless of whether they are in elementary, middle, or high school, I try to connect with them before I even mention my books. I do this by:
1) Telling My Story – I let them know that on the way to achieving dreams there will be setbacks. But they shouldn’t let those challenges deter them from their dreams. They should keep their dreams in sight and forge ahead regardless of the difficulties they encounter. I share with them the rejections I received and all the great things that have happened because I didn’t give up when I received rejection letters.
2) Engaging Them – I actually try to talk to students individually. I love talking to small groups of students. In small settings I can ask questions and get feedback on how they think. I also ask about their dreams for the future. In small groups students feel free to share their hopes and dreams. In large groups it never fails that some students will laugh at a particular student’s dream that has been shared. I let students know that they matter. And I encourage them to dream big dreams for their lives.
3) Talking About The Story Behind My Books – In my books I tell stories about ordinary people who achieved extraordinary things for the time period in which they lived. I do this to let students know that they too can make a difference in the world.
By the time I read one of my books or an excerpt from one, I have captured their attention and hopefully inspired a few to see beyond their present circumstances and dream of a better life.
I recently saw the following comment that a college student had written online about my first book, Uncle Jed’s Barbershop.
“When I first read this book way back in elementary school I loved it and still do. I am a college sophomore now. The first day I got this book I met Margaree King Mitchell and she was so nice. She had come to our school to have a book signing and she wrote ‘Never Give Up On Your Dreams’ in my book. I’m following that dream by going to college.”
Needless to say, this made my day. And it makes what I’m doing worthwhile. If I can just touch a few students (although I hope to touch all) and convince them that they can be and do anything they desire in life, then I am fulfilling my mission.
My Books
3 Reasons I Write About the History of the South
My books for children are set in the segregated South and focus on ordinary people who achieved extraordinary things for the time period in which they lived. There are a number of reasons I write about the history of the South. However, my top three reasons are:
1) To Inspire Children to Dream Great Dreams For Their Lives – If children can see that the characters in my stories, who lived during a time of racial barriers and discrimination, could achieve their dreams, surely they will believe that they can too. I’ll never forget the little girl who said to me, “I like your story about Uncle Jed. I want to be a doctor when I grow up, but my grandmamma says I’ll never be one. Now I know I can be a doctor.” In all of my school visits I always ask the kids to tell me their dreams. I want them to be heard. I want them to feel that their dreams matter to someone.
2) I Grew Up In The South – I was born and raised in Holly Springs, Mississippi on my grandfather’s farm. My grandfather owned his own farm during a time when not many black people owned their own land. I was a firsthand witness to the struggles my grandfather went through in maintaining his farm, which is why I put obstacles to be overcome in my stories. I want children to know that dreams are sometimes not easy to achieve. It seems like the bigger the dream, the bigger the obstacles that come your way. But with persistence, focus, and determination, dreams can and will come true.
3) I Am Proud To Be From Mississippi – When someone asks me where I’m from, I without hesitation say Mississippi. And being a proud product of Mississippi, I want children to be proud of where they are from and to remember that it is not where you start but where you end that counts.
The South has a troubled history that some think is best forgotten. But only by discussing it can we focus on how to do our part to make the world a better place.