Reading in Black

The story of Black children’s books isn’t only written by authors and illustrators. It’s also built by librarians doing the quiet, stubborn work of making stories reachable. We sit down with Deborah Taylor, a widely respected advocate who spent more than 44 years at the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, shaping teen services, school partnerships, and the national conversations that influence...

A missing mirror can change a life. In this chapter of Reading in Black, we move from the long arc of history to the intimate origins of four trailblazers whose early reading experiences—both abundant and absent—sparked a lifelong mission to center Black children on the page. We welcome Deborah Taylor, retired librarian of the Enoch Pratt Free Library; Dr. Violet Harris, Professor Emerita and lead...

During Episode 1, we hear from Dr. Violet Harris as she traces the history of Black children’s literature—from The Brownies’ Book to the works of Virginia Hamilton and Mildred D. Taylor. This episode explores the global legacy of stories that celebrate and affirm the beauty and brilliance of Black childhood.

Welcome to Reading in Black , a documentary podcast that celebrates the voices, stories, and power of Black children’s literature. Why do books matter? What happens when every child can — or can’t — see themselves on the page? Through history, storytelling, and conversations with parents, authors, and advocates, this series explores the impact of Black children’s books, the storytellers shaping to...