The history books seem to be full of men.
Galileo, Frederick Douglass. Abraham Lincoln. Jesse Jackson, Franklin Roosevelt, the list goes on. So this month, put a few women on your radar by reading these great Women’s History Month books…
Soon, your mind may turn to gardening and greenery and “When Trees Testify” by Beronda L. Montgomery (Henry Holt, $27.99) is a great place to start.
Written by a renowned biologist, this book explains how African Americans have made their mark on the world of botany, and vice versa. Trees, especially, have been essential in Black history, and Montgomery writes specifically about seven of them, plus the cotton shrub. This is a great book for historians, of course, but also for gardeners, homeowners, and anyone who appreciates a tree.
Everything has to start somewhere, and in “Riding Into History” by Amy Nathan with Sarah Keys Evans (Duke University Press, $29.95), you’ll read the story of Women’s Army Corps PFC Sarah Keys, who was trying to take a bus home from her post at Fort Dix, New Jersey when she was arrested for disorderly conduct for doing what Rosa Parks would do some three years later. Her actions, says Nathan, still resonate today. This is an important story to read, one that’s not often told when talking about the Civil Rights Movement. (Out March 24).
Another little-told story in women’s history that you’ll like knowing is that of Sylvia Moy, so find “It’s No Wonder: The Life and Times of Motown’s Legendary Songwriter Sylvia Moy” by Margena A. Christian (DaCapo, $30).
You’ll want to dust off your favorite vinyl when you read this book about the woman who wrote songs for Stevie Wonder, The Isley Brothers, Martha and the Vandellas, and the Temptations. She was the first woman to become an in-house Motown producer-songwriter, and she had to fight to keep that place. You’ll like this incredible, til-now-hidden story, especially if you’re a fan of old-school tunes from back in the day.
And finally, if you’ve ever had a mother, then “Black. Single. Mother.” by Jamilah Lemieux (Roc Lit, $32.00) is a book that’ll make you want to thank her.
This is a wide but intimate examination of being a single mom that happens to be Black – the ups and downs, the myths, the nasty comments and the absolute joys. It’s about what it’s like to raise kids without their father around, and why respect and love from the rest of society is long overdue. Written through interviews with more than twenty single Black moms, this is a strong look at a topic that’s rarely examined in such a wide, open-hearted way. (out March 10)
And if these books aren’t enough, then head to your favorite bookstore or library and ask for more. The staff there can help you find whatever you need to read for Women’s History Month, in almost any category and for almost any age group. All you gotta do it ask – because, isn’t it time that women take their place in history, too?
