By The SCBWI Michigan Equity & Inclusion Team
Black History Month invites us to pause, honor, and reflect — but it
also calls us to remember something essential: Black History is American
History. It is not an add‑on, a sidebar, or a yearly
footnote. It is woven into the very fabric of this country’s story. And like all history, it is sacred.
Each year, we rightly celebrate the Black American heroes who shaped
our nation — the trailblazers whose courage and brilliance continue to benefit
us all today. This year, we also want to shine a light on creators of our
generation, contemporary authors and illustrators whose work models what is
possible for us as children’s book creators today. Their voices remind us that
history is not only something we look back on; it is something we are actively
shaping through the stories we tell.
History belongs to the people who lived it, the children who inherit
it, and the nation shaped by it. When we preserve history truthfully, we
preserve dignity. When we distort or erase it, we lose not only facts but also
wisdom, identity, and the opportunity to grow.
As writers and illustrators, we understand this intimately. Every book
we create becomes a keeper of what we dare not forget. Every story we tell
becomes a record of what we value. Literature is, in many ways, a form of
historical preservation. We protect the truth by putting it on the page.
This month, we honor two contemporary Black creators whose work reminds
us why storytelling matters — not just for entertainment, but for cultural
memory, empowerment, and the future of young readers.
Octavia E. Butler: A Visionary Who Wrote the Future Into Being
Octavia Butler’s work continues to shape the imaginations of young
adults and adults alike. Her stories — bold, speculative, and unflinching —
explore power, identity, justice, and the consequences of ignoring our past.
Butler understood that the future is built on the truths we are willing to face
today.
Her novels invite young readers to ask big questions:
What happens when we forget who we are
What happens when we silence the voices that warn us
What kind of world can we build when we honor every part of our history — even the painful parts
Butler’s legacy reminds us that writing is an act of courage. It is
also an act of preservation. Through her stories, she safeguarded truths that
might otherwise be overlooked, and she empowered generations of young readers
to imagine themselves as protagonists in worlds yet to come.
Jerry Craft: Centering Joy, Identity, and Everyday Truths
Jerry Craft, award‑winning children’s author and illustrator, offers something equally vital:
stories where Black children get to be fully themselves — joyful,
creative, complex, and deeply human.
In New Kid and his other graphic novels, Craft preserves a
different kind of history: the lived experiences of Black children and children
from other marginalized groups as they navigate school, friendship, identity,
and belonging. His work pushes back against narratives that limit Black
characters to trauma or survival. Instead, he gives young readers stories
filled with humor, heart, and hope.
Craft’s books remind us that preserving history isn’t only about
documenting struggle. It’s also about protecting joy. Protecting
representation. Protecting the everyday moments that shape a child’s
understanding of who they are and who they can become.
On a personal note, here’s why Jerry Craft is a hero of mine: Jerry
Craft began his career as a self‑published creator and went on to
make literary history! His graphic novel New Kid became the first and
only graphic novel to win the Newbery Medal, the Coretta Scott King Author
Award, and the Kirkus Prize for Young Readers’ Literature — a
groundbreaking achievement that continues to inspire creators across
generations. That’s pretty amazing!
Why Preservation Matters — In History and in Literature
Today, we are witnessing attempts to revise, sanitize, or erase parts
of American history that some find uncomfortable. But discomfort is not a
reason to hide the truth — it is a reason to lean in and learn.
Writers and illustrators play a crucial role in this moment.
We are keepers of memory.
We are protectors of story.
We are builders of legacy.
We are believers in all children’s right to read and be
represented in literature.
Just as archivists preserve documents and historians preserve facts,
creators preserve the emotional and cultural truths that help future
generations understand where they come from and celebrate who they are now.
When we write honestly, we honor the people who lived the stories before us.
When we illustrate boldly, we make space for children to see themselves
reflected with dignity.
A Call to Our Creative Community
As members of SCBWI, we have the privilege — and the responsibility —
to create books that reflect the full breadth of human experience. This Black
History Month, let us commit to:
- Reading widely from Black authors and illustrators across genres and age categories.
- Uplifting contemporary voices like Octavia Butler and Jerry Craft (and your Black American fellow SCBWI members) whose work expands what is possible in children’s literature.
- Preserving truth in our own creative work, resisting the urge to soften or erase what is real.
- Honoring the sacredness of history by telling stories that are honest, compassionate, and rooted in respect.
Black History is American History. When we protect it — in classrooms,
in libraries, in conversations, and in the books we create — we protect the
future and the children who will live in it… and read about it.
Naomi V. Dunsen‑White is an editorial leader, writing
and publishing coach, and founder of Naomi Books, LLC, where she supports diverse
authors in creating meaningful, high‑quality children’s literature as well as other genres. She serves as Chair of
Equity & Inclusion for the SCBWI Michigan chapter, advocating for diverse
voices and inclusive storytelling. If you are interested in joining the Equity
and Inclusion Team, write to Naomi at naomibooksinfo@gmail.com.