Liberation Literature: Positive Cultural Messages in Children’s and Young Adult Literature at Freedom Schools

In U.S. schools, African American students are typically fed steady diets of stereotypical and culturally invasive literature and often do not see themselves positively and consistently represented in books. The crisis is fueled, in part, by teachers who (for various reasons) do not include and draw upon counter-narratives in their classrooms. Using the context of Freedom Schools, this article examines the value of liberation literature and what it can offer African American children. This inquiry into the literature is supported by two examples of books analyzed for qualities exemplified in liberation literature. It is suggested that schools and teachers work to maintain and sustain positive cultural messages through the consistent and thoughtful use of books that affirm African American children’s realities.