The 1619 Project Born on the Water

27 years ago, Tabahani Book Circle vowed in our mission staement to encourage the joy of reading in younger generatons. in a collaborative effort with the Bridge Builders Foundation at Tom Bradely Globl Awarness Magnet School our mission statment was ever present.

We brought our selected book for the day, the 1619 project Born on the Water by Nikole Hanna-Jones and Renee Watson to life! We gave each student and African name for the day printed on a bookmark. We learned how to say hello, goodbye and my name is, in Swahili. We simulated a Middle Passae crossing on the White Lion. The students worked collectively as teams to complete puzzles, a word search and seed planting, all related to the book.

As time was running out, we emphasized the history of our ancestors and encouraged the students to research the generations of their family. We had a great day!

ASSAULT ON ILLITERACY continues at Tom Bradley Elementary School.

Our partner, Tabahani Book Circle treated students to a “Bringing Books to Life” experience with a reading and activity session on the 1619 Project. Each student was given a T-shirt and a library-quality book to own and take home. This initiative seeks to instill in youth excitement about reading and address book deserts in communities of color.