Black History Month
HPU's Libraries & JEDI Committee are celebrating celebrating Black History Month this February.
Find Your Way Into Fiction
Harlem Shuffle by 
Sing, Unburied, Sing by
*WINNER of the NATIONAL BOOK AWARD for FICTION *A TIME MAGAZINE BEST NOVEL OF THE YEAR and A NEW YORK TIMES TOP 10 OF 2017 *Finalist for the Kirkus Prize *Finalist for the Andrew Carnegie Medal *Finalist for the Aspen Words Literary Prize *Publishers Weekly Top 10 of 2017 *Finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award A finalist for the Kirkus Prize, Andrew Carnegie Medal, Aspen Words Literary Prize, and a New York Times bestseller, this majestic, stirring, and widely praised novel from two-time National Book Award winner Jesmyn Ward, the story of a family on a journey through rural Mississippi, is a "tour de force" (O, The Oprah Magazine) and a timeless work of fiction that is destined to become a classic. In Jesmyn Ward's first novel since her National Book Award-winning Salvage the Bones, this singular American writer brings the archetypal road novel into rural twenty-first-century America. An intimate portrait of a family and an epic tale of hope and struggle, Sing, Unburied, Sing journeys through Mississippi's past and present, examining the ugly truths at the heart of the American story and the power--and limitations--of family bonds. Jojo is thirteen years old and trying to understand what it means to be a man. He doesn't lack in fathers to study, chief among them his Black grandfather, Pop. But there are other men who complicate his understanding: his absent White father, Michael, who is being released from prison; his absent White grandfather, Big Joseph, who won't acknowledge his existence; and the memories of his dead uncle, Given, who died as a teenager. His mother, Leonie, is an inconsistent presence in his and his toddler sister's lives. She is an imperfect mother in constant conflict with herself and those around her. She is Black and her children's father is White. She wants to be a better mother but can't put her children above her own needs, especially her drug use. Simultaneously tormented and comforted by visions of her dead brother, which only come to her when she's high, Leonie is embattled in ways that reflect the brutal reality of her circumstances. When the children's father is released from prison, Leonie packs her kids and a friend into her car and drives north to the heart of Mississippi and Parchman Farm, the State Penitentiary. At Parchman, there is another thirteen-year-old boy, the ghost of a dead inmate who carries all of the ugly history of the South with him in his wandering. He too has something to teach Jojo about fathers and sons, about legacies, about violence, about love. Rich with Ward's distinctive, lyrical language, Sing, Unburied, Sing is a majestic new work and an unforgettable family story.
The Vanishing Half by Become Acquainted with Black Heritage and History
Do some background learning
Explore Perspectives
"Want to Explore Race in Hawai‘i? Center Those Most Impacted by it" by Dr. Akiemi Glenn
In this piece, Dr. Akiemi Glenn critiques the 2019 New York Times opinion piece entitled, "Want to Be Less Racist? Move to Hawaii." She illustrates why and how the NYT piece "does a disservice to the conversation on race and colonization in Hawai‘i."
"Black History is American History. We Should Teach it that Way." by Sachel Harris
In this piece, Sachel Harris challenges the genuineness and appropriateness of honoring of Black history, people, culture, and contributions for just a single month of the year. Harris asserts that "Black History Month should not be just a time to celebrate African Americans who have paved the way for us all to thrive. It should be a time to challenge the stubbornly persistent tendency to teach Black History as a footnote to American history."
Find Community
The Pōpolo Project works to redefine "what it means to be Black in Hawai‘i—and in turn what it means to be Black in the world—by creating spaces and opportunities for our people to radically reconnect to ourselves, our communities, our ancestors, and the land." The organization creates educational and cultural learning opportunities, hosts community gatherings, and creates original media. To learn more, visit https://www.thepopoloproject.org/home.
The Honolulu branch of the NAACP.
Find Events
Honolulu African American Film Festival
An annual series of films screenings at the Doris Duke Theatre of the Honolulu Museum of Art. Check out the Doris Duke Theatre's African American film listings.
Keep Learning
This is a list of readings focused on Black people in Hawai‘i, curated by the Pōpolo Project. It is intended "to contextualize our cultural and political realities, and to hold space for us to imagine a Hawai‘i, a Pacific, and a world where we are free."
The Black Lives Matter Syllabus
This public education curriculum, created by Dr. Frank Leon Roberts, provides resources for teaching BLM in both classroom and community settings. Download the most recent syllabus here.
This research guide, created by HPU librarians, highlights resources for in-depth research on antiracism and racism, including library databases, syllabi compiled by activist groups, sources of data and statistics, and local community organizations.
Questions for Reflection
Use these questions to keep exploring. Think through them, journal, or discuss with a friend.
1. What did you learn about Black History in school? What do you think about the quality and depth of what you learned?
2. In what ways do you support and honor the Black community? How can you start doing so, or continue to do so?