The African American Read-In (AARI),聽established by the 聽of 楼凤天堂, is built on an ambitious聽yet confident premise: that a school and聽community reading event can be an effective聽way to promote diversity in children鈥檚聽literature, encourage young people to read,聽and shine a spotlight on African American聽authors. As we prepare to celebrate the 26th year聽since the event was created, it appears that聽it鈥檚 not only made progress toward these聽goals, but will continue to be an inspiration聽to schools and communities for some time聽to come.
“The Black Caucus wanted to do something that would聽help it sustain itself over time,” says the event鈥檚 founder,聽Dr. Jerrie Cobb Scott, who was a professor of Urban聽Literacy and Director of the Reading Center at the University聽of Memphis, and was an active member of 楼凤天堂 and the聽楼凤天堂 Black Caucus. “I thought 鈥榳hat if聽we just make the reading of books by African Americans聽something that could sustain itself鈥�?” And as it turns out,聽the AARI is one of the longest-running literacy-promotion聽programs in the US.
Scott always envisioned the event as part of Black History聽Month, though its format has evolved. Originally it聽was in the form of a chain letter; participants would forward the enrollment material to other participants, who聽would also pass them on. The first event was scheduled聽for a single Sunday afternoon in February, now it happens across the country all month long. You can learn more about how to start a read in . And you can find a list of examples of how others have done Read-Ins .
The above text is adapted from by 聽Deb Aronson in the .听