Well, I once did a book you may know on the work of Effie Lee Newsome. I was working on my book, what I call my big book on African American children’s literature that traces its development from as far back as I could go, which was basically 19th century up through the end of the 20th century.
And when you do that, first of all you get into church publications, the AME Church, but also into the 20th century, Carter G. Woodson and his publishing company. And so it was in the context of that research that I ran across this woman.
Also with W.E.B. Du Bois who did a magazine in 1920, ‘21 called The Brownies’ Book. And some of the poems in The Brownies’ Book were written by this woman, Effie Lee Newsome. She also did some columns in the book, sort of nature columns. She lived in Wilberforce, Ohio.
And her husband I believe was a bishop in the AME Church. So, I read a number of her poems and then she did a book, which came out in early — it might have been 1940, and I think it was published by Woodson’s company.
And when you read the poems, some of them are [unint.], you know, 1920, ‘30 suite, but some of them I thought also just were still appealing. They seem to me to have some great metaphors, some great imagery. She had a little sense of humor. And I thought it was worth pulling them together for today’s children.
And fortunately Boyds Mills Press was willing to do that. The illustrations were — from the book were the original illustrations, and Boyds Mills went to get permission. So, they simply reproduced those. But they’re wonderful. They are.
