A book fair aimed at showcasing Black authors and improving Black literacy took place in Charlotte over the weekend.
More than a dozen people gathered at the Methodist Home Recreation Center in east Charlotte for the Black Child Book Fair on Saturday. This was the third time the fair was held in Charlotte.
Darryl Harvey said he founded the event in 2019 for two reasons. “One — give parents of Black children, parents of blended families, teachers of those children, and social workers of those children a resource to find books that they wouldn’t find anywhere else," Harvey said. "Number two, to give the independent Black author a resource to market their work.”
The fair featured nine authors from around the country, including Charlotte, Georgia and Washington, D.C.
Cameron Johnson, of Virginia, was one of the authors at their fair. He displayed his book, "My Popz and The Lessons He Taught Me," which focuses on how a father can impact his child by being present.
“I want to inspire young Black fathers, new Black fathers, and people without fathers," Johnson said. "This book will just be an opportunity to see another example of how a Black father and a Black son come together and have that relationship.”
Other books focused on empowering children and highlighting Black history.
Retired social worker Susan Miller purchased a book on the Civil Rights Movement for her granddaughters and a co-worker’s niece.
“I’m not sure that it’s going to be taught as much in schools, if at all, in the time period we're living in now," Miller said.
The Black Child Book Fair plans to hit 15 cities this year, with its next stop in Minneapolis.
