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Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans

by Kadir Nelson

A visual history of African American struggle and civic progress

Regular price $12.13 USD
Regular price $20.22 USD Sale price $12.13 USD
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Paperback New English

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AlbakiReads Editorial

A visual history of African American struggle and civic progress

Kadir Nelson traces a century of African American history through the voice of a 100-year-old Black woman, connecting personal witness to wider struggles over labor, segregation, education, freedom, and equal rights. The book places the hardships faced by people picking cotton alongside the fight against Jim Crow laws and the collective efforts of Americans who challenged discrimination. Nelson’s paintings are central to this 112-page picture-book history, giving its historical overview a visual dimension. This paperback edition also includes eight pages of discussion and curriculum material, extending the book’s use beyond the main narrative.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Young readers studying African American history and the United States
  • Families and classrooms seeking a shared historical picture book
  • Readers interested in civil rights, education, and the pursuit of equality

Themes

African American historyCivil rightsJim Crow segregationEducation equalityFreedom and justice

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

The story of America and African Americans is a story of hope and inspiration and unwavering courage. In Heart and Soul, Kadir Nelson's stirring paintings and words grace 100-plus pages of a gorgeous picture book--a beautiful gift for readers of all ages, a treasure to share across generations at home or in the classroom.

Heart and Soul is about the men, women, and children who toiled in the hot sun picking cotton; it's about the America ripped in two by Jim Crow laws; it's about the brothers and sisters of all colors who rallied against those who would dare bar a child from an education. It's a story of discrimination and broken promises, determination, and triumphs.

Kadir Nelson's Heart and Soul--the winner of numerous awards, including the Coretta Scott King Author Award and Illustrator Honor, and the recipient of five starred reviews--is told through the unique point of view and intimate voice of a one-hundred-year-old African-American female narrator.

This inspiring book demonstrates that in striving for freedom and equal rights, African Americans help our country on the journey toward its promise of liberty and justice--the true heart and soul of our nation.

The paperback edition also features eight pages of discussion and curriculum material.

Discover the full scope of this essential chapter of America's Past.

  • A Century of Living History: Follow one woman's hundred-year journey as a witness to the struggles and triumphs that shaped a nation.
  • The Courage to Keep Fighting: A searing portrait of the determination it took to push for equality in a country that repeatedly fell short of its own ideals.
  • Award-Winning Narrative: A Coretta Scott King Author Award winner with five starred reviews--one of the most honored works in African American children's literature.
  • Multi-Generational Appeal: Rich discussion questions and curriculum material make this an ideal shared read across the classroom, the library, and the living room.
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