Schomburg Center For Research in Black Culture And Best-Selling Author Ellis Cose Launch Teen Summer Reading Series About Race Relations
June 20, 2012— The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and award-winning journalist and best-selling author Ellis Cose will launch a new Summer Reading series Saturday, entitled “End of Anger,” based on Cose’s critically-acclaimed book The End of Anger: A New Generation’s Take on Race and Rage (Ecco Books, May 2011). This unique reading series, aimed at middle school and high school-aged students, is an effort to jumpstart thought-provoking discussions involving race relations and America’s youth.
Of his collaboration with the Schomburg Center, Cose said “when it comes to surviving in the modern world, reading is nearly as important as breathing. My interest in reading and writing lifted me out of poverty and has taken me around the world. I’m deeply honored that the Schomburg has selected my book, The End of Anger, for its Summer Reading program.”
New York City students are invited to register for the series at Saturday’s kickoff event at 2pm at the Schomburg Center (515 Malcolm X Boulevard in Harlem, New York), where Cose will host a booksigning and meet participants, who will receive a free copy of The End of Anger, provided courtesy of the Fletcher Foundation. Following the event, participants will have the opportunity to read the book and participate in a book discussion with the author addressing the question, “Does Race Still Matter to Teenagers Today?” during the Harlem Book Fair on July 21st. Participants will then submit an essay response to a panel of professional journalists and educators by August 15; the top essays will then be announced – and the winning writers will receive their awards – during the program’s award ceremony in September.
Deirdre Hollman, director of education programs at the Schomburg Center said “a pillar of our education philosophy is to foster open dialogues between authors and young adults that promote critical thinking about history and contemporary issues. The End of Anger will allow teen readers to understand race relations in the U. S. and advance their historical literacy.”
The End of Anger series is one of many Summer Reading events offered within the New York Public Library system this year. The Summer Reading initiative is a longstanding effort by libraries across the country to prevent what educational experts call “Summer Slide.” This experience is unique to children and teens who don’t read over the summer and therefore lose a percentage of the literacy skills they gained during the school year. Summer Reading programs aim to encourage children and teens to read for pleasure over the summer so they can start school prepared to learn in the fall.
The End of Anger Summer Series schedule is as follows:
Saturday, June 23 at 2 p.m.
Registration, Meet-n-Greet with Ellis Cose, Book Signing
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
515 Malcolm X Boulevard (Lenox Avenue) in Harlem
June-July
Students Are to Read Ellis Cose’s The End of Anger
Saturday, July 21 at 3 p.m.
Public Discussion of The End of Anger with Teens and Ellis Cose
Harlem Book Fair
Wednesday, August 15 by 5 p.m.
Essay Submission Deadline
Tuesday, September 18 at 4 p.m.
Awards Ceremony and Announcement of Essay Winners
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
515 Malcolm X Boulevard (Lenox Avenue) in Harlem
###
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, a research unit of The New York Public Library, is generally recognized as one of the leading institutions of its kind in the world. For over 80 years the Center has collected, preserved, and provided access to materials documenting black life, and promoted the study and interpretation of the history and culture of peoples of African descent. Educational and Cultural Programs at the Schomburg Center complement its research services and interpret its collections. Seminars, forums, workshops, staged readings, film screenings, performing arts programs, and special events are presented year-round. More information about Schomburg’s collections and programs can be found at www.schomburgcenter.org.
New York Public Library
The New York Public Library was created in 1895 with the consolidation of the private libraries of John Jacob Astor and James Lenox with the Samuel Jones Tilden Trust. The Library provides free and open access to its physical and electronic collections and information, as well as to its services. Its renowned research collections are located in the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street; The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center; the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem; and the Science, Industry and Business Library at 34th Street and Madison Avenue. Eighty-seven branch libraries provide access to circulating collections and a wide range of other services in neighborhoods throughout the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island. Research and circulating collections combined total more than 50 million items. In addition, each year the Library presents thousands of exhibitions and public programs, which include classes in technology, literacy, and English for speakers of other languages. All in all The New York Public Library serves more than 18 million patrons who come through its doors annually and millions more around the globe who use its resources at www.nypl.org.