Black History, Author, Illustrator

From Pigskins to Paintbrushes: The Story of Football-Playing Artist Ernie Barnes

written and illustrated by Don Tate

published by Abrams Books, 2021

Read aloud and book talk video by Don Tate on Youtube.com.

Young Ernie Barnes wasn’t like other boys his age. Bullied for being shy, overweight, and uninterested in sports like boys were “supposed” to be, he instead took refuge in his sketchbook, in vibrant colors, bold brushstrokes, and flowing lines. But growing up in a poor, Black neighborhood during the 1930s, opportunities to learn about art were rare, and art museums were off-limits because of segregation laws. Discouraged and tired of being teased, Ernie joined the school football team. Although reluctant at first, he would soon become a star.

But art remained in Ernie’s heart and followed him through high school, college, and into the NFL. Ernie saw art all around him: in the dynamic energy of the game, the precision of plays, and the nimble movement of his teammates. He poured his passion into his game and his craft, and became famous as both a professional athlete and as an artist whose paintings reflected his love of the sport and celebrated Black bodies as graceful and beautiful.

He played for the Baltimore Colts (1959–60), Titans of New York (1960), San Diego Chargers (1960–62), and the Denver Broncos (1963–64). In 1965, Barnes signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in Canada, but fractured his right foot, which ended his professional football career. Soon after, he met New York Jets owner Sonny Werblin, who was impressed by Barnes and his art. In 1966, Barnes had a debut solo exhibition in New York City, sponsored by Werblin at the Grand Central Art Galleries; all the paintings were sold. Barnes became so well-known as an artist that one of his paintings was featured in the opening credits of the TV show Good Times, and he was commissioned to create official posters for the Los Angeles 1984 Summer Olympics. (Barnes & Noble)

Also available at Amazon.com, at the R.N. Harris Elementary School Library, and your local school and public libraries.

Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton

written and illustrated by Don Tate

Published by Peachtree Publishing, 2018

2016 Ezra Jack Keats Book Award Winner for New Writer

George loved words. But George was enslaved.

Forced to work long hours, George was unable to attend school or learn how to read. But he was determined—he listened to the white children's lessons and learned the alphabet. Then he taught himself to read. Soon, he began composing poetry in his head and reciting it as he sold fruits and vegetables on a nearby college campus. News of the slave poet traveled quickly among the students, and before long, George had customers for his poems. But George was still enslaved. Would he ever be free? (barnesandnoble.com)

Available at Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com. Book trailer at Youtube.com and Read aloud.

Also available at the R.N. Harris Elementary School Library, Durham, NC.

Carter Reads the Newspaper

written by Deborah Hopkinson, illustrated by Don Tate

Published by Peachtree Publishing, 2019

Carter G. Woodson Book Award (Honor Book), NCSS
Parents’ Choice Silver Honor Award

Carter G. Woodson was born to two formerly enslaved people ten years after the end of the Civil War. Though his father could not read, he believed in being an informed citizen, so Carter read the newspaper to him every day. As a teenager, Carter went to work in the coal mines, and there he met Oliver Jones, who did something important: he asked Carter not only to read to him and the other miners, but also research and find more information on the subjects that interested them.

“My interest in penetrating the past of my people was deepened,” Carter wrote. His journey would take him many more years, traveling around the world and transforming the way people thought about history. (barnesandnoble.com)

Available at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com. Read aloud at Youtube.com. Also available at the R.N. Harris Elementary School Library, Durham, NC.

It Jes' Happened: When Bill Traylor Started to Draw

written by Don Tate, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth, 2012

Lee & Low's New Voices Award; Reprinted by Lee & Low Books, 2019

Growing up as an enslaved boy on an Alabama cotton farm, Bill Traylor worked all day in the hot fields. When slavery ended, Bill's family stayed on the farm as sharecroppers. There Bill grew to manhood, raised his own family, and cared for the land and his animals.

By 1935 Bill was eighty-one and all alone on his farm. So he packed his bag and moved to Montgomery, the capital of Alabama. Lonely and poor, he wandered the busy downtown streets. But deep within himself Bill had a reservoir of memories of working and living on the land, and soon those memories blossomed into pictures. Bill began to draw people, places, and animals from his earlier life, as well as scenes of the city around him. (barnesandnoble.com)

Available at Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com. Book trailer at Youtube.com and Read Aloud.

William Still and His Freedom Stories: The Father of the Underground Railroad

written and illustrated by Don Tate

published by Peachtree Publishing, 2020

William Still’s parents escaped slavery but had to leave two of their children behind, a tragedy that haunted the family. As a young man, William went to work for the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society, where he raised money, planned rescues, and helped freedom seekers who had traveled north. And then one day, a strangely familiar man came into William’s office, searching for information about his long-lost family. Could it be?

Motivated by his own family’s experience, William began collecting the stories of thousands of other freedom seekers. As a result, he was able to reunite other families and build a remarkable source of information, including encounters with Harriet Tubman, Henry “Box” Brown, and William and Ellen Craft. (barnesandnoble.com)

Available at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com. Read and explained by author at Youtube.com.

Also available at the R.N. Harris Elementary School Library, Durham, NC.

No Small Potatoes: Junius G. Groves and His Kingdom in Kansas

written by Tonya Bolden, illustrated by Don Tate

published by Random House Children's Books, 2018

Junius G. Groves came from humble beginnings in the Bluegrass State. Born in Kentucky into slavery, freedom came when he was still a young man and he intended to make a name for himself. Along with thousands of other African Americans who migrated from the South, Junius walked west and stopped in Kansas. Working for a pittance on a small potato farm was no reason to feel sorry for himself, especially when he's made foreman. But Junius did dream of owning his own farm, so he did the next best thing. He rented the land and worked hard! As he built his empire, he also built a family, and he built them both on tons and tons and tons of potatoes. He never quit working hard, even as the naysayers doubted him, and soon he was declared Potato King of the World and had five hundred acres and a castle to call his own. (barnesandnoble.com)

Available at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com. Read aloud at Youtube.com.
Also available at the R.N. Harris Elementary School Library, Durham, NC.

The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch

written by Chris Barton, illustrated by Don Tate

published by Eerdmans, William B. Publishing Company, 2015

John Roy Lynch spent most of his childhood as a slave in Mississippi, but all of that changed with the Emancipation Proclamation. Suddenly people like John Roy could have paying jobs and attend school. While many people in the South were unhappy with the social change, John Roy thrived in the new era. He was appointed to serve as justice of the peace and was eventually elected into the United States Congress.

This biography, with its informative backmatter and splendid illustrations, gives readers an in-depth look at the Reconstruction period through the life of one of the first African-American congressmen. (barnesandnoble.com)

Available at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com. Book trailer at Youtube.com.
Also available at the R.N. Harris Elementary School Library, Durham, NC.

Swish!: The Slam-Dunking, Alley-Ooping, High-Flying Harlem Globetrotters

written by Suzanne Slade, illustrated by Don Tate

published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2020

In this book you will find one-finger ball-spinning, rapid-fire mini-dribbling, and a ricochet head shot! You will find skilled athletes, expert players, and electrifying performers — all rolled into one! You will find nonstop, give-it-all-you've-got, out-to-win-it, sky's-the-limit BASKETBALL!

You will find The Harlem Globetrotters, who played the most groundbreaking, breathtaking ball the world had ever seen. With rhythmic writing and dynamic illustrations, Swish! is a celebration of the greatness, goodness, and grit of this remarkable team.(barnesandnoble.com)

Available at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com. Book trailer at Youtube.com and WGN Author Interview.
Also available at the R.N. Harris Elementary School Library, Durham, NC.

She Loved Baseball: The Effa Manley Story

written by Audrey Vernick, illustrated by Don Tate

published by HarperCollins Publishers, 2010

Effa always loved baseball. As a young woman, she would go to Yankee Stadium just to see Babe Ruth’s mighty swing. But she never dreamed she would someday own a baseball team. Or be the first—and only—woman ever inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

From her childhood in Philadelphia to her groundbreaking role as business manager and owner of the Newark Eagles, Effa Manley always fought for what was right. And she always swung for the fences. (Brightly.com)

Available at Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com. Read Aloud: Youtube.com.
Also available at the R.N. Harris Elementary School Library, Durham, NC.

Whoosh! Lonnie Johnson's SUPER-SOAKING Stream of Inventions

written by Chris Barton, illustrated by Don Tate

published by Charlesbridge, 2016

You know the Super Soaker. It’s one of top twenty toys of all time. And it was invented entirely by accident. Trying to create a new cooling system for refrigerators and air conditioners, impressive inventor Lonnie Johnson instead created the mechanics for the iconic toy.

A love for rockets, robots, inventions, and a mind for creativity began early in Lonnie Johnson’s life. Growing up in a house full of brothers and sisters, persistence and a passion for problem solving became the cornerstone for a career as an engineer and his work with NASA. But it is his invention of the Super Soaker water gun that has made his most memorable splash with kids and adults. (Goodreads.com)

Available at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. Read Aloud: Youtube.com.
Also available at the R.N. Harris Elementary Library, Durham, NC.

"The single-most determining factor of a child's future success is reading ability. Visual literacy is reading meaning from the images of the illustrations. These unique book selections bridge Black history with beautiful illustrations by Don Tate. Many books provide historical back matter for further study of these important figures and events in American history.

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