Black History month? Nah, we do black history ALL YEAR around here! Because black history IS U.S. History… all year long.
Talk about a cool haircut-history combo! “Uncle Jed’s Barbershop”
by Margaree King Mitchell illustrated by James Ransome @jransomillustr @simonandschuster. Has been one of my favorites ever since I bought it 25+years ago to read in my classroom.
Then it became part of my 2020 Covid homeschool history curriculum for our boys 11,13 yrs.
We gained insights into the Great Depression Era as Uncle Jed– a traveling barber- saved for his dream of owning his own barbershop. Close to having enough $💵 for his dream until…the bank lost his life savings.
So he kept traveling to cut his neighbor’s hair and kept saving until…his dearest niece is rushed to the ER …
And has to WAIT to be seen until all the white patients have been seen, and WAIT to have a sudden life saving surgery until all the white patients have been treated and only IF they can pay in cash.
So once again Uncle Jed chooses family first to drain his savings to pay for her surgery.
Finally, many years later, he does open his own barber shop and his niece comes on opening day -as an adult- to spin in his barber chair and get a cool cut from her favorite uncle.♥️💇🏾♀️
And because I love finding that perfect bookmatch combo… Uncle Jed treated his clients like royalty and knew what author Derrick Barnes wrote in his award winning book “Crown: an Ode to the Fresh Cut” illustrated by Gordon James – that after someone got out of his barber chair you would know “you’re a star. A brilliant, blazing star. Not the kind that you’ll find on a sidewalk in Hollywood. Nope. They’re going to have to wear shades when they look up to catch your shine.” 🤩
