Hart Library Receives Black Americans of Achievement Books Donation

Many parents bring home books for their children to read when they’re young. Years ago, Melvyn Tanzman sought very specific ones for his kids.

Tanzman, who is white, adopted two Black children, but he wanted to be certain they learned about key figures in American history who looked like them. Over time, he acquired books from the Black Americans of Achievement series, that tells the stories of some of the most famous African Americans but also those whose remarkable achievements have been overlooked.

“We wanted to make sure they were grounded in their culture, so we bought the whole series,” Tanzman said.

Now, that his children are 24 and 28 years old, Tanzman, a member of Yorktown for Justice, a community-based nonprofit organization that promotes social justice, donated the entire 51-book series to the John C. Hart Memorial Library in Shrub Oak. The donation was made at the library last Saturday morning, in time for them to be prominently displayed for Black History Month.

Now generations of children of all backgrounds can learn not only about Jackie Robinson, Malcolm X and Duke Ellington, but some of the lesser-known names that were featured in the series. For example, one book is devoted to Madam C.J. Walker, a late 19^th century social activist and entrepreneur who founded her own cosmetics line and is believed to be the first self-made Black female millionaire in America. The home she built and died in is still located on Broadway in Irvington.

Another book features Matthew Henson, a Black explorer who accompanied Admiral Robert Peary on his expeditions to the Arctic, including being part of the first manned voyage to the North Pole in 1909.

Library Director Yvonne Cech that while the library had other books and materials for many of the subjects in the series, particularly the more widely recognized figures, there weren’t any written specifically for young adults, which generally encompasses youngsters in sixth grade and up.

“The unique part of this collection is, again, is it’s written for a younger age, and young adult books, of course, can be read by anyone,” Cech said. “You don’t have to be a young adult to read it. Adults can read young adult books but the content is good for a younger reader.”

Rachel Frederick, a Yorktown for Justice leader, noted that libraries have long been places to learn, keep historical records and promote cultural development, including offering books on Black history, the African American experience and the contributions made by people of color.

“Some still go unacknowledged to this day, often because Americans are simply unaware of them,” she said. “Yorktown for Justice is happy to play a small role in ameliorating this with our contribution.”

The collection will also not be confined to visitors of the Hart Library. The Westchester Library System allows members of the public to borrow books from any one of the 38 public libraries throughout the county.

Furthermore, by integrating the book series into the library’s collection, it will help to stock a new section in the library called The Middle Ground, Cech said. In that section, the materials are geared toward readers that no longer fit into the children’s room but may not be ready to make the leap to books for adults only.

“We’re very honored and pleased to have this donation and very grateful to Yorktown for Justice for providing the donation,” Cech said.

Martin Wilbur

Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/