Inclusion, Research and Growth of Popular Secondary Multicultural Literature from 1960-Present
By maimachea
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Period: to
History of Multicultural Literature
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African Americans began a push for more ethnic equality in schools, and consequently literature
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Only 6.7 % of childrens' books contain an African American character (according to Nancy Larrick)
After completing research for her groundbreaking article, "The All-White World of Children, Larrick found that only 6.7 % of the literature available to school-age children had a Black character. Most (if not all) of these characters were generally stock stereotype characters. This finding is further substantiated by Harris's (1990) assertion that African-Americans are typically depicted as "stereotypical, perjorative and unauthentic since the seventeeth century" (540). -
Negative Portrayals of Blacks in Texts
"Elson (1964) notes that African Americans are protrayed in social studies and science texts as intellectually and physically inferior to all other racial groups" (Harris, 1991, p. 542) -
Jewish Writers begin to publish literature
"Herzog" by Saul Bellow is published as a groundbreaking piece of Jewish Literature in America. -
Creation of the Bank Street Readers
The Bank Street Readers were created by "professional writers of children's books, who worked in collaboration with reading specialists and teachers in the Bank Street College,along with the advisement of sociologists, psychologists, and anthropologists" (Smith, 2002, p. 353). These materials were created for first grade students but serve as a landmark for secondary readers as it included "Mexicans, Orientals, Negroes, and Puerto Ricans, as well as Caucasians" (Smith, 2002, p. 354). -
The New Basic Reading Program for the Sixties
This basic reader was created in 1965 and is unique in its' inclusion of a "multi-ethnic edition" which "introduces characters of different ethnic groups as they mingle, play, and work together in the American setting" (Smith, 2002, p. 356). This edition includes "more than 30 different ethnic groups" while maintaing the same "basic organzation, characteristics of content, vocabulary controls, types of content and gradation of content" (Smith, 2002, p. 356). -
Nancy Larrick begins a conversation
On September 11, 1965, scholar Nancy Larrick published her controversial article entitled "The All-White World of Children's Books" which explored the lack of African American characters in desegrated American schools. http://www.unz.org/Pub/SaturdayRev-1965sep11-00063 -
American historical events impact literature used
According to Kaestle, "from the mid-1960s into the mid-1970s, American public life bristled with diversity-youth rebellion, an exploding civil rights movement, the women's movement, a white ethnic revival, increased immigration among Hispanic and Asian groups, and a revival of fundamentalist Protestantism" which led to "an impact on print culture" in the form of more multicultural and ethnically diverse readers and writers (Kaestle, 1988, p. 538). -
Alice Walker publishes her first novel
Alice Walker In 1970, world reknown Black writer Alice Walker (author of The Color Purple) publishes her first novel, based on a Black tenant farmer in the South. -
Asian American Literature
The Women Warrior Maxine Hong Kingston wrote a book focused on Chinese characters and culture. This book became a 1976 bestseller. -
The House on Mango Street is published and becomes a best-seller
The House on Mango Street, was written in 1984 by Mexican-American writer Sandra Cisneros. This text is still used today in many high school classrooms as a cornerstone piece of literature. At my school, this book is primarily used with 9th grade literature and composition, ESOL English Literature Classes and my own Multicultural Literature English Elective class. -
Cultural Literacy by E.D. Hirsch is published
E.D. Hirsch Commentary"Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know" is published by E.D. Hirsch and causes a wave in the world of literature. Hirsch proposes that American children suffer during standardized testing because they do not know enough facts about the world to be successful. Hirsch proposes that American students have been hurt by the personalization of multicultural education and would perform better with a standard, core education. -
Lisa Delpit continues the conversation
Lisa Delpit, race and ethnicity scholar, begins publishing books focused on the inequalities found in American education as it relates to race and culture. These publications push educators to question their use of culturally responsive and relevant literature in their classroom. -
Lack of Hispanic literature available to school age students
"Stories about contemporary Mexican-Americans are few and far between. Isabel Schon's recent bibliography in the Journal of Youth Services (Winter, 1989) lists a total of nineteen books about Hispanics, fifteen nonfiction and four books of folk stories and legends." (Bishop, 1990) http://www.rif.org/us/literacy-resources/multicultural/mirrors-windows-and-sliding-glass-doors.htm -
Chinese Immigrant stories published
Laurence Yep, Asian-American writer, published The Rainbow People in 1989. This compilation of short stories reflects the experience of Chinese immigrants "starting with those who arrived in the middle of the nineteenth century who were unable to bring their families to America, and lived their lives as bachelors" (Davis, 1990). This book is appropiate for multiple age levels and highlights the experience of Asian Americans in America. http://www.rif.org/us/literacy-resources/multicultural/mir -
Rudine Sims Bishop publishes "Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors"
Rudine Sims Bishop published her article focused on the need for inclusive reading materials for children of all ethnicities and races in order to "help us to understand each other better by helping to change our attitudes towards difference" (Bishop, 1990). Bishop takes a critical look at the need for literature focused on several different ethnic groups and researchs diverse scholars who have written for these respective groups. http://www.rif.org/us/literacy-resources/multicultural/mirro -
Need for Multicultural Literature continues
According to Sonia Nieto (1992), world reknown Professor Emerita of Language, Literacy and Culture, schools should acknowledge "that marginalized groups had cultures, languages, and moral codes that were viable social practices, even for school classrooms" (Shannon, 2000, p. 95). This assertion supports the need for multicultural literature to be introduced and taught in secondary schools. -
Norton Anthology of Multi-Ethnic Literature is published
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Multicultural Education as a Movement
Scholar T. Mathai Thomas focused on multicultural education (including use of diverse literature) as "reconstructionism because this philosophy sees education as cultural transformation while the others present education as cultural moderation, transformation or restoration" (1994, p. 71). Thomas asserts multiethnic education (with the use of multicultural literature) should enable students to view concepts, issues, events, and themes from the perspective of diverse ethnic groups" (1994, p. 73) -
Norton Anthology of Jewish American Literature published
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Modern definition of Multicultural Literature
Jocelyn Glazier and Jung-A Seo define multicultural literature as "literature that represents voices typically omitted from the traditional canon" (2005, p. 686). This modern definition is the basis of my research about the inclusion of and growth of literature related to these marginalized groups. -
Multicultural Dictionary of Literary Terms is published
Multicultural DictionaryGary Carey and Mary Ellen Snodgrass publish this dictionary in order to educate stakeholders (students, teachers and parents) about words that are used in multiethnic pieces of literature. These terms range from American vernacular to terms used in other languages around the world. -
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Russian-Jewish immigrant stories published in a novel for use in high school and college classrooms
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African American Literature textbook published for high school students by Holt Mcdougal
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Teaching Tolerance: A Project of the Southern Poverty Law Center
http://www.tolerance.org/magazine/number-42-fall-2012/feature/once-upon-time-america This Teaching Tolerance e-blog is a great material for teachers, as it includes supplies teachers can use in their classroom. This specific article is focused on teaching about the Civil Rights Movement in an authentic, honest way. Teachers can use resources like this to build upon for curriculum planning and development.
