The Book Itch

We all know about Martin Luther King Jr., Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, Malcolm X and Muhammed Ali.  The fact is that there were and are countless of everyday Black Americans that have made huge differences by doing small things.  These people may not have become famous like the names mentioned above, but they surely had an impact.

The Book Itch by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson tells the story of Lewis Michaux Sr., owner of the The National Memorial African Bookstore in Harlem.  Books were his dream and he wanted to share that dream with others.  He knew that books and reading were the key to success, so Lewis began walking his cart of books up and down the street to sell.  He caught people's attention by using catchy rhymes like, "Knowledge is power.  You need it every hour.  Read a book!" or "If you don't and you ain't got no dough, then you can't go, that's for who."  

The story of Lewis Michaux is the same story of many African Americans during the early 1900's- struggle, rejection and persistence.  Michaux wanted everyone to have the right to read but when he went to the bank for a loan to open his bookstore he was denied and told that black people don't read.  He didn't let that stop him.  He worked hard saving his money until he was able to open his bookstore- and guess what people read!  From that point on his bookstore became a beacon for the Harlem community.  It was where people came for more than just books but for conversation, ideas and acceptance.  Michaux's bookstore was even visited by some of the people I mentioned at the beginning of this post.  

Michaux's story is one that all of us can be inspired by.  He got the "itch" and did everything he could to scratch it- which meant sharing books, knowledge and conversation with his community. Share The Book Itch with the kids in your life in hopes of spreading the "itch" for books!

Happy Reading!

Laura