On Saturday, February 24, The Avalon Theatre will present author Carole Boston Weatherford and son, illustrator Jeffrey Boston Weatherford, as they discuss their new book Kin: Rooted in Hope.
Timed perfectly to celebrate Black History Month, the presentation will describe the extraordinary journey the two took as mother and son and as author and artist as they searched for the stories of their ancestors and others who lived in the constellation of their times, from Frederick Douglas and Harriet Tubman to the Wye House plantation.
The genesis of this project, as Carole recounts in a recent interview with the Spy, traces back to her long-standing fascination with her family’s history, a tale intertwined with the founding of Copperville and Unionville and her 250-year familial history with Talbot County.
Drawing inspiration from her own roots and fueled by a desire to explore her lineage, the award-winning author embarked on what she describes as a “genealogical quest” that ultimately evolved into a collection of poems paired with Jeffrey’s sharply delineated line drawings using a “scratch” technique of his own.
Presented as a book for middle-graders, Kin isn’t just a book for young readers; it’s a story that resonates across generations. From Carol’s poignant reflections on her ancestors’ struggles to Jeffrey’s evocative illustrations, the book serves as a tribute to the resilience and strength of their family.
KIN: Rooted in Hope was named a Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book. Other books have earned her a Newberry Honor, the Coretta Scott King Award, four Caldecott Honors, two NAACP Image Awards, and nine American Library Association Youth Media Awards. Her 2021 book Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre was long-listed for the National Book Award.
The Spy recently talked with Carole and Jeffrey about their project.
The Weatherfords’ Avalon presentation will be held at 2 pm Saturday, February 24 and is sponsored by the Talbot County Free Library, The Country School, The Avalon Foundation, and a group of community partners: Academy Art Museum, Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, Dorchester County Tourism, Easton Economic Development Corporation, Frederick Douglass Honor Society, Maryland Public Television, Monica Davis, ShoreRivers, Talbot Arts, Talbot County Economic Development and Tourism, Talbot County Public Schools, Talbot Historical Society, and WHCP FM 91.7 Music Discovery & NPR for the Mid-Shore, and Dock Street Foundation. The program is free and open to all.
On Friday, February 23, at 11:30 a.m., the Dorchester County Historical Society will be hosting a conversation with the Weatherfords on the power of genealogical research in leading them back to their roots. For more information about the program, contact the Historical Society at 410-228-7953 or go to dorchesterhistory.com
This video is approximately nine minutes in length.
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