The Black Heirloom

The Black Heirloom

The Black Heirloom is not just a collection of children’s stories, it’s an intentional model of positive Black racial identity written by Black authors for Black kids. It is the first volume of a compendium of 5 Black children’s anthologies we have in our pipeline. We aim to publish and distribute the first volume in 2021. This anthology or collection of short stories provides a source of positive representation for Black kids (African-Americans, Africans, Black Europeans, or any member of the Black race). 

Studies have shown that there is a direct correlation between the resilience of Black children and the cultivation of positive racial identity development during their earliest years. One vehicle for cultivating a sense of positive racial identity is children’s literature. 

Children’s books are powerful tools that can have unlimited consequences or benefits on the Black psyche. In “Black stories matter: on the whiteness of children’s books,” Andrea Adomako states that “what children read is more than just frivolous entertainment. It’s an imaginative, safe space in which they can experiment with different modes of selfhood and citizenship.”

That imaginative safe space is exactly what we have aimed to create here at Black Phoenix Ink. We have deliberately crafted an uplifting book where Black children are affirmed by characters that look like them, authors that look like them, and illustrations that look like them. Race conception is a huge component in an individual’s self-image and self-efficacy. It is a proven fact that positive racial self-concept is linked to an improved sense of wellbeing, higher self-esteem, more friends, and greater levels of resilience and optimism. 

We believe through positive literary representation and empowering racial storytelling, Black children can actively take control of their power of self-definition versus passively accepting negative racial stereotypes. Ultimately, our goal is to create a generation of optimistic and empowered Black children whose mindsets are nurtured by books (like The Black Heirloom) they read in their formative years.

In The Black Heirloom the authors deliberately craft literary worlds where the characters reject limiting social expectations, take control of their own narratives, and embody positive ethnic attitudes. The Black Heirloom repeatedly introduces stories and images to help ground young Black readers in a firm sense of identity and pride as a person of color.

We want our readers to be aware of the awesomeness of their skin color and personal identity. We want Black kids to be proud of being Black and to draw inspiration from the characters they see in our stories. Ultimately, we want the next generation of Black youth to go forward with optimism, resilience, and a strong sense of Black pride.

SIDE WINS OF THIS PROJECT

Another win for this project is the chance to encourage Black writers and authors to shape stories about the Black race. There is power in giving a voice and outlet to Black creatives so they can craft their own unique narratives. We work with mostly unpublished Black writers and authors all over the world to help evolve their writing careers. We find these amazing upcoming authors through our short story writing contests.