AFRO-INDIGENOUS: Black History In Need of Representation

HEARTDRUM, 2025

I can imagine no better creators to share the stories and images of contemporary youth whose family tree is rooted in both Black-and-Indigenous ancestors than the team behind STRONGER THAN. The shared voices of poet-extraordinaire NIKKI GRIMES and Choctaw member-storyteller STACY WELLS provide a genuine family account of brothers with such heritage. As notes from both authors and further material in back matter indicate, there are few if any other stories in picture books that explore a heritage  so often reported in Black families, even when tribal or clan connections are not traceable. Sadly, Native and Black individuals (and communities) share the history of oppression and societal exclusion (and much worse), which sometimes led to friendships, marriages, and blended  communities of mutual support.

In this story, the brothers are descendants of survivors of the Trail of Tears and the Tulsa Race Massacre. Through a family-storytelling style, the brothers AND readers learn about both periods and persecutions in America history. They also learn of the strength of their family, recognizing their courage to continue despite tragedy, and, as a result, gaining in confidence and identity. 

Illustrations by E. B. Lewis not only imbue the current and historic story members with individuality and personality. The powerful images are bathed in masterful shifts of color and tone, shadow and light, conveying the interiority of the boys and their family as if music is swelling, soothing, or pounding in the background. The moods and tones, their shifts and transitions, make this account feel like an impactful film. 

This storytelling is launched by the recurring nightmares for one brother, a pattern that has him dreading bedtime. Most stories about nightmares, monsters under the bed, and things that go bump ih the night are aimed at younger audiences with many employing an amusing or comical approach to ease anxiety. This, by contrast, is a story aimed at school age readers and above, with depth and detail that connect across subject areas in integrated curricular studies.

We need contemporary stories of strong Black boys as well as Native People whose heritage stories were rarely shared and even now are facing attempts at erasure. The publisher, HEARTDRUM, is actively working to bring these satires to the shelves, including authenticity and language that readers of any background will welcome and learn from within the context of quality literature. I hope you'll take time to read and consider this new, award-winning picture book, then share it widely.