Weatherford, Carole Boston. 2002. Remember the Bridge: Poems of a People. New York. Philomel Books. ISBN 0399237267
1. Review of Book:
In Remember the Bridge: Poems of a People, Carole Boston Weatherford writes a collection of poems describing the history of African Americans. The poems begin in Africa and move through the time of slavery and Reconstruction, into the Jazz Age, and to today. The poems describe the trials African Americans faced as they journeyed against their will to become the enslaved workers of another continent. They discuss the story of what Africans left behind-- and the horrors they faced in America. As the poems continue, Weatherford tells the story of the African-American, but moves from the past to the present writing poems about famous African Americans today. On each page there is a new poem. Some of the poems rhyme or have rhythm while others do not. Each poem is accompanied by either black and white photographs, illustrations, or lithographs that add to the overall imagery of the poem. The illustrations also give readers a glimpse and feeling of history, as well as a better understanding of each poem. Because of some of the content and vivid illustrations especially in regards to the harshness of slavery, the majority of the book is geared towards older students ages 13 and older. However the poems near the end of the book that discuss African Americans such as Harriet Tubman, Marian Anderson, Rosa Parks,and Martin Luther King Jr. can be shared and discussed with children ages 8-12. Overall, Weatherford's poems will definitely stimulate emotions and enrich children's knowledge when paired with a history unit on slavery and many African American's contributions to our country.
2. Classroom/Library Connection:
Follow Up Activity:
So many of Weatherford's poems can be easily paired and shared along with well-known non-fiction children's books. For example students can enjoy hearing the book, When Marian Sang: The True Recital of Marian Anderson, by Pam Munoz Ryan. After reading this book the poem, The Contralto, can be shared.
The Contralto (For Marian Anderson)
Banned from playing the concert hall,
she sang outdoors on a grassy mall.
Statues watched as she warmed the crowd,
filling the wind with a sound so proud,
spirituals, arias, from her soul,
rushing, rising as rivers roll.
Praising the Lord and His mighty hands,
her voice, a bell, pealed across the land.
She told America, I shall sing.
Listen, children, hear freedom ring!
Afterwards a discussion can be had comparing the poem to the story and some of Marian Anderson's songs can be played for the children to listen to.
3. Review Excerpts/Awards Won:
American Association of University Women Award for Juvenile Literature, 2002 Winner United States.
The stories of basket weavers, family farmers, cowboys, Civil War soldiers, quilt makers, and cooks are celebrated along with those of more famous figures in African American history in this powerful collection of poems that implores readers to learn and remember the past. Many poems are inspired by accompanying archival engravings and photographs: portraits of Madam C. J. Walker, Bessie Smith, and other legends; searing engravings of slave life, including a photograph of a man's back -- an exploded mass of thick-roped scars; an intimate, beautiful photograph of Martin Luther King Jr. feeding his young daughter. Unfortunately, there are no captions for the images, information that was perhaps sacrificed to maintain the bold design. Readers need to flip to an appended page of small print for the photo and illustration credits. The sing-song rhythms in the poems' rhymed couplets also work against the somberness and horror described in many of the selections, but the style suites the more celebratory passages, and together the words and images tell unforgettable stories about the individuals who endured and created culture and change. The final poem, "I Am the Bridge" is a rousing defense for knowing and connecting with history. Gillian Engberg (Booklist, Feb. 15, 2002 (Vol. 98, No. 12))
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