The Youngest Marcher + Hot Rolls Baptized in Butter

From Our Kitchen Classroom:

Throughout the month of February, Our Little Sous and I have been purposeful about reading books that celebrate African Americans. Their incredible stories of ingenuity, courage, and sacrifice in pursuit of freedom, justice, and equality are all things we choose to highlight during Black History Month. First up, THE YOUNGEST MARCHER by Cynthia Levinson and Vanessa Brantley-Newton.Make no mistake, we take time to seek out diverse books year-round. We are constantly in search of quality children’s literature that is filled with uplifting and inspirational stories with main characters that look like us.

However, Black History Month is a special time during which we redouble our efforts to ensure that we read and share more of the tragic and triumphant tales that shaped the course of our passport country’s development.

I knew that THE YOUNGEST MARCHER would be one of my favorites before I ever even laid eyes on it. A friend from my hometown recommended it to me, with the comment that it mentioned Hot Rolls Baptized in Butter.

Cooking and Civil Rights

We discussed the systematic inequality from times when slavery was legal that led to the development of Jim Crow laws in the States. Our Little Sous questioned me constantly while measuring out the dry ingredients for our dinner rolls.

We discussed the pressures that so many Black adults felt when contemplating the possibility of participating in the marches and protests of the time. We talked about the repercussions of one’s actions in the community back then,  and the unfairness of there having been correlating disadvantages in the workplace and in the home for those who stood up for what was right. Our Little Sous reflected on these disturbing disparities while carefully pressing the fat into the flour.

Read on for a cooking lesson based on this incredible picture book on Our Kitchen Classroom.

Additional Resources:

The YOUNGEST MARCHER +Savory Sweet Potato Jalapeño Pie

Get Kids in the Kitchen: Teach Reading through Cooking

Follow on Twitter: Author Cynthia Levinson | Publisher Simon & Schuster