We are so excited to welcome Rio Cortez and Lauren Semmer for their phenomenal picture book The ABC's of Black History! This event will be held digitally via Crowdcast and is free to attend, but an RSVP is required. You can order the book from our website and there will also be an option to snag a copy of the book during the event!

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

B is for Beautiful, Brave, and Bright! And for a Book that takes a Bold journey through the alphabet of Black history and culture.

Letter by letter, The ABCs of Black History celebrates a story that spans continents and centuries, triumph and heartbreak, creativity and joy.

It’s a story of big ideas––P is for Power, S is for Science and Soul. Of significant moments––G is for Great Migration. Of iconic figures––H is for Zora Neale Hurston, X is for Malcom X. It’s an ABC book like no other, and a story of hope and love.

In addition to rhyming text, the book includes back matter with information on the events, places, and people mentioned in the poem, from Mae Jemison to W. E. B. Du Bois, Fannie Lou Hamer to Sam Cooke, and the Little Rock Nine to DJ Kool Herc.

Rio Cortez is a writer and Pushcart-nominated poet who has received fellowships from Poet's House, Cave Canem, and CantoMundo foundations. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in the Los Angeles Review of Books, The Miami Rail, and Mother Magazine, among others. Born and raised in Salt Lake City, Rio writes and lives in Harlem, USA.

Lauren Semmer is an artist, children’s book illustrator, and designer. She studied drawing at St. Paul College of Visual Arts and art history at New York University. Lauren’s bright and charming work is featured on everything from kid’s wall art to children’s apparel. She lives in Manhattan with her family.

Please note Loyalty has a zero tolerance policy for harassment or intimidation of any kind during this virtual event.

Rio Cortez and Lauren Semmer for THE ABC'S OF BLACK HISTORY