Pennsylvania Avenue Branch Blog - Enoch Pratt Free Library

Black Women and Slavery

There are many books discussing the ills of slavery and its effects on the people whose lives it touched. Pennsylvania Avenue has four books depicting the role of women during slavery in America. These are powerful accounts of tragedy, survival, determination, and the painful choices black women had to make during these times.

	Iola Leroy, or, Shadows uplifted by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper Iola Leroy, the daughter of a wealthy Mississippi planter, discovers she has Black heritage. Betrayed by her family, she is enslaved in the South, and at the mercy of cruel masters plotting a devious plan against her. Her brother, safe in the North, joins a colored regiment in the Union Army, and begins a desparate plan to rescue Iola.
Celia, a slave by Melton Alonza McLaurin The true account of the tragic life of Celia, a young slave who was subjected to years of abuse by her master, culminating in a horrific murder, and a sensational murder trial, which posed the question of the morality of slavery.
	Incidents in the life of a slave girl : written by herself by Harriet A. Jacobs An autobiographical account of the life of Harriet Jacobs, who, to escape the cruelty and sexual abuse of her master, hid in her grandmother's attic for seven years before escaping to freedom in the North.
Kindred by Octavia E. Bulter A modern Black women finds herself inexplicably transported back in time as a slave in the South, where she encounters the young son of a plantation owner and several slaves who she discovers are her ancestors. As she transitions between the past and present, she find herself confronted with painful choices that will determine whether she will survive.

Drawing Caricatures

We recently held an event for teens during which they learned the basics of drawing cartoons and caricatures. Artist Rick Wright instructed the teens on how the even the most elaborate caricatures begin with basic shapes. The participants had time to practice what they were learning, and at the end of the program, two lucky teens received caricatures of themselves from Mr. Wright. Here are those drawings:

Manners? Who Needs Them?

Please. Thank you. Excuse me. These simple words can go a long way in everyday interactions. Manners and etiquette are skills that are just as essential to job-seekers as other skills. We have a variety of materials to teach job-seekers, or anyone, about proper etiquette.

Advance Your Swagger by Fonzworth Bentley

Advance Your Swagger: how to use manners, confidence, and style to get ahead
by Fonzworth Bentley

Miss Manners' Guide to Excruciately Correct Behavior

Miss Manners' Guide to Excruciatingly Correct Behavior
by Judith Martin

Professional Ethics and Etiquette
by Dandi Daley Mackall

Kicking Off the Summer Reading Game

On June 12th, we enjoyed a great kickoff celebration of the annual Summer Reading Game. There were plenty of activities, including games, crafts, contests, and of course, reading. Below are some photos from our event:

We Created Piñatas!!

After a weeks-long process, we finally have the finished results!