In honor of Black History Month, the Wellesley Free Library will host a community wide creative contest during the month of February. The contest is open to patrons of all ages, PreK children through adults. Each participant will receive a bookmark!

Final winners for each age group will receive an additional award. All winners will be notified by mid-March followed by a public announcement.

Black History Month Creative Expression and Writing Contest
Children Pre-K – Grade 8

Submission Content:

Please choose a question and write an essay, a poem, or draw a picture or graphic; write a rap or song; create a diorama; or paint a painting to answer the question. Participants are eligible to enter one submission per week, for a total of 4 submissions answering 4 different questions.

1. What does Black History Month mean to you?
2. Check out a biography book about a Black American and write or draw or make a project about their life.
3. Check out a book about an event in Black history and write or draw or make a project about that event.
4. How has Black History contributed to American history?
5. Do you have a friend who is a difference race than you? Describe your friendship.
6. Choose a quotation about Black history. Write more about it, illustrate or create a project about what this quotation means to you.
7. Research one of these names using any resources and write an essay or create a project to present this person’s life:
   • A. Philip Randolph
   • Alvin Ailey
   • Amanda Gorman
   • Audre Lorde
   • Barbara Jordan
   • Dr. Charles Richard Drew
   • Madame CJ Walker
   • Eugene Jacques Bullard
   • Fannie Lou Hamer
   • Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
   • Pullman Porters
   • Mae Jamison

Submission Requirements:

1. Submit by email to qknapp@wellesleyma.gov OR in-person at Wellesley Free Library Children’s Desk
2. Submission MUST include:

1. Full name
2. Grade
3. Phone number
4. E-mail
5. Answer: May the library post on Facebook with First Name, Yes or No

3. Friday, March 4^th at 5:00 PM is the deadline for submissions
4. For written answers, Pre-K – 5^th grade must write 50 words minimum.
5. For written answers, 6^th-8^th grade must write between 100-250 words and non-written submissions must have a one paragraph descriptive caption.
6. Maximum diorama size: 12 inches deep, 15 inches long.

Black History Month originally began as Negro History Week in 1926 by the Historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson as a mechanism for bringing to the forefront the accomplishments of people of the African diaspora living in the United States. The month of February was selected because the birthdays of President Abraham Lincoln (February 12) and Frederick Douglas (February 14), two men of great significance celebrated within the Black community, fell in the month of February. Recognizing the importance of the Black experience to America’s rich cultural heritage slowly caught on as college and university students began to celebrate and eventually teaching began to occur. The first Black History Month celebration took place at Kent State University in 1970 and President Gerald Ford enacted the first national Black History Month in 1976 “to honor the accomplishments of Black Americans.”  

Want help researching? Ask a librarian! We can help you find books and other resources! Good luck to all our participants – we look forward to seeing your creativity!

Thanks to the Friends of the Wellesley Free Libraries