Join us in welcoming civil rights attorney and author Michelle Coles to our virtual stage! In this event, Michelle will discuss her debut young adult novel, Black Was the Ink, about sixteen-year-old Malcolm who is sent on a journey through Reconstruction-era America to find his place in modern-day Black progress. Perfect for fans of Jason Reynolds and Nic Stone, and featuring illustrations by upcoming artist, Justin Johnson, Black Was the Ink is a powerful coming-of-age story and an eye-opening exploration of an era that defined modern America.

This event is perfect for ages 13-17 and students, parents, and educators are invited to attend. This event will be open to the public as well as schools.

GUIDLINES FOR HOSTING MICHELLE:

If you would like to attend this free virtual event, please fill out this Eventbrite form by Saturday, January 8th. We are looking for schools where multiple classrooms or grades from that school can attend the visit. In order to have access to this event, we require that you obtain permission from your principal to send a book order form home to parents and guardians. A minimum of 25 copies of Michelle's books must be purchased either by the students, the school, or a combination of both.

The minimum order does not apply to Title 1 schools. You can check off that you are a Title 1 school when you register. We still require that the order form be send out to students and faculty.

We are able to bring authors to schools for free with the expectation that we will sell books during the school visit. It is helpful when teachers prep their students before the visit and get them excited about it.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Sixteen-year-old Malcolm hasn’t been okay for a while. He’s angry and despondent, and no good seems to happen for Black teens like him in D.C. To make matters worse, he must spend the summer at his late father’s family farm in Mississippi. A few days after his arrival, his great-aunt confesses that the State is forcefully acquiring the farm to widen a highway. It’s not news Malcolm is concerned about, but someone plans to make it his concern—a ghostly ancestor named Cedric Malcolm’s not sure how it happens, but one minute he’s in the farmhouse attic, and the next he’s in the body of Cedric during Reconstruction in the 1870s. It’s here where his education begins. As Cedric, Malcolm experiences becoming a legislative aide and meets real-life Black statesmen as well as white allies who stood by their side. Even after witnessing these events, Malcolm’s faith in his future remains shaky, particularly since he knows that the gains the statesmen made were almost immediately stripped away. If those great men couldn’t completely succeed, why should he try? But Cedric isn’t through with Malcolm yet, and other teachers are in his midst: his uncle just home from prison, a sweet girl next door, a white kid Malcolm thinks is no good, and his great-aunt and uncle. Will Malcolm find the courage to save the farm and take an active role for Black progress? Or will he resign himself to resentments and defeat? Thankfully, his teachers are cheering him on.

Michelle Coles School Visit