The author shares how they disliked black history month as a child because it made them feel ashamed and embarrassed to be black. As one of the few black students, they felt uncomfortable hearing about how blacks were treated unequally in the past. However, as the author got older they began to accept and take pride in being black. The author believes teachers should teach black history but also teach children to love and embrace their race and skin color at a young age, as the author had to learn this later in life. The author is releasing a new children's book in February 2019 about embracing skin color that is designed to teach self-acceptance and inclusiveness from ages 3 and up.

1. I hated black history month as a child. In February as I sat in my brightly colored classroom in
an elementary school that was filled with pictures of historical black figures it was not a joyous
occasion for me. When my teachers began talking about Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King Jr,
Rosa Parks and other black historical legends I was ashamed and embarrassed. I desperately
wanted to sink my brown self down in my chair till I can no longer be seen I wanted to run out of
the classroom, and even scream to the top of my lightly pink colored lungs for my teachers to
stop talking about black history. With myself being one of the very few black children in my class
it was uncomfortable. I could recall children's eyes nervously taking glances at me throughout
the lessons considering I was the minority. I vividly remember hearing lesson after lesson about
how blacks were treated and how in times past they were not considered to be of equal value to
whites. It was during those moments that I was ashamed to be black. I wondered what it would
be like to be white and how life would have been so much easier if I was white with blonde hair
and blue eyes. Luckily all that shifted for me.
The older I got the more and more I began to accept and love myself for being black. Now I
enjoy reading about historical black figures like Martin Luther King Jr, Oprah Winfrey, Barack
Obama, Harriet Tubman, Ruby Bridges, Jackie Robinson, Ronald McNair and other black

2. legends that fought so that we can continue the legacy of fighting for equality. Similarly, I also
enjoy immersing myself in autobiographies of those that did not have the same color as myself
but were world changers. Looking in the mirror every day and seeing the reflection of my lovely
black chocolate colored skin tone smiling back at me brings an inner sense of joy and peace. I
have learned awareness, acceptance and to take pride in me being black and embracing my
culture as a black woman.
My food of preference is soul food my favorite meal is fried chicken, macaroni and cheese,

3. candy yams, collard greens and to top it off a piece of cornbread that tastes as sweet as pound
cake. I enjoy listening to hip hop rap music and freestyle battles. (The clean versions of course
with a hint of gospel rap). Although I taught myself to embrace and love myself as a black
person I believe wholeheartedly that I should have learned to do this in preschool and
elementary school.
I appreciate my teachers formulating lesson plans that were geared in an age-appropriate way
towards teaching me about historical black figures. I appreciate them teaching me about blacks
and how they fought for unfair laws to be changed and some fought and died just so that we can
live.

4. But as I reminisce on the lessons it also unknowingly and unintentionally taught me that being
black had a negative connotation. I forgive my elementary teachers who happened to be all
white and did not clearly convey the message to the very few black children that being black
was beautiful.
As Early Childhood Educators, we should continue to teach black history so that students will
never forget the ones before us that fought for equal rights and those that currently continue to
fight to this day. However, we should also teach children to love and embrace their race and the
color of their skin.

5. Whether it is black, white, Albino, light skinned, dark skinned or whatever color your students
identify as. I had to learn to embrace and love the color of my skin when I got older it was not
something that was taught. Had I been taught it, I would have developed a thicker skin when
certain peers teased me about how my skin color was too dark. There are amazing books on
the market that teach on loving and embracing skin colors. Such as the ones listed below:

6. In addition to these amazing reads, I am proud to announce my NEWEST children's book soon
to be released this month (February 2019) entitled Loving the Skin COLOR I'm In A kid-to-kid
guide on self-acceptance. This book is designed for children ages 3 and up. This book teaches
children the values of embracing and loving their skin color as well as embracing and loving the
skin colors of others. This book also teaches children from a place of inclusiveness to embrace
skin colors that may appear to be different such as albinos and children with skin disorders.
Nonetheless, it reinforces how much we are the same on the inside.
Follow me on Instagram on updates for the release date
https://www.instagram.com/daisycopelin1/