West Stark News

North Canton Public Library issued the following announcement on Feb 22.

This month, we will be supporting African American History Month. The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the generations of African Americans who struggled with adversity to achieve full citizenship in American society. February is African American History Month, so we’ll be shining our Monday night spotlight on books that help build empathy, acceptance and education on African American voices.  

In Brian Broome’s memoir, “Punch Me Up to the Gods” readers are taken through the author's history growing up in Ohio as a dark skinned Black boy, who also had crushes on boys. This memoir recounts his experiences in all their humorous, cringe-worthy, and heartbreaking details. Each chapter is titled with vignettes titled “The Initiation of Tuan” which cover Broome’s observations of how the father interacts with Tuan, telling him to be a man, and to not cry. These observations lead into Broome’s own story which focuses on colorism, Black masculinity, sexuality, race, and internalized racism. This memoir is heavy, raw, and essential.  

To read click the link below:  

https://ohdbks.overdrive.com/media/5545956

Original source can be found here.