Library celebrates African American Heritage Month

Several San Antonio public libraries, including the Bannwolf Branch at Reagan High School, will celebrate African American Heritage Month by exploring the artistic techniques of three award-winning illustrators.  All school-age children are invited to participate in this unique program, which will be held at Bannwolf Library at 5 p.m. Feb. 2, Feb. 9 and Feb. 16.

The first illustrator to be studied will be Brian Pinkney, an award-winning illustrator of such popular picture books as “In the Time of the Drums,” “The Faithful Friend” and “Duke Ellington.”  On Feb. 2, children will have the opportunity to practice Pinkney’s “scratchboard” technique, in which artwork is created by scrapping away the ink covering a white board.

On Feb. 9, visitors to Bannwolf Library will have the opportunity to study Ashley Bryan’s use of color and collage.  The winner of multiple Coretta Scott King citations, Bryan was presented the 2009 Laura Ingalls Wilder Award for his substantial and lasting contribution to children’s literature.  He works include “Dancing Granny,” “Beat the Story-Drum, Pum-Pum” and “Beautiful Blackbird.”        

Finally, on Tuesday, Feb. 16, children at Bannwolf Library are invited to explore Faith Ringgold use of words, paint and fabric by making their very own paper story quilts.  Ringgold’s well-known “Tar Beach” has won a Coretta Scott King Award and a Caldecott citation, as well as numerous other honors.    

All library programs are free and open to the public.  For more information, visit www.mysapl.org.