Jean Carey Bond facts for kids

Jean Carey Bond is an American writer and activist. She is known for writing books for both kids and adults. She was part of the Harlem Writers Guild and the Black Arts Movement.

One of her famous books is Brown is a Beautiful Color. This children's book helps young readers see the beauty in their own skin color. It shows a child exploring the world and finding many beautiful things that are brown. Jean Carey Bond was married to the architect Max Bond from 1961 until he passed away in 2009.

Early Life and Education

Jean Carey was born in Harlem, New York City. Her father, Richard Carey, was one of the first heart surgeons in Harlem. She was an only child. Her aunt was Benjamin J. Davis Jr..

As a child, Jean spent time in both Harlem and Greenwich Village. She went to the Little Red School House in Greenwich Village.

Family Life and Travels

Jean Carey married J. Max Bond Jr. in 1961. Max Bond was an architect who studied at Harvard. He opened his own architecture firm in Harlem. The couple met in New York after Max moved back from France in 1960.

In 1964, Jean and Max moved to Accra, Ghana. They were inspired by Pan-Africanism, which is a movement to unite people of African descent. Ghana had a progressive political environment at the time. Max Bond became an architect for Kwame Nkrumah, who was Ghana's leader.

Jean started writing for magazines like Freedomways and African Review. She worked with writer Julian Mayfield. She became a contributing editor for Freedomways and wrote for them until 1985.

Writing and Activism

In 1969, Jean Carey Bond published her children's book, Brown is a Beautiful Color. In her articles for Freedomways, she wrote about important topics. These included racial discrimination, black power, civil rights, and feminism. She also wrote the first essay for an issue of the journal about the famous playwright Lorraine Hansberry.

Jean and Max Bond returned to New York in 1967. They had two children together, named Carey and Ruth.

Later Work and Community Involvement

In 1996, Jean Carey Bond was part of a group of African Americans who visited Cuba. This group, led by Manning Marable, had discussions about Cuba. They also talked about Cuba's relationship with African Americans.

In 1998, she helped start the Black Radical Congress. This group works for social justice and equality. She also serves on an advisory committee for the New York City Commission on Human Rights. This commission helps protect people's rights. Jean Carey Bond is also a founding board member of Lee Chamberlin's Playwrights Inn Project.