The Brownies' Book facts for kids
Cover of the June 1921 issue
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| Literary and managing editor | Jessie Redmon Fauset |
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| Frequency | Monthly |
| Founder | W. E. B. Du Bois Augustus Granville Dill Jessie Redmon Fauset |
| First issue | January 1920 |
| Final issue | December 1921 |
| Country | United States |
| Based in | New York City |
The Brownies' Book was the first magazine published for African-American children and youth. Its creation was mentioned in the yearly children's issue of The Crisis in October 1919. The first issue was published during the Harlem Renaissance in January 1920, with issues published monthly until December 1921. It is cited as an "important moment in literary history" for establishing black children's literature in the United States.
Background
The magazine was created by three people, all of whom were also involved with The Crisis, a magazine associated with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Its editor was W. E. B. Du Bois, one of the founders of the NAACP, and its business manager was Augustus Granville Dill. The magazine's literary editor was Jessie Redmon Fauset.
Each year, The Crisis published an issue referred to as the "Children's Number", which included stories, photographs, games, poetry, and educational achievements of black children. These issues also contained more serious information, particularly political events and lynchings in the United States; Du Bois covered lynchings and violent attacks on black Americans because he was concerned about the effects that reports of these incidents would have on black children.
In the October 1919 "Children's Number" issue of The Crisis, Du Bois wrote a column titled "The True Brownies" announcing the impending publication of The Brownies' Book, stating that the first issue would be released the following month. He also stated that it was "designed for all children, but especially for ours", with a target audience of children and youth between six and 16 years old. Dill and Du Bois established Du Bois and Dill Publishers in New York City to publish each issue of The Brownies' Book.
One of the goals of the magazine was to dispel the "grotesque stereotypes" of the "Dark Continent", a disparaging term used for Africa and its people. Middle-class African-American children "consumed this propaganda along with the white children who were its implied audience" in children's literary works such as the magazine St. Nicholas. The 1919 article "The True Brownies" included commentary by Du Bois discussing children, stating that "to seek to raise them in ignorance of their racial identity and peculiar situation is inadvisable—impossible", in which the use of the phrase "peculiar situation" is an allusion to the euphemism "peculiar institution", meaning slavery. Du Bois believed children should be taught their racial identity and social situation. The name of the magazine is derived from the folkloric creatures brownies, who were said to complete household chores at night in exchange for food, alluding to African Americans being used as servants, but the term is used as signification in the "oppressive literary-historical context". Specifically, the creators wanted to "make colored children realize that being 'colored' is a normal beautiful thing".
Another goal was to expand the canon of black children's literature, in which fiction and fantasy were rare, and to encourage youth participation in the NAACP. It also intended to develop The Talented Tenth, capable African Americans in the top decile who could become leaders in the black community.
The seven goals stated in "The True Brownies" were:
- To make colored children realize that being "colored" is a normal, beautiful thing.
- To make them familiar with the history and achievements of the Negro race.
- To make them know that other colored children have grown into beautiful, useful and famous persons.
- To teach them a delicate code of honor and action in their relations with white children.
- To turn their little hurts and resentments into emulation, ambition and love of their homes and companions.
- To point out the best amusements and joys and worth-while things of life.
- To inspire them to prepare for definite occupations and duties with a broad spirit of sacrifice.
– W. E. B. Du Bois, "The True Brownies", The Crisis, October 1919
Legacy
The periodical magazine has garnered more critical attention than any other black children's literature produced during the Harlem Renaissance.
The Du Bois and Dill Publishers ceased operations after publication of The Brownies' Book was discontinued. Its only other publication was the 1921 book Unsung Heroes by Elizabeth Ross Haynes.
