New Children’s Book Extols the Virtues of Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Yvette Manns, who grew up in Jamaica, New York, is a graduate of historically Black Clark Atlanta University in Georgia, where she majored in early childhood education. The day after graduation she was hired as a public school teacher.

While teaching, Manns realized that many of the reading materials were not produced for the students that she was teaching in the inner-city. She decided to produce courses offering perspectives that would be more relevant to young Black students.

Manns created the website The Lit Teacher that offers courses for a small fee that teachers can use to make education more interesting to young Black students. The site also has a blog discussing issues of importance to teachers in urban schools.

Manns’ latest work is the book HBCU Proud. The book tells the story of a Black youngster named Q who tours Legacy University, a historically Black institution with his aunt. During his visit, Q learns about the history of HBCUs and their importance in African American history.

Manns values the experiences she had attending an HBCU and wants to pass along the passion for that experience to the next generation.