Black Girl Magic Book Club: Empowering Students Through Identity and Literature
The Black Girl Magic Book Club is a transformative initiative that impacted the lives of 93 District 65 students last year. Focused on promoting literacy, identity development, and social awareness, the club meets bi-monthly, encouraging participants to explore books featuring Black female protagonists. Through discussions and reflection, students learn about race, gender, and intersectionality, all while developing a deeper understanding of their personal identities.
Implementation Across Schools
Under the guidance of dedicated facilitators at multiple schools, including Walker, Lincolnwood, and King Arts, the club provides a safe and inclusive space for students to discuss books. Each session brings about twenty 3rd to 5th graders together, reading from a diverse selection of 18 books that emphasize themes of resilience, culture, and Black excellence. The books serve as mirrors and windows, reflecting the students' identities while allowing them to see into the experiences of others.
Participants are asked to reflect on the books through artifacts and personal projects. They are encouraged to think critically about how the protagonists demonstrate "Black Girl Magic" and to connect those reflections to larger social issues such as racism, patriarchy, and current events. The culminating activity—a “Magic Mirror Mural”—showcases each student’s personal growth and identity journey, a visual testament to the program’s success.
Program Achievements and Impact
The Black Girl Magic Book Club has made a measurable impact on the students and their families. Students have taken home books that broaden their perspectives and have engaged in meaningful conversations with their peers and families about their heritage, culture, and identity. By applying the 13 Guiding Principles of the Black Lives Matter movement, students discuss complex social issues and feel empowered to facilitate conversations themselves, with facilitators often stepping back to allow them to lead.
The program also uses an equity lens to ensure that the selected books represent diverse voices within Black women's stories, including factors like religion, LGBTQIA+ identities, family structure, and socioeconomic status.
Expanding Horizons
The Black Girl Magic Book Club's success has led to expansion plans. For the 2024-2025 school year, Lincoln Elementary School has been added as the 7th school with a Black Girl Magic Book Club program.
A Lasting Legacy
One of the program’s most remarkable accomplishments is the healing it has fostered among students and their families. At the year-end showcase, students presented their murals, and families from different schools connected over shared cultural symbols and heritage. The event draws 200-300 people each year, underscoring the power of this program to bring communities together.
As the Black Girl Magic Book Club continues to grow, it remains a beacon of empowerment, teaching students the importance of self-awareness, cultural pride, and social responsibility. With the support of organizations like Foundation 65, this program is changing lives—one book at a time.