Title:

The Brownies' Book : stories and tales for children. Volume 1 (12 months) 1920, Volume 2 (12 months) 1921

Details about this publication:

Replica of the original 1920-21 series periodical meant for young children ages 6-16.
  -- 762 pages, in very good condition.  Flex covers, cloth binding.   Complete in 2 volumes.
  -- Replica/reprint published by Portable Trunk Publishers. (undated) Circa 2010.

A delightful look at the life and times of the early 20th century for prominent African American communities.

-- Profusely illustrated

About : 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 specific children's literature.

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 AF children. These issues also contained more serious information, particularly political events and vi olence in the United States; Du Bois covered attacks on blac k 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.  (Inspired by Palmer Cox' Brownies).

One of the goals of the magazine was to dispel the "grotesqu e stereotype s" of the "Dar k Contine nt",  a dispar aging term used for Africa and its people. Middle-class African-American children "consumed this propa ganda 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 ignoran ce of their ra cial identity and peculiar situation is inadvisable—impossible", in which the use of the phrase "peculiar situation" is an allusion to the euphe mism "peculiar institution", meaning sla very.  Du Bois believed children should be taught their r acial identity and social situation.  The name of the magazine is derived from the folkloric creatures brownies (Inspired by Palmer Cox' Brownies), who were said to complete household chores at night in exchange for food, alluding to African Americans being used as servvants, but the term is used as signification in the "oppr essive literary-historical context". Specifically, the creators wanted to "make c olored children realize that bei ng 'color ed' is a normal beautiful thing"

Another goal was to expand the canon of bla ck children's literature, in which fiction and fanta sy were rare, and to encourage youth participation in the NAACP. It also intended to develop The Talented Tenth, capable African Americans in the top docile who could become leaders in the bl ack 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 their 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   (Citation from Wikipedia.org)

Ideal set for collectors, researchers, historians or fans of early black history and culture, as well as the NAACP.

Paper / Soft cover reprint edition in very good condition, flex covers, cloth bound, a sturdy book. Overall good copy, informative resource. It would make a great gift for the fan in your life, even if that's you. 

Clean and Unmarked Text.  Very Good condition.  Text is in English. 
   ~ Reproduced in color, same as original issue.
 
-- Defects: None found.   **Some of the text is small, so it's a little hard to read.

Modern, undated replica.    -- Facsimile edition in 2 volumes.