NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Monday there will be a Juneteenth celebration at Fort Negley, and a woman bearing children's books with a special goal in mind.
The founder of the Black Book Project, Meredith McKinney, will be at the event with the goal to give 350 free new books to the kids who stop by.
These are not just any books, though. These are books that feature Black main characters.
McKinney said only 12 percent of children's books that are published showcase someone Black as a central figure.
Her mission is to get those books into the hands of children who will see themselves reflected in the pages, and be encouraged to read more.
Children can find McKinney's table on Monday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Juneteenth 615 event in Fort Negley. They each get to pick out one book at no cost.
McKinney said making these books more accessible is also a key part of her mission.
"When you think about the cost associated with families struggling to make ends meet as it is, a lot of children wouldn't have the opportunity to own a lot of these books," she said. "We are really trying to remove that barrier for families, and give kids the opportunity to own books that represent them no matter their socio-economic status."
At the table Monday, kids can also meet a Black author from Nashville, Tonya Abari. She will be signing copies of her book, Let's Celebrate Juneteenth, which explains the history of the holiday in a simple way for children.
Abari said she hopes being there will encourage more Black children to want to become writers.
"To be able to give that example to kids and say, 'you can write books, you have a story inside of you, come on bring the pen to the paper,' has been so amazing," Abari said. "I thank the Juneteenth 615 organization for allowing me to come and to be able to be seen in front of kids and talk about what I do."
McKinney said since starting the Black Book Project in 2021, she has collected more than 8,000 books for children, thanks to the community's help.
McKinney and Abari will are passing out books the first two hours of the event, and attendees can stick around for the full Juneteenth 615 Freedom Fireworks event up until 10 p.m.
