Nelson, K. (2008). We Are the Ship. Hyperion.
Summary
Before 1920, there was no organization of the "Negro League" in baseball. But, as long as baseball has existed in America, there have been "Negro" players. In 1920, this changed. There became what was called the "Negro League" of African-American baseball players. This book covers the creation of the league up until Jackie Robinson, and identifies what caused the decline after 1947. With beautiful oil paintings to illustrate, We Are The Ship is the celebration of the famous quote "We are the ship: all else the sea" by the man who helped organize the league.
A Teacher's Perspective
This is a wonderful celebration, but also informative book about a specific time period in African American history. This book would make a great addition to a history classroom, especially when focused on African American history and teaching to different interest levels. Jackie Robinson is the famous name to come out of the era, but many do not know the surrounding events. This is a wonderful way to introduce that. Many boys interested in the history of baseball would find this book intriguing and could help teachers draw interest into the lesson.
Want to know more?
To purchase your own copy of We Are the Ship: Click here!
There is a wonderful teaching guide by "My Reading Resources" on Teachers Pay Teachers. It is a little under $12, but is full of worksheets and includes a teaching guide for those who are curious as to how they can integrate it into their curriculum:
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