Emma E. Akin came to the oil Boomtown of Drumright, OK in 1920 to teach at the many elementary schools strewn about the oil patch. It wasn’t until 1930 that she would be required to add the segregated school of Dunbar, named for the African-American poet Paul Laurence Dunbar, to her roster. Prior to this assignment, Mrs. Akin had no interaction with the African-American race and was not overjoyed to find herself in this position. However, after a year of working with the faculty and students at Dunbar School, she fell in love with this community.
Frustrated at the lack of educational materials that focused on the history and contributions of African-Americans, Emma took on the task of writing a series of textbooks that depicted the children in the positive reality that she had come to know. …show more content…
The actual faculty, students and families of the Dunbar School are the subjects of these four pioneering academic ventures.
In 1965, Emma established The Drumright Historical Society Museum and now, 50 years since the museum’s inception and 78 years since the first publishing, we introduce her works to the world through this first reprinting of The Negro American Series.
This first book in the series, “Negro Boys and Girls”, introduces several Dunbar School students from the first grade class. There are stories and pictures of Harold, Clara, Rosa Lee, Anna Bell, Geraldine and Floyd in their homes, at school and at play. Teachers, parents and grandparents are also included in the stories and are utilized to help children learn to count, color, and to recognize differences such as big and small. The reader will enjoy the stories of Roland Hayes and of Paul Laurence Dunbar, for whom the school was named. Prepare to smile as you read about these children that are so enthusiastic to learn and change the
Frustrated at the lack of educational materials that focused on the history and contributions of African-Americans, Emma took on the task of writing a series of textbooks that depicted the children in the positive reality that she had come to know. …show more content…
The actual faculty, students and families of the Dunbar School are the subjects of these four pioneering academic ventures.
In 1965, Emma established The Drumright Historical Society Museum and now, 50 years since the museum’s inception and 78 years since the first publishing, we introduce her works to the world through this first reprinting of The Negro American Series.
This first book in the series, “Negro Boys and Girls”, introduces several Dunbar School students from the first grade class. There are stories and pictures of Harold, Clara, Rosa Lee, Anna Bell, Geraldine and Floyd in their homes, at school and at play. Teachers, parents and grandparents are also included in the stories and are utilized to help children learn to count, color, and to recognize differences such as big and small. The reader will enjoy the stories of Roland Hayes and of Paul Laurence Dunbar, for whom the school was named. Prepare to smile as you read about these children that are so enthusiastic to learn and change the