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Story Hour Celebrates Black/Deaf History Month
NJLBH’s Children’s American Sign Language (ASL) Story Hour program is an outstanding educational and recreational program that provides the opportunity for children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing to experience something that hearing children take for granted: a library story hour that opens their imaginations to the world of books and leisure reading. This experience has not been available to children with hearing impairments until the NJLBH offered its innovative program. The Story Hour promotes literacy skills by accompanying each book with a PowerPoint presentation, illustrating each page along with the reader. This enables Deaf and Hard of Hearing children to enjoy simultaneously ASL and English versions of books, enhancing English literacy skills. Certified therapy dogs and their volunteer owners from the Kindred Souls Canine Center attend each story hour to help the kids enjoy reading in a relaxed atmosphere.
On February 14, NJLBH celebrated the achievements of Afro- Americans during Black History Month at its Children’s American Sign Language (ASL) Story Hour at the Library with a program for Deaf and Hard of Hearing children, home-schooled children, and the general public. Students with multiple disabilities from the Hunterdon County ESC School in Lambertville regularly attend the story hour. Black history has been annually recognized since the nineteen-twenties, when Dr. Carter G. Woodson initiated Negro History Week, in 1926 in order to bring national attention to the contributions of black people throughout American history. Secretary of State Nina Mitchell Wallace kicked off the story hour, calling it a “model program.” Ms. Wallace introduced Deaf Storyteller Debra Fuller, the first president and founder of New Jersey Black Deaf Advocates (Chapter 23), who signed Toni Morrison’s non-fiction children’s book, Remember: The Journey to School Integration. After Mrs. Fuller’s presentation, New Jersey Library for the Blind and Handicapped Readers’ Services Advisors Gail Stokes and Karen Carson, costumed in a spacesuit, told the story of Mae Jemison, the first black female astronaut in NASA history. Next, Mustafaa Shabazz, a blindness advocate and a former US Marine talked about how he became blind, how to deal with blindness, his work with African-Americans with disabilities, and the importance of communication and of reading for a successful life.
On March 14, NJLBH observed a very significant event for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children attending the Story Hour: Deaf History Month, March 13 to April 15, which celebrates deaf history, particularly key events in deaf heritage, such as the founding of the first college for the deaf, Gallaudet University in 1864, and the opening of the first public school for the deaf, the American School for the deaf, in 1817. Deaf storyteller Camille Lorello signed the theatrical Deaf Culture children’s book, Moses Sees A Play by Isaac Millman, about a young Deaf boy who befriends a young Spanish boy who doesn’t know either English or sign language. Ms. Lorello toured nationally and internationally as a member of the National Theatre of the Deaf for 15 years, serving an actor, Professional Theatre School Director, co-Artistic Director, and Education and Outreach Director, and as part of her program involved young audience members in theatrical exercises. The Story Hour program stresses the importance of ASL in reflecting the cultural values of Deaf Heritage.
NJLBH gives an open invitation to the public and students of all ages to attend its innovative program and learn about American Sign Language and Deaf Culture. For information on attending upcoming story hours at 10:00 a.m. on April 18, May 16, and June 6, call 1-800-792-8322.