Circle News

Good literature gives people a sense of themselves and a sense of the bigger world, says award-winning writer Jacqueline Woodson. "When people read, they know people like them exist outside their town or city or neighborhood. It legitimizes them, especially young people of color," Woodson says. "You feel like you have a place in the world and you have a right to be. It's important to your self-pride and self-love and self-respect."

"With literacy levels in schools and among our young people steadily declining, we want to use our International Book Fair to spread a joy and appreciation of literacy," says John Bolden, the college's executive vice chancellor. "This will give them the exposure to literary works of not only African-American authors, but authors worldwide."