Dear Yesteryear - by Kimberly Annece Henderson (Hardcover)

About the Book

"In 2020, Kimberly Annece Henderson started emaline and 'nem, an Instagram-based archival image repository that features portraiture of everyday African Americans from the late 1800s and early 1900s. Dear Yesteryear is a beautiful and lyrical continuation of that project that addresses the past, honoring the ancestors who made the present possible and celebrating the ordinary goings on of Black Americans."--Publisher marketing.

Book Synopsis

From historical curator and researcher Kimberly Annece Henderson comes this moving letter connecting Black history with the present, with archival photographs and beautiful handlettering by Ciara LeRoy

In 2020, Kimberly Annece Henderson started emaline and 'nem, an Instagram-based archival image repository that features portraiture of everyday African Americans from the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Dear Yesteryear is a beautiful and lyrical continuation of that project that addresses the past, honoring the ancestors who made the present possible and celebrating the ordinary goings on of Black Americans.

Review Quotes

BCCB Blue Ribbons Best Books of the Year Nonfiction Selection
ALSC 2024 Notable Children's Books--All Ages
Black Caucus American Library Association Best of the Best 2023 List

★ "Lyrical text pairs expertly with chosen images, emphasizing historical Black joy and accomplishments, while simultaneously connecting to the present. This book will irrefutably provide invaluable opportunities for readers to delve into their own family or cultural histories . . . Moving and profound, this inspiring glimpse of photographs and text will remind all readers of the value of family connections, of time's passing, and the need for remembrance." --School Library Journal, starred review

★ "The interplay between the text and photos is ingenious, as questions range from the general to the specific, inviting young readers to imagine the lives of the people in the photos and how similar or different those experiences might be from their own." --BCCB, starred review

"Henderson's exploratory narration breathes new life into pictures from long ago that may inspire readers to delve into their own histories and discover more about who paved the way for them. The images take center stage, set against a dark background and often accented with frames, resulting in a book reminiscent of a photo album . . . A heartfelt narrative that pays homage to the past." --Kirkus

"It's an expansive photographic album that acknowledges the impact of ancestors and histories on the present." --Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Kimberly Annece Henderson is a historical researcher and curator based in New York City. She holds a Master's in Library and Information Sciences from Syracuse University. Her work centers genealogy and Black American lineages through photography, historical preservation, and archives. She currently facilitates digital projects for the New York Public Library's Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem. And most recently, she curated archival photographs of Black Americans for the New York Times 1619 Project Book.

Ciara LeRoy is a Cincinnati-based independent artist specializing in hand lettering, illustration, murals, and embroidery. She started Pretty Strange Design with a mission to make beautifully offbeat creations that inject imagination into everyday life.