5 Things About Marley:
She became an activist and writer began after complaining to her mom (who is another black girl whom we should highlight) that too many of the books she was reading at school featured white male protagonists.
Marley launched #1000BlackGirlBooks in which she set out to collect and donate 1,000 books featuring black girls as the main characters.
She has collected over 8,000 books, spoken at the White House and gotten a publishing deal with Scholastic to write her début book.
And now, because of this 12-year-old NJ native’s campaign, you have a place to go to find hundreds of books that feature black girls – check out her searchable database.
Marley is also using her voice to advocate for social justice and aspires to launch her own magazine so she can use media to promote more socially conscious pop culture.
In her own words:
“…Black girl books are not just for black girls; they are for all children because not all black girl stories are the same. Teachers, school boards and parents need to make sure that all children have access to these stories. I hope this list of books will help you learn more about the diverse experiences of black girls… ” – Marley Dias
Follow Marley on Twitter.