An inquiry into the attitudes of a selected group of African Americans towards the portrayal of African Americans in contemporary children's literature

This study investigated the attitudes of a selected group of African Americans towards the portrayal of African Americans in contemporary children's literature. A qualitative research design, using in-depth interviewing, autobiographical statements, and a Likert-type evaluation scale, enabled the researcher to gain insights and understandings into the world of children's literature from a minority perspective. Five participants were selected for this study. One of the five individuals served as a practice participant; she helped design and develop the questions for the interviews. The other four participants represented one of the following categories: parent, grandparent, teacher, and minister. Each participant was an important member of the educational community in a small, predominantly African American, elementary school. The participants represented various age, gender, and socio-ecomonic backgrounds