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In ‘The New Brownies’ Book,’ Authors Build on Magazine for Black, Brown Families During Harlem Renaissance

Ten years after the launching of the ‘infamous’ The Crisis magazine, W.E.B. Du Bois, Augustus Granville Dill and Jessie Redmon Fauset had another idea: they called it “The Brownies’ Book,” though it was really a magazine that sold for less than two dollars for six issues, or fifteen cents for a single issue.

Published

2 years ago

October 15, 2023

Oakland Post

The original book of essays, poetry, plays and lessons was a “a crown jewel of African American children’s literature,” authors Dr. Karida L. Brown and Charly Palmer said. Courtesy photo.

By Terri Schlichenmeyer
The Bookworm Sez, LLC

The kids are back in school now and already, your family’s going in six different directions.

You’re busy, between sports, extracurricular activities, work commitments, family gatherings, and community activity. If there was a meaningful way to get everybody together at once, you’d be all over that so grab “The New Brownies’ Book” by Dr. Karida L. Brown and Charly Palmer and take a hint from Grandma’s time.

Ten years after the launching of the ‘infamous’ The Crisis magazine, W.E.B. Du Bois, Augustus Granville Dill and Jessie Redmon Fauset had another idea: they called it “The Brownies’ Book,” though it was really a magazine that sold for less than two dollars for six issues, or fifteen cents for a single issue.

It was 1920, Jim Crow laws were in effect, and the founders’ intention was that the publication would “serve as a much-needed medium for Black and Brown children,” by showing them what people of color had contributed to the world. It was also something white families could use and learn from, too.

“… (I)t was,” say Brown and Palmer, “a crown jewel of African American children’s literature.”

This book, meant to “evoke the spirit of… [the] original Brownies’ book,” pulls together dozens of original stories, poems, plays, essays, lessons, and artwork that mirrors what Du Bois had in mind more than a century ago.

Here, you’ll find tales of ancestors and why it’s important to know yours. You’ll find games for the whole family to play, including even the littlest kids. You’ll find photos and reproductions of “Brownies’ Book” pages from the 1920s and new artwork from a variety of Black artists.

There’s humor in some of these stories, and one is a fun challenge for pre-teens. There are tales for older kids here, pages that help teach morality and empathy, stories to read aloud to a grade-schooler, stories that seem to end abruptly but that beg for meaningful discussion, and biographies of “she-roes” and other giants in Black history.

“The New Brownies Book” absolutely lives up to its subtitle: it is, indeed, “a love letter to Black families.” It’s also pretty sweet on art and poetry, too.

Many of the essays and stories, though, may confound readers who are not prepared for their abrupt endings. It’s as if the pages have run out and that’s that – but look again. Those ends-too-quickly tales invite a child to imagine what happened next or to think of a better storyline. They are ready-made to teach a child to be a storyteller, and for families to discuss.

Don’t think that this book is only for small children, though. This is the kind of reading that you can leave around for a teenager to find and browse, to provoke thought and spark ideas. There are inspirations inside here, as well as subtle lessons.

You can feel comfortable giving this to a family, new, old, or blended. It would be a great gift for your favorite babysitter or a grandparent, too. For your household, “The New Brownies’ Book” is a great addition.

“The New Brownies’ Book” is by Dr. Karida L. Brown and Charly Palmer
c.2023, Chronicle Books, $40.00, 208 pages.

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Oakland Post: Week of February 25 – March 3, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 25 – March 3, 2026

Published

4 days ago

March 1, 2026

Oakland Post

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Chase Oakland Community Center Hosts Alley-Oop Accelerator Building Community and Opportunity for Bay Area Entrepreneurs

Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.

Published

2 weeks ago

February 21, 2026

Oakland Post

Bay Area entrepreneurs attend the Alley-Oop Accelerator, a small business incubation program at Chase Oakland Community Center. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The Golden State Warriors and Chase bank hosted the third annual Alley-Oop Accelerator this month, an empowering eight-week program designed to help Bay Area entrepreneurs bring their visions for business to life.

The initiative kicked off on Feb. 12 at Chase’s Oakland Community Center on Broadway Street, welcoming 15 small business owners who joined a growing network of local innovators working to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

At its core, the accelerator is designed to create an ecosystem of collaboration, where local entrepreneurs can learn from one another while accessing the resources of a global financial institution.

“This is our third year in a row working with the Golden State Warriors on the Alley-Oop Accelerator,” said Jaime Garcia, executive director of Chase’s Coaching for Impact team for the West Division. “We’ve already had 20-plus businesses graduate from the program, and we have 15 enrolled this year. The biggest thing about the program is really the community that’s built amongst the business owners — plus the exposure they’re able to get through Chase and the Golden State Warriors.”

According to Garcia, several graduates have gone on to receive vendor contracts with the Warriors and have gained broader recognition through collaborations with JPMorgan Chase.

“A lot of what Chase is trying to do,” Garcia added, “is bring businesses together because what they’ve asked for is an ecosystem, a network where they can connect, grow, and thrive organically.”

This year’s Alley-Oop Accelerator reflects that vision through its comprehensive curriculum and emphasis on practical learning. Participants explore the full spectrum of business essentials including financial management, marketing strategy, and legal compliance, while also preparing for real-world experiences such as pop-up market events.

Each entrepreneur benefits from one-on-one mentoring sessions through Chase’s Coaching for Impact program, which provides complimentary, personalized business consulting.

Garcia described the impact this hands-on approach has had on local small business owners. He recalled one candlemaker, who, after participating in the program, was invited to provide candles as gifts at Chase events.

“We were able to help give that business exposure,” he explained. “But then our team also worked with them on how to access capital to buy inventory and manage operations once those orders started coming in. It’s about preparation. When a hiccup happens, are you ready to handle it?”

The Coaching for Impact initiative, which launched in 2020 in just four cities, has since expanded to 46 nationwide.

“Every business is different,” Garcia said. “That’s why personal coaching matters so much. It’s life-changing.”

Participants in the 2026 program will each receive a $2,500 stipend, funding that Garcia said can make an outsized difference. “It’s amazing what some people can do with just $2,500,” he noted. “It sounds small, but it goes a long way when you have a plan for how to use it.”

For Chase and the Warriors, the Alley-Oop Accelerator represents more than an educational initiative, it’s a pathway to empowerment and economic inclusion. The program continues to foster lasting relationships among the entrepreneurs who, as Garcia put it, “build each other up” through shared growth and opportunity.

“Starting a business is never easy, but with the right support, it becomes possible, and even exhilarating,” said Oscar Lopez, the senior business consultant for Chase in Oakland.