Springfield Celebrates 5th Annual Black Children's Book Week

Event aims to highlight importance of representation in children's literature.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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The fifth annual Black Children's Book Week was celebrated in Springfield, Illinois, with families gathering to promote literacy and representation for Black children. The event featured community leaders reading books to children and giving away free books to attendees.

Why it matters

Representation in children's literature is crucial for helping young readers see themselves and envision their potential. This event aims to inspire the next generation of readers and leaders by providing access to books that reflect their experiences and identities.

The details

Black Children's Book Week was launched by a local bookstore owner in Springfield to highlight the importance of Black children seeing themselves in a positive light through literature. The program included community leaders reading books to children, with organizers emphasizing that the event goes beyond just diversity in books and aims to inspire children by showing them leaders in their own community.

  • The fifth annual Black Children's Book Week was celebrated on Sunday, February 24, 2026.

The players

Sunshine Clemons

Co-founder and president of Black Lives Matter Springfield.

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What they’re saying

“Literacy creates worlds. You cannot envision who you can be, what you can accomplish if you're not really, fully able to immerse yourself in literacy. It helps expand your world and helps create and encourage creative thinking.”

— Sunshine Clemons, Co-founder and president of Black Lives Matter Springfield (capitolcitynow.com)

“Representation really matters. I know people think that's just a saying, but the more that you can see yourself in different places, the more that you can envision what you can do, who you can become, the changes that you can create in this world.”

— Sunshine Clemons, Co-founder and president of Black Lives Matter Springfield (capitolcitynow.com)

“We try to bring people, from the community that look like the children that we're focused on right now, to show them that not only can you see yourselves in the pages of a book, but you can see yourselves right here as leaders in the community, and these are some of the people that you can look up to and talk to right in your own city.”

— Sunshine Clemons, Co-founder and president of Black Lives Matter Springfield (capitolcitynow.com)

“We don't ever want finances to be a burden from people to be able to not be able to have books that represent them, so we love being able to give out books all year long.”

— Sunshine Clemons, Co-founder and president of Black Lives Matter Springfield (capitolcitynow.com)

What’s next

Organizers plan to continue hosting the Black Children's Book Week event annually to inspire the next generation of readers and leaders.

The takeaway

This event highlights the importance of representation in children's literature and the power of providing access to books that reflect the experiences and identities of young readers. By bringing together community leaders and offering free books, the organizers aim to foster a love of reading and empower the next generation.