Young '1000BlackGirlBooks' Activist Visits West Orange Middle School

West Orange, NJ – Edison Middle School student Marley Dias recently returned to her former school, St. Cloud Elementary, to deliver several sets of books featuring black, female characters from her internationally recognized #1000blackgirlbooks campaign.

• See related article: West Orange Student Inspires With #1000BlackGirlBooks Campaign

Dressed in pink bunny pajamas, Dias celebrated with St. Cloud students for Read Across America week.

Accompanying Dias were Jacqueline Woodson, author of “Brown Girls Dreaming,” and Rita Williams Garcia, author of “One Crazy Summer.”

Both authors read to students from their books during the March 3 event.

Dias’ mother Janice Johnson-Dias and members of the GrassROOTS Community Foundation were on hand to assist with activities and take photos. Superintendent Jeff Rutzky and Board of Education member Sandra Mordecai also attended the assembly, which included fourth and fifth grade students.

“Marley was an exceptionally caring student at St. Cloud, and we are proud of her,” St. Cloud Principal Eric Price stated.

Dias enthusiastically thanked Scholastic and all those for a “gracious donations” of books with black girls as main characters.

“I hope these books will become something to remember,” she said.

Classroom sets donated by Scholastic include “President of the Whole Fifth Grade,” “Almost Zero,” “One Love,” “Ninth Ward,” “Wedding Drama,” “Sugar,” “Ruth and the Green Book,” “Sugar Plum Ballerinas,” and “One Crazy Summer.”

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