Color Me Dark: The Diary of Nellie Lee Love, the Great Migration North, Chicago, Illinois, 1919

Another great read from a Diaries author, Patricia McKissack once again brings forth the very real and human history of people from our past, more specifically our African American community within this country. She tells a captivating story of American history and tensions as well as the reality for people of the times. None of these books come across as preachy or overly political, they are just the honest to god truth of history. They are a mirror of American people’s past the good and the bad. A good and easy read for kids and a way to introduce history in an interesting way that most classes don’t really cover.

This entire series is a wonderful way to learn history or teach it to adolescents. I find today's generations seem to recall more when they learn through other people (pop songs, celebrity gossip, etc.), so what better way to teach history than through someone else's perspective? Yes, "authentic" diaries would be "better", but would the language really hold the modern student's attention? Did the diary writer know what WOULD be important in the context of history? Probably not.

Nellie Lee and her family are very happy living in Tennessee. However, times are becoming more dangerous for African Americans in the South. When her uncle dies under suspicious circumstances after he returns from fighting in WWI, her father decides to move his family to Chicago. Nellie Lee and her sister adjust to life in a city and more freedoms. They also meet a preacher that opens up a whole different world of thought for her family. However, while Chicago may have been safer than the south, racial tensions still exist and Nellie Lee and her family endure a terrible race riot. Their father also faces a corrupt system when trying to acquire a permit for his business. McKissack presents a lesser known era of history very well. Nellie show more is an engaging character to see this era through. She is bright in her observations of the world around her and critical of the belief among her own people that straight hair and lighter skin are better. As always the historical note is helpful. show less

The Dear America books offer a wonderful way to teach children American history. I thoroughly enjoy reading them myself.... and as a homeschooling Mom, I consider them a very valuable educational resource.

I always learn a few new things in these books..... this was a very interesting book about Chicago in the early 1900s, including information about the race riots and the founding of key Black American organizations.

I LOVE IT! it was such heart-warming book. I loved Nellie Lee, she was just such a strong little girl who went through so much, but never burdened anyone. The love she had for her family was just 10/10!!
I really wish that more people saw the world like the Love family, it’s 2022 and I just don’t think we are showing enough love to one another. This book is just the think every human being should read!!

This has been one of my favorite of all the fake historical journals -which surprised me because it's not really a time period or event that I'm particularly interested in. It really read like a story- I grew to know the characters, and I got caught up in it. Many of the historical fiction diaries are very contrived, but this one read naturally.

I don't remember much of these books as individual books, but I remember reading them all as a young, avid reader. I think that ultimately these books are the reason why I love historical fiction novels so much. They all did such a great job of taking me to a different time and place and making it come alive, seeing the world through an older, historical lens. I highly recommend any of the Dear America books to younger readers who love history and need to get hooked on reading!