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Jerry Pinkney and The Power of Change Through Children’s Literature

January 14 2023 5:00pm - 8:00pm


A recording of the live event can be accessed here.

Please join the Katonah Museum of Art for Jerry Pinkney and The Power of Change Through Children’s Literature, a panel discussion and reception to commemorate Jerry Pinkney’s legacy in conjunction with the Martin Luther King Jr. weekend.

The discussion, moderated by Andrea Davis Pinkney, will celebrate Jerry Pinkney’s long-reaching impact in the field of children's literature, and illuminate the power of books to shape civil societies, and themes of social justice and civil rights more broadly. Participating in the panel discussion are Jesse Bourdon, Director of the Croton Free Library; Andrew Jackson, Director Emeritus of the Langston Hughes Community Library and Cultural Center; and Mollie Welsh Kruger, Fieldwork Advisor and Instructor at Bank Street College of Education.

Accompanying the evening will be an interactive musical performance by duo Nothing but Velvet, which consists of Farrell and Betsy Hutchinson who, through music and voice, will deepen the evening’s conversation on social justice. Farrell and Betsy are known for their soulful and emotive performances, which include the opening reception of Picture the Dream: The Story of the Civil Rights Movement Through Children’s Books at the New York Historical Society and the Carle Honors Art Auction of the Eric Carle Museum. Their music spreads messages of love and hope, and they are passionate about using their talents to make a positive impact in the world.

The evening is made possible through the generous support of Neal Porter Books and Holiday House, and La Ruth Hackney Gray . Neal Porter has been in and around children’s book publishing for over forty years and is currently Vice President and Publisher of Neal Porter Books at Holiday House. He is the editor of numerous award-winning titles including A Place to Land: Martin Luther King Jr. And the Speech that Inspired a Nation, written by Barry Wittenstein and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, which the Katonah Museum is honored to have on view as part of the current exhibition Tenacity and Resilience: The Art of Jerry Pinkney, on view through January 22, 2023.


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