The Givens Collection
My books are now part of the Givens Collection
The Givens Collection of African American Literature has accepted my books into their library at the University of Minnesota.
The Givens Collection includes novels, poetry, plays, short stories, essays, literary criticism, periodicals, and biographies that span nearly 250 years of American culture. It has particular strength in the areas of the Harlem Renaissance and the Black Arts Movement.
The collection also holds a significant number of books that relate to African American art, education, social sciences, sports, and entertainment, as well as works by or about continental Africans and Africans in diaspora.
With tens of thousands of archival and manuscript materials that document the history of black literature and culture—correspondence, pamphlets, screenplays, newspaper clippings, photographs, sheet music, ephemera, including the Penumbra Theatre Company Archives—the Givens Collection is an invaluable community and scholarly resource
Some of the amazing books in the Givens Collection of African American Literature
Learn more about Sojourner Truth, African American abolitionist and women’s rights activist.
Learn more about Phillis Wheatley, the first Black person to publish a book
Learn more about anthropologist and author Zora Neale Hurston.
The Books Accepted
Doing the Right Thing
Published in 2024, this book continues showcasing historical women who overcame barriers of race and gender to achieve their dreams. But it also contains stories and portraits of current women, to remind us that the struggle continues.
Fighting for Equality
After taking a course in African American History at the College of Marin, Ms. Jacobsen was able to see the big picture of how the individual women fit in the struggle for civil and women’s rights. This volume has a timeline of the major events in the struggle, from the first slave ship to the most recent civil rights laws.
Women of Color and Accomplishment
The first book in the series, published in 2021 was inspired by the murder of George Floyd. Ms. Jacobsen used her skills as an artist to bring attention to the achievements of Black women overlooked by the history books. After painting 31 portraits, she created this book.
We would be honored to receive a donation of your three-book set, Women of Color and Accomplishment. Hardcovers would be our preference for the collection, as they tend to hold up better over time.
Your “Coloring Party” exhibit sounds absolutely delightful, and I’m fascinated by Dr. Cindy Acker’s work using your books to create a Black History exhibit. What a meaningful way to engage students! We would very much appreciate receiving a copy of the exhibition catalog featuring your portraits and the student artwork from Teaching Black History Through Art.
That sounds like exactly the kind of educational resource that aligns with our mission.
I watched the clip from Dr. Cindy Acker’s talk at the coloring party, and I was truly impressed by the children’s work—the coloring done by the third, and fifth graders was just amazing! They did an outstanding job, and it’s clear how engaged and inspired they were by the project. What a meaningful way to connect young people with art and history.
Wishing you continued success with your upcoming events.
Roxanne Givens
October 26, 2025