Visiting Authors

The LPC and the Lowell Libraries welcomed authors Carole Boston Weatherford and her son, Jeffery Boston Weatherford, as part of the Book Fair’s visiting author series.

The duo spoke about their collaborative efforts in creating the book You Can Fly: The Tuskegee Airmen to Primary School and 7th grade students. Carole also presented other books such as Sugar Hill: Harlem’s Historic Neighborhood, The Roots of Rap: 16 Bars on the Pillars of Hip Hop, and for 7th graders, Voice of Freedom: Frannie Lou Hammer. The Weatherfords shared stories of their childhoods and how they became a writer and artist. Carole shared a poem she wrote in the first grade while Jeffery shared a self-portrait from elementary school. Both author and illustrator spoke about using extensive historical research, including primary source material,  for their work. Carole’s intention is to create stories with African-American main characters and to provide children with books that weren’t available when she was growing up.