On Monday, in honor of African American History Month, the Willow Hill Elementary School students in grades 4th through 6th, read books aloud to students in kindergarten through 3rd grade. Each book was written by an African American author and each elder student read to the younger student sitting to the side of them, yet in a single line. By doing so, the students formed a human reading chain that went from one end of the school to the other.

This event that took place at Willow Hill Elementary, on Coolidge Avenue, in Willow Grove, is part of the 28th National African American Read-In. The Read-In is the nation’s first and oldest event dedicated to diversity in literature. It was established by the Black Caucus of the National Council of Teachers of English, to make literacy a significant part of Black History Month. There are now more than 6 million participants world wide.

After the event, the school submitted the 2018 African American Read-in Host Report Card to the National Council of Teachers of English, in order to track the number of participants and the selection of books and authors read aloud.