READING TIPS AND NOTES / THE INTERNET: HISTORY AND LITERACY

Teachers and parents can use the Internet to explore black history. The World Wide Web sites below may be especially useful for lessons tied to the upcoming Martin Luther King Jr. holiday Jan. 18, as well as Black History Month in February.

The sites contain poems, stories, narratives and other offerings. All of them can be found at the Web site of Social Studies School Service, a Culver City company that distributes educational materials. https://socialstudies.com/feb/bmonthlinks.html

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The Phat African American Poetry Book offers the works of great poets and writers, including Maya Angelou, Gwendolyn Brooks, Amiri Baraka and Langston Hughes.

https://members.aol.com/bonvibre/rmp0a.html

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Taking the Train to Freedom traces the history, routes and operations of the Underground Railroad.

https://www.nps.gov/undergroundrr/contents.htm

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The National Civil Rights Museum takes viewers through many key moments in the civil rights struggle, including freedom rides, Brown vs. Board of Education and the march on Washington.

https://www.mecca.org/~crights/

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Voices of the Civil Rights Era allows you to download audio excerpts of speeches by King and Malcolm X.

https://www.webcorp.com/civilrights/voices.htm

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Jackie Robinson and the Brooklyn Dodgers tells the story of the first African American player to integrate major league baseball.

https://www.brooklyn-dodgers.com/part2.html

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The African American Mosaic is a resource guide to the Library of Congress’ African American collections. The guide covers nearly 500 years of the black experience in the Western Hemisphere.

https://lcweb.loc.gov/exhibits/african/intro.html

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NASA’s Learning Technologies Channel features “Web chats” with African American scientists and engineers who contribute to NASA projects.

https://quest.arc.nasa.gov/ltc/special/mlk/

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Stamp on Black History offers information about African Americans who have been honored by the U.S. Postal Service’s commemorative stamp program, including Booker T. Washington.

https://library.advanced.org/10320/Stamps.htm

BOOK EVENTS

Tuesday and Friday in Torrance: Borders bookstore storyteller Charlotte Rivera will read stories and sing to children of all ages. 3700 Torrance Blvd., 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. (310) 540-7000.

Wednesday in Reseda: Story time and crafts for children ages 5 and up at the West Valley Library will have a “Hats Off to the New Year” theme. 19036 Vanowen St., 6 p.m. (818) 345-4393.

Thursday in Los Angeles: Story time at the Exposition Park-Bethune Branch Library for children and their families. 3665 S. Vermont Ave., 3 p.m. (213) 732-0169.

Thursday in Pasadena: Jammyfest Storytime at Barnes & Noble bookstore will feature a reading of the bedtime story “There’s an Alligator Under My Bed” by Mercer Mayer. 111 W. Colorado Blvd., 7 p.m. (626) 585-0362.