Vigo County Historical Society

Historical Treasure Article

Historic Treasure of the Week - August 4, 1985
By Donna Hodge
Vigo County Historical Society

Poems detail profiles, achievements of blacks

"Stories for Little Tiny Tots" is an inconspicuous book.

The small, cobalt blue book with sketches of African children on the front, is on display in the black history case in the Historical Museum of the Wabash Valley, 1411 S. Sixth St. It was written by black poet and singer Evangeline Evellyn Harris of Terre Haute in 1940.

The book sold for 50 cents per copy. Portions of the proceeds went to the George Washington Carver Foundation.

The introduction says, "Stories for Little Tots" are stories of great Negro persons, written in easy language and meaningful illustrations, to help little children appreciate early in life, aspirations and achievements of the Negro race."
With that, she kept her word. The eight poems are plain, simple, colorful and short. Each poem, using no more than eight words per line, brings the characters to life.

Her first poem gives the life of Crispus Attucks, the first Negro to die in the Revolutionary War, She tells the story of a man who loved his country. She write, "I love the people, I shall fight for these people...And so he did and died for them too."

Harris also wrote of famous Negroes Phyllis Wheatley, Booker T. Washington, Benjamin Bannaker and Paul Laurence Dunbar.

Her poems continue on the life of educator and inventor George Washington Carver. Harris retraces his humble beginnings. Carver was born a slave and struggled through life, but always had a thirst for knowledge. He worked and saved enough money to attend Iowa State University. The young Carver was known throughout for his concern for children and education. Booker T. Washington, impressed with Carver asked him to come to Tuskeegee, "A great Negro college," quotes Washington. There he invented the many products from the peanut.

Harris closes her book with "Sammy;s Xmas" and " A Child." These poems are different from the others.

"Sammy's Xmas" depicts the life of a little boy who lives with his grandmother. In the evening, Sammy enjoys playing his harp and his grandmother sings "Steal Way Jesus." They are poor and with Christmas coming up, little Sammy doesn't have any gifts to give to classmates....But he parts with his prized possession, the harp. later a nice old man comes to their home to return the harp and to leave them presents of food, clothing and a brand new harp. The grandmother says, "Perhaps there are miracles after all."

In her final poem "A Child".the verses rhyme. If you are a child you can immediately identify with the words. If you're an adult, this takes you down memory lane...romping and playing, joy is everywhere...

There is a lot of joy in this little history book.