While browsing for family-friendly content on Amazon Prime, I stumbled across an animated adaptation of “The Snowy Day” by Ezra Jack Keats. As a child, I cherished sharing this delightful tale about Peter, a young boy clad in a vibrant red snowsuit, exploring the wonders of his first snowfall with my mother.
Now, Peter and his iconic outfit will be celebrated in a special series of four Forever stamps by the United States Postal Service (USPS). This collection will feature memorable illustrations from Keats’s masterpiece, available for purchase individually or in a booklet of 20.
For those unfamiliar, “The Snowy Day” is significant not only for its charming story but also because it was one of the first illustrated children’s books to feature a black protagonist. Born Jacob Ezra Katz to Polish Jewish immigrant parents, Keats was already an accomplished illustrator when he penned and illustrated “The Snowy Day,” his first solo project. He had long depicted children of color in the background of his works, but now, he brought them to the forefront. The character of Peter was inspired by a photograph of a young black boy that Keats had saved from a magazine.
Published in 1962 against the backdrop of the Civil Rights Movement, Keats’s choice to make Peter black was groundbreaking. At that time, positive representations of black individuals were scarce in mainstream culture. This book emerged just a year before Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech, during a period when many black children were witnessing disturbing images of racial violence on their screens. “The Snowy Day” provided a desperately needed narrative for children who felt marginalized by society.
Children are profoundly influenced by the images they see. Picture books serve as a vital medium, especially for young readers of color, who needed to see characters that resembled them. Keats’s work allowed black children to identify with Peter, fostering a sense of belonging. “There was a teacher who wrote to Ezra, saying, ‘The kids in my class, for the first time, are using brown crayons to draw themselves,’” recounted Clara Williams, director of the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation during an NPR interview. “These are African-American children. Before this, they drew themselves with pink crayons. But now, they can see themselves.” Peter continued to appear in subsequent Keats stories like “Whistles for Willie.”
It’s been 55 years since “The Snowy Day” made its debut, and while progress has been made, the fight for representation in publishing continues. Although there are more books featuring black characters now, the number of children’s books by and about authors of color remains insufficient.
As we honor this timeless work of literature, it’s clear that Peter and his red snowsuit have paved the way for future stories. The commemorative stamps will be available for purchase starting October 4, with pre-orders already open.
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In summary, the legacy of “The Snowy Day” continues to impact generations. The upcoming stamps commemorate a story that not only entertains but also promotes representation and inclusion in children’s literature.
Keyphrase: The Snowy Day stamp
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