UNI’s African American literacy event serves 800 first-graders

UNI’s African American literacy event serves 800 first-graders

The University of Northern Iowa’s impact on education in the state is hard to overstate - UNI graduates more than 400 teachers a year, reaching nearly every school district in all 99 counties. 

But UNI also serves as a cultural hub and sometimes those two roles overlap.

That’s what’s happening this week when more than 800 first-graders from the Waterloo and Hudson school districts are expected to attend UNI’s African American Read-In on Thursday. This year’s event features an expanded slate of activities and a book for each student to take home. 

The read-in, which celebrates the literary works of African-American authors during Black History Month, is held annually in conjunction with UNI’s African American Children and Families Conference.

UNI students training to become teachers are actively involved in the read-in along with faculty, staff and members of the community. UNI’s read-in is part of the National African American Read-In, which engages more than 1 million readers annually.