NEA’s Read Across America and Little Free Library Partner to Celebrate 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop

Washington, D.C.—NEA’s Read Across America and Little Free Library (LFL) announced today a partnership to celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop called Let’s Rap About Reading. The partnership aims to raise awareness about the importance and joy of reading, as well as to celebrate hip-hop’s impact on culture and communities not only in the U.S. but also across the world. Rap icon Slick Rick and alternative hip hop pioneer De La Soul are the first two collaborators announced by NEA’s Read Across America and Little Free Library.

“Every student in America, no matter their ZIP code or skin color, deserves a great public education that inspires in them a love of reading and prepares them for success in our diverse and interdependent world,” said NEA President Becky Pringle. “NEA’s Read Across America is just the right program to continue to create and celebrate a nation of diverse readers. Like books, hip-hop opens windows to different lived experiences, transcends geographical boundaries and is a universal language that resonates with diverse audiences across the globe. Students need access to the books they want to read—and the freedom to make their own choices. Creating opportunities for students to read and talk about books through partnerships with organizations like Little Free Library and with icons such as Slick Rick and De La Soul goes a long way towards inspiring readers and expanding book access.”

The focus of the partnership is to create new Little Free Library book-sharing boxes in cities across the country, featuring iconic and historical books about the art of rap and hip-hop. In the coming days, Slick Rick and De La Soul will release public service announcements instilling the value of and the connection between the spoken word and books. And other prominent icons will join the growing chorus of voices rapping about reading! Stay tuned!

With an estimated 45 million people participating, NEA’s Read Across America is the biggest reading celebration in the country. Connecting with a book is a powerful moment. Reading helps students explore new possibilities, discover new passions, and deepen their understanding of themselves and their communities. Yet, the act of reading, which allows students to gaze into mirrors and see themselves, is under attack by some politicians and their extreme allies. They are banning books about Martin Luther King, Jr., the Trail of Tears, and the beloved Langston Hughes poem “I, Too.”

That is why this partnership with Little Free Library to celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop makes common sense. Since its inception, hip-hop has been a force for social change. It has provided a platform for artists to address issues like racism, inequality, and systemic injustice. From Public Enemy's politically charged lyrics to Kendrick Lamar's introspective storytelling, hip-hop has been a powerful tool for advocacy and activism.

“With book access at the heart of Little Free Library’s mission, we are proud to work alongside the NEA, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop,” said LFL Executive Director Greig Metzger. “Little Free Library believes that everyone should be able to find a personally relevant book, no matter where they live, who their parents are, or who they love. Book bans are not only an anathema to Little Free Library's beliefs, but we have seen how these bans silence authors with diverse viewpoints. Book bans eliminate the freedom for readers to see themselves in the books they read.”

NEA and Little Free Library most recently collaborated to grant 500 Little Free Library book-sharing boxes to educators to increase access to books in their communities. Three hundred of the libraries were built and distributed at the NEA’s Annual Meeting and Representative Assembly in Orlando during the summer of 2023 and the remainder were placed across Florida and beyond. At their 2023 Convention and Representative Assembly, members of the Maryland State Education Association created 24 Little Free Library book-sharing boxes. The libraries were built and decorated by delegates from each county in Maryland and went home with a representative from each chapter. And in Connecticut, in honor of Read Across Connecticut, the Connecticut Education Foundation is offering 20 Little Free Library kits and books to school districts that apply.

About Little Free Library

Little Free Library® (LFL) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that builds community, inspires readers and expands book access for all through a global network of volunteer-led Little Free Library book-sharing boxes. There are more than 180,000 registered Little Free Libraries worldwide in all 50 states, in 121 countries and on all seven continents. Through them, over 400 million books have been shared since 2009. LFL received the 2020 World Literacy Award as well as honors from the Library of Congress, National Book Foundation and others. The organization grants Little Free Libraries full of books to underserved areas through its Impact Library and Indigenous Library programs and champions diverse books through its Read in Color initiative. To learn more, visit LittleFreeLibrary.org.

About NEA’s Read Across America

Launched in 1998 by the National Education Association and guided by a committee of educators, NEA’s Read Across America is the nation’s largest celebration of reading. This year-round program focuses on motivating children and teens to read via events, partnerships, and reading resources that are about everyone, for everyone.  The titles and resources featured by NEA’s Read Across America include books that students can see themselves reflected in, as well as books that allow readers to see a world or a character that might be different than them.

About Victory Patch Foundation

Co-Founded in 2020 by GRAMMY® Award-nominated hip-hop icon Slick Rick and longtime manager and wife, Mandy Aragones, the Victory Patch Foundation uplifts underserved and overlooked communities through making active positive outreach, administering social programs, and unlocking access to resources. Pushing for equality in the face of injustice, the non-profit 501(c)3 organization enables those who need it most, amplifying the voices of individuals of all ages often overlooked. The Victory Patch Foundation leads with love. It doesn’t just encourage victory; it places victory within reach.

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