Underground Books: Home
Taunya Wright and Michael Wright
Discussion and Book Signing
Join us for a joint book discussion and signing event with husband and wife authors.
Taunya Wright
“Lemonade”
Michael Wright
“Deception and Distractions”
Saturday, January 12 from 2 – 3:30 pm
Kimberly Biddle’s “LaDonna Plays Hoops”
Discussion and Book Signing
This is an inspirational and contemporary story of a young, African-American girl who goes to visit her grandma for a family reunion. While there, she tries to become the family hoops star. She wonders if she has the skill and the will. The story presents subtle, everyday events that teach life lessons.
Underground Books Book Club
"Second Time Sweeter" by Beverly Jenkins
Underground Books
Join us as we discuss Walter Beverly Jenkins recent book release “Second Time Sweeter”
All are welcome!
Art Talk with local artist Frank Blackwell
"From Tuskegee to Africa"
“From Tuskegee to Africa”
A Fine Art Exhibit by local artist Frank Blackwell
At the age of Frank Blackwell began his fascination with airplanes; at the age of 12 after winning an art contest he enrolled in the Minnesota Art Institute correspondence course and after High School he studied art at the Pittsburgh Art Institute in fashion design and commercial art.
Sweet Home Cafe
A Celebration of African American Cooking
A celebration of African American cooking with 109 recipes from the National Museum of African American History and Culture’s Sweet Home Café
For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Politics
by Donna Brazile, Yolana Caraway, Leah Daughtry and Minyon Moore
The four most powerful African-American women in politics share the story of their friendship and how it has changed politics in America.
Last Stop on Market Street
by Matt de la Peña (Author), Christian Robinson (Illustrator)
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
Winner of the 2016 Newbery Medal
A 2016 Caldecott Honor Book
A 2016 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book
A New York Times Book Review Notable Children’s Book of 2015
A Wall Street Journal Best Children’s Book of 2015
Carmela Full of Wishes
by Matt de la Peña (Author), Christian Robinson (Illustrator)
An Instant New York Times Bestseller!
In their first collaboration since the Newbery Medal- and Caldecott Honor-winning Last Stop on Market Street, Matt de la Peña and Christian Robinson deliver a poignant and timely new picture book that’s sure to be an instant classic.
Under Fire
by April Ryan
Veteran White House reporter April Ryan thought she had seen everything in her two decades as a White House correspondent. And then came the Trump administration.
In Under Fire, Ryan takes us inside the confusion and chaos of the Trump White House to understand how she and other reporters adjusted to the new normal. She takes us inside the policy debates, the revolving door of personnel appointments, and what it is like when she, as a reporter asking difficult questions, finds herself in the spotlight, becoming part of the story.
An American Marriage
By Tayari Jones
THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!
OPRAH’S BOOK CLUB 2018 SELECTION
LONGLISTED FOR THE 2018 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FOR FICTION
“A moving portrayal of the effects of a wrongful conviction on a young African-American couple.” —Barack Obama
“Haunting . . . Beautifully written.” —The New York Times Book Review
“Brilliant and heartbreaking . . . Unforgettable.” —USA Today
“A tense and timely love story . . . Packed with brave questions about race and class.” —People
The Sun Does Shine
By Anthony Ray Hinton
The Instant New York Times Bestseller
A powerful, revealing story of hope, love, justice, and the power of reading by a man who spent thirty years on death row for a crime he didn’t commit.
“An amazing and heartwarming story, it restores our faith in the inherent goodness of humanity.”
- Archbishop Desmond Tutu
My Love Story
By Tina Turner
Tina Turner—the long-reigning queen of rock & roll and living legend—sets the record straight about her illustrious career and complicated personal life in this eye-opening and compelling memoir.
From her early years in Nutbush, Tennessee to her rise to fame alongside Ike Turner to her phenomenal success in the 1980s and beyond, Tina candidly examines her personal history, from her darkest hours to her happiest moments and everything in between.
Born a Crime
By Trevor Noah
Trevor Noah’s unlikely path from apartheid South Africa to the desk of The Daily Show began with a criminal act: his birth. Trevor was born to a white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother at a time when such a union was punishable by five years in prison. Living proof of his parents’ indiscretion, Trevor was kept mostly indoors for the earliest years of his life, bound by the extreme and often absurd measures his mother took to hide him from a government that could, at any moment, steal him away.
Barracoon: The Story of the Last Black Cargo”
By Zora Neale Hurston
A major literary event: a never-before-published work from the author of the American classic, Their Eyes Were Watching God which brilliantly illuminates the horror and injustices of slavery as it tells the true story of the last known survivor of the Atlantic slave trade — illegally smuggled from Africa on the last ”Black Cargo” ship to arrive in the United States. In 1927, Zora Neale Hurston went to Plateau, Alabama, to interview ninety-five-year-old Cudjo Lewis.
The Hate U Give
Angie Thomas
Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.
John Woman
By Walter Mosley
A convention-defying novel by bestselling writer Walter Mosley, John Woman recounts the transformation of an unassuming boy named Cornelius Jones into John Woman, an unconventional history professor―while the legacy of a hideous crime lurks in the shadows.
“Shade” A Tale of Two Presidents
By Pete Souza
From Pete Souza, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Obama: An Intimate Portrait, comes a powerful tribute to a bygone era of integrity in politics.
As Chief Official White House Photographer, Pete Souza spent more time alongside President Barack Obama than almost anyone else. His years photographing the President gave him an intimate behind-the-scenes view of the unique gravity of the Office of the Presidency—and the tremendous responsibility that comes with it.
Becoming
Michelle Obama
Becoming is the autobiographical memoir of former United States First Lady Michelle Obama published in 2018. Described by the author as a deeply personal experience, the book talks about her roots and how she found her voice, as well as her time in the White House, her public health campaign, and her role as a mother.
Behold the Dreamers: A Novel
By Imbolo Mbue
A compulsively readable debut novel about marriage, immigration, class, race, and the trapdoors in the American Dream—the unforgettable story of a young Cameroonian couple making a new life in New York just as the Great Recession upends the economy
New York Times Bestseller • Winner of the PEN/Faulkner Award • Longlisted for the PEN/Open Book Award • An ALA Notable Book
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY
Ira Crumb Makes a Pretty Good Friend
By Naseem Hrab
Meet Ira Crumb. He’s the new kid in town. He knows what that means: when the new school year starts, he’ll play alone at recess, eat alone at lunch, and walk home alone at the end of the day. So Ira launches a whole-hearted campaign to befriend neighborhood kids before the first day. But his best-laid plans ― A sandwich stand! A dance-off! ― fall flat, and playing it cool doesn’t seem to work either.
The Last Black Unicorn
By Tiffany Haddish
From stand-up comedian, actress, and breakout star of Girls Trip, Tiffany Haddish, comes The Last Black Unicorn, a sidesplitting, hysterical, edgy, and unflinching collection of (extremely) personal essays, as fearless as the author herself. Growing up in one of the poorest neighborhoods of South Central Los Angeles, Tiffany learned to survive by making people laugh. If she could do that, then her classmates would let her copy their homework, the other foster kids she lived with wouldn’t beat her up, and she might even get a boyfriend.
The Nutcracker in Harlem
By T.E. McMorrow and James Ransome
This jazz-inspired reinvention of The Nutcracker is a worthy tribute to the dreamlike wonder and magic of the Christmas season.
In this original retelling, set in New York City during the height of the Harlem Renaissance, one little girl finds her voice as a musician thanks to her enchanting adventures with a magical toy.
We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy
By Ta-Nehisi Coates
In these “urgently relevant essays,”* the National Book Award–winning author of Between the World and Me “reflects on race, Barack Obama’s presidency and its jarring aftermath”*—including the election of Donald Trump.
Defining Moments in Black History / Reading Between The Lies
By Dick Gregory
With his trademark acerbic wit, incisive humor, and infectious paranoia, one of our foremost comedians and most politically engaged civil rights activists looks back at 100 key events from the complicated history of black America.
Dance Education: Training the Whole Student
By Shawna Smith, 9th Grade Dance Instructor
Dance is not just a physical art form, it is also an academic exercise and confidence booster. How, you might ask? First, scholars must understand the science and application of the mind and body. Then, they must learn about mathematical structures of angles, counting music, shaping formations and how to travel through space and time to create transitions. Finally, they must comprehend the historical meaning behind the movements, understand sentence structure to create a story with non verbal language, and above all the importance of instilling confidence.
Meeting of the Minds
The 12th Meeting of the Minds Annual Summit convened this year in Sacramento with the purpose of spotlighting tools and best practices. Leaders from around the nation were brought together at this event held downtown and St. HOPE was fortunate enough to have been chosen to lead a workshop tour of Oak Park alongside Sacramento City Council Member, Jay Schenirer.
9th Grade Scholars Build Strong Community
9th Grade Academy scholars had the opportunity to participate in team building at UC Davis this quarter! Our scholars competed in various competitions in their advisory classes in order to strengthen their teamwork and build community, all with the ultimate goal of claiming the Dragon Cup! Our scholars had so much fun participating in team building activities on the UC Davis quad. We ended our team building activity with a picnic.
Walkin 4 A Cause
For the second year in a row, a group of Sac High students and staff participated in the annual Walk 4 Literacy event sponsored by the Sacramento Library Authority. The 3-mile walk, which begins at McClatchy Park in Oak Park, meanders through different neighborhoods, past the State Capitol and ends with a festival at Cesar Chavez Plaza across from City Hall.
Giving Thanks in Oak Pak
On the Monday before Thanksgiving, several St. HOPE teachers, staff, students and parents joined countless volunteers at the Sacramento Food Bank to help distribute turkeys and all the fixings to those in need. Thousands of people lined the streets of Oak Park to be one of many to receive the donation given in a nifty Sacramento Food Bank bag.
Preparing St. HOPE Scholars to Succeed in College
We are committed to ensuring all of our scholars receive a strong foundation so they are prepared to attend, succeed in, and complete college. We believe in encouraging our young scholars to set their sights on college early, which is why we offer college field trips for every grade level, from K-12. These trips are a special time for our scholars to learn more about college and visualize themselves making it to and through college.
Lo-Lo’s Chicken and Waffles planned in Oak Park
Sacramento Business Journal - October 22, 2018
Lo-Lo’s Chicken and Waffles planned in Oak Park
By Ben van der Meer – Staff Writer, Sacramento Business Journal
Oct 22, 2018, 11:29am
Chicken and waffles are being planned for Sacramento’s Oak Park neighborhood, with an application before the city to add to a building at 3824 Third Ave. Here are some highlights from the application.
St. HOPE + NetSuite
By Ton Saliew, Technology Program Manager
At St. HOPE, we are always looking to improve efficiencies and economies of scale. A few things we considered when searching for a new finance system were agility, unity, and scalability. We needed a new finance system up and running fast, so NetSuite’s out-of-the-box, 60-day “SuiteSuccess” program offered the speed we sorely needed to hit the ground running. After years of using disparate systems and processes, NetSuite’s unified approach to finance operations centered our payroll, accounting, and finances in a way never realized previously.
Walter Mosley Visits Underground Books
Underground Books had the honor of hosting renowned and critically acclaimed author Walter Mosley at the 40 Acres Complex for an enchanting evening at the bookstore and a fireside chat at the Guild Theater.
Mr. Mosley, who authored “Devil in a Blue Dress,” visited Oak Park to share his newest novel, John Woman, and talk about his career, writing projects, and insight as a crime-fiction writer.
Annual Fundraiser Exceeds Expectations
The Annual St. HOPE Dinner, which took place on September 23 at the Downtown Hyatt Regency, began like so many others in years prior – a packed house eagerly anticipating a fun-filled evening. However, this year’s event left a long-lasting impression on the hundreds of guests who attended.
FUN-tastic Times at the Guild Theater!
Have you been to an event at the Guild recently?
Lately, the Guild Theater has been the place to be! The Guild Theater has provided so many events including movie nights, comedy shows, and even plays! Early this month, the Guild has hosted events such as: Anthropology of Dia de los Muertos lecture, Fireside Chat with Walter Mosley, Specialty Coffee Panel, Cinderella Scholarship Pageant, and of course a movie every Tuesday by Popcorn Culture!
Cookin’ it up with NASA!
Domina Stamas, Sac High Science Teacher
Over the past few years I have collaborated multiple times with NASA for many projects with our students as well as my own professional development.
I recently spoke with Johnson Space Center in Houston and we were given the green light to participate in the Astronaut Culinary Challenge.
Not only will we be the only school in California to participate this year, we will be the FIRST California school to participate in the program!!
Best-selling crime-fiction writer Walter Mosley to appear Friday in Sacramento
Sacramento Bee - October 9, 2018
October 09, 2018 03:00 AM
Former Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson will sit down with award-winning novelist Walter Mosley for what is billed as a fireside chat Friday evening at Oak Park’s Guild Theater.
Underground Books, the bookstore run by Johnson’s mother Georgia West, coordinated the event where Mosley is expected to discuss his latest book, “John Woman,” (Atlantic Monthly Press, $26, 320 pages) released Sept. 4. In an interview with the weekly Washington Informer newspaper, Mosley said he had been working on the novel for 15 years.
Underground Books Presents Walter Mosley!
Underground Books proudly presents renowned and critically acclaimed author Walter Mosley next Friday, October 12 at the Guild Theater and Underground Books. Join us for a fire chat discussion and book signing as Mr. Mosley shares his newest novel, John Woman.
First Impressions: My College Experience
By TaKayla Johnson, Sac High Class of 2018
I’ve always dreamed about going to an HBCU. I was unsure about my experience at a predominantly white institution. I currently attend California State University, Sacramento and I have loved my experience thus far. Coming from a predominantly black high school, Sacramento Charter High School, the diversity of Sac State’s campus was truly a culture shock, but the levels of love and unity helped me overcome my worries about attending a local university. Sac state is a great campus and I have learned the importance of my presence on this campus.
Staff Star: Mr. Antonio Sarabia
Here at St. HOPE we find it very rewarding to recognize the outstanding commitment from our staff, which more than often go above and beyond to give scholars an unforgettable learning experience. With amazing staff like Mr. Sarabia, Sac High’s Visual Arts and Communications teacher, there’s no wonder why we have such amazing scholars.
This month we had the privilege of sitting down with veteran HOPEster, Mr. Sarabia, to hear a little about his story. Here’s what we captured:
Q: How long have you been here? How did you hear about St. HOPE?
St. HOPE Welcomes SETA!
In 2007, the St. HOPE-operated preschool, Triumph Center for Early Childhood Education, opened its doors offering a high-quality early childhood education program for young children in the Oak Park neighborhood. For nearly 10 years, Triumph actively served hundreds of families throughout the community and surrounding areas, creating a learning environment inclusive for all.
In June 2017, Triumph made the difficult decision to close its doors with the hope that through continued conversation, future opportunities would emerge.
St. HOPE Annual Employee Wellness Fair
Walking into the dimmed library, staff were greeted with the aroma of fresh fruit and the beat of exhilarating music. In one corner of the room, folks were sharing the benefits of meditation, in another, a barre demonstration was just starting. Samples of detoxifying juices and sunflower butters were passed around while staff worked on a community brainstorming project. This is the St. HOPE Annual Wellness Fair, an event designed for all St.
The Student Store is ONLINE!
Buying school uniforms just became easier with a click of a button! All St. HOPE Public School polos and jackets can now be purchased through our online store! We know how difficult it can be to come into the store to buy all of your scholar’s items so now you can go online, select the items you want, purchase them with your credit card and then pick them up at the store.
Free Meals for St. HOPE Scholars
This school year we will begin serving free meals to our students for breakfast and lunch. We are excited to be given the opportunity to provide our students cost-free meals under the USDA Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). The CEP, launched under the Healthy, Hunger-free Act, is a four-year program that serves free meals to the nation’s highest poverty schools and operates through federal and state funds. This is the first year we have qualified for the CEP program.