SWS IDEA Working Group
The Undefeated
The Undefeated is a tribute to Black American heroes and regular folks who faced struggles, prejudice, and oppression and survived--as well those who didn't. This powerful book contains themes of Black Joy, excellence, perseverance, and courage.
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In this guide, you can find ways to help you more deeply engage with The Undefeated and its themes:
Access Code: UNDEFEATED
"We may encounter many defeats, but we must not be defeated. It may even be necessary to encounter the defeat, so that we can know who we are. So that we can see, oh, that happened, and I rose. I did get knocked down flat in front of the whole world, and I rose"
Reading Tips
Make reading a family affair by reading and talking about the book together as a family. Re-read or ask an older child to re-read to a younger child.
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Here are some terms to help talk about, and explain book themes, with your little ones:
A note about perserverance and resilience:
There is no doubt that bouncing back, or coming back stronger, from difficulties is a good trait for anyone to have. But resilience is not the absence of distress. We can talk about perseverance and resilience in a way that centers humanity and our connectedness. While we can honor the resilience of African Americans, who have uplifted the entire nation in a quest for liberation, we must also work to dismantle systems that cause some groups to face additional burdens.
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Our goal is to talk about resilience in a way, not meant to wash away how bad things are and have been, but to think about the story of joy that can be told in survival.
Discussion Questions
Books are a great way for grown-ups to open the door to meaningful conversations about big topics with our little ones. Below are some questions to open dialogue and deepen understanding about the themes in The Undefeated.
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Why do you think this book is called The Undefeated? What does it mean to be undefeated?
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Have you ever felt defeated? What did you do to move forward and rise?
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Which person featured in the book do you find most inspiring? Why?
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In the afterword, author Kwame Alexander says “to truly know who we are as a country, we have to accept and embrace all of our woes and wonders.” What does this mean? How does this book help us do that?
In the Creators' Words
“I think the visual mantra that I used for this book was the - all of the figures emerging from the shadows. So you'll see it begins with Jesse Owens literally jumping out of the darkness into the light…So by the time we get toward the middle and end of the book, those shadows have disappeared, and the brilliance and excellence of the subjects have completely emerged into the bright light.”
Kadir Nelson, Illustrator of The Undefeated
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Pause: How does this visual imagery, and the figures moving more into the light as the book (and history) progresses, fit into the themes of the book? What do you think Kadir Nelson is trying to show?
Dig Deeper
The Undefeated is a love letter to Black America and to the passion and perserverance of some of the world's greatest artists, athletes, and activists. You may have heard of some of them or some may be new names to you. Below, we've included some of the people who were referenced, pictured, or named, and some ways to learn more about them.
One link could never do their lives or contributions justice. We also encourage you to explore some of the many rich resources available in DC to engage further. We are including a printable "scavenger hunt". Can you find these names in museums and libraries?
Olympic Gold Medalist
Professional Basketball Player
Boxer, Activist, "The Greatest"
Tennis Player and Golfer
Civil Rights Leader
Journalist, Civil Rights Leader
Writer, Antropologist
Congressman, Activist
More Black Joy Book Recommendations
It Jes Happened: When Bill Traylor Started to Draw
By Don Tate
Bill Traylor grew up as an enslaved boy and a sharecropper on an Alabama cotton farm. As an old man he transformed those memories into art. This book is a tribute to a man who is considered to be one of the most important self-taught American folk artists.
A Note About Black Joy
Black Joy is a form of active resistance in the face of oppression, a refusal to be defeated. It is an important part of recognizing and celebrating the full breadth of the Black experience, rather than focusing solely on trauma and suffering. It is an affirmation of humanity, of empowerment and self-determination. It is a critical practice for survival. It is a source of respite amidst ongoing struggle. It is a mode of claiming and enacting the rightful state of the world, a world where joy lives at the center of all human experience.
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This February and March at SWS, we are celebrating Black Joy in our classrooms through art, music, projects, and books. Part of this celebration includes expanding our learning and honoring lesser known, living members of the Black Diaspora. These are people whose contributions enrich our culture and make the world better. We hope you will also bring this spirit and learning into your homes and conversations with your children.
"Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us;
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun,
Let us march on till victory is won."