#1000BlackGirlBooks Campaign Exceeds Goal

Last fall, Marley Dias, with help from her mother and two friends, set out to collect a thousand books with relatable, black female lead characters. They are planning on donating the books to area schools that both Marley and her mother have attended. In an interview with People, mother Janice Johnson Dias said, “This movement is obviously very personal to Marley, but it also highlights the need for diversity in literature.” So they started collecting books and held a book fair. As the momentum grew, so did Marley’s profile. She appeared on Fox29’s “Good Day Philadelphia” then landed a spot on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, where Ellen and photo-giant Shutterfly gifted her with a check for $10,000.