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As parents packed into the auditorium at Arrowhead Elementary School in Upper Marlboro to support their children as they performed in a Black History Month show Feb. 25, a group of local authors set up displays of their motivational books and hoped to get support of a different kind.

It was the first event for the "Black Authors Tour," a group of 10 black children's books authors who are trying to stay afloat during tough economic times – with the central mission of inspiring children to read, write and believe in themselves.

"I think [the goal] of everybody here is to get the books into the hands of the kids," said Lori Nelson, a writer who runs Mitchellville-based Nelson Publishing, an independent company. "You want them to walk away with a sense of, ‘I can do this.'"

Nelson said members of the Black Authors Tour met over the years at book signings and other events. Small, independent authors and publishing companies that have always had trouble getting by are struggling even more as online books and a sagging economy push down sales, she said.

The authors said they hoped parents would buy some of their books before the show and want Arrowhead to purchase their books for the school's library. The authors, whom Nelson organized, will donate 25 percent of their profits to the school, Nelson said.

Most of the books on display were meant to improve black children's self-image, something parents said they appreciated.

"I like to support the authors, and it's good for the children," said Dora Ward, a District Heights resident who browsed books before the show, adding the books give children a chance "to learn about their culture, to meet the authors and to get to know who they are."

Ann Marie Williams, an illustrator from Fairfax County, was showing off her latest books, "Nappy," the story of a black girl's struggles with both her hair and American society, and "I Am Barack Obama."

A page in the book shows Obama as a boy walking with his mother, and a passage reads, "Who will change the world, my child? It's you – Oh yes, it's you!"

Alice Feaster, Arrowhead's parent liaison who organized the event, said the authors' visit was about much more than business.

"We're really interested in getting our kids to read," she said. "We do have black authors, kids don't know that… [Tonight] they get to see the person who wrote the book."

In the auditorium, the children were putting on their best performances. A group of first-graders sang Michael Jackson's "We Are the World," and other students sang "Hero" by Mariah Carey or read poetry by Maya Angelou. Another group performed a play called "Star of God Child Development Company," which was written by a parent and the performers.

During that performance, second-grader Daniel Dixon-Wirt of Upper Marlboro suddenly stopped talking.

"What's wrong?" asked Donald Bloom, a third-grader from Upper Marlboro, from the script.

"I can't remember my line," Daniel confessed.

"Of course you can!" Donald said. "You just have to believe!"