Picture Book Biographies
Althea Gibson: the Story of Tennis' Fleet-Of-Foot Girl by "Tells the life story of Althea Gibson, the first black tennis player to win at Wimbledon, the French Open, and the U.S. Open" (OPAC).
Alvin Ailey by "Describes the life, dancing, and choreography of Alvin Ailey, who created his own modern dance company to explore the black experience" (OPAC).
Buzzing with Questions by "capture[s] the life of this scientist and educator, highlighting his unstoppable curiosity and his passion for insects and biology" (publisher).
Fancy Party Gowns by "A beautiful picture book about Ann Cole Lowe, a little-known African-American fashion designer who battled personal and social adversity in order to pursue her passion of making beautiful gowns and went on to become one of society's top designers" (OPAC).
Firebird by "American Ballet Theater soloist Misty Copeland encourages a young ballet student" (OPAC).
Harlem's Little Blackbird by “Illustrations and text relate the life story of Florence Mills, touching on her family history, and describing her accomplishments as a singer during the Harlem Renaissance” (OPAC).
Little Melba and Her Big Trombone by "A biography of African American musician Melba Doretta Liston, a virtuoso musician who played the trombone and composed and arranged music for many of the great jazz musicians of the twentieth century" (publisher).
Moses by "Follows Harriet Tubman's spiritual journey to freedom as she, leaving her family behind, escaped from slavery and helped many others break free from forced servitude via the Underground Railroad” (OPAC).
Radiant Child by “A biography of Jean-Michel Basquiat, an artist in New York City who rose to fame in the 1980s” (OPAC).
Respect by "Aretha Franklin was born to sing. The daughter of a pastor and a gospel singer, her musical talent was clear from her earliest days in her father's Detroit church" (publisher)
Schomburg: the Man Who Built a Library by "Amid the scholars, poets, authors, and artists of the Harlem Renaissance stood an Afro-Puerto Rican named Arturo Schomburg" (publisher).
The Secret Garden of George Washington Carver by "Tell[s] the . . . life and history of George Washington Carver, from a baby born into slavery to a celebrated botanist, scientist, and inventor" (publisher).
Shirley Opens a Door by "Biography of educator and politician Shirley Chisholm, who in 1968 was the first Black woman elected to Congress and in 1972 was the first Black candidate from a major political party (the Democratic party) to run for the United States presidency" (publisher).
Whoosh! by "A biography of Lonnie Johnson, an engineer at NASA who is best know for inventing the Super Soaker water gun" (OPAC).
Bottle Tops by "The life story of Ghanaian sculptor El Anatsui, a highly acclaimed African artist, whose tapestries made from repurposed bottle tops have been exhibited throughout the world" (from publisher).
Civil Rights Picture Books
The Case for Loving by "Shares the story of Mildred and Richard Loving, an interracial couple who, in 1958, struggled with marriage laws" (OPAC).
The First Step by "Looks at how in 1847, a young African American girl named Sarah Roberts made history with her case of Roberts versus the City of Boston to outlaw segregated schools" (OPAC).
The Highest Tribute: Thurgood Marshall's Life, Leadership, and Legacy by "Profiles the life and achievements of Supreme Court Justice and civil rights leader Thurgood Marshall" (OPAC).
Lillian's Right to Vote by "A 50th anniversary tribute to the Voting Rights Act of 1965 finds an elderly woman reflecting on her family's history, from the passage of the 15th Amendment through her participation in the protest march from Selma to Montgomery” (OPAC).
Lizzie Demands a Seat! by "One hundred years before Rosa Parks took her stand, Elizabeth 'Lizzie' Jennings tried to board a streetcar in New York City on her way to church. Though there were plenty of empty seats, she was denied entry...Her victory was the first recorded in the fight for equal rights on public transportation" (OCLC)
Martin and Mahalia: His Words, Her Song by "Describes how Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahalia Jackson shared a message of peace and hope in the civil rights movement" (OPAC).
My Country, 'Tis of Thee by "Traces the history of the song America, from its beginning in royalist Britain, continuing through conflicts in colonial times, the American Revolution, the suffragist and labor movements, and struggles for black and Native American civil rights" (OPAC).
Preaching to the Chickens by "Give[s] readers a...glimpse into the boyhood of Civil Rights leader John Lewis" (publisher).
Rosa by "Presents an illustrated account of Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955, and the subsequent bus boycott by the black community" (OPAC).
Sit-In by "A picture book that celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of the Greensboro, North Carolina, sit-in at the lunch counter at Woolworth's as a protest against segregation" (OPAC).
Someday Is Now by "Tells the . . . story of Clara Luper, a history teacher and civil rights activist who led one of the first lunch counter sit-ins in the United States" (publisher).
A Song for the Unsung by "Simple text and illustrations introduce young readers to Ramadan, discussing the holidy's history, popular traditions, and symbols such as the new moon and lanterns" (OPAC).
We Shall Overcome by "Traces the history of the inspiring anthem and explains how it has come to represents the right for equality and freedom around the world" (OPAC).
What Do You Do with a Voice Like That? by "Tells the story of lawyer, politician, and civil rights leader Barbara Jordan" (publisher).
The Youngest Marcher by "Tells the story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a nine-year-old civil rights activist, who marched and was jailed in order to rid Birmingham, Alabama of its segregation laws" (OPAC).
U.S. History
28 Days by "A picture book look at many of the men and women who revolutionized life for African Americans throughout history" (publisher).
The ABCs of Black History by "B is for Beautiful, Brave, and Bright! And for a book that takes a bold journey through the alphabet of Black history and culture" (publisher).
Black Is a Rainbow Color by "A child reflects on the meaning of being Black in this anthem about a people, a culture, a history, and a legacy that lives on" (publisher).
Heart and Soul by "Examines the history of the United States, focusing on events that influenced African-Americans and how they advanced liberty and justice in America" (OPAC).
Recognize! by "An anthology featuring over thirty Black authors and illustrators to honor Black life past, present, and future" (publisher).
Stamped (for Kids) by "Kids will discover where racist ideas came from, identify how they impact America today, and meet those who have fought racism with antiracism" (publisher).
This Is the Rope by "A rope passed down through the generations frames an African American family's story as they journey north during the time of the Great Migration" (OPAC).
Timelines from Black History by "Contains over thirty timelines on Black history" (OPAC).
The Undefeated by "an ode to black American triumph and tribulation" (publisher).
Unspeakable by "a powerful look at the 1921 Tulsa race massacre, one of the worst incidents of racial violence in United States history" (publisher).
We Are the Ship by "Kadir Nelson tells the story of Negro League baseball from its beginnings in the 1920s through the decline after Jackie Robinson crossed over to the majors in 1947" (OPAC).
What Color Is My World? by "While twins Ella and Herbie help the handyman Mr. Midal work on their new home, he tells them about such inventors as Granville Woods, Dr. Henry T. Sampson, and James West" (OPAC).
Your Legacy by "A proud, empowering introduction to African American history that celebrates and honors enslaved ancestors" (publisher).
Historical Fiction: Chapter Books
Becoming Muhammad Ali by "A biographical novel tells the story of Cassius Clay, the determined boy who would one day become Muhammad Ali, one of the greatest boxers of all time" (OCLC).
Bud, Not Buddy by "Ten-year-old Bud...escapes a bad foster home and sets out in search of the man he believes to be his father--the renowned bandleader, H.E. Calloway of Grand Rapids" (OPAC).
Celeste's Harlem Renaissance by "In 1921, thirteen-year-old Celeste leaves North Carolina to stay with her glamorous Aunt Valentina in Harlem, New York, where she discovers the vibrant Harlem Renaissance in full swing, even though her aunt's life is not exactly what she was led to believe" (OPAC).
Finding Langston by "Discovering a book of Langston Hughes' poetry in the library helps Langston cope with the loss of his mother, relocating from Alabama to Chicago as part of the Great Migration, and being bullied" (OPAC).
One Crazy Summer by "In the summer of 1968, after traveling from Brooklyn to Oakland, California, to spend a month with the mother they barely know, eleven-year-old Delphine and her two younger sisters arrive to a cold welcome as they discover that their mother, a dedicated poet and printer, is resentful of the intrusion of their visit and wants them to attend a nearby Black Panther summer camp" (OPAC).
The Parker Inheritance by "When Candice finds a letter in an old attic in Lambert, South Carolina, she isn't sure she should read it. It's addressed to her grandmother, who left the town in shame. But the letter describes a young woman. An injustice that happened decades ago. A mystery enfolding its writer. And the fortune that awaits the person who solves the puzzle" (publisher).
The Watsons Go to Birmingham--1963 by "The ordinary interactions and everyday routines of the Watsons, an African American family living in Flint, Michigan, are drastically changed after they go to visit Grandma in Alabama in the summer of 1963" (OPAC).
