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BLACK HISTORY MONTH READING LIST FOR KIDS
28 BLACK HISTORY BOOKS BY BLACK AUTHORS
Brooklyn Children’s Museum (BCM) works to ensure that all children have access to cultural learning opportunities that build empathy, encourage creative thought and problem solving, and inspire global citizenship. We believe in the power of culture to help children and families find comfort, resilience and stimulation. We are releasing a series of booklists curated by The Conscious Kid National Children’s Social Justice Library, an organization that promotes multicultural literacy, anti-bias and empowerment through access to diverse children’s books. All books featured in this reading list support our commitment to cultural learning and will be available to read at BCM throughout Black History Month.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum • brooklynkids.org • The Conscious Kid Library • theconsciouskid.org
LET IT SHINE: STORIES OF BLACK WOMEN FREEDOM FIGHTERS Andrea Davis Pinkney, Illustrated by Stephen Alcorn Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus and sparked a boycott that changed America. Harriet Tubman helped more than three hundred slaves escape the South on the Underground Railroad. Shirley Chisholm became the first black woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. The lives these women led are part of an incredible story about courage in the face of oppression; about the challenges and triumphs of the battle for civil rights; and about speaking out for what you believe in—even when it feels like no one is listening. Andrea Davis Pinkney's moving text and Stephen Alcorn's glorious portraits celebrate the lives of ten bold women who lit the path to freedom for generations. Includes biographies of Sojournor Truth, Biddy Mason, Harriet Tubman, Ida B.Wells-Barnett, Mary McLeod Bethune, Ella Josephine Baker, Dorothy Irene Height, Rosa Parks, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Shirley Chisholm. Ages 6-9.
HAND IN HAND: TEN BLACK MEN WHO CHANGED AMERICA Andrea Davis Pinkney, Illustrated by Brian Pinkney Hand in Hand presents the stories of ten men from different eras in American history, organized chronologically to provide a scope from slavery to the modern day. The stories are accessible, fully-drawn narratives offering the subjects' childhood influences, the time and place in which they lived, their accomplishments and motivations, and the legacies they left for future generations as links in the "freedom chain." This book will be the definitive family volume on the subject, punctuated with dynamic full color portraits and spot illustrations by two-time Caldecott Honor winner and multiple Coretta Scott King Book Award recipient Brian Pinkney. Backmatter includes a civil rights timeline, sources, and further reading. Ages 9-12.
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VOICE OF FREEDOM: FANNIE LOU HAMER, SPIRIT OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT Carole Boston Weatherford, Illustrated by Ekua Holmes Despite fierce prejudice and abuse, even being beaten to within an inch of her life, Fannie Lou Hamer was a champion of civil rights from the 1950s until her death in 1977. Integral to the Freedom Summer of 1964, Ms. Hamer gave a speech at the Democratic National Convention that, despite President Johnson’s interference, aired on national TV news and spurred the nation to support the Freedom Democrats. Featuring vibrant mixed-media art full of intricate detail, Voice of Freedom celebrates Fannie Lou Hamer’s life and legacy with a message of hope, determination, and strength. Ages 9-12.
MOSES: WHEN HARRIET TUBMAN LED HER PEOPLE TO FREEDOM Carole Boston Weatherford, Illustrated by Kadir Nelson This poetic book is a resounding tribute to Tubman's strength, humility, and devotion. With proper reverence, Weatherford and Nelson do justice to the woman who, long ago, earned over and over the name Moses. Ages 5-8.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum • 145 Brooklyn Avenue, Brooklyn, NY • brooklynkids.org • (718) 735-4400
THE BOOK ITCH: FREEDOM, TRUTH & HARLEM’S GREATEST BOOKSTORE Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie In the 1930s, Lewis's dad, Lewis Michaux Sr., had an itch he needed to scratch: a book itch. How to scratch it? He started a bookstore in Harlem and named it the National Memorial African Bookstore. And as far as Lewis Michaux Jr. could tell, his father's bookstore was one of a kind. People from all over came to visit the store, including Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X. In his father's bookstore people bought and read books, and they also learned from each other. People swapped and traded ideas and talked about how things could change. They all came together here because of his father's book itch. Read the story of how Lewis Michaux Sr. and his bookstore fostered new ideas and helped people stand up for what they believed in. Ages 7-10.
BLUES JOURNEY Walter Dean Myers, Illustrated by Christopher Myers The opening verse of this latest father/son collaboration probes the very essence of a form—and a feeling; it asks the question that anyone who has sought solace in music can relate to. The pair's first composition wandered through a Harlem collage, depicting "a call, a song, the mood indigo, a language of darkness." This new duet is the blues: verbally and visually, it explores the idiom while exemplifying it. A call and response accompanies each painting. As the journey progresses, the lyrics and art look at loss through the lenses of slavery, poverty, lynching, love spurned, fear of dying and of living. An author's note provides a lucid description of the history, elements, and importance of the blues. Ages 10-13.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum • 145 Brooklyn Avenue, Brooklyn, NY • brooklynkids.org • (718) 735-4400
BEFORE JOHN WAS A JAZZ GIANT: A SONG OF JOHN COLTRANE Carole Boston Weatherford, Illustrated by Sean Qualls Young John Coltrane was all ears. And there was a lot to hear growing up in the South in the 1930s: preachers praying, music on the radio, the bustling of the household. These vivid noises shaped John's own sound as a musician. Carole Boston Weatherford and Sean Qualls have composed an amazingly rich hymn to the childhood of jazz legend John Coltrane. Before John Was a Jazz Giant is a 2009 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book and a 2009 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year. Ages 5-9.
I SEE THE RHYTHM Toyomi Igus, Illustrated by Michele Wood This award-winning picture book invites children along to dance to the rhythm of swing at the Savoy in Harlem, to rejoice to the rhythm of gospel from a church pew on a Sunday morning, and more. Each stunning spread—including art, poetic text, a description of the music style, and a timeline of selected historical events—encompasses the spirit of the times and the strength of the communities where the music was born. Toyomi Igus's lyrical text, matched with artist Michele Wood's daring vision, captures the feel of each style of music and pays tribute to the musicians who gave the music life. Ages 6-13.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum • 145 Brooklyn Avenue, Brooklyn, NY • brooklynkids.org • (718) 735-4400
WE ARE THE SHIP: THE STORY OF NEGRO LEAGUE BASEBALL Kadir Nelson, Paintings by Kadir Nelson The story of Negro League baseball is the story of gifted athletes and determined owners; of racial discrimination and international sportsmanship; of fortunes won and lost; of triumphs and defeats on and off the field. It is a perfect mirror for the social and political history of black America in the first half of the twentieth century. But most of all, the story of the Negro Leagues is about hundreds of unsung heroes who overcame segregation, hatred, terrible conditions, and low pay to do the one thing they loved more than anything else in the world: play ball. Ages 8-12.
HER STORIES: AFRICAN AMERICAN FOLKTALES, FAIRY TALES, AND TRUE TALES Virginia Hamilton, Illustrated by Leo & Diane Dillon Dedicated to our mothers and grandmothers, aunts and great-aunts, Her Stories is a spirited celebration of our strength, our dreams, and the precious gift of life and love from generation to generation. Gracefully told by Newbery Medalist Virginia Hamilton, the nineteen stories in this book focus on the magical lore and wondrous imaginings of African American women. Vibrant paintings by Caldecott Medalists Leo and Diane Dillon glow with the drama and mystery of each tale while reflecting the warmth and beauty of the people who first told them. Her Stories broadens our understanding of ourselves as well as others—our joys, fears, and wishes as individuals and as a community. Together, stories, illustrations, and the author’s notes combine to create a remarkable book that honors our heritage while giving us hope and inspiration for the future. Ages 4+.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum • 145 Brooklyn Avenue, Brooklyn, NY • brooklynkids.org • (718) 735-4400
HARLEM’S LITTLE BLACKBIRD: THE STORY OF FLORENCE MILLS Renee Watson, Illustrated by Christian Robinson From Caldecott Honor winner Christian Robinson and acclaimed author Renee Watson, comes the inspiring true story of Florence Mills. Born to parents who were both former slaves, Florence Mills knew at an early age that she loved to sing, and that her sweet, bird-like voice, resonated with those who heard her. Performing catapulted her all the way to the stages of 1920s Broadway where she inspired everyone from songwriters to playwrights. Yet with all her success, she knew firsthand how prejudice shaped her world and the world of those around her. As a result, Florence chose to support and promote works by her fellow black performers while heralding a call for their civil rights. Featuring a moving text and colorful illustrations, Harlem's Little Blackbird is a timeless story about justice, equality, and the importance of following one's heart and dreams. Ages 3-7.
ROSA Nikki Giovanni, Illustrated by Bryan Collier Fifty years after her refusal to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama, city bus, Mrs. Rosa Parks is still one of the most important figures in the American civil rights movement. This tribute to Mrs. Parks is a celebration of her courageous action and the events that followed. Award-winning poet, writer, and activist Nikki Giovanni's evocative text combines with Bryan Collier's striking cut-paper images to retell the story of this historic event from a wholly unique and original perspective. Ages 4-8.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum • 145 Brooklyn Avenue, Brooklyn, NY • brooklynkids.org • (718) 735-4400
MALCOLM LITTLE: THE BOY WHO GREW UP TO BECOME MALCOLM X Ilyasah Shabazz, Illustrated by AG Ford Malcolm X grew to be one of America’s most influential figures. But first, he was a boy named Malcolm Little. Written by his daughter, this inspiring picture book biography celebrates a vision of freedom and justice. Bolstered by the love and wisdom of his large, warm family, young Malcolm Little was a natural born leader. But when confronted with intolerance and a series of tragedies, Malcolm’s optimism and faith were threatened. He had to learn how to be strong and how to hold on to his individuality. He had to learn self-reliance. Together with acclaimed illustrator AG Ford, Ilyasah Shabazz gives us a unique glimpse into the childhood of her father, Malcolm X, with a lyrical story that carries a message that resonates still today—that we must all strive to live to our highest potential. Ages 6-10.
12 ROUNDS TO GLORY: THE STORY OF MUHAMMAD ALI Charles R. Smith, Illustrated by Bryan Collier From the moment a fired-up teenager won 1960 Olympic gold to the day when a retired legend, hands shaking from Parkinson’s, returned to raise the Olympic torch, the boxer known as "The Greatest" waged many a fight. Some were in the ring, against opponents like Sonny Liston and Joe Frazier; others were against societal prejudice and a war he refused to support because of his Islamic faith. The rap-inspired verse weaves and bobs and jabs, while bold collage artwork matches every move—capturing the "Louisville loudmouth with the great gift of rhyme" who shed the name Cassius Clay to take on the world as Muhammad Ali. Ages 10+.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum • 145 Brooklyn Avenue, Brooklyn, NY • brooklynkids.org • (718) 735-4400
ALL DIFFERENT NOW: JUNETEENTH, THE FIRST DAY OF FREEDOM Angela Johnson, Illustrated by E.B. Lewis Experience the joy of Juneteenth in this celebration of freedom from the award-winning team of Angela Johnson and E.B. Lewis. Through the eyes of one little girl, All Different Now tells the story of the first Juneteenth, the day freedom finally came to the last of the slaves in the South. Since then, the observance of June 19 as African American Emancipation Day has spread across the United States and beyond. This stunning picture book includes notes from the author and illustrator, a timeline of important dates, and a glossary of relevant terms. Told in Angela Johnson’s signature melodic style and brought to life by E.B. Lewis’s striking paintings, All Different Now is a joyous portrait of the dawn breaking on the darkest time in our nation’s history. Ages 5-9.
SUGAR HILL: HARLEM’S HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD Carole Boston Weatherford, Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie Take a walk through Harlem's Sugar Hill and meet all the amazing people who made this neighborhood legendary. With upbeat rhyming, read-aloud text, Sugar Hill celebrates the Harlem neighborhood that successful African Americans first called home during the 1920s. Children raised in Sugar Hill not only looked up to these achievers but also experienced art and culture at home, at church, and in the community. Books, music lessons, and art classes expanded their horizons beyond the narrow limits of segregation. Includes brief biographies of jazz greats Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Sonny Rollins, and Miles Davis; artists Aaron Douglas and Faith Ringgold; entertainers Lena Horne and the Nicholas Brothers; writer Zora Neale Hurston; civil rights leader W. E. B. DuBois and lawyer Thurgood Marshall. Ages 5-8.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum • 145 Brooklyn Avenue, Brooklyn, NY • brooklynkids.org • (718) 735-4400
LEONTYNE PRICE: VOICE OF A CENTURY Carole Boston Weatherford, Illustrated by Raul Colón A stunning picture-book biography of iconic African American opera star Leontyne Price. Born in a small town in Mississippi in 1927, Leontyne Price might have grown up singing the blues. But Leontyne had big dreams—and plenty to be thankful for—as she surrounded herself with church hymns and hallelujahs, soaked up opera arias on the radio, and watched the great Marian Anderson grace the stage. While racism made it unlikely that a poor black girl from the South would pursue an opera career, Leontyne’s wondrous voice and unconquerable spirit prevailed. Bursting through the door Marian had cracked open, Leontyne was soon recognized and celebrated for her leading roles at the Metropolitan Opera and around the world—most notably as the majestic Ethiopian princess in Aida, the part she felt she was born to sing. From award-winners Carole Boston Weatherford and Raul Colón comes the story of a little girl from Mississippi who became a beloved star—one whose song soared on the breath of her ancestors and paved the way for those who followed. Ages 5-9.
FIREBIRD: BALLERINA MISTY COPELAND SHOWS A YOUNG GIRL HOW TO DANCE LIKE THE FIREBIRD Misty Copeland, Illustrated by Christopher Myers In her debut picture book, Misty Copeland tells the story of a young girl—an every girl—whose confidence is fragile and who is questioning her own ability to reach the heights that Misty has reached. Misty encourages this young girl's faith in herself and shows her exactly how, through hard work and dedication, she too can become Firebird. Lyrical and affecting text paired with bold, striking illustrations that are some of Caldecott Honoree Christopher Myers's best work, makes Firebird perfect for aspiring ballerinas everywhere. Ages 5-8.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum • 145 Brooklyn Avenue, Brooklyn, NY • brooklynkids.org • (718) 735-4400
HEART AND SOUL: THE STORY OF AMERICA AND AFRICAN AMERICANS Kadir Nelson, Paintings by Kadir Nelson The story of America and African Americans is a story of hope and inspiration and unwavering courage. This is the story of the men, women, and children who toiled in the hot sun picking cotton for their masters; it's about the America ripped in two by Jim Crow laws; it's about the brothers and sisters of all colors who rallied against those who would dare bar a child from an education. It's a story of discrimination and broken promises, determination, and triumphs. Told through the unique point of view and intimate voice of a one-hundred-year-old African-American female narrator, this inspiring book demonstrates that in gaining their freedom and equal rights, African Americans helped our country achieve its promise of liberty and justice—the true heart and soul of our nation. Ages 6-10.
FIFTY CENTS AND A DREAM: YOUNG BOOKER T. WASHINGTON Jabari Asim, Paintings by Bryan Collier Born into slavery, young Booker T. Washington could only dream of learning to read and write. After emancipation, Booker began a five-hundred-mile journey, mostly on foot, to Hampton Institute, taking his first of many steps towards a college degree. When he arrived, he had just fifty cents in his pocket and a dream about to come true. The young slave who once waited outside of the schoolhouse would one day become a legendary educator of freedmen. Award-winning artist Bryan Collier captures the hardship and the spirit of one of the most inspiring figures in American history, bringing to life Booker T. Washington's journey to learn, to read, and to realize a dream. Ages 5-8.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum • 145 Brooklyn Avenue, Brooklyn, NY • brooklynkids.org • (718) 735-4400
BLACK HISTORY BOOKS
FOR YOUNG ADULTS
“If a race has no history, it has no worthwhile tradition, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated.” -Dr. Carter G. Woodson
Brooklyn Children’s Museum • 145 Brooklyn Avenue, Brooklyn, NY • brooklynkids.org • (718) 735-4400
THE PRICE OF THE TICKET: COLLECTED NONFICTION 1948-1985 James Baldwin The works of James Baldwin constitute one of the major contributions to American literature in the twentieth century, and nowhere is this more evident than in The Price of the Ticket, a compendium of nearly fifty years of Baldwin's powerful nonfiction writing. With truth and insight, these personal, prophetic works speak to the heart of the experience of race and identity in the United States. Here are the full texts of Notes of a Native Son, Nobody Knows My Name, The Fire Next Time, No Name in the Street, and The Devil Finds Work, along with dozens of other pieces, ranging from a 1948 review of Raintree Country to a magnificent introduction to this book that, as so many of Mr. Baldwin's works do, combines his intensely private experience with the deepest examination of social interaction between the races. In a way, The Price of the Ticket is an intellectual history of the twentieth-century American experience; in another, it is autobiography of the highest order.
SELECTED WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF MARCUS GARVEY Marcus Garvey, Edited by Bob Blaisdell One of the most important and controversial figures in the history of race relations in America and the world at large, Marcus Garvey was the first great black orator of the twentieth century. The Jamaican-born African-American rights advocated dismayed his enemies as much as he dazzled his admirers. Of him, Martin Luther King, Jr., said, “He was the first man, on a mass scale and level, to give millions of Negroes a sense of dignity and destiny, and make the Negro feel that he was somebody.” His message of black pride resonated in all his efforts. This anthology contains some of his most noted writings, among them “The Negro’s Greatest Enemy,” "Declaration of the Rights of the Negro Peoples of the World," and "Africa for the Africans," as well as powerful speeches on unemployment, leadership, and emancipation. Essential reading for students of African-American history.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum • 145 Brooklyn Avenue, Brooklyn, NY • brooklynkids.org • (718) 735-4400
SISTER OUTSIDER: ESSAYS & SPEECHES BY AUDRE LORDE Audre Lorde, Foreword by Cheryl Clarke Presenting the essential writings of black lesbian poet and feminist writer Audre Lorde, SISTER OUTSIDER celebrates an influential voice in twentieth-century literature. In this charged collection of fifteen essays and speeches, Lorde takes on sexism, racism, ageism, homophobia, and class, and propounds social difference as a vehicle for action and change. Her prose is incisive, unflinching, and lyrical, reflecting struggle but ultimately offering messages of hope. This commemorative edition includes a new foreword by Lorde scholar and poet Cheryl Clarke, who celebrates the ways in which Lorde's philosophies resonate more than twenty years after they were first published. These landmark writings are, in Lorde's own words, a call to “never close our eyes to the terror, to the chaos which is Black which is creative which is female which is dark which is rejected which is messy which is. . . .”
CRUSADE FOR JUSTICE: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF IDA B. WELLS Ida B. Wells, Edited by Alfreda M. Duster Ida B. Wells (1862-1931) was one of the foremost crusaders against black oppression. This engaging memoir tells of her private life as mother of a growing family as well as her public activities as teacher, lecturer, and journalist in her fight against attitudes and laws oppressing blacks. "No student of black history should overlook Crusade for Justice."—William M. Tuttle, Jr., Journal of American History "Besides being the story of an incredibly courageous and outspoken black woman in the face of innumerable odds, the book is a valuable contribution to the social history of the United States and to the literature of the women's movement as well."—Elizabeth Kolmer, American Quarterly
Brooklyn Children’s Museum • 145 Brooklyn Avenue, Brooklyn, NY • brooklynkids.org • (718) 735-4400
I WRITE WHAT I LIKE Steve Biko, Preface by Archbishop Desmond Tutu "The most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed." Like all of Steve Biko's writings, those words testify to the passion, courage, and keen insight that made him one of the most powerful figures in South Africa's struggle against apartheid. They also reflect his conviction that black people in South Africa could not be liberated until they united to break their chains of servitude, a key tenet of the Black Consciousness movement that he helped found. I Write What I Like contains a selection of Biko's writings from 1969, when he became the president of the South African Students' Organization, to 1972, when he was prohibited from publishing. The collection also includes a preface by Archbishop Desmond Tutu; an introduction by Malusi and Thoko Mpumlwana, who were both involved with Biko in the Black Consciousness movement; a memoir of Biko by Father Aelred Stubbs, his longtime pastor and friend; and a new foreword by Professor Lewis Gordon.
THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MALCOLM X Malcolm X, As told to Alex Haley Malcolm X—once called the most dangerous man in America—challenged the world to listen and learn the truth as he experienced it. And his enduring message is as relevant today as when he first delivered it. The Autobiography of Malcolm X defines American culture and the African American struggle for social and economic equality that has now become a battle for survival. Malcolm’s fascinating perspective on the lies and limitations of the American Dream, and the inherent racism in a society that denies its nonwhite citizens the opportunity to dream, gives extraordinary insight into the most urgent issues of our own time. The Autobiography of Malcolm X stands as the definitive statement of a movement and a man whose work was never completed but whose message is timeless. It is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand America.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum • 145 Brooklyn Avenue, Brooklyn, NY • brooklynkids.org • (718) 735-4400
OPEN WIDE THE FREEDOM GATES: A MEMOIR Dorothy Height, Foreword by Maya Angelou In her memoir, Dr. Height, now ninety-one, reflects on a life of service and leadership. We witness her childhood encounters with racism and the thrill of New York college life during the Harlem Renaissance. We see her protest against lynchings. We sit with her onstage as Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his "I Have a Dream" speech. We meet people she knew intimately throughout the decades: W.E.B. DuBois, Marcus Garvey, Eleanor Roosevelt, Mary McLeod Bethune, Adam Clayton Powell Sr., Langston Hughes, and many others. And we watch as she leads the National Council of Negro Women for forty-one years, her diplomatic counsel sought by U.S. Presidents from Eisenhower to Clinton. After the fierce battles of the 1960s, Dr. Height concentrates on troubled black communities, on issues like rural poverty, teen pregnancy and black family values. In 1994, her efforts are officially recognized. Along with Rosa Parks, she receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor.
BETTY SHABAZZ, SURVIVING MALCOLM X: A JOURNEY OF STRENGTH FROM WIFE TO WIDOW TO HEROINE Russell J. Rickford, Foreword by Myrlie Evers-Williams Betty Shabazz, Surviving Malcolm X is the first major biography of Dr. Betty Shabazz, the unsung and controversial champion of the Civil Rights era. From her early marriage to black liberation's raging voice through her evolution into a powerful and outspoken African-American leader, Betty Shabazz was in constant struggle to bring freedom and justice to her people. Yet, at times her greatest fight was to struggle through tragedy and hold on to her faith amidst the stereotypes forced on her by a culture of racism and the very people she was trying to liberate. This is the first complete look at the life of Betty Shabazz and a new insight into the man who was known as Malcolm X.
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THE ORIGIN OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH The “Father of Black History Month,” Carter G. Woodson, was the son of former slaves and the second African American to earn a Ph.D. at Harvard, after W.E.B. DuBois. While earning his Master’s and Ph.D. in history, Woodson observed that in spite of African Americans being central to the story of America, their accomplishments were largely neglected in the books and discussions of American history. In 1915, Dr. Woodson founded the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) to promote, research, preserve, interpret and disseminate information about Black life, history, and culture. In 1926, Woodson and the ASALH launched “Negro History Week” to support schools in promoting greater knowledge of African American history. Negro History Week was observed the second week of February in honor of Frederick Douglass’ birthday on February 14 and Abraham Lincoln’s birthday on February 12. The American Civil Rights Movement brought increased attention to the significance and need for curricula on African American history and achievement. Colleges and universities across the United States started extending Negro History Week to a full month. In 1976, President Gerald Ford decreed Black History Month as a national observance.
Brooklyn Children’s Museum • 145 Brooklyn Avenue, Brooklyn, NY • brooklynkids.org • (718) 735-4400