February is Black History Month. In celebration of the month, here is a list of amazing books about Black history and culture.
All Ages
Sing a Song: How "Lift Every Voice and Sing" Inspired Generations by Kelly Starling Lyons
This is a beautiful story about a song that inspired generations to fight for their rights.
Mae Among the Stars by Roda Ahmed
This book tells the inspiring tale of a girl who wants to be an astronaut and achieves her dream. It is based on the life of Mae Jemison, the first African American woman to travel to space, and it will encourage young readers to dream big.
We March by Shane W. Evans
This book recounts the March on Washington, which ended at the Lincoln Memorial where Martin Luther King Jr. gave his I Have A Dream speech. This book discusses that famous day in simple and powerful words making this book truly for everyone.
Follow Chester by Gloria Repress-Churchwell
This book follows Chester Pierce, the first black football player to play in the south. It tells an inspiring true story about how unity makes change.
Trailblazer: The Story of Ballerina Raven Wilkinson by Leda Schubert
This picture book tells the story of Raven Wilkinson, the first African American woman to dance for a major ballet company.
Rooting for Plants: the Unstoppable Charles S. Parker, Black Botanist and Collector by Janice Harrington
This book recounts the life of Charles S. Parker, a Black botanist who served as a First Lieutenant in World War I and then mentored many future Black Scientists as a professor at Howard University.
Let the Children March by Monica Clark-Robinson
This book recounts the 1963 Children's Crusade in Birmingham, Alabama by following a young Black girl's participation with her brother. Powerful oil paintings depict the horrible realities of the march including children being hosed, arrested, and jailed. The book includes additional information on the civil rights movement including a timeline, afterword, and bibliography.
I Am Enough by Grace Byers
This beautiful picture book is an ode to loving oneself and one another.
When We Say Black Lives Matter by Maxine Beneba Clarke
In this powerful picture book, a Black child's parents explain the concept of Black Lives Matter and its many meanings.
Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly
This powerful true story recounts the lives of four Black women who worked at NASA to help get people to space. It describes the adversity that these women faced including racism and segregation laws. The book includes biographies on Dorothy Jackson Vaughan, Mary Winston Jackson, Katherine Colman Goble Johnson, and Dr. Christine Mann Darden.
Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry
In this adorable picture book, a little girl who loves her hair needs a little help from her father for a hairstyle for a special day.
Sing, Aretha, Sing!: Aretha Franklin, "Respect," and the Civil Rights Movement by Hanif Abdurraqib
This inspiring picture book tells the story of Aretha Franklin's life and her role in the civil rights movement.
I Promise by Lebron James
This uplifting picture book written by Lebron James lists promises children can make that emphasize persistence, accountability, and kindness.
Middle Grade Books
A Child's Introduction to African American History: the Experiences, People, and Events That Shaped Our Country by Jabari Asim
This comprehensive introduction explores and contextualizes individuals, events, and social and political movements in African American history. Beginning with slavery, this book follows a linear timeline through to the 21st century where it discusses Barack Obama's presidency and Black Lives Matter.
From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks
This debut middle grade novel tells the story of twelve-year-old Zoe who is navigating family and friendship. The story begins when she receives a letter from her father who is in prison. While talking with her father and trying to clear his name, Zoe learns about institutionalized racism and injustices in the criminal justice system.
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
This memoir told in verse with evocative, descriptive language transports the reader to the 1960s and 70s when Woodson was born and growing up. The book depicts racism and civil rights movements through Woodson and her family's experiences.
One Last Word by Nikki Grimes
Black Boy Joy: 17 Stories Celebrating Black Boyhood edited by Kwame Mbalia
This book is a beautiful collection of stories, comics, and poems from seventeen male and non-binary authors about the power, joy, and wonders of Black boyhood.
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia
What happens when seventh-grader Tristan Strong punches a tree and accidently rips a hole into the MidPass? Kwame Mbalia weaves this tale of Tristan trying to save his world together with Black American Folk heroes and West African gods.
Speak Up, Speak Out : The Extraordinary Life of "Fighting Shirley Chisholm" by Tonya Bolden
This is an inspiring biography of Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to the United States Congress. The book focuses on Chisholm's character and her longing for an America free from discrimination and poverty.
Parenting Books
How to Raise an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
How do we talk to children about racism and how do racist structures in our society impact children? In this book, Ibram X. Kendi explores these topics using his experience as a parent and his studies as a professor in the Humanities.
Social Justice Parenting: How to Raise Compassionate, Anti-Racist, Justice-Minded Kids in an Unjust World by Dr. Traci Baxley
Dr. Traci Baxley, a professor of Education and mother of five, considers parenting to be a form of activism due to a parent's influence in raising compassionate and socially-conscious children. This book provides parents with resources to recognize and reconcile their own biases and teach their children about social justice.
I hope you found something from this list that you are looking forward to reading. Please let me know if you have any suggestions!
-Alyssa
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