AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY

Discover the life of Kamala Harris―a story for kids ages 6 to 9 about fighting for justice. The new edition, updated to reflect her vice presidency and 2024 presidential run!

Kamala Harris is the first woman, Black American, and South Asian American to become vice president of the United States―and now she is running…

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…

John Lewis (A), Andrew Aydin (A) and Nate Powell (ILT)

List Price: $14.95 (Paperback – Graphic Novel / Biography /African American History – Civil Rights Era – 2015)

Declaration: Congressman John Lewis (GA-5) is an American icon, one of the key figures of the civil rights movement. His commitment to justice and nonviolence…

Michael S. Bandy, (A) Eric Stein (A) and James E. Ransome (ILT)

List Price: $18.99 (Hardcover / African American History / Civil Rights Story – 2015)  

Based on the true story of one family’s struggle for voting rights in the civil rights–era South, this moving tale shines an emotional spotlight on a…

Lesa Cline- Ransome (A) and James E. Ransome (ILT) 

List Price: $8.99 (Hardcover – Biography – African American Leader / Pioneer – 2019) 

Who was Harriet Tubman before she was Harriet?

Description: We know her today as Harriet Tubman, but in her lifetime she was called by many names. As General Tubman she…

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

B is for Beautiful, Brave, and Bright! And for a Book that takes a Bold journey through the alphabet of Black history and culture.

Letter by letter, The ABCs of Black History celebrates a story that spans continents and centuries, triumph and heartbreak, creativity and joy.

It’s a story of…

Lynda Jones (A) and Ron Garnett (ILT) 

Discover the inspiring true story of extraordinary professional cyclist Major Taylor in this nonfiction picture book from Coretta Scott King Award winners Lesa Cline-Ransome and James E. Ransome.

In 1891, Marshall Taylor could ride his bike forward, backward, even perched on the handlebars. When his stunts landed him a job at the famous…

 Alex Hayley (A)

List Price: $32.00 (Hardcover – Autobiography / Malcom X – 1992)

ONE OF TIME’S TEN MOST IMPORTANT NONFICTION BOOKS OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY

In the searing pages of this classic autobiography, originally published in 1964, Malcolm X, the Muslim leader, firebrand, and anti-integrationist, tells the extraordinary story of his life and the growth…

Jim Haskins (A) and Benny Andrews (ILT)

List Price: $7.99 (Paperback – African American History / Civil Rights / Activism / Racism and Discrimination – 2005)

A respected biographer teams up with an acclaimed artist to tell the story of the mail carrier who orchestrated the Great Savannah Boycott — and…

Sandy Lynne Holman (A) and Lela Kometiani (ILT)

List Price: $18.95 (Hardcover – African Heritage / Racism and Prejudice – 1998)

An illustrated story of an African American boy who gains appreciation for his dark skin by learning about his African heritage from his grandfather and his drum. (32 pgs) Ages 5 -…

The first children’s book to feature material from the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, this beautiful picture book will engage hearts and minds as it introduces children to the guiding principles of the Black Lives Matter movement.

When the Black Lives Matter movement began in 2013, the three founders — Alicia Garza, Patrisse…

Ibram X. Kendi (A) and Ashley Lukashevsky IILT) 

List Price: $10.99 (Hardcover -AntiRacist Baby – 2020)

From the National Book Award-winning author of Stamped from the Beginning and How to Be an Antiracist comes a fresh new board book that empowers parents and children to uproot racism in our society and in ourselves.

Take your first steps with Antiracist…

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (A) and Ray Obstfeld (A) and A.G. Ford (ILT)

List Price: $8.99 (Paperback – African American History / Scientists – 2013)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, basketball legend and the NBA’s all time leading scorer, champions a lineup of little-known African-American inventors in this lively, kid-friendly book.

Did you know that James West invented…

Laurie Calkhoven (A) and Monique Dong (ILT)

List Price: $4.64  (Paperback – Biography / Astronaut – 2016)

Blast off into space and get to know Mae Jemison—the first African-American woman to ever go to space—with this fascinating, nonfiction Level 3 Ready-to-Read, part of a new series of biographies about people “you should meet.”

…

Walter Dean Myers (A) and Christopher Myers (ILT) (A)

List Price: $15.99 (Paperback – Juvenile Justice / Narrative – 1999)

Winner of a Coretta Scott King Award. Steve Harmon, 16, is accused of serving as a lookout for a robbery of a Harlem drugstore. The owner was shot and killed,…

Edited By Wade Hudson and Cheryl Willis Hudson + Many Creative Voices

List Price: $16.99 (Hardcover – Anthology of Black Life – 2021)

In the stunning follow-up to The Talk: Conversations About Race, Love & Truth, award-winning Black authors and artists come together to create a moving anthology collection celebrating Black love, Black creativity, Black resistance,…

This lyrical celebration of Juneteenth, deeply rooted in Black American history, spans centuries and reverberates loudly and proudly today.

After 300 years of forced bondage;
hands bound, descendants of Africa
picked up their souls—all that they owned—
leaving shackles where they fell on the ground,<span…

Lisa Cline Ransome (A) and James E. Ransome (ILT)

List Price: $19.99 (Hardcover – Biography / Leader / Abolitionist / Orator – 2012)

The inspirational, true story of how Frederick Douglass found his way to freedom one word at a time.

This picture book biography chronicles the youth of Frederick Douglass, one of…

Nico Medina (A) Who HQ and Gregory Copeland (ILT)

List Price: $6.99 (Paperback – Biography / Legendary Singer – 2018)

There is only one QUEEN OF SOUL!  Discover why Aretha Franklin garners so much R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

Aretha Franklin is a musical and cultural icon who created an amazing legacy spanning six decades! Born in…

Chris Barton (A) and Eukua Holmes (ILT) 

List Price: $18.99 (Hardcover –  Biography / Congresswoman Barbara Jordan – 2017) 

When Barbara Jordan talked, we listened.” —Former President of the United States, Bill Clinton

Congresswoman Barbara Jordan had a big, bold, confident voice—and she knew how to use it! Learn all about her…

YOU are your ancestors’ wildest dreams. How will you express YOUR greatness? Perfect for fans of I Am Every Good Thing, Little Legends, and All Because You Matter.

“Affirming. . . . A joyful tribute.” —<span…

A powerful and accessible bilingual picture book that highlights “the power and impact of ordinary but dedicated citizens.

Every day, thousands of farm workers harvested the food that ended up on kitchen tables all over the country. But at the end of the day, when the workers sat down to eat, there were only beans…

Paul Von Blum (A) and Elizabeth Von Notias & Ramsess (ILT)

List Price:$16.99 (Paperback – Biography / Activist / Singer/ Actor / Athlete – 2013)

Paul Robeson, despite being one of the greatest Renaissance figures in American history, still remains in relative anonymity. An exceptional scholar, lawyer, athlete, stage and screen actor, linguist,…

Julius Lester (A) and Karen Barbour (A) and (ILT) 

List Price: $8.99 (Paperback – Race / Similarities and Differences – 2005)

This gorgeous book—great to read with kids of any age—allows for open-ended conversation and questions.” (Brightly.com)

In this acclaimed book, the author of the Newberry Honor Book To Be a Slave shares his…

When it was released in 2004, Harlem Stomp! was the first trade book to bring the Harlem Renaissance alive for young adults!

Meticulously researched and lavishly illustrated, the book is a veritable time capsule packed with poetry, prose, photographs, full-color paintings, and reproductions of historical documents. Now, after more than…

Jimmy’s Rhythm & Blues: The Extraordinary Life of James Baldwin a Harlem Boy to a Legendary Writer and Civil Rights Advocate

Celebrate James Baldwin’s one-hundredth birthday anniversary with the first-ever illustrated biography of this legendary writer, orator, activist, and intellectual.

Before he became a writer, James “Jimmy” Baldwin was a young boy from Harlem,…

Tiffany Jewell (A) 

LIST PRICE: $14.99 (Paperback – Examines Racism / Exercises –  2020)

Who are you? What is racism? Where does it come from? Why does it exist? What can you do to disrupt it? Learn about social identities, the history of racism and resistance against it, and how you can use your anti-racist…

Dr. Mae Jemison (A)

A Collection of Moments in Dr. Mae’s Life

List Price: $23.95 (Hardcover – First Black Astronaut- 2021)

“The writing sings” says Publisher’s Weekly in this “inspiring autobiography.” Dr. Mae Jemison, the first African-American woman in space, is truly a modern hero with a remarkable, inspirational story to tell.

…

Davis Sampson (A) Rameck Hunt (A) and George Jenkins (A)

List Price: $16.00 (Paperback – Biography / Mentoring – 2005)

The dramatic, inspiring story of three inner-city youths – Samson Davis, George Jenkins, and Rameck Hunt – whose strong friendship gave them the strength to continue…

Shanon Gibney (A) 

List Price: $16.99 (Hardcover – History/Racism  – 2019)

“Gut wrenching and incredible.”— Sabaa Tahir #1 New York Times bestselling author of An Ember in the Ashes

“This novel is a remarkable achievement.”—Kelly Barnhill, New York Times bestselling author and Newbery medalist

“Beautifully epic.”—Ibi…

Jim Gigliotti (A), Stephen Marchesi (ILT), Nancy Harrison (ILT)

List Price: $6.99 (Paperback – Biography / Scientist – 2015)

Born in 1860s Missouri, nobody expected George Washington Carver to succeed. Slaves were not allowed to be educated. After the Civil War, Carver enrolled in classes and proved to be a star student. He…

Denise Dennis (A) and Susan Willmarth (ILT)

List Price: $15.99 (Paperback- Graphic Novel / African American History – 2007)

This book covers a rich history often ignored. It chronicles the struggle from capture and enslavement in Africa right up through Civil Rights and the different kind of struggle Blacks face today. (192 pgs)

…

Walter Dean Myers (A) and Bonnie Christensen (ILT)

List Price: $17.99 (Hardcover – Biography / Activist – Journalist/ Exposed Lynching – 2008)

Ida B. Wells was an extraordinary woman. Long before boycotts, sit-ins, and freedom rides, Ida B. Wells was hard at work to better the lives…

In the same style as the New York Times Best-Selling Who Was? series, What Was? focuses on compelling historical events, great battles, protests, and discoveries.

Learn about a pivotal time in American history and its momentous effects on civil rights in America in this enlightening…

Michelle Cook (A) and the following Contributing Illustrators: A.G. Ford, Bryan Collier, Charlotte Riley-Webb, Cozbi Cabrera, Diane Dillon, E.B. Lewis, Eric Velasquez, Frank Morrison, James Ransome, Leo Dillon, Pat Cummings, R. Gregory Christie, Shadra, E. B. Lewis, Marian Wright Edelman (Introduction)

List Price: $8.99 (Paperback -Highlights11 African American Achievers…

Roxanne Jones (A), Jessie Paolucci (A), Tony Dungy (FRWD)

List Price: $35.00 (Hardcover – African American History / Sports – 2010)

They are heroes, stars, agitators, and entertainers; mentors, innovators, history-makers, and record-breakers. They are the men and women whose physical gifts buoyed the spirits of a people and lifted up the soul…

Barry Dennenberg (A)

List Price: $12.99 (Paperback – Biography / Sports / Boxing Champion – 2014)

The impressive life story of Muhammad Ali is interwoven with vital moments in American history in this visually stunning, full-color biography.

The story of famed boxing champion Muhammad Ali is more appealing and accessible than ever before…

Cynthia Levinson (A) and Vanessa Brantley-Newton (ILT)

List Price: $17.99 (Hardcover – Civil Rights / Protest – 2017)

Meet the youngest known child to be arrested for a civil rights protest in Birmingham, Alabama, 1963, in this moving picture book that proves you’re never too little to make a difference.

Nine-year-old Audrey Faye…

Laurie Calkhoven (A) and Elizabet Vukovic (ILT)

List Price: $5.98 (Paperback – Biography / Sports / Track and Field – 2017)

Sprint around the track and get to know Jesse Owens in this fascinating, nonfiction Level 3 Ready-to-Read, part of a new series of biographies about people “you should meet.”

Meet Jesse Owens,…

Rodney Pate (ILT) (A) and Denise Lewis Patrick (A)

List Price: $4.99 (Paperback – Fictional / MLK – 2003)

Martin Luther King Jr. is having some problems with his best friend, Bobby. They are going to different schools this year, and Bobby dad is not letting his son play with…

In this book from the highly acclaimed Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the incredible life of Rosa Parks, the “Mother of the Freedom Movement.”

Rosa Parks grew up in Alabama, where she learned to stand up for herself at an early age. Rosa went on to become a civil rights activist. In 1955,…

Jamia Wilson (A) and Andrea Pippins (ILT) 

List Price:  $23.99 (Hardcover –  Biographies / Black Movers and Shakers –  2019)

“…to be revisited again and again…The candy-colored pages and straightforward stories are hard to resist…” –The New York Times

“…diverse collection of iconic figures…vibrantly illustrated…beautifully crafted volume…” –Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

“…exuberant…exquisitely designed…a…

Sandra Neil Wallace (A) and Bryan Collier (ILT) 

List Price: $18.99 ( Hardcover – Artist / Painter – 2018)

2019 Orbis Pictus Book Award Winner

“A visually striking, enlightening picture-book biography.” —Booklist (starred review)

“An absolutely indispensable illustrated biography that will remind readers of all ages that it’s never too late to pursue their…

Marne Ventura (A)

List Price: $8.99 (Paperback – Biography / Science – Astro Physicist and Space Advocate – 2014)                                               

“Have you ever stared into the night sky, full of stars…

Tim Tingle (A) and Jeanne Rorex Bridges (ILT)

List Price: $12.95 (Paperback – Choctaw / African American / Friendship and Escape – 2008)

When it was first published, Crossing Bok Chitto took readers by surprise. This moving and original story about the intersection of Native and African Americans received starred reviews and many…

Walter Dean Myers (A) and Leonard Jenkins (ILT)

List Price: $8.99 (Paperback – Civil Rights Movement History – 2003)

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is one of the most celebrated figures of the twentieth century. A crusader for nonviolent social justice, he led African Americans in their demands for equality through peaceful…

Margot Lee Shettterly (A) 

List Price: $9.99 (Paperback – Biography / Science – Aerospace Engineer – 2015) 

This inspiring biography tells the story of Katherine Johnson, an African American mathematician. An inspiring figure in the history of STEM, she eventually worked on the mission to send a man to the moon.  Her story…

Keela Magoon (A)

List Price: $8.99 (Paperback – Teen Activism / Choices / Decision Making – 2013)

What means more, shared values or shared blood? Maxie’s choice changes everything in this acclaimed companion to The Rock and the River.

Bad things happen in the heat, they say.

Maxie knows all about how fire…

Barack Obama (A)

List Price: $45.00 (Hardcover – Biography -President Barack Obama -2020)

A riveting, deeply personal account of history in the making—from the president who inspired us to believe in the power of democracy
 
In the stirring, highly anticipated first volume of his presidential memoirs, Barack Obama tells the story of his improbable…