Black History Month

In 1854, a young African American woman named Elizabeth Jennings won a major victory against a New York City streetcar company, a first step in the process of desegregating public transportation in Manhattan. (description from catalog)

Based on extensive interviews with Claudette Colvin and many others, Phillip Hoose presents the first in-depth account of an important yet largely unknown civil rights figure, skillfully weaving her dramatic story into the fabric of the historic Montgomery bus boycott and court case that would change the course of American history. (Description from catalog)

Presents the life of nine-year-old Audrey Faye Hendricks who became the youngest known child to be arrested for picketing against Birmingham segregation practices in 1963. (description from catalog)

Tells the stories of ten African-American women freedom fighters. (description from catalog)

Outlaws feared him. Law-abiding citizens respected him. Bass always got his man, dead or alive. He achieved all this in spite of whites who didn't like the notion of a black lawman. The true story of former slave Bass Reeves, is the story of a remarkable African American hero of the Old West. (description from catalog)

"Discover the true story of how in 1944, Coach John McLendon orchestrated a secret game between the best players from a white college and his team from the North Carolina College of Negroes. At a time of widespread segregation and rampant racism, this illegal gathering changed the sport of basketball forever" (description from the publisher)

"In this book you will find one-finger ball-spinning, rapid-fire mini-dribbling, and a ricochet head shot! You will find skilled athletes, expert players, and electrifying performers, all rolled into one! You will find nonstop, give-it-all-you've-got, out-to-win-it, sky's-the-limit BASKETBALL! (description from catalog)

A dynamic and hip collective biography that presents 44 of America's greatest movers and shakers from Frederick Douglass to Aretha Franklin to Barack Obama, written by ESPN's TheUndefeated.com and illustrated with dazzling portraits by Rob Ball. (Description from catalog)

Profiles thirty-five prominent men in African American history, including James Armistead Lafayette, Thurgood Marshall, Alvin Ailey, and Leland Melvin. (Description from catalog)

Based on her popular Instagram posts, debut author/illustrator Vashti Harrison shares the stories of 40 bold African American women who shaped history. (Description from catalog)

Mumbet's Declaration of Independence tells the story of a Massachusetts slave from the Revolutionary era--in 1781, she successfully used the new Massachusetts Constitution to make a legal case that she should be free. (description from catalog)

This book brings together 52 iconic talents from countries around the world from the past and present and celebrates their inspirational achievements. Meet figureheads, leaders and pioneers such as Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and Rosa Parks, as well as cultural trailblazers and sporting heroes, including Stevie Wonder, Oprah Winfrey and Serena Williams. (Description from catalog)

This is the true story of James Lafayette, a slave who spied for George Washington's army during the American Revolution. But while America celebrated its newfound freedom, James returned to slavery. His service hadn't qualified him for the release he'd been hoping for. (description from catalog)

"After twelve-year old Cassius Clay's Bicycle is stolen, he seeks a police officer in a nearby gym, igniting a passion for boxing that led to a celebrated career as a world champion boxer, activist, and humanitarian" (description provided by the publisher)

A biography of African American writer, performer, and activist Maya Angelou, who turned a childhood of trauma and emotional pain to become one of the most inspiring voices of our lifetime. Includes afterword, author's note, and source. (Description from catalog)

"James Herman Banning always dreamed of touching the sky. But how could a farm boy from Oklahoma find a plane? And how would he learn to fly it? None of the other pilots looked like him. In a journey that would span 3,300 miles, take twenty-one days, and inspire a nation, James Herman Banning proved that you can't put barriers on dreams." -- Amazon.com.

A biography of African American poet, Gwendolyn Brooks. (description from catalog)

The inspirational story of George Washington Carver and his childhood secret garden is brought to life in this picture book biography. (description from catalog)

Discusses Copeland's struggles in breaking down the color walls of professional ballet. (description from catalog)

A true story of determination and groundbreaking achievement follows eighth grade African American spelling champion MacNolia Cox, who left Akron, Ohio, in 1936 to compete in the prestigious National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., only to be met with prejudice and discrimination. (description from catalog)

"African American George Fletcher loved horses from an early age. When he unfairly lost the 1911 Pendleton Round-Up to a white man, the outraged audience declared him "people's champion" (description provided by publisher)

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 where her soaring voice spanned more than three octaves. Her string of hit songs earned her the title "the Queen of Soul", multiple Grammy Awards, and a place in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. But Aretha didn't just raise her voice in song, she also spoke out against injustice and fought for civil rights. (Description from NoveList)

This picture book highlights a hidden figure of the civil rights movement who fueled the bus boycotts and demonstrated that one person can make a real change in her community and beyond. (description from the publisher)

"The life of Lilly Ann Granderson, an enslaved teacher who strongly believed in the power of education and risked her life to teach others during slavery." (description provided by the publisher)

"Whatever she did, wherever she was, Ketanji Brown Jackson rose to the top. From the time their daughter was born, Ketanji Brown's parents taught her that if she worked hard and believed in herself, she could do anything. As a child, Ketanji focused on her studies and excelled, eventually graduating from Harvard Law School. Years later, in 2016, when she was a federal judge, a seat opened on the United States Supreme Court. In a letter to then-President Barack Obama, Leila Jackson made a case for her mother--Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. Although the timing didn't work out then, it did in 2022, when President Joe Biden nominated her. At her confirmation, Ketanji Brown Jackson became the first Black female Supreme Court justice in the United States." -- Amazon.com.

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, assaulted, and threatened all because of her race. (description from catalog)

From Katherine's early beginnings as a gifted student to her heroic accomplishments as a prominent mathematician at NASA, this is the story of a groundbreaking American woman who not only calculated the course of moon landings but, in turn, saved lives and made enormous contributions to history. (description from catalog)

A young reader's edition of the National Book Award Finalist for Nonfiction traces the life of Ona Judge, a slave to George and Martha Washington who made the brave decision to escape to fugitive life in the North. (description from NoveList K-8 Plus)

"The true story of Black activist Opal Lee and her vision of Juneteenth as a holiday for everyone will inspire children to be brave and make a difference. Growing up in Texas, Opal knew the history of Juneteenth, but she soon discovered that most Americans had never heard of the holiday that represents the nation's creed of "freedom for all.""-- Provided by publisher.

Presents the inspiring story of the friendship between Congressman John Lewis and 10-year-old activist Tybre Faw, the youngster who was determined to meet the civil rights legend and invited to read Lewis' favorite poem, "Invictus," at the funeral service when John Lewis was laid to rest. (description adapted from NoveList)

Before Rosa Parks, before Martin Luther King Jr., before the civil rights movement there was Thurgood, fighting for African Americans - and winning. Here is the powerful story of the trailblazer who proved that separate is not equal. (Description from catalog)

After touring a German submarine in the early 1940s, young Raye set her sights on becoming an engineer. Little did she know sexism and racial inequality would challenge that dream every step of the way, even keeping her greatest career accomplishment a secret for decades. (description from catalog)

"A picture book biography of Diane Nash, a Civil Rights Movement leader at the side of Martin Luther King and John Lewis. Born in the 1940s in Chicago, Diane went on to take command of the Nashville Movement, leading lunch counter sit-ins and peaceful marches. Diane decides to fight not with anger or violence, but with love. With her strong words of truth and actions, she works to stop segregation"-- Provided by publisher.

As the world now knows, Barack Obama has made history as our first African-American president. With black-and-white illustrations throughout, this biography is perfect for primary graders looking for a longer, fuller life story than is found in the author's bestselling beginning reader Barack Obama: United States President. (decsription from catalog)

In 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give her bus seat to a white passenger in Montgomery, Alabama. This seemingly small act triggered civil rights protests across America and earned Rosa Parks the title "Mother of the Civil Rights Movement." (description from catalog)

Paintings and evocative poems by two of the literary world's top African-American scholars trace the efforts of Afro-Puerto Rican legal clerk Arturo Schomburg's efforts to curate a collection of African books, letters, music and art. (description from NoveList K-8 Plus)

Sojourner Truth was born into slavery but possessed a mind and a vision that knew no bounds. So Tall Within traces her life from her painful childhood through her remarkable emancipation to her incredible leadership in the movement for rights for both women and African Americans. (Description from catalog)

"An inspiring picture book biography of Ida B. Wells--who was an educator, journalist, feminist, businesswoman, newspaper owner, public speaker, suffragist, civil rights activist, and women's club leader--as told by her great-granddaughter, Michelle Duster"-- Provided by publisher.

Recounts the early life of Carter Godwin Woodson, his education, and his efforts to preserve African American history, starting with the establishment of Negro History Week in 1926. (description from NoveList K-8 Plus)