Discover 30+ picture books for all aspects of Black history, including arts, politics, science, music, journalism, and more.

Children’s Picture Books for Learning Black History All Year Round

Black History Month is right around the corner. But children should be learning about Black leaders, important events, and movements for change all year round, right? Keep reading to find reviews of more than 30 fantastic children’s picture books about Black history, plus even more book lists about important sub-topics within Black history.

Looking for chapter books for Black History Month and beyond? Find those here.

Table of contents (click on the historical era to jump directly that section of the blog post.)

Discover 30+ picture books for all aspects of Black history, including arts, politics, science, music, journalism, and more.
Image description: Various picture book covers are shown, with text overlay reading “Picture books about Black History.”

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Pre-1775 Black History Picture Books

These are the best picture books of 2025 that are diverse or have anti-bias and social justice themes, perfect for your home or classroom.
Image description: Cover of The History of We. An African girl with curly hair piled atop her head gazes to the side and gives a slight smile. She is framed by lush green leaves.

The History of We by Nikkolas Smith.

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With expressive watercolors full of dignity, joy, and brilliance, Smith shows just what it means for all of human civilization to have begun in Africa. Core ideas about early humans, such as how they learned to make and re-make tools, are presented with compelling text. As a group of hands weaves together a hunting net, the text explains that “nature presented us with many gifts. But when obstacles arose, we became inventors to ensure our survival.”

Page spreads of Africans exploring through sea voyages and beyond are welcome counter-narratives to the ideas children are usually taught in school that Europeans were the ones “discovering” Africans. Instead, Smith’s stunning book reminds us, “from the Mother Land into every corner of Mother Earth, one group became many.” (Recommended for ages 4 – 8. Black author.)

These are the best picture books of 2024 that are diverse or have anti-bias and social justice themes, perfect for your home or classroom.
Image description: Cover of Before the Ships. A pregnant African mother wearing a white gown reaches out to her young child, a moon-lit river behind them.

Before the Ships: The Birth of Black Excellence by Maisha Oso. Illustrated by Candice Bradley.

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This is a gorgeously illustrated poetic story of ancient and medieval African accomplishments.

A blend of affirmations for Black children and historical references, Before the Ships is a much-needed correction to Black history timelines that start with enslavement. Kings and queen, architects of stunning mosques and churches, astronomers, engineers, and many more are celebrated. (Recommended for ages 4 – 8. Black author.)

Related post: African history resources for kids

1775 – 1820 Black History Picture Books

Image description: Cover of Mumbet’s Declaration of Independence. A Black woman wears a white bonnet and black dress typical of the 18th century. She wears a determined expression.

Mumbet’s Declaration of Independence by Gretchen Woelfle. Illustrated by Alix Delinois.

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For many years before she chose her own name, Elizabeth Freeman lived in slavery and was called Mumbet. Her spirit was as strong as a mountain, and she dreamed of freedom as she endured verbal and physical abuse from her enslavers, the Ashleys.

When the Ashleys hosted men who were working to free the colonies from Britain, Mumbet heard their words about liberty and equality. She wondered how those words could apply to her.

Years later, after the war was over, she boldly told a lawyer who supported the American Revolution that she should also be free. Despite his skepticism, Mumbet would not be deterred, and he eventually agreed to pursue her case in court. Her courage and determination made history, with slavery abolished in Massachusetts just a few years later. (Recommended for ages 6 – 10. White author.)

Learn about Black scientists, inventors, and engineers whose work changed the world in these delightful children's books by Black authors.
Image description: Cover of Dear Benjamin Banneker. Benjamin Banneker, a Black man with curly white hair wears a brown vest and white shirt in the style of the late 1700s. He holds up a letter above a desk with a candle and a quill pen on it.

Dear Benjamin Banneker by Andrea Davis Pinkney. Illustrated by Brian Pinkney.

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Self-taught astronomer and mathematician Benjamin Banneker is sometimes called the first Black scientist in America. He created almanacs in a time when people relied on these books for their success of their harvests, and therefore their economic survival. Banneker knew that the almanac he painstakingly wrote in 1790 was as good as any of those created by white writers, yet he could not find a publisher who would print his work. Eventually an abolitionist society worked to bring Banneker’s almanac to the public, though it was so late in the year that he had to start from scratch on a new book.

Davis Pinkney also highlights another brave and thoughtful contribution Banneker made when he wrote to then Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson. Banneker criticized him for his advocacy of freedom while upholding enslavement. (Recommended for ages 6 – 10. Black author.)

Related post: Children’s books about Black inventors and scientists

1821 – 1889 Black History Picture Books

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Image description: Cover of The Escape of Robert Smalls. A Black man with a goatee, wearing a straw hat and military uniform, steers a ship in the foggy night.

The Escape of Robert Smalls: A Daring Voyage Out of Slavery by Jehan Jones-Radgowski. Illustrated by Poppy Kang.

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On a foggy May night in 1862, enslaved sailor Robert Smalls stole the Confederate ship where he worked as a wheelman and sailed 16 people into freedom in Union territory. Jones-Radgowski  details Small’s precise, complex plan for carrying out this freedom mission that presented deadly risks on all sides. Smalls had planned every detail of the journey, watching the ship’s captain for months so that he could imitate his posture and movements as he stood at the ship’s helm.

Smalls knew that he and the other freedom seekers on board could be fired at by other Confederate ships if they realized the captain was not on board, yet they also risked being attacked by Union forces if they assumed Confederates were attacking. This thrilling book will have children rooting for Smalls until the very last page. (Recommended for ages 7 – 11. Black author.)

Discover 30+ picture books for all aspects of Black history, including arts, politics, science, music, journalism, and more.
Image description: Cover of Ellen’s Broom. A Black girl wearing a pink dress walks through a field, holding a beautiful broom studded with flowers.

Ellen’s Broom by Kelly Starling Lyons. Illustrated by Daniel Minter.

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In the early days of Reconstruction, young Ellen hears in church that “all former slaves living as husband and wife shall be registered and seen as married in the eyes of the law.” She knows this is good news. Still, she doesn’t really understand its meaning until her parents tell her about how, not long ago, families could be torn apart since enslaved people’s marriages weren’t considered legal.

Showing Ellen the special broom they jumped over to signify they were married “in our hearts and in God’s eyes,” her parents help her understand just how special the broom is. When it’s time for the family to go to the courthouse to have her parents’ marriage officially recorded, Ellen knows the broom needs to come with them. (Recommended for ages 5 – 9. Black author.)

These are the best picture books of 2025 that are diverse or have anti-bias and social justice themes, perfect for your home or classroom.
Image description. Cover of So Many Years. A pencil sketch of a pair of black hands holds up a collage of colorful images of Black people celebrating with dance and band instruments.

So Many Years: A Juneteenth Story by Anne Wynter. Illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey.

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There are so many good picture books about Juneteenth available. Wynter’s story stands out for the emotional chord it strikes with simple, yet profound, questions it asks the youngest readers to consider about early Juneteenth celebrations. 

“How would you dress after so many years of mending your clothes with rags?” the story asks, accompanied by a page spread contrasting a family dressed in old beige clothes with fine, colorful dresses and suits. In a similar fashion, the words of pain-filled spirituals are contrasted with joyful freedom songs. Wynter and Pumphrey make it clear what it means to “celebrate so many years of a life fully yours, fully free.” (Recommended for ages 3 – 6. Black author.) 

Discover 30+ picture books for all aspects of Black history, including arts, politics, science, music, journalism, and more.
Image description: Cover of John Henry. A muscular Black man wearing a railroad cap holds large metal tools as he sits by the railroad tracks.

John Henry by Julius Lester. Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney.

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Don’t forget about Black American and African folklore when you make your Black history reading lists!

John Henry’s legendary strength began in childhood, when he grew so tall he busted through the roof of his house. He laughed so loud it even frightened the sun. He didn’t become a true legend until he broke through an enormous boulder blocking a future railroad track. Taking on the work that dynamite couldn’t accomplish, Henry ” was swinging the hammer so fast, he was making a rainbow around his shoulders.”

With Lester’s larger-than-life prose and Pinkney’s gorgeous watercolor illustrations, this is a book kids will delight in reading more than once. (Recommended for ages 6 – 10. Black author.)

Related post: Picture books filled with Black joy

Explore a people's history of the United States with children's books that about how marginalized groups have experienced and shaped history.
Click here to learn more about From the Margins to the Center: A People’s History of the United States Told Through Children’s Books.

1890 – 1929 Black History Picture Books

These are the best picture books of 2025 that are diverse or have anti-bias and social justice themes, perfect for your home or classroom.
Image description: Cover of How Sweet the Sound. Watercolor illustrations show Black musicians singing, and playing the bass, piano, and trumpet.

How Sweet the Sound by Kwame Alexander. Illustrated by Charly Palmer.

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With his signature joyful, rhythmic style, award-winning poet Kwame Alexander introduces children to the many types of Black music that are the “soundtrack of America.”

From the west African drumbeats and Congo Square ring shouts to the “litanies that lifted the insufferable weight off our world,” Alexander’s words and Palmer’s expressive oil paintings point to endurance, creativity, and joy. The “deep blue-black moans” of the blues and “kaleidoscope of ragtime rhythms” give way to electric guitar, soul songs, and hip hop “grand masters mixing and spinning.”

Extensive musical notes are included after the story about each song and type of music that is mentioned. (Recommended for ages 5 – 9. Black author.) 

Related post: Picture books about the Harlem Renaissance

Teach children about Black History all year round with this list of more than 60 children's books, plus where to find lesson plans and other learning resources. #blackhistory

This Is the Rope: A Story from the Great Migration by Jacqueline Woodson. Illustrated by James Ransome.

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During the 20th century, more than 6 million African Americans left the South for relief from poverty and violence, migrating to Northern cities.

Woodson traces the journey of one family through a simple rope that ties down the luggage on top of their car on the long trip to New York. Later that rope is used to do everything from drying flowers that smell like those back home, to skipping rope with new friends. (Recommended for ages 4 – 8. Black author.)

There are a handful of social justice activists we tell children about over and over again, like Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks. But there are so many unsung leaders who's stories need to be told! Click through to discover 12 children's books that teach children about brave activists for civil rights, the environment, LGBT rights, and more. #socialjustice
Image description: Cover of Carter Reads the Newspaper. A young Black man wearing a blue button down shirt reads a newspaper with deep concentration.

Carter Reads the Newspaper by Deborah Hopkinson. Illustrated by Don Tate.

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You’ve heard of Black History Month. But have you heard of social justice activist and historian Carter Woodson, who founded Black History Month?

Before he earned a PhD in history from Howard University, Woodson was a coal miner. The son of parents who had been enslaved, he wasn’t able  to start high school until he was 20 years old. But before he started school, he educated himself by reading the newspaper, and researching the questions the paper didn’t answer.

At Harvard, a professor told Woodson that Black people had no history. Woodson knew that “no people lacked a history,” and spent the rest of his life proving his professor wrong. In 1926, he started Negro History Week, which later became Black History Month. He worked tirelessly to build the movement by sending out pamphlets to schools, churches, colleges, women’s organizations, and newspapers.

Woodson changed the way people thought about history, by reminding us that true history includes all people. (Recommended for ages 5 – 9. White author.)

Discover 30+ picture books for all aspects of Black history, including arts, politics, science, music, journalism, and more.
Image description: Cover of Outspoken. Multiple images of Paul Robeson are shown: in a graduation uniform, in a tuxedo with his arm extended, and in a football uniform.

Outspoken: Paul Robeson – Ahead of His Time: A One-Man Show by Carole Boston Weatherford. Illustrated by Eric Velasquez.

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With detailed, rich poetry, Weatherford details the remarkable like of Paul Robeson, whose family lineage meant “two rivers rush through my blood: resistance and intellect.” Robeson attended Rutgers University on a football scholarship (only one of three Blacks to be admitted since 1766.) Trained as a lawyer, he quit the field in the face of racism and moved into theater. Robeson sold out concert halls with his stirring renditions of Black spirituals.

Robeson became a film star, a supporter of the union movement, and an outspoken crusader against racism, even as others labelled him unpatriotic for his truth-telling during World War II. Velasquez’s stirring art and Weatherford’s poems capture both Robeson’s incredible talents and unflinching courage. (Recommended for ages 8+. Black author.)

1930 – 1953 Black History Picture Books

Teach children about Black History all year round with this list of more than 60 children's books, plus where to find lesson plans and other learning resources. #blackhistory
Image description: Cover of A Song for Gwendolyn Brooks. A close up of the face of Gwendolyn Brooks is shown, tinted with shades of pink. She is smiling and has her eyes closed.

A Song for Gwendolyn Brooks by Alice Faye Duncan. Illustrated by Xia Gordon.

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This poetic picture book celebrates the life and work of Pulitzer Prize winner Gwendolyn Brooks, including striking poems she wrote while still in elementary school. Brooks’ South Side Chicago neighborhood comes to life, as well as her parents’ determination to nurture her creativity even during the hard times of the Great Depression. (Recommended for ages 7 – 12. Black author.

Discover children's books that introduce kids to important Black women leaders in politics, activism, arts, dance, STEM, and more.
Image description: Cover of Go Forth and Tell. August Baker looms over a cityscape, her outstretched hands holding a stack of books.

Go Forth and Tell: The Life of Augusta Baker, Librarian and Master Storyteller by Breanna J. McDaniel. Illustrated by April Harrison.

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How did legendary librarian Augusta Baker become a master storyteller? First, she became an “amazing story listener” on the knee of her grandmother. McDaniel emphasizes how the stories, many of which were traditional African American folktales, taught Baker that “where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

Baker’s dream of being a storyteller led her to become the children’s librarian at the 135th Street Branch of the New York Public Library in 1937. There she discovered that while most of the children who visited the branch were Black, the few books in the collection that had Black characters were full of stereotypes and misinformation. Soon, Baker’s gift for not only sharing stories but nurturing the voices of new Black authors multiplied her impact far beyond the 135th Street Branch.

The engaging text and the striking, expressive illustrations in the book draw young readers in and make Baker’s outsized legacy clear. (Recommended for ages 5 – 9. Black author.)

Related post: Children’s books about Black women leaders

Discover 30+ picture books for all aspects of Black history, including arts, politics, science, music, journalism, and more.
Image description: Cover of It Jes’ Happened. An elderly , bald Black man with a long gray beard draws with charcoal, with people gathering around to watch him.

It Jes’ Happened: When Bill Traylor Started to Draw by Don Tate. Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie.

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What could have prompted folk artist Bill Traylor to begin drawing at the age of 85? Don Tate thinks that the sometimes reserved Traylor might have said “it jes’ come to me.” Long after his other family members were gone, Traylor began to draw on discarded cardboard and paper cartons. Many of the figures he drew seemed to be drawn from his long-ago memories of Black life during and after slavery.

After a young artist named Charles Shannon watched Traylor create his art, Shannon tried to offer him more expensive materials. Many times Traylor still preferred to use discarded materials as his canvases. While Shannon put together a show of Traylor’s art in 1940, it was not until the 1980s that Traylor’s expressive and unique art became well-known. (Recommended for ages 6 – 10. Black author.)

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Discover 30+ picture books for all aspects of Black history, including arts, politics, science, music, journalism, and more.
Image description: Cover of The Power of Her Pen. A Black woman wearing a green pill box hat and a red jacket holds up her pen in front of the American flag, and in the other hand holds a notebook that a bird is perched on.

The Power of Her Pen: The Story of Groundbreaking Journalist Ethel L. Payne by Lesa Cline-Ransome. Illustrated by John Parra.

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Ethel Payne made history as a journalist, and not only because she was one of the first Black journalists in the White House Press Corps. She was known for reporting on topics that powerful leaders often wanted to ignore, such as the treatment of Black soldiers stationed in Japan in the years after World War II.

Payne wasn’t afraid to anger presidents like Dwight Eisenhower with her questions about equal rights. She closely followed the Civil Rights movement, knowing that documenting the stories of protestors gave more power to their work. (Recommended for ages 6 – 10. Black author.)

Discover 30+ picture books for all aspects of Black history, including arts, politics, science, music, journalism, and more.
Image description: Cover of Maya’s Song. A middle age Maya Angelous smiles proudly as she looks off to the side. Her hair is wrapped in blue and yellow kente cloth.

Maya’s Song by Renée Watson. Illustrated by Bryan Collier.

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With moving free verse poems and eye-catching collage illustrations, Watson and Collier capture how famed writer Maya Angelou found her voice.

Watson sensitively captures the impact of racism and domestic abuse on Angelou’s life, without going into detail that could be too much for young readers. The patience and encouragement of both her grandmother and family friend Ms. Flowers helped Maya prepare to speak after 5 long years of silence.

The story also shows how many years later, when Maya seemed she might lose her voice again after the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., it was poet Jimmy Baldwin who pressed Maya to share her stories, eventually leading to her first published book. (Recommended for ages 8 – 12. Black author.)

1954 – 1969 Black History Picture Books

Image description: Cover of A Voice Named Aretha. An adult Aretha Franklin sings into a microphone, with a inset in the lower left corner showing a young Aretha doing the same thing.

A Voice Named Aretha by Katheryn Russell-Brown. Illustrated by Laura Freeman.

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Aretha Franklin became the Queen of Soul through her incredible vocal talent and her stance for racial justice. She inspired millions and made her mark on the world by refusing to play for segregated audiences or allow unscrupulous club owners to take advantage of her. When she became famous, she used her power to fund civil rights and call for women’s respect.

The wide range Franklin’s voice could take is made clear in the book’s many expressive illustrations of her performing and inspiring others. (Recommended for ages 5 – 9. Black author.)

Teach children about Black History all year round with this list of more than 60 children's books, plus where to find lesson plans and other learning resources. #blackhistory
Image description: Cover of Mae Among the Stars. A young Black girl with a red ribbon in her hair wears an astronaut helmet and orange astronaut suit as she gazes up at stars on a dark blue and purple background.

Mae Among the Stars by Roda Ahmed. Illustrated by Stasia Burrington.

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As a child, future astronaut Mae Jemison dreamed about seeing the Earth “from out there.” With her parents’ encouragement, she read everything she could find about space. She made her own astronaut costume from orange curtains and a cardboard box.  She tells other family members and friends, and her dream continues growing.

But when Mae tells her class that she wants to be astronaut, her white teacher tells her that being a nurse would be better “for someone like you.” Mae’s parents won’t let her give up on her dream, and she promises that one day she’ll wave to them from a spaceship.(Recommended for ages 3 – 7. Black author.)

Discover 30+ picture books for all aspects of Black history, including arts, politics, science, music, journalism, and more.
Image description: Cover of The Teachers March! A mustached Black man wearing a dark suit stands in front of a crowd of marchers with voting rights signs.

The Teachers March! How Selma’s Teachers Changed History by Sandra Neil Wallace and Rich Wallace. Illustrated by Charly Palmer.

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Often children’s books about the civil rights movement will describe an important march without describing how such a daring and complex event came to be. This unusual picture book about a little-known event in Black history, the Selma teachers’ march of 1965, explains in careful detail what teacher and pastor F.D. Reese had to do to mobilize his fellow teachers to publicly stand for voting rights.

Civil rights activists in Selma had faced violence and defeat so many times. Rev. Reese knew they needed a new approach. Teachers were seen as leaders in the community. If he could convince a group of teachers to march, it would propel others to join in. Just how he could mobilize them when so many rightfully feared losing their jobs? Answering this question would be as great a challenge as the actual march itself. (Recommended for ages 8 – 12. White authors.)

Related post: Children’s books about the civil rights movement

Discover 30+ picture books for all aspects of Black history, including arts, politics, science, music, journalism, and more.
Image description: Cover of Nina. A painting of Nina Simone singing in profile, with her hair pulled up and jewels hanging from her hair and ears.

Nina: A Story of Nina Simone by Traci N. Todd. Illustrated by Christian Robinson.

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Nina Simone’s incredible musical range and rebellious spirit come alive in this color-saturated biography. Her ability to switch from jazz to hymns and back again began when she sat on her father’s knee at the family piano. Later when she was trained in classical music, Nina excelled, while racist experiences in that world angered and discouraged her.

Playing at a seedy club in Atlantic City eventually launched Nina’s career, where she wasn’t afraid to risk record and ticket sales by speaking boldly about civil rights and racism. The final page notes the hope that filled Nina Simone when she sang about the promise of Black children in “To Be Young, Gifted, and Black.” (Recommended for ages 5 – 9. Black author.)

Discover 30+ picture books for all aspects of Black history, including arts, politics, science, music, journalism, and more.
Image description: Cover of Love is Loud. Diane Nash, a Black woman wearing a maroon and green top, has her mouth open with the title of the book pouring out of it in bold letters.

Love is Loud: How Diane Nash Led the Civil Rights Movement by Sandra Neil Wallace. Illustrated by Bryan Collier.

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We often talk about love as if it is a soft and quiet concept. Yet this biography of unsung civil rights hero Diane Nash shows that love is bold, loud, and fierce when it’s fully lived out.

Nash’s family background and upbringing in Chicago frequently shielded her from racism, but when she moved to Nashville to attend Fisk University, the cruelty of segregation filled Nash with anger. After becoming trained in nonviolent resistance, Nash became a leader in the local lunch counter sit-ins, and later the Freedom Rides. When a pregnant Nash was sentenced to two years in jail, she refused to back down. After ten days, a judge begrudgingly released her. Nash is a strategic and brave leader who would have certainly been given more prominence within the male-dominated civil rights movement if not for sexism.

Her story is so powerful on its own. Wallace’s rich lyrics beg to be read aloud, and Collier’s emotion filled watercolor and collage illustrations add power and expressive details to the narrative. (Recommended for ages 6 – 10. White author.)

Discover 30+ picture books for all aspects of Black history, including arts, politics, science, music, journalism, and more.
Image description: Cover of To Boldly Go. On a blue starry background, Nichelle Nichols gazes forward. She wears a dark orange Star Trek uniform and large gold earrings.

To Boldly Go: How Nichelle Nichols and Star Trek Helped Advance Civil Rights by Angela Dalton. Illustrated by Lauren Semmer.

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So often, children’s books that address justice issues and social change movements try to tie things up too neatly. Most likely this is because authors worry that won’t be able to inspire children if they’re honest about how difficult it is to win – and sustain – real social change. Dalton’s powerful profile of Nichelle Nichols, which begins with the author’s childhood memories of watching Lieutenant Uhura on Star Trek, shows that being truthful with children is still inspiring.

As Nichols watched her groundbreaking character’s lines get cut from Star Trek and endured racist treatment by studio staff, she decided to quit the show. But an encounter with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who was a huge fan, convinced her that she was still blazing a trail for Black women. Even as her character was never fully developed in the way that Nichols hoped, she also knew how much Lieutenant Uhura meant to Black viewers. (Recommended for ages 5 – 9. Black author.)

1970 – 1989 Black History Picture Books

Discover 30+ picture books for all aspects of Black history, including arts, politics, science, music, journalism, and more.
Image description: Cover of My Story, My Dance. Robert Battles, a Black dancer wearing a white shirt and black pants, has his eyes closed as he holds his body in an expressive pose.

My Story, My Dance: Robert Battle’s Journey to Alvin Ailey by Lesa Cline-Ransome. Illustrated by James E. Ransome.

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From a young age, Robert Battle felt drawn to dance. But in the early 1980s, this made him a target for bullying. Still, Robert began dancing ballet at the age of 13, even though the other students in his class were much younger. In high school, Battle hoped to become the first “black Baryshnikov,” but when he saw Alvin Ailey’s Revelations, “Robert saw his past and his future, and he saw himself.”

Battle not only mastered other’s modern dances during his time at Juilliard; he even began creating his own award-winning dance performances. Years after leading his own dance company, his path would lead him back to the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. (Recommended for ages 7 – 11. Black author.)

Discover 30+ picture books for all aspects of Black history, including arts, politics, science, music, journalism, and more.
Image description: Cover of Make Your Mark. Jacci Gresham, a Black woman whose curly hair is pinned back, wears safety goggles as she tattoos a large rose on a person’s arm.

Make Your Mark: The Empowering True Story of the First Known Black Female Tattoo Artist by Jacci Gresham with Sherry Fellores. Illustrated by David Wilkerson.

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This engaging story is part biography, part “how to” guide for future tattoo artists. As Jacci Gresham tells how she became the first Black woman tattoo artist, she also shares her advice to “stray outside the lines” and “practice every day.”

Self-expression was an important value in Gresham’s family, but practicality was also prized. She attended an art school for high school, but her mother convinced her to pursue engineering in college. In her first job at General Motors, Gresham was miserable, longing to “creates something curvy, squiggly, and totally my style.”

After a move to New Orleans, Gresham decided to become a tattoo artist, despite having no experience in the area. She recognized that other tattoo artists didn’t realize the adjustments they needed to make when working on brown skin. Through unique designs and careful practice – and a refusal to back down to her business partner, who doesn’t think women should get tattoos – Gresham built a thriving business. (Recommended for ages 6 – 10. Black author.)

Discover 30+ picture books for all aspects of Black history, including arts, politics, science, music, journalism, and more.
Image description: Cover of the Roots of Rap. The title is written in bold gold letters on a blue background, surrounded by images of musical artists.

The Roots of Rap: 16 Bars on the 4 Pillars of Hip Hop by Carole Boston Weatherford. Illustrated by Frank Morrison.

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Hip hop culture has transformed the world, yet few children’s books focus on the art of rap and hip hop. With poetic text rooted in a strong beat, Carole Boston Weatherford traces the origins of hip hop not just to the Bronx DJs of the 1970s. She goes further back to poets like Langston Hughes and Paul Lewis Dunbar and to soul musicians like James Brown.

Morrison’s graffiti-infused illustrations seem to come alive with action and capture the bold self-assurance of hip hop musicians and listeners. An illustrated “who’s who” of hip hop and a glossary provides many ideas for further exploration of this influential musical genre. (Recommended for ages 4 – 9. Black author.)

Discover 30+ picture books for all aspects of Black history, including arts, politics, science, music, journalism, and more.
Image description: Cover of Make a Pretty Sound. Ella Jenkins, a Black woman with short white hair, strums a guitar and looks back toward a crowd of children singing and playing musical instruments.

Make a Pretty Sound: A Story of Ella Jenkins – the First Lady of Children’s Music by Traci N. Todd. Illustrated by Eleanor Davis.

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When I’m feeling down, listening to Ella Jenkins leading children in song always lifts my spirits. Todd and Davis’s joy-filled book about the life of “the first lady of children’s music” had the same effect on me.

Jenkins, who died last year at the age of 100, pulled a remarkable number of musical and social influences together in the music she taught young people. As Todd writes, each time she discovered a new place or sound, “she [could] hardly wait to show the children.”

Bold illustrations full of large speech bubbles bring the social justice movements that inspired Jenkins to life, and Todd’s rhythmic prose imitates the sounds of Jenkins’ music. This book makes a delightful read-aloud! (Recommended for ages 4 – 9. Black author.)

Discover 30+ picture books for all aspects of Black history, including arts, politics, science, music, journalism, and more.
Image description: Cover of Jerry Changed the Game! Jerry Lawson, a Black man wearing a white shirt and tie, holds large electric controllers over a circuit board.

Jerry Changed the Game! How Engineer Jerry Lawson Revolutionized Video Games Forever by Don Tate. Illustrated by Cherise Harris.

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Jerry Changed the Game! is a great choice for kids who are drawn to tinkering, problem solving, and engineering. Few people know Jerry Lawson’s name, but he was the first person to figure out how to create a cartridge-based video game system. Before his innovation, the only way to play video games was on the huge machines found at arcades and other public places.

Even at the age of three, Jerry was already figuring out how simple machines worked. When his parents gave him a shortwave radio receiver a few years later, it inspired his life-long interest in electromagnetics.

After Jerry created a coin-operated video game in his home, his bosses asked him to create a cartridge-based system. Two other engineers had come up with the idea, but couldn’t figure out how to make it work. The author carefully outlines the many steps and missteps it took before Lawson’s system could be sold, giving young readers an inside peek to the engineering world. (Recommended for ages 6 – 10. Black author.)

1990 to the Present Black History Picture Books

Teach children about Black History all year round with this list of more than 60 children's books, plus where to find lesson plans and other learning resources. #blackhistory

Firebird: Ballerina Misty Copeland Shows a Young Girl How to Dance Like the Firebird by Misty Copeland and Christopher Myers

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Misty Copeland made history when she became the first African American principal dancer with the American Ballet Theater. She had to fight racial stereotypes about what a ballerina looks like to get there.

Copeland writes Firebird to a young dancer who feels she will never have the grace, confidence, and strength of her idol. Her encouraging words and the stunning artwork remind children that our lives can change in ways we can’t yet imagine. (Recommended for ages 6 – 10. Black author.)

Learn about Black scientists, inventors, and engineers whose work changed the world in these delightful children's books by Black authors.
Image description: Cover of Dream Builder. Philip Freelon, a Black man with medium brown skin and a goatee, stands in front of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Dream Builder: The Story of Architect Philip Freelon by Kelly Starling Lyons. Illustrated by Laura Freeman.

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This striking biography of the architect who designed the National Museum of African American History and Culture begins with how he discovered his gifts in childhood. While school was sometimes a struggle because of his difficulty reading, Philip Freelon’s Pop Pop, a Harlem Renaissance painter, helped him see “the world with an artist’s inner eye. As a teen, Philip’s art began to reflect the civil rights movement and messages of Black Pride.

When he pursued his architecture degree in college, Freelon set out to discover African American and African designers that he wasn’t taught about in class. As an architect, he only designed buildings that would fill people with joy and knowledge, like museums, schools, and libraries (not prisons or casinos.) All of these experiences prepared his architectural team to propose a design for the National Museum of American History that reflected the royal heritage, Black craftmanship, and welcoming space of his culture. (Recommended for ages 6 – 10. Black author.)

These are the best picture books of 2024 that are diverse or have anti-bias and social justice themes, perfect for your home or classroom.
Image description: Cover of The Last Stand. An older Black man hands a pumpkin to his grandson from the back of a flatbed truck.

The Last Stand by Antwan Eady. Illustrated by Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey.

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In this “love letter” to Eady’s hometown of Garnett, South Carolina and the Black farmers who fed the community, Papa has the last remaining stand at a small farmer’s market. It’s a place where people not only get their fresh produce, but also keep community ties strong. Papa’s grandson always helps at the stand. But can he figure out what to do one Saturday when Papa is just too tired to make it to the market?

The book includes a thorough educational note about Eady’s hometown and the injustices Black farmers have faced. (Recommended for ages 3 – 7. Black author.)

Discover 30+ picture books for all aspects of Black history, including arts, politics, science, music, journalism, and more.
Image description: Cover of Ketanji. Justice Ketanji Jackson smiles and looks slightly to the side through her large blue glasses. Her hands are folded.

Ketanji: Justice Jackson’s Journey to the U.S. Supreme Court by Kekla Magoon. Illustrated by Laura Freeman.

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With stunningly beautiful illustrations, thoughtful anecdotes, and text that weaves together the personal and the political, this biography is an excellent introduction to Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Jackson’s life. The first half of the book carefully follows her path from childhood through law school, highlighting the experiences, people, and political issues that shaped her life.

The second half explores her legal career, including the ten different jobs she held in her first fifteen years post-law school, struggling to find the position that was right for her. When she was appointed as a federal judge by President Obama, she knew she’d found her ideal place.

My favorite part of the book was the letter that her then 11-year-old daughter Leila wrote to President Obama, outlining all the reasons she thought her mother should be considered for a Supreme Court Justice opening.(Recommended for ages 7 – 12. Black author.)

Looking for anti-bias, antiracist and social justice themed children's books? Find the best picture books of 2022 for diversity & justice in this list.
Image description: Cover of Because of You, John Lewis. An elderly John Lewis towers above the Edmund Pettis Bridge. The bridge is filled with black and white photos of people. In front of the the bridge a light brown-skinned boy wears a checked shirt and tie and holds a sign that says “courage, raw courage.”

Because of You, John Lewis by Andrea Davis Pinkney. Illustrated by Keith Henry Brown.

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This picture book for older children is a biography of civil rights legend and member of Congress John Lewis, accompanied by the story of Lewis’ friendship with Tybre Faw, a young activist still in elementary school.

After Tybre became entranced by Lewis’ life story, he begged his grandmothers to make a 400-mile drive to Selma, Alabama to join Lewis in his annual march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge. There, not only did Tybre get to meet Lewis. The Congressman even invited him to join him at the front of the march.

Since then Tybre has engaged in activism on many causes, including gun violence, immigrants rights, and human rights. (Recommended for ages 7 – 11. Black author.)

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