There are so many inspiring and bold Black women leaders who children should learn about. Too often, the forces of racism and sexism have kept these leaders’ stories from being widely told. Fortunately, that’s starting to change (even though the backlash to that storytelling is real.) Today I’m sharing 20 of our favorite children’s books about Black women leaders in the arts, activism, science, and more.
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20 of our favorite children’s books about Black women leaders
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.)
Stand Up! 10 Mighty Women Who Made a Change by Brittney Cooper. Illustrated by Cathy Ann Johnson.
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In this vibrantly illustrated and energetically narrated collection, young readers learn about 10 Black women leaders who have worked for change in a variety of ways. Before introducing their profiles, Cooper explains how standing up is connected to the people and things that we love.
The leaders Cooper has chosen are from as long ago as the Revolutionary Era and as recent as the clean water crisis in Flint, Michigan. Mum Bett (Elizabeth Freeman) who sued a Massachusetts court for her freedom from enslavement (and won!) models demanding her rights. Poet Phillis Wheatley took a stand using her pen and her poetry. More recent leaders include Lelia Foley (the first Black woman mayor in U.S. history), Bree Newsome (who scaled a flagpole at the South Caroline capitol to remove the Confederate flag), and young Mari Copeny (who has spoken out unceasingly about Flint’s water crisis.) (Recommended for ages 6 – 10. Black author.)
Opal Lee and What It Means To Be Free by Alice Faye Duncan. Illustrated by Keturah A. Bobo.
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Opal Lee and What It Means to Be Free weaves together tragedy and triumph, injustice and resistance, through alternating stories of the first Juneteenth and the story of Opal Lee, the woman who fought to make the day a national holiday.
The story opens during a joyful present-day Juneteenth celebration, as Opal Lee gathers the children to tell them the story of the first Juneteenth. They learn how “slavery was a thief” – of learning, of justice, and joy. Even when the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, enslavers in Texas continued to force enslaved people to work. When U.S. troops finally arrive to enforce emancipation, Opal Lee in her striking purple dress is shown watching her ancestors celebrate as tears of joy are wiped away.
When her young listeners want to know how Opal Lee celebrated Juneteenth as a child, they learn how segregation and an angry white mob burning her family’s home led to her determination to always work for freedom. (Recommended for ages 5 – 9. Black author.)
Because Claudette by Tracey Baptiste. Illustrated by Tonya Engel.
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How does a movement start, and how does it gain momentum? This picture book account of the Montgomery bus boycott shows the often-forgotten people and all the background work they did to bring about justice.
Claudette Colvin, a high school student, was arrested before Rosa Parks for refusing to move to the back of the bus. As Claudette became active in the NAACP, she and Mrs. Parks became friends, working with other women who faced arrest for their activism on the bus.
This thorough and easy-to-follow story is a much-needed antidote to books about the civil rights movement that only share the most famous moments of struggle. (Recommended for ages 4 – 8. Black author.)
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 poetic 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 and racism that denied Brooks’ talent. (Recommended for ages 6 – 10. Black author.)
Stacey Abrams and the Fight to Vote by Traci N. Todd. Illustrated by Laura Freeman.
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In this unique approach to Stacey Abrams’ biography, four Black women who fought for voting rights tell her story. Through a conversation between Ida B. Wells, Septima Clark, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Sojourner Truth, young readers discover key moments in Abrams’ life that shaped her perspective on justice.
This is a great resource for helping children understand that the fight for voting rights, especially for Black voters, is not just an issue of the past. An extensive voting rights timeline is included in the endnotes. (Recommended for ages 6 – 10. Black author.)
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Little People, Big Dreams: Maya Angelou by Lisbeth Kaiser. Illustrated by Leire Salaberria.
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This book uses simple language and relatable illustrations to help younger children understand the most important events in Maya Angelou’s life. I appreciated how the story included the childhood trauma Angelou endured without going into detail that young kids can’t handle.
Children will learn not only about her poetry, but also her many other careers. I didn’t know that Angelou was a street car conductor and a singer when she was a young adult! (Recommended for ages 4 to 9. White author.)
Little Melba and Her Big Trombone by Katheryn Russell-Brown. Illustrated by Frank Morrison.
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I love how the text and vibrant illustrations of this book make us feel like we’re living in the world of jazz alongside Melba Liston. While you might not recognize Liston’s name, she was one of the most important jazz musicians of the 1950s and 60s. She was also a sought after composer. Liston had to break both barriers of race and gender to pursue her passion for music.
My son loved the part of the story where Melba gets her first trombone. She can’t event fully extend the slide because her arms are too short. This doesn’t stop her from putting everything she has into learning the instrument. (Recommended for ages 5 to 9. Black author.)
Related post: Children’s books for Women’s History Month
Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison
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This ambitious book includes 40 illustrated one page profiles of Black women leaders in American history, from the 18th century to the present. Little Leaders filled in many gaps in history for me. For example, I knew that a psychology experiment asking children to compare black dolls and white dolls was crucial to overturning segregation in the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court case. What I didn’t know was that the study was led by social psychologist Mamie Phipps Clark.
From anti-lynching journalist Ida B. Wells to sculptor Augusta Savage to groundbreaking politician Shirley Chisholm, children and adults alike will be inspired by the stories of these trailblazing women. (Recommended for ages 7 to 12. Black author.)
Related post: Children’s books about women in politics
Talkin’ About Bessie: The Story of Aviator Elizabeth Coleman by Nikki Grimes. Illustrated by E.B. Lewis.
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Elizabeth Coleman was the first Black American woman and Native American woman to earn a pilot’s license, though she had to travel to France to find a flight school that would teach her. In this work of historical fiction written in free verse, Nikki Grimes describes the important events of Coleman’s life through the memories of friends and family.
Coleman’s determined personality shines through in poems such as her friend Robert Abbott’s, who compares her copper colored skin with her inner core, “tough as any metal, and always ready and willing to test her strength.” The poems and water color illustrations will also give children a sense of just how harrowing flying was in Coleman’s day, including the multiple accidents she suffered before the one that tragically took her life. (Recommended for ages 8 – 12. Black author.)
Fancy Party Gowns: The Story of Fashion Designer Ann Cole Lowe by Deborah Blumenthal. Illustrated by Laura Freeman.
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From a young age, Ann Cole learned the art of dress design in her mother’s shop, where they made fancy party dresses for some of Alabama’s most famous people. Cole once said that she felt so happy when she was designing clothes “that I could just jump up and down with joy.” Her talent caught the eye of Jackie Bouvier, who asked her to design the dresses for her wedding to John F. Kennedy.
Cole faced many obstacles, from racism to burst pipes in her dress shop that ruined some of Bouvier’s dresses. I loved how the illustrations captured the many different feelings must have had through her impressive, yet challenging career. (Recommended for ages 5 to 9. White author.)
Bring Me Some Apples and I’ll Make You a Pie: A Story about Edna Lewis by Robbin Gourley.
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Warning: Do not read this book while you’re hungry! Long before the movement for local, seasonal food went mainstream, chef Edna Lewis was an expert. Lewis was a highly acclaimed chef at many different restaurants, as well as a prolific cookbook author. This book imagines her childhood in the 1920s in Freeport, Virginia.
We follow Edna and her family through the seasons as they delight in each new harvest. Edna is thrilled to pick, preserve, and bake everything from wild strawberries to honey to muscadine grapes. The book also includes several recipes made in the style of Lewis’ cooking. (Recommended for ages 4 to 9. White author.)
Dancing in the Wings by Debbie Allen. Illustrated by Kadir Nelson.
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Award-winning choreographer Debbie Allen tells her own childhood story of finding her place in the world of dance. Allen’s mother called her Sassy, a fitting nickname for a child who was always ready to trade insults with her brother. In ballet class, she longed to dance in the spotlight. But others told her she was too tall.
Her teacher announces that someone from the a prestigious summer dance festival in Washington, DC will be visiting. He’s looking for talented dancers to join the festival. Despite taunts from her classmates, Allen decides to audition, embracing how her height makes her stand out from others. (Recommended for ages 6 to 10. Black author.)
Rosa by Nikki Giovanni and Bryan Collier
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Rosa Parks’ brave refusal to move to the back of a segregated bus is one of the best known moments of the civil rights movement. What is told less often is how an entire movement of Black women leaders and everyday people quickly mobilized in response to her bold act. Giovanni’s account captures this larger story, while still giving children details about what gave Parks the courage to act in that particular moment.
The illustrations are evocative. Parks often seems to have light streaming from her. Collier says he did this to indicate the inspiration she provided to many others in the civil rights movement. Children and adults alike will be inspired by how Parks integrity “turned her no into a YES for change.” (Recommended for ages 6 to 10. Black author.)
Related Post: children’s books about the civil rights movement
Molly, by Golly! by Dianne Ochiltree. Illustrated by Kathleen Kemly.
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I certainly had no idea that America’s first female firefighter did her work in early 1800’s. Nor did I know she was a Black woman who started as a cook for a fire company! Adventure loving kids will be fascinated with Molly Williams’ bravery and determination.
At that time, groups of youth with bells would run through the streets to summon the volunteer firefighters. One wintry day during an influenza epidemic, Molly joined the youth to spread the word of a fire. When she arrived at the station, there were few men there because of the flu. So Molly jumped into help put out the blaze in the middle of a terrible snowstorm. From that day forward, she was a volunteer firefighter with her company. (Recommended for ages 5 to 9. White author.)
Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly. Illustrated by Laura Freeman.
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In the years leading up to the space race between the United States and the USSR, “computers” were people who did high level math problems. This engaging picture book tells kids about four Black women leaders whose math skills kept countless pilots and astronauts safe during their missions.
Young readers will also learn how Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden had to push repeatedly to break through racial and gender barriers. For example, Johnson wanted to go to research meetings with the other experts on her team. Her boss refused, saying that women couldn’t attend. But Johnson’s dogged persistence eventually won her entry.
Mary Jackson wanted to become an engineer, but officials at aeronautics lab said it was impossible. She would need to take high level math classes at a school Blacks weren’t allowed to attend. Jackson persisted, and became the first African American woman engineer in the lab. (Recommended for ages 5 to 9. Black author.)
Related post: 12 children’s books about Black scientists and engineers by Black authors
Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom by Carole Boston Weatherford. Illustrated by Kadir Nelson.
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I had chills the entire time I read Moses. The book is written as a conversation between God and Harriet Tubman as she makes her escape from slavery. When she prays about her thirst for freedom, God tells her “I set the North Star in the heavens, and I mean for you to be free.” Through her harrowing journey alone, God continues to guide her.
When she isn’t sure how she’ll survive, God reminds her of the survival lessons from nature that her father taught her long ago. As Tubman finally reaches free soil in Philadelphia, she discovers a church that’s a station in the Underground Railroad. It’s there that she learns the secret routes that will allow her to free others as a conductor.
Others often thanked her for leading them to freedom. But Tubman told them “it wasn’t me. It was the Lord. I always trust him to lead me and He always does.” (Recommended for 6 to 10. Black author.)
Related post: How should we talk with children about slavery?
Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker by Patricia Hruby Powell. Illustrated by Christian Robinson.
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Josephine Baker lived a remarkable and astonishing life as a dancer, comic performer, and even a French spy during World War II. Her determination to be a star led to many headstrong decisions. She once stole the spotlight from the star performer, angering her fellow chorus members but delighting critics and audiences.
As a light skinned Black woman, Josephine often had difficulty finding good places to perform in America. So she traveled to Paris. Josephine soon became famous, and she said that “for the first time in my life, I felt beautiful.”
The book does not shy away from the hard times of Josephine’s life, including towards the end, when she often lived in poverty. Although the illustrations may lead you to think of this as a book for younger children, be aware that there is a brief reference to rape. (Recommended for ages 8+. White author.)
Let It Shine: Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters by Andrea Davis Pinkney. Illustrated by Stephen Alcorn.
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Let It Shine is ideal for older children who want greater detail about Black women leaders of the anti-slavery and civil rights movements. The illustrated volume chronicles the lives of crusaders who children are likely to have heard of, such as Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubman. It also tells the story of Biddy Mason, who successfully sued her master for her freedom after he moved her to California.
Fannie Lou Hamer, a Mississippi tenant farmer who became one of the key leaders in the civil rights movement in her state, is also featured, along with Ida B. Well-Barnett, Mary McLeod Bethune, Dorothy Height, and others. (Recommended for ages 9+. Black author.)
Nina: Jazz Legend and Civil Rights Activist Nina Simone by Alice Brière-Haquet. Illustrated by Bruno Liance.
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In this striking story with black and white illustrations, jazz artist Nina Simone tells her child a lullaby that conveys the importance of both music and civil rights in her life.
When she learns in her first piano lesson that white keys are whole notes and black keys are half notes, Nina connects this with the racist treatment Black people receive. But rather than thinking herself less worthy, Nina knew that “the notes had to mingle and dance together in the air so these lies would disappear.”
The story is moving, especially when Nina recounts how her mother had to move out of the front row at her piano recital once white people arrived. Nina refused to play until she was re-seated.
The one thing I did miss in the book was that there were no notes or pictures in the back about Nina Simone’s life. (Recommended for ages 4 to 8. White author.)
