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Black Inventors Online Museum

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The Black Inventor Online Museum | Profiles on African American and Black Inventors Over the Last 300 Years

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This site is the #1 resource on the web focusing on the ingenuity and accomplishments of Black inventors over the last 300 years and their contributions to Black History.

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Ideas to Celebrate Black History Month

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Civil Rights Movement | Free Middle School Teaching Resources

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The civil rights movement changed America forever. Who were the leaders of the civil rights movement? What were the major events in the movement?

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Art Project Ideas inspired by African American artists

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While Black History Month is meant to celebrate one particular culture, it is an opportunity for everyone to learn, share and take pride in the Black achievers that came before us and continue to make history. One of my favorite ways to do this in my own classroom is through art. Here are five African-American artists whose art is beautiful, interesting, and meaningful. Plus some project ideas to emulate their wonderful art.

1. Alma Thomas

THE ARTIST: Alma Thomas was an expressionist painter who was born in 1891. Her early work was representational, but she evolved into her signature of work on canvas that is characterized by shapes color, rhythm and powerful emotions. Thomas was a black woman in a field dominated by men. Furthermore, she didn't even begin to focus on her painting until she was in her 60s, after retiring as a school teacher.

THE ART: Some artists tell stories by creating images of things that we can easily recognize and understand, but abstract expressionists like Alma Thomas tell stories using shapes, color and pattern. What makes art like this so wonderful is that everyone gets to decide for themselves what they think the picture is about.

THE PROJECT: I like to imagine that the colors Thomas uses correspond to different emotions and that she tells a story about how she feels by how and where she puts the colors. An easy way to model the art of Alma Thomas is with torn paper collages. You'll need sturdy paper for the canvas, different color paper to tear into shapes and glue-that's it! Have the students plan out there collage first or just go where the colors take them.

2. Jacob Lawrence

THE ARTIST: Jacob Lawrence was born in 1917 and unlike Alma Thomas was a very young man when his painting career was at its height. He painted both historically significant moments of African American history as well as scenes from the daily life of ordinary people. His painting was representational and even narrative; some of his most famous work is images in a series such as the Great Migration, which tells the story of Black Americans moving from the south to the north after World War I.

THE ART: While his style was representational, his work is somewhat abstract. It is characterized by people and faces with no specific identity or facial features and bright primary colors in combination with deep blacks and browns.

THE PROJECT: To explore the work of Jacob Lawrence further I suggest focusing on his stories and his process rather than his style. Students could choose an important moment or series of moments from their personal and family history and visually represent it. Like Lawrence, the students can choose a color story or a palette to work with that captures the feeling and memory of that moment. I love the project (pictured below) from this blog.

SOURCE: Sandburg Art Enrichment

3. Aaron Douglas

THE ARTIST: Aaron Douglas was born in 1899 and made art during the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance was a frenzy of art and cultural expression that happened in Harlem, New York that produced new art, music and literature. While the explosion of all this new art took place in the 1920s, Harlem continues to be a center of African-American art and culture today.

THE ART: Aaron Douglas painted murals and large scale paintings that are easily recognized by their lush colors, wild movement and symbolic images. He is also known for his signature use of concentric circles that create the appearance of movement and light throughout the image.

THE PROJECT: I have used the work of Aaron Douglas to show children how to really look at art. Finding the circles is like a treasure hunt within a picture. Once you and your students have found the circles, you can explore what the circles of light are highlighting and how they help to focus your attention on certain parts of the painting. Discuss what other shapes and patterns can be found in the images. To model the work of Aaron Douglas, I focus on the use of pattern and shape, especially the circles. Using a bunch of collected circle shapes (container tops, paper towel rolls) I have the students first draw or paint their image and then stamp their circles on top.

4. Elizabeth Catlett

THE ARTIST: Elizabeth Catlett was born in 1915 and spent her early years in Washington DC. Both of her grandparents were freed slaves and this narrative would come to play a very central role to her prints and sculptures. Her sculptures are known for their round, intuitive physicality and often depict mothers and their children. Her printmaking usually depicted what she called "ordinary people." She has said that she wanted to make art for ordinary people to enjoy and discover. All of her artwork had a deeper message of justice, activism, and empowerment for these same ordinary people.

THE ART: In 1946, Catlett had the opportunity to study in Mexico. This influence is recognizable in her work, both in the style and in the focus on political and social themes. Exploring the work of Elizabeth Catlett gives you and your students a chance to learn about the process of print making. Catlett made prints using the linoleum block method, in which a sheet of linoleum is fixed to a block of wood and then a design it etched in the surface. You can make an image by layering a few different etched images on the surface on which you are making your print.

THE PROJECT: We can replicate Catlett's process by using any small, flat object that can be etched or scratched. I have done this using Styrofoam paper plates or sheets of foam. Once you have been able to etch or cut your simple image on to your surface, put a thin layer of paint in a plate or shallow flat container. Then you layer your images and if you like finish them off with small details.

5. Faith Ringgold

THE ARTIST: Your students will probably know the artwork of Faith Ringgold because of her very popular book Like Elizabeth Catlett, Faith Ringgold was a teacher and a lot of her work centers on social justice, fighting racism and telling the stories of African-American individuals, families, and communities. She has written almost 20 children's books.

THE ART: In addition to looking at her famous picture books, Ringgold made a wide variety of art including paintings, costumes, performance, sculptures and quilts, and she is still making art today. Her influences include German quilt-making, her mother's dressmaking, and African American Literature, and are as diverse as her artwork.

THE PROJECT: To celebrate the artwork of Faith Ringgold you can make a classroom quilt. You will need sturdy paper cut into squares and paint, markers and other supplies to decorate your quilt squares. Decide together if you want your quilt to tell a singular story, many stories or use shapes and patterns. This would be a great way to decorate a bulletin board or classroom door. Check out the cool quilt project (pictured below) from this blogger.

SOURCE: WES Kindergarten Art

I hope you and your students enjoy studying these great artists as much as mine do. Learning about and celebrating their work and their stories is a great way to honor Black History month and any other month of the year.

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5 African-American Artists Who Inspire My Students' Creativity

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While Black History Month is meant to celebrate one particular culture, it is an opportunity for everyone to learn, share and take pride in the Black achievers that came before us and continue to make history. One of my favorite ways to do this in my own classroom is through art.

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Explore the Musical Contributions by Black Musicians

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Explore the Musical Contributions by Black Musicians

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February is Black History Month. Explore the many contributions of African-Americans with several cross-curricular lessons, printables, quizzes, and activities below! Utilize these resources for grades K-12.

Have a great classroom activity or lesson plan for Black History Month you'd like to share with fellow music teachers? Send it to catherinah@nafme.org to be published. You can also submit lesson plans to the new My Music Class.

Students learn the structure of the blues stanza, both in music and in the blues-based poems of Langston Hughes. This set of lessons is divided into grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Younger students compose their own three-line blues poems. Older students listen for details of the Great Migration in recordings of rural and urban blues from Smithsonian Folkways.

Grades: 11-12

Grades: 9-12

Overview and Purpose: American history is full of many great black musicians that performed between 1900 and 1950. In this activity, students prepare a Power Point presentation about the life of one of them.

Objective: The student will be able to present a report on a black musician who performed between 1900 and 1950.
Resources:

List of various black musicians from the first half of the 20th century

Internet access for each student

Various props the student may need to present their report

Activities:
Have students choose a black musician from the list (or they can find one on their own). Have them research the musician's life and musical career and present a Power Point presentation about them. The students should include information about the musician's personal life, style of music, professional accomplishments, and community or social involvement.
Wrap Up:
The classroom could be turned into an old-fashioned nightclub to set the atmosphere for the student's presentations. Students could also be encouraged to dress and talk in the style of the day that their musician lived.

Grades: 6-8

Overview and Purpose: In this activity, students examine Negro spirituals and consider whether they contained hidden messages about escape routes to freedom.

Objective: The student will be able to explore the lyrics to Negro spirituals and examine how they could have been used to communicate escape routes to slaves.

Resources:

Copies of Negro spirituals

Internet access for each group of students

Activities:
Pass out the lyrics of Negro spirituals to your students. Read through them as a class and have the students try to point out phrases that may have been codes for the slaves. Divide the class into groups and have them research the spirituals to see if they chose the correct phrases. Come back together as a class and discuss their findings.
Wrap Up:
An extension of this activity could be to have the students work together to write their own coded message in a song that only you and them will understand.

Note: There is some debate among scholars and historians as to whether Negro spirituals contained coded messages or just offered hope of a better life.

More Resources:

Teachers Pay Teachers: Black History Month Music Activities, Free Handouts, Quizzes, Games and More!

SOURCES:
Smithsonian Education: The Blues and Langston Hughes National Education Association. 'Black History Month Lessons & Resources, Grades K-5: Integrating African-American Culture & History into Your Curriculum'
By Phil Nast, retired middle school teacher and freelance writer
TeacherVision: Black History Month - Teacher Resources Musical Harlem: How jazz music is reflective of the Harlem Renaissance
By Daniella Garran
Jazz Music, Dance, and Poetry: Exploring basic movements, melodies and poetic methods
By Brian Ziegler, Original Writer and Jen Westmoreland Bouchard, Adaptation
Jazz in Time: The History of a Great American Musical Movement
By Daniella Garran

For more ideas and resources, visit NAfME's Black History Month page in My Classroom.
Interested in reprinting this article? Please review the reprint guidelines.
Kristen Rencher, Social Media and Online Community Engagement Coordinator. © National Association for Music Education (NAfME.org)

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Lesson Plans for Black History Month - NAfME

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Students learn the structure of the blues stanza, both in music and in the blues-based poems of Langston Hughes. This set of lessons is divided into grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Younger students compose their own three-line blues poems. Older students listen for details of the Great Migration in recordings of rural and urban blues from Smithsonian Folkways.

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PE Activities for Teaching About Black Inventors & Entrepreneurs

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PE Activities for Teaching About Black Inventors & Entrepreneurs

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PEC: Lesson Plans for Physical Education

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PE Central's lesson plans for physical education.

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Films & Movies for Teaching Civil Rights

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17 Books & Films to Teach Your Kids About Civil Rights |

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A librarian shares her top print and film picks for teaching children about the Civil Rights Movement |

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Favorite Books for Teaching Black History

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Ever since Barack Obama was young, Hope has lived inside him. From the beaches of Hawaii to the streets of Chicago, from the jungles of Indonesia to the plains of Kenya, he has held on to Hope. Even as a boy, Barack knew he wasn't quite like anybody else, but through his journeys he found the ability to listen to Hope and become what he was meant to be: a bridge to bring people together.

Even though she can't afford a ticket to see the great blues singer Bessie Smith perform, Emmarene listens outside Bessie's tent-that is, until she bursts into the show to warn the crowd:The Night Riders have come!

Bessie marches right outside and confronts the Night Riders by giving one of her famous low moans that says, "I may be down and out, but I ain't gonna take it no more." But will that be enough to scare them off ?

Based on a true incident, Bessie Smith and the Night Riders is a powerful story of facing down danger and standing up for what's right. With John Holyfield's luminous paintings setting the stage, readers will be cheering for Bessie and Emmarene all the way to their final bow.

Ada Ruth's mama must go away to Chicago to work, leaving Ada Ruth and Grandma behind. It's war time, and women are needed to fill the men's jobs. As winter sets in, Ada Ruth and her grandma keep up their daily routine, missing Mama all the time. They find strength in each other, and a stray kitten even arrives one day to keep them company, but nothing can fill the hole Mama left. Every day they wait, watching for the letter that says Mama will be coming on home soon. Set during World War II, Coming On Home Soon has a timeless quality that will appeal to all who wait and hope.

This extraordinary union of poetic text by Ntozake Shange and monumental artwork by Kadir Nelson captures the movement for civil rights in the United States and honors its most elegant inspiration, Coretta Scott.

When Ellen and her family make the long trip to the courthouse dressed in their best, she brings the broom her parents had jumped so many years before. Even though freedom has come, Ellen knows the old traditions are important too. After Mama and Papa's names are recorded in the register, Ellen nearly bursts with pride as her parents jump the broom once again.

In a reflective tribute to the African-American community of old, noted poet Ntozake Shange recalls her childhood home and the close-knit group of innovators that often gathered there. These men of vision, brought to life in the majestic paintings of artist Kadir Nelson, lived at a time when the color of their skin dictated where they could live, what schools they could attend, and even where they could sit on a bus or in a movie theater.

Yet in the face of this tremendous adversity, these dedicated souls and others like them not only demonstrated the importance of Black culture in America, but also helped issue in a movement that "changed the world." Their lives and their works inspire us to this day, and serve as a guide to how we approach the challenges of tomorrow.

Born into slavery, young Booker T. Washington could only dream of learning to read and write. After emancipation, Booker began a five-hundred-mile journey, mostly on foot, to Hampton Institute, taking his first of many steps towards a college degree. When he arrived, he had just fifty cents in his pocket and a dream about to come true. The young slave who once waited outside of the schoolhouse would one day become a legendary educator of freedmen.

In this book a bus does talk, and on her way to school a girl named Marcie learns why Rosa Parks is the mother of the Civil Rights movement. At the end of Marcie's magical ride, she meets Rosa Parks herself at a birthday party with several distinguished guests. Wait until she tells her class about this!

Langston Hughes was a courageous voice of his time, and his authentic call for equality still rings true today. Beautiful paintings from Barack Obama illustrator Bryan Collier accompany and reinvent the celebrated lines of the poem "I, Too," creating a breathtaking reminder to all Americans that we are united despite our differences.

Joe and John Henry are a lot alike. They both like shooting marbles, they both want to be firemen, and they both love to swim. But there's one important way they're different: Joe is white and John Henry is black, and in the South in 1964, that means John Henry isn't allowed to do everything his best friend is. Then a law is passed that forbids segregation and opens the town pool to everyone. Joe and John Henry are so excited they race each other there...only to discover that it takes more than a new law to change people's hearts.

In this picture book biography, award-winning author and illustrator Kadir Nelson tells the story of Mandela, a global icon, in poignant free verse and glorious illustrations. It is the story of a young boy's determination to change South Africa, and of the struggles of a man who eventually became the president of his country by believing in equality for all people, no matter the color of their skin. Readers will be inspired by Mandela's triumph and his lifelong quest to create a more just world.

Through artful prose and beautiful illustrations, Donna Jo Napoli and Kadir Nelson tell the true story of Wangari Muta Maathai, known as "Mama Miti," who in 1977 founded the Green Belt Movement, an African grassroots organization that has empowered many people to mobilize and combat deforestation, soil erosion, and environmental degradation. Today more than 30 million trees have been planted throughout Mama Miti's native Kenya, and in 2004 she became the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Wangari Muta Maathai has changed Kenya tree by tree-and with each page turned, children will realize their own ability to positively impact the future.

This picture-book biography is an excellent and accessible introduction for young readers to learn about one of the world's most influential leaders, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Doreen Rappaport weaves the immortal words of Dr. King into a captivating narrative to tell the story of his life. With stunning art by acclaimed illustrator Bryan Collier, Martin's Big Words is an unforgettable portrait of a man whose dream changed America-and the world-forever.

There were signs all throughout town telling eight-year-old Connie where she could and could not go. But when Connie sees four young men take a stand for equal rights at a Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina, she realizes that things may soon change. This event sparks a movement throughout her town and region. And while Connie is too young to march or give a speech, she helps her brother and sister make signs for the cause. Changes are coming to Connie's town, but Connie just wants to sit at the lunch counter and eat a banana split like everyone else.

Sally is a young girl living in rural Alabama in the early 1900s, a time when people were struggling to grow food in soil that had been depleted by years of cotton production. One day, Dr. George Washington Carver shows up to help the grownups with their farms and the children with their school garden.

He teaches them how to restore the soil and respect the balance of nature. He even prepares a delicious lunch made of plants, including "chicken" made from peanuts. And Sally never forgets the lessons this wise man leaves in her heart and mind. Susan Grigsby's warm story shines new light on an African American scientist who was ahead of his time.

Zora and Langston. Billie and Bessie. Eubie and Duke. If the Harlem Renaissance had a court, they were its kings and queens. But there were other, lesser known individuals whose contributions were just as impactful, such as Florence Mills. Born to parents who were former-slaves Florence knew early on that she loved to sing. And that people really responded to her sweet, bird-like voice. Her dancing and singing catapulted her all the way to the stages of 1920s Broadway where she inspired songs and even entire plays! Yet with all this success, she knew firsthand how bigotry shaped her world. And when she was offered the role of a lifetime from Ziegfeld himself, she chose to support all-black musicals instead.

What do all these people have in common: the first man to die in the American Revolution, a onetime chief of the Crow Nation, the inventors of peanut butter and the portable X-ray machine, and the first person to make a wooden clock in this country? They were all great African Americans. For parents and teachers interested in fostering cultural awareness among children of all races, this book includes more than 70 hands-on activities, songs, and games that teach kids about the people, experiences, and events that shaped African American history. This expanded edition contains new material throughout, including additional information and biographies. Children will have fun designing an African mask, making a medallion like those worn by early abolitionists, playing the rhyming game "Juba," inventing Brer Rabbit riddles, and creating a unity cup for Kwanzaa. Along the way they will learn about inspiring African American artists, inventors, and heroes like Harriet Tubman, Benjamin Banneker, Rosa Parks, Langston Hughes, and Louis Armstrong, to name a few.

Rosa and her mama go to school together-in the dark of night, silently, afraid that any noise they hear is a patroller on the lookout for escaped slaves. Their school is literally a hole in the ground, where they and other slaves of all ages gather to form letters out of sticks, scratch letters in the dirt, and pronounce their sounds in whispers. Young Rosa is eager to learn the letters and then the words, because after the words comes reading. But she must have patience, her mama reminds her, and keep her letters to herself when she's working on the plantation. If the Master catches them, it'll mean a whipping-one lash for each letter. No matter how slow and dangerous the process might be, Rosa is determined to learn, and pass on her learning to others.

This poetic book is a resounding tribute to Tubman's strength, humility, and devotion. With proper reverence, Weatherford and Nelson do justice to the woman who, long ago, earned over and over the name Moses.

Now that Hannah's papa has decided to make the run for freedom, her patchwork quilt is not just a precious memento of Mama - it's a series of hidden clues that will guide them along the Underground Railroad to Canada. A fictionalized account of a fascinating oral history, THE PATCHWORK PATH tells the story of a two of the thousands who escaped a life of slavery and made the dangerous journey to freedom - a story of courage, determination, and hope.

Fifty years after her refusal to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama, city bus, Mrs. Rosa Parks is still one of the most important figures in the American civil rights movement. This picture- book tribute to Mrs. Parks is a celebration of her courageous action and the events that followed.

Award-winning poet, writer, and activist Nikki Giovanni's evocative text combines with Bryan Collier's striking cut-paper images to retell the story of this historic event from a wholly unique and original perspective.

As a seamstress in the Big House, Clara dreams of a reunion with her Momma, who lives on another plantation--and even of running away to freedom. Then she overhears two slaves talking about the Underground Railroad. In a flash of inspiration, Clara sees how she can use the cloth in her scrap bag to make a map of the land--a freedom quilt--that no master will ever suspect.

There's a sweet, sweet smell in the air as two young girls sneak out of their house, down the street, and across town to where men and women are gathered, ready to march for freedom and justice. Inspired by countless children and young adults who took a stand, two Coretta Scott King honorees offer a heart-lifting glimpse of children's roles in the civil rights movement.

Elizabeth "Bessie" Coleman was always being told what she could & couldn't do. In an era when Jim Crow laws and segregation were a way of life, it was not easy to survive. Bessie didn't let that stop her. Although she was only 11 when the Wright brothers took their historic flight, she vowed to become the first African -American female pilot. Her sturdy faith and determination helped her overcome obstacles of poverty, racism, and gender discrimination. Innovatively told through a series of monologues.

The story of one family's journey north during the Great Migration starts with a little girl in South Carolina who finds a rope under a tree one summer. She has no idea the rope will become part of her family's history. But for three generations, that rope is passed down, used for everything from jump rope games to tying suitcases onto a car for the big move north to New York City, and even for a family reunion where that first little girl is now a grandmother.

Before Wilma Rudolph was five years old, polio had paralyzed her left leg. Everyone said she would never walk again. But Wilma refused to believe it. Not only would she walk again, she vowed, she'd run. And she did run--all the way to the Olympics, where she became the first American woman to earn three gold medals in a single olympiad. This dramatic and inspiring true story is illustrated in bold watercolor and acrylic paintings by Caldecott Medal-winning artist David Diaz.

Marian Anderson is best known for her historic concert at the Lincoln Memorial in 1939, which drew an integrated crowd of 75,000 people in pre-Civil Rights America. While this momentous event showcased the uniqueness of her voice, the strength of her character, & the struggles of the times in which she lived, it is only part of her story. Like the operatic arias Marian would come to sing, Ryan's text is as moving as a libretto, & Selznick's pictures as exquisitely detailed & elaborately designed as a stage set. What emerges most profoundly from their shared vision is a role model of courage.

In the segregated south, a young girl thinks that she can drink from a fountain marked "Whites Only" because she is wearing her white socks.

In 1955 people all over the United States knew that Emmett Louis Till was a fourteen-year-old African American boy lynched for supposedly whistling at a white woman in Mississippi. The brutality of his murder, the open-casket funeral held by his mother, Mamie Till Mobley, and the acquittal of the men tried for the crime drew wide media attention. In a profound and chilling poem, award-winning poet Marilyn Nelson reminds us of the boy whose fate helped spark the civil rights movement.

In November 1960, all of America watched as a tiny six-year-old black girl, surrounded by federal Marshall's, walked through a mob of screaming segregationists and into her school. An icon of the civil rights movement, Ruby Bridges chronicles each dramatic step of this pivotal event in history.

A wonderful middle-grade novel narrated by Kenny, 9, about his middle-class black family, the Weird Watsons of Flint, Michigan. When Kenny's 13-year-old brother, Byron, gets to be too much trouble, they head South to Birmingham to visit Grandma, the one person who can shape him up. And they happen to be in Birmingham when Grandma's church is blown up.

Malcolm X grew to be one of America's most influential figures. But first, he was a boy named Malcolm Little. Written by his daughter, this inspiring picture book biography celebrates a vision of freedom and justice.

As the Revolutionary War begins, thirteen-year-old Isabel wages her own fight...for freedom. Promised freedom upon the death of their owner, she and her sister, Ruth, in a cruel twist of fate become the property of a malicious New York City couple, the Locktons, who have no sympathy for the American Revolution and even less for Ruth and Isabel. When Isabel meets Curzon, a slave with ties to the Patriots, he encourages her to spy on her owners, who know details of British plans for invasion. She is reluctant at first, but when the unthinkable happens to Ruth, Isabel realizes her loyalty is available to the bidder who can provide her with freedom.

In exuberant verse and stirring pictures, Patricia Hruby Powell and Christian Robinson create an extraordinary portrait of the passionate performer and civil rights advocate Josephine Baker, the woman who worked her way from the slums of St. Louis to the grandest stages in the world. Meticulously researched by both author and artist, Josephine's powerful story of struggle and triumph is an inspiration and a spectacle, just like the legend herself.

by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Ten-year-old Sugar lives on the River Road sugar plantation along the banks of the Mississippi. Slavery is over, but laboring in the fields all day doesn't make her feel very free. Thankfully, Sugar has a knack for finding her own fun, especially when she joins forces with forbidden friend Billy, the white plantation owner's son.

Ruth was so excited to take a trip in her family's new car! In the early 1950s, few African Americans could afford to buy cars, so this would be an adventure. But she soon found out that black travelers weren't treated very well in some towns. Many hotels and gas stations refused service to black people. Daddy was upset about something called Jim Crow laws...

Finally, a friendly attendant at a gas station showed Ruth's family The Green Book. It listed all of the places that would welcome black travelers. With this guidebook--and the kindness of strangers--Ruth could finally make a safe journey from Chicago to her grandma's house in Alabama.

What did it take to be a paratrooper in World War II? Specialized training, extreme physical fitness, courage, and - until the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion (the Triple Nickles) was formed - white skin.

It is 1943. Americans are overseas fighting World War II to help keep the world safe from Adolf Hitler's tyranny, safe from injustice, safe from discrimination. Yet right here at home, people with white skin have rights that people with black skin do not.

What is courage? What is strength? Perhaps it is being ready to fight for your nation even when your nation isn't ready to fight for you.

Born just after slavery ended and orphaned at the age of seven, Sarah Breedlove nevertheless had a vision of confidence and pride in herself and for all women of her race. This illustrated text tells the rags-to-riches story of one of the most celebrated black women in US history.

"We are a family on a journey to a place called wonderful" is the motto of Deza Malone's family. Deza is the smartest girl in her class in Gary, Indiana, singled out by teachers for a special path in life. But it's 1936 and the Great Depression has hit Gary hard, and there are no jobs for black men. When her beloved father leaves to find work, Deza, Mother, and her older brother, Jimmie, go in search of him, and end up in a Hooverville outside Flint, Michigan. Jimmie's beautiful voice inspires him to leave the camp to be a performer, while Deza and Mother find a new home, and cling to the hope that they will find Father. The twists and turns of their story reveal the devastation of the Depression and prove that Deza truly is the Mighty Miss Malone.

Sarah Rector was once famously hailed as "the richest black girl in America." Set against the backdrop of American history, her tale encompasses the creation of Indian Territory, the making of Oklahoma, and the establishment of black towns and oil-rich boomtowns.

Rector acquired her fortune at the age of eleven. This is both her story and that of children just like her: one filled with ups and downs amid bizarre goings-on and crimes perpetrated by greedy and corrupt adults. From a trove of primary documents, including court and census records and interviews with family members, author Tonya Bolden painstakingly pieces together the events of Sarah's life and the lives of those around her.

On March 2, 1955, an impassioned teenager, fed up with the daily injustices of Jim Crow segregation, refused to give her seat to a white woman on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Instead of being celebrated as Rosa Parks would be just nine months later, fifteen-year-old Claudette Colvin found herself shunned by her classmates and dismissed by community leaders. Undaunted, a year later she dared to challenge segregation again as a key plaintiff in Browder v. Gayle, the landmark case that struck down the segregation laws of Montgomery and swept away the legal underpinnings of the Jim Crow South.

Zora Neale Hurston was confident, charismatic, and determined to be extraordinary. As a young woman, Hurston lived and wrote alongside such prominent authors as Langston Hughes and Alain Locke during the Harlem Renaissance. But unfortunately, despite writing the luminary work Their Eyes Were Watching God, she was always short of money. Though she took odd jobs as a housemaid and as the personal assistant to an actress, Zora often found herself in abject poverty. Through it all, Zora kept writing. And though none of her books sold more than a thousand copies while she was alive, she was rediscovered a decade later by a new generation of readers, who knew they had found an important voice of American Literature.

In 1957, Melba Pattillo turned sixteen. That was also the year she became a warrior on the front lines of a civil rights firestorm. Following the landmark 1954 Supreme Court ruling, Brown v. Board of Education, Melba was one of nine teenagers chosen to integrate Little Rock's Central High School.

Throughout her harrowing ordeal, Melba was taunted by her schoolmates and their parents, threatened by a lynch mob's rope, attacked with lighted sticks of dynamite, and injured by acid sprayed in her eyes. But through it all, she acted with dignity and courage, and refused to back down.

Here is the harrowing true story of Solomon Northup, a free black man living in New York. He was kidnapped by unscrupulous slave hunters and sold into slavery where he endured and eventually escaped unimaginable horrors.

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45 books to teach children about black history

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Ever since Barack Obama was young, Hope has lived inside him. From the beaches of Hawaii to the streets of Chicago, from the jungles of Indonesia to the plains of Kenya, he has held on to Hope.

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Books for All Ages

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The following are some of our favorite books for Black History Month - and all year long. Some describe our different histories while others show the joys and challenges that are shared by children of all colors as they learn and grow.

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The following are some of our favorite books for Black History Month - and all year long. Some describe our different histories while others show the joys and challenges that are shared by children of all colors as they learn and grow.

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Picture Books about Black History

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Today I'm sharing a huge list of our favorite black history books for kids!
(This post contains affiliate links.) D o your kids encounter a lot of racial diversity?
We live near a major American city, full of people of all races. But our own little suburb is mostly white. Unless we go shopping, my children don't encounter a lot of faces different from their own during the school week.

I can't begin to understand the racial struggles that African Americans have faced throughout our history and in the present day. Neither can my children.
Over the past month, my first, second, and fourth grader have listened to countless books about notable African Americans.
But we can try.
Since 1975, Americans have recognized February as Black History Month.
We've been saddened by stories of the slavery era, inspired by stories of the civil rights movement, and stunned by stories of incredible people of whom we'd never heard.

During this month we make a special effort to recognize the often neglected accomplishments of notable African Americans.

Of course, we should be remembering the achievements of people of all races all year long.

Let this be a list you refer to every month of the year!

Black history books for kids

Wilma Unlimited, by Kathleen Krull

I start with this book because you must find it at your library! It's the story of Wilma Rudolph, born tiny and sickly as the twentieth child to a poor, hard-working family. When Wilma suffered polio and paralysis at age five, everyone said she'd never walk again. No one guessed that she'd win three gold medals at the 1960 Olympics, becoming the fastest woman in the world!

My Five requested this book again and again. I was happy to oblige!

I Am Rosa Parks, by Brad Meltzer

By refusing to give up her seat, Rosa Parks became a leader in the long fight to end public bus segregation. This is her story.

With his Ordinary People Change the World series, Meltzer has created a fantastic set of picture book biographies. The stories are told in a conversational style and feature engaging illustrations. Even my preschooler asks for them. I recommend that you reserve all of Meltzer's books from your library now, before you forget!

Rosa Parks, by Kiton Jazynka

This little book is a gem from National Geographic Kids. I love the bright text, bold photographs, and interesting captions. I also love that it's written in an easy-reader style at about a second grade reading level. Not only does it tell the inspiring story of Rosa Parks, but it also has a Cool Facts page, Quiz Whiz, and picture glossary.

Even my preschooler was engaged through the whole book.

Back of the Bus, by Aaraon Reynolds

This tells Rosa Parks' story from a boy's perspective. Sitting in the back of the bus with his mother, the boy has many questions and concerns when Mrs. Parks is arrested. Children will relate to this captivating book.

I Am Rosa Parks, by Rosa Parks (with Jim Haskins)

Here's another book about Rosa Parks, told by the woman herself. My first grader loved this easy reader about the famous civil rights heroine.

If A Bus Could Talk, by Faith Ringgold

I love this book, but I want to offer a caveat - despite the cute picture and title, this book is for advanced listeners. It is a very long (and wordy!) biographical account of Rosa Parks. If your students know a little about her already and are up for a long read aloud, I highly recommend it.

Teammates, by Peter Golenbock

This book tells the true story of Jackie Robinson and Pee Wee Reese. Jackie was the first African American to play Major League baseball. This incredible man faced threats and opposition at every turn while keeping his promise to "turn the other cheek."

Pee Wee was the white player who had the courage to publicly support and befriend Jackie Robinson. My big kids (ages 6, 8, and 9) were fascinated by the story.

I Am Jackie Robinson, by Brad Meltzer

While grabbing a link on Amazon, I was surprised to read a scathing review of this book from the School Library Journal. The reviewer called it "preachy and moralistic" with a "perky tone that will cause eye-rolling among readers and listeners."

I couldn't disagree more! This wonderfully written and illustrated book is a gentle introduction to race issues and teaches the importance of leading by example. In fact, after reading this book on their own, my older kids were eager to read other books about Robinson.

Even my preschooler loved it and asked for it repeatedly.

Dad Jackie and Me, by Myron Uhlberg

Based on the author's own life, this is the story of an extra special summer for a father and son. For the first time, Myron's deaf father shows an interest in professional baseball. Inspired by Jackie Robinson's fight against prejudice, he keeps a scrapbook and asks his son to teach him how to catch a baseball. At the end of the book he has big news for his son: they are going to Ebbets Field to see Jackie play.

In the epilogue we learn that, as a deaf man, Myron's father related to Jackie's stoic endurance of prejudice and fight for acceptance.

Freedom's School, by Lesa Cline-Ransome

This historical fiction picture book was another favorite. It's the story of Lizzie and Paul, former slave children who finally have the chance to attend a school just for them.

But even though Lizzie and Paul are excited to finally go to school, it isn't easy. The walk is long. The path is dangerous. And when someone deliberately burns the school down, it seems like all hope is lost. But the determination of their teacher and other members of the community give this book a happy and hopeful ending.

Ellen's Broom, by Kelly Starling Lyons

During the slavery era, slaves were not permitted to wed legally. Many of them literally "jumped the broom" when they made a commitment to live as husband and wife.

After slavery ended, former slaves could visit a local courthouse to become legally married. This book is the fictional account of Ellen and her family who visit the courthouse, broom in hand, to make her parents' marriage legal.

A lovely story with beautiful illustrations!

Ben and the Emancipation Proclamation, by Pat Sherman

This is the true story of a slave named Benjamin Holmes who taught himself to read by studying street signs. Though Ben was a hard-working, valued slave, he was sent to a slave prison when his master joined the Confederate army. When the slaves smuggle in a newspaper, Ben has the privilege of reading the Emancipation Proclamation to his fellow captives.

Bad News for Outlaw, by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson

One thing these books have taught me is that there are some amazing African American heroes whom I've never even heard of. Bass Reeves is one of them. Born into slavery, he later became a Deputy U.S. Marshall - and one of the most feared and respected lawmen in the territories. It's a long book with a fair amount of unfamiliar vocabulary, which made it a great book to read and discuss with my big kids (ages 6, 8, and 9). They were riveted.

Henry's Freedom Box, by Ellen Levine

This is the astounding true story of Henry Brown, a hard-working American slave who deeply loved his wife and children. One day, while he was at work, Henry's wife and children were sold. Heartbroken, Henry decided to mail himself to freedom. After a 27-hour journey, cramped in a crate, Henry arrived safely in Philadelphia.

Tragically, Henry never saw his family again. But he lived the rest of his life as a free man.

Child of the Civil Rights Movement, by Paula Young Shelton & Raul Colon

This is a fantastic book written by the youngest daughter of Andrew Young. She tells the story of her parents moving from their home in the North back to the segregated South - to become leaders in the Civil Rights Movement.

I loved this rare, behind-the-scenes look at how Young, King, Abernathy, and other civil rights leaders planned and marched to Montgomery.

The Case for Loving, by Selina Alko

My kids were astounded that Richard and Mildred Loving's marriage was illegal in the state of Virginia - simply because he was white and she was black. This book is the story of their battle to change the law... all the way to the Supreme Court.

New Shoes, by Susan Lynn Meyer

This is the fictional story of two girls who live during the Jim Crow era. They are hurt and humiliated to learn that they're not permitted to try on shoes in shoe stores simply because they are black. So they collect second hand shoes from their black neighbors and create their own shoe store, where everyone can try on shoes before buying them.

We loved this book! It's a thought-provoking story with endearing characters and beautiful illustrations.

Martin's Big Words, by Doreen Rappaport

With its collage style illustrations and very simple story line, this book is an excellent introduction to Martin Luther King, Jr. I love how it weaves his quotes throughout the story of the civil rights movement. An excellent book!

I Am Martin Luther King, Jr. by Brad Meltzer

In Meltzer's signature style, he talks directly to children in this engaging first-person biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Like all of Meltzer's books, the illustrations are unique: King is illustrated as a miniature version of his adult self on every page, even as a young child. This may be confusing to preschoolers who wonder why a little boy has a mustache. If this bothers you, I think the book is good enough to look past it!

My Brother Martin, by Christine Farris

I highly recommend this beautifully-told memoir by the sister of Martin Luther King, Jr. Young listeners will love the stories from King's childhood and be inspired by his determination to speak out against hatred and racism.

Follow the Drinking Gourd, by Jeanette Winter, is the moving story of Peg Leg Joe, a conductor on the Underground Railroad who taught slaves the song "Follow the Drinking Gourd." It sounded like a simple folk song, but within its lyrics were clues that led slaves along the path to freedom.

We don't know whether Peg Leg Joe was a real person, but the story is a wonderful introduction to the Underground Railroad for young listeners.

Fly High! by Louise Borden and Mary Kay Kroeger

This is a long picture book that tells the story of Bessie Coleman, a determined woman who overcame both poverty and prejudice to become the first African American to earn a pilot's license. Because of the length, I recommend this book for advanced listeners - but the text and pictures make it an enjoyable listen.

Seeds of Freedom, by Hester Bass

We're familiar with all the tragic stories of integration - from police dogs to bombings, but most of us haven't heard of the peaceful integration of Huntsville, Alabama. We loved this story of a small town whose members worked together to peacefully integrate their city and schools. Do note that this is a very long book. I recommend it for advanced listeners.

The Great Migration, by Eloise Greenfield

Through a collection of poems and collage artwork, this book tells the stories of African Americans who left their homes in the South in the hope of a better life in the North. My kids loved the illustrations.

She Loved Baseball , by Audrey Vernick

This is the remarkable story of a woman who owned an African American baseball team. Effa Manley not only cared for her players, she also stood up for the rights of African Americans everywhere. Later, when her players were integrated into the major leagues, she fought for their right to get fair salaries and to be recognized in the baseball hall of fame.

My only complaint about this book is that it had too much baseball talk. But that's because I love history, not sports. 😉

We March, by Shane W. Evans

If you're looking for a short and simple book that will introduce the civil rights march to young readers, this is it. With just a couple of words on each page and bold illustrations, it will introduce young listeners to the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Such a great conversation starter!

With Books and Bricks, by Suzanne Slade

This is my favorite book about Booker T. Washington, the former slave who became a teacher and built his own school for black students - the Tuskegee Institute. Like us, you'll be stunned by this story of hard-working people who worked hour after hour to make thousands of bricks - by hand! This school with humble beginnings had a hundred buildings and fifteen hundred students at the time of Booker's death.

Be sure to reserve this true story of one of America's greatest educators. Highly recommended!

More than Anything Else, by Marie Bradby

If you'd like a book about Booker T. Washington's life as a child, this is the one to get. We love this beautiful first-person narrative about the post-slavery era. Despite working all day at the saltworks, 9-year-old Booker is determined to learn to read and unlock the power of words. What a wonderful story!

The Story of Ruby Bridges, by Robert Coles

This is my favorite kid-friendly book about Ruby Bridges, the brave first grader from New Orleans who was the first black child to attend William Frantz Elementary. I like how this book emphasizes her Christian faith amidst the hate and prejudice that she endured.

Sit-In, by Andrea Davis Pinkney

The author tells the story of the four young black men who took a stand against segregation by sitting down at the whites-only lunch counter in Woolworth's. We enjoyed the poetic prose and cooking metaphors in this stunning portrait. For older listeners.

Gordon Parks, by Carole Boston Weatherford

Before Gordon Parks became the first black director in Hollywood, he was a poor African American looking for work. Armed with a camera, he began taking stunning photographs in America's cities. Parks' photos of struggling African Americans helped illuminate racism and segregation, making him a strong advocate for the Civil Rights Movement.

Such an interesting book! Appropriate for young listeners.

A Picture Book of Harriet Tubman, by David Adler

We own this book, and it's been a favorite of my kids for years. In fact, as preschoolers my older kids would run around the house playing "Harriet Tubman." They were fascinated by this picture book biography of the famous former slave who led many African Americans to freedom on the Underground Railroad.

We have many of Adler's books, and even my preschoolers enjoy them - despite their length.

If you like this book, you'll also like other titles by Adler: A Picture Book of Rosa Parks, A Picture Book of Frederick Douglass, A Picture Book of Thurgood Marshall, A Picture Book of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and A Picture book of Jackie Robinson.

A Weed is a Flower: The Life of George Washington Carver, by Aliki

Have you heard of the former slave who became a great scientist? This is a vintage book (1965), but my kids still enjoyed the lovely illustrations, the interesting story, and the captivating text. Just be aware that you will probably want to substitute some of the language, as the book uses the word "Negro" to refer to African Americans.

A Sweet Smell of Roses, by Angela Johnson

This gentle book honors the children who participated in the civil rights marches of the 1960's. I love the powerful charcoal images in this thought-provoking story. Great for young listeners!

Freedom Summer, by Deborah Wiles

Joe and John Henry are good friends who are a lot alike. But the two friends can't do everything together because Joe is white and John Henry is black - and much of their Southern town is closed off to its black citizens.

When a law is passed that forbids segregation and opens the town pool to everyone, the boys eagerly race each other there... only to find that the city is filling it with asphalt rather than let blacks and whites swim together.

Despite this heartbreaking ending, the book is beautiful and inspiring - and one of my favorites! Recommended.

Harlem's Little Blackbird, by Renee Watson

This is a beautiful book about Florence Mills, the daughter of former slaves who became a famous singer and dancer in the 1920's. Like me, you will probably want to jump straight to Youtube to find a recording of her voice. Sadly, none exists, but you will treasure this story of a woman who used her fame and fortune to advance civil rights.

This is the Dream, by Amistad
We hope you enjoyed this list of amazing picture books!
This lyrical rhyming book is a fantastic introduction to the civil rights movement. But it's also a beautiful book that older listeners will enjoy. I absolutely love this treasure of a book which honors the people who brought about change through their peaceful protest.

Did we miss your favorite? Share in the comments!

© 2017, Anna G. All rights reserved.

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40 Black history books for kids - The Measured Mom

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Today I'm sharing a huge list of our favorite black history books for kids! (This post contains affiliate links.) Do your kids encounter a lot of racial diversity? We live near a major American city, full of people of all races. But our own little suburb is mostly white.