American History is a bit of a passion of mine. For the last two years, we have studied American History in-depth. During Black History Month, we add a different picture book each day about African-Americans who changed history. These are some of our favorite Black History Month Picture Books.
Join us in reading great Black History Month picture books and don't forget to grab your printable to take to the library!
Check out this great list of picture books for #BlackHistoryMonth #ihsnet #homeschool
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Black History Month Picture Books
Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
by Doreen Rappaport, Bryan Collier (Illustrator)
Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr is a multiple award-winning book tells the story of Martin Luther King, Jr using his own quotes.
Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad
by Ellen Levine, Kadir Nelson (Illustrator)
Prepare yourself for some tears. This book tells the true story of Henry Brown from a small boy to a grown man.
Henry's Freedom Box is a fascinating and inspiring story.
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Picture Book Edition
by Bryan Mealer (Author), William Kamkwamba (Author)
William Kamkwamba tells his story of how he educated himself and saved his community by building a windmill that harnessed the power of the wind and created electricity. This isn't a story about an American, but it is a great story about perseverance and ingenuity.
Read the picture book version of the Netflix movie, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, and learn the power of reading.
Firebird
by Misty Copeland, Christopher Myers (Illustrations)
This inspirational poem is written by Misty Copeland, the first African-American principal dancer for the American Ballet Theater. Firebird is great for the ballerina in the family!
Gordon Parks: How the Photographer Captured Black and White America
by Carole Boston Weatherford, Jamey Christoph (Illustrations)
This is the true story of a boy born to poverty who becomes a photographer who captured America on film during Segregation. Learn the story of Gordon Parks in this picture book about pictures.
The Story of Ruby Bridges
by Robert Coles
The Story of Ruby Bridges, the 1st grader who faced discrimination when a judge ordered her to attend a formerly whites-only school, is beautifully illustrated.
Two Friends: Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass
by Dean Robbins
Two Friends imagines what an afternoon tea would be like with freedom fighters, Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass.
Harlem's Little Blackbird: The Story of Florence Mills
by Renée Watson, Christian Robinson (Illustrations)
Florence Mills is a little-known vocal artist who chose her convictions over fame. Read her story in Harlem's Little Blackbird.
The Negro Speaks of Rivers
by Langston Hughes, E.B. Lewis (Illustrator)
Langston Hughes wrote this poem, The Negro Speaks of Rivers, about life as an African-American growing up in the early 20th century when he was still a teenager.
Freedom Summer
by Deborah Wiles, Jerome Lagarrigue (Illustrator)
This story is about two best friends growing up together in a racially divided America in the 1960s.
Freedom Summer highlights the differences in freedoms for the boys of two different races.
Freedom on the Menu: The Greensboro Sit-Ins
by Carole Boston Weatherford, Jerome Lagarrigue (Illustrations)
Freedom on the Menu is the story of the Greensboro, North Carolina sit-in in 1960. This is a great picture book to start your Black History Month literary adventure.
We March
We March is a picture book that tells the story of the March on Washington in 1963.
Use this Black History Month picture book to introduce your children to peaceful protests.
Sojourner Truth's Step-Stomp Stride
by Andrea Davis Pinkney, Brian Pinkney (Illustrator)
Step-Stomp Stride is the story of Sojourner Truth, an escaped slave who spent her life fighting for the rights of African-Americans and women.
Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race
by Margot Lee Shetterly (Author), Laura Freeman (Illustrator)
In Hidden Figures, based on the bestseller and Oscar-nominated film, we celebrate the remarkable true story of four brilliant black women who defied barriers at NASA. Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden used their math skills to help launch America into space, overcoming discrimination as they broke new ground in a challenging STEM career.
Inspire your kids to read by enrolling in our online family book clubs. Learn about the lives of African Americans during the Depression in Bud, Not Buddy.
Get a Sneak Peek below!
If this is your first book club....
Adding adventure to education in a Bud, Not Buddy book club.
Check out our favorite Black History Month read-alouds!
Hi, I’m Dachelle. I’m a homeschooling mom of 3 in the South. I love chocolate and have been known to hide it from my children. I can often be found reading a good book (or even sometimes just an okay book) and enjoying a jar of Nutella — don’t judge. I blog, here, at HideTheChocolate.com when I’m not creating book clubs and making lists…lots and lots of lists (it’s an addiction). Learn more…
Wonderful book suggestions!
Thanks!
Dachelle – I am blessed to be your neighbor at #LMM .. I enjoyed reading through your book suggestions. I don’t have small children at home, but I loved some of the books you chose to be on your list. Keep up the good work. Thanks
Thanks, Debbie!
So excited about this list! There a bunch here that I had not heard of!
I’m glad there are some new ones for you.
Looks like a great list! Thanks for linking up with Literacy Musing Mondays.
Great list of books!!!
Thanks, Erin.
How wonderful to find such a great reading list for Black history!
Thanks, Susan!