52 Books to Celebrate Black History in Your Classroom

In the last few years, educators and avid readers collectively recognized the urgency of reading anti-racist books and exercising self-education. It was apparent, perhaps more so than other years, why Black stories matter, especially in the classroom. While recognizing Black pain and struggle remains an important focus, celebrating Black joy, families, and achievements is just as crucial.

Lori Prince, Senior Director Merchandising at First Book shared, “We want to make sure that all readers see thefull breadthof the Black experience, not just stories of trauma and oppression.”

We may celebrate Black History Month in February, but Black history is now – this minute, this year, this decade. Give readers of any age the tools they need to learn more with First Book’s52 books for 28 days, a hand-picked selection of fantastic reads, designed especially for educators.

PreK – 1st Grade

1. •Dream Big, Little Oneby Vashti Harrison
   Featuring 18 trailblazing Black women in American history,Dream Big, Little Oneis the irresistible board book adaptation ofLittle Leaders: Bold Women in Black History.
2. •Mommy's Khimar (First Book Special Edition)by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, illustrated by Ebony Glenn
   A young Muslim girl spends a busy day wrapped up in her mother's colorful headscarf, called a khimar, in this sweet and fanciful picture book.
3. •Love Is Loud: How Diane Nash Led the Civil Rights Movementby Sandra Neil Wallace,illustrated by Bryan Collier
   Meet Diane Nash, a civil rights leader who worked alongside Martin Luther King Jr. and John Lewis, in this illuminating nonfiction picture book.
4. •Ty's Travels: Zip, Zoom!by Kelly Starling Lyons, illustrated by Nina Mata
   Ty can't wait to ride his brand-new scooter at the park. Other kids zip and zoom by like race cars, but all Ty can do is wobble! Ty wants to give up, but a new friend helps Ty give it another try.
5. •I Am Enough (First Book Special Edition)by Grace Byers, illustrated by Keturah A. Bobo
   I Am Enough is the book everyone needs—a gorgeous, lyrical ode to loving who you are, respecting others, and being kind to one another—from actor and activist Grace Byers and talented newcomer Keturah A. Bobo.
6. •Milo Imagines the Worldby Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Christian Robinson
   The team behind the Newbery Medal winner and Caldecott Honor bookLast Stop on Market Streetonce again delivers a surprising and timely picture book that helps readers discover that you can’t really know someone just by looking at them.
7. •Stacey's Extraordinary Wordsby Stacey Abrams, illustrated by Kitt Thomas
   An empowering debut picture book from iconic voting rights advocate and #1 New York Times bestselling author, Stacey Abrams, about a little girl who discovers the power of words after competing in a spelling bee—inspired by Stacey’s own childhood.
8. •Sulweby Lupita Nyong'o, illustrated by Vashti Harrison
   From Academy Award–winning actress Lupita Nyong’o comes a powerful, moving picture book about colorism, self-esteem, and learning that true beauty comes from within.

2nd – 3rd Grade

1. •The ABCs of Black Historyby Rio Cortez, illustrated by Lauren Semmer
   This beautiful alphabet picture book presents key names, moments, and places in Black history with text lyrically written by poet Rio Cortez.
2. •A Ride to Remember: A Civil Rights Storyby Sharon Langley and Amy Nathan, illustrated by Floyd Cooper
   The true story of how a ride on a carousel made a powerful civil rights statement.A Ride to Rememberreveals how in the summer of 1963, due to demonstrations and public protests, the Gwynn Oak Amusement Park in Maryland became desegregated and opened to all for the first time.
3. •Ready to Fly: How Sylvia Townsend Became the Bookmobile Ballerinaby Lea Lyon, illustrated by Jessica Gibson
   Ready to Fly is an inspiring picture book about the life of African American dancer Sylvia Townsend, who taught herself how to dance ballet by reading books she borrowed from a bookmobile as a young girl.
4. •An American Storyby Kwame Alexander, illustrated by Dare Coulter
   New York TimesBestselling author Kwame Alexander pens a powerful picture book that tells the story of American slavery through the voice of a teacher struggling to help her students understand its harrowing history.

4th – 5th Grade

1. •The Teachers March! How Selma's Teachers Changed Historyby Sandra Neil Wallace and Rich Wallace, illustrated by Charly Palmer
   Demonstrating the power of protest and standing up for a just cause, this exciting tribute to the educators who participated in the 1965 Selma Teachers' March introduces a little-known but truly critical moment in civil rights history.
2. •Black Boy Joy: 17 Stories Celebrating Black Boyhoodedited by Kwame Mbalia
   Celebrate the joys of Black boyhood with stories from seventeen bestselling, critically acclaimed Black authors—including Jason Reynolds (the Track series), Jerry Craft (New Kid), and Kwame Mbalia (the Tristan Strong series)!
3. •Serena Saysby Tanita S. Davis
   Award-winning author Tanita S. Davis delivers a heartwarming and humorous middle grade tale about a young girl who finds her own voice through vlogging and learns to speak out.
4. •Class Actby Jerry Craft
   Jerry Craft follows up the critically acclaimed and Newbery award-winningNew Kidwith this poignant and funny companion graphic novel about Jordan's friend Drew, who has his own struggles at Riverdale Academy Day School.

6th – 8th Grade

1. •Amari and the Night Brothersby B. B. Alston
   Readers are raving about this exhilarating debut middle grade fantasy series filled with #blackgirlmagic, about a young girl who must earn a spot at the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs in order to find her missing brother.
2. •We Are Your Children Too: Black Students, White Supremacists, and the Battle for America's Schools in Prince Edward County, Virginiaby P. O’Connell Pearson
   This revelatory and gripping nonfiction middle grade book explores a deeply troubling chapter in American history that is still playing out today: the strange case of Prince Edward County, Virginia, the only place in the United States to ever formally deny its citizens a public education, and the students who pushed back.
3. •Sincerely Sicilyby Tamika Burgess
   From the Desk of Zoe WashingtonmeetsLupe Wong Won't DanceinSincerely Sicily,a debut middle grade by Tamika Burgess that follows Sicily Jordan as she learns to use her voice and find joy in who she is—a Black Panamanian fashionista who rocks her braids with pride—while confronting prejudice both in the classroom and at home.
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9th – 12th Grade

1. •Inventing Victoriaby Tonya Bolden
   In this searing historical novel, Tonya Bolden pens an intimate portrait of a young woman who risks everything for a future of her own making.
2. •Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and Youby Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi
   Through a gripping, fast-paced, and energizing narrative written by beloved award-winner Jason Reynolds, this book shines a light on the many insidious forms of racist ideas—and on ways readers can identify and stamp out racist thoughts in their daily lives.
3. •Punching the Airby Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam
   With spellbinding lyricism, award-winning author Ibi Zoboi and prison reform activist Yusef Salaam tell a moving and deeply profound story about how one boy is able to maintain his humanity and fight for the truth, in a system designed to strip him of both.
4. •Whiteout: A Novelby Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon
   As Atlanta is blanketed with snow just before Christmas, twelve teens prepare to shelter in place all over the city, in this novel of Black joy and cozy, sparkling romance—by the same unbeatable team of authors who wrote the New York Times bestseller Blackout!

First Book adds new books to the Marketplace weekly! Visit often to see what new books we’ve added to our selection of titles aboutBlack history, books featuringBlack characters and cultures, and books byBlack authors and illustrators. All Title I educators areeligibleto shop the Marketplace to add these books to their classrooms. If you are not a Title I educator, but still want to support First Book, you can shop these titles atBookshop, with 10% of your purchase donated to First Book.

Educators can join First Book's network — the largest and fastest-growing network of educators, schools, and programs serving children in need across the United States and Canada — to bring these titles to your classroom.

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This blog was last updated on February 1, 2023.