Over 35 of the Best African-American Read-Aloud Biographies
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day gives us a chance to honor and remember King’s heroic work during the American Civil Rights Movement. His dedication and efforts paved the way for countless inspiring individuals, like himself, to leave their mark on American history.
It also kicks off our month long study all about African-American history. We have put together a list of our favorite African-American read-aloud biographies. Some of the books are about people that lived before Martin Luther King, Jr., and some who lived after. There are familiar faces, and some that may be new to you. They range from inventors, scientists, artists, writers, athletes, and heroes of freedom… just to name a few!
Perhaps, our list will help you get to know these remarkable people and their accomplishments.
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Don’t forget to check out the list of our favorite Top 30 Black History Month Picture and Chapter Books.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
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I Have A Dream by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (book includes CD of his speech).
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Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Doreen Rappaport.
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My Daddy, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Martin Luther King, III.
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. . . If You Lived at the Time of Martin Luther King by Ellen Levine.
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The Cart That Carried Martin by Eve Bunting.
Activists
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Coretta Scott by Ntozake Shange. Growing up in the segregated South, Corretta knew what it felt like to be discriminated against. She wanted to do something to make sure everyone was treated equal. This book is a great way to get to know Corretta Scott King’s life and her contribution to the Civil Rights Movement.
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Henry’s Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad by Ellen Levine. Henry “Box” Brown was born a slave in Virginia. He actually had himself shipped in a wooden box from Virginia to Philadelphia, where slavery had been abolished!
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The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles. Ruby Bridges was the first African-American student to attend the all-white William Frantz Elementary School in Louisiana.
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If A Bus Could Talk: The Story of Rosa Parks by Faith Ringgold. Rosa Louise McCauley Parks was an African-American activist during the civil rights movement. She is best known for her part in the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
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The Case For Loving: The fight for interracial marriage by Selina Alko. This is the story of an interracial family who fought the unfair law against interracial marriage. The Loving’s case went all the way to the Supreme Court, where they won!
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Only Passing Through: The Story of Sojourner Truth by Anne Rockwell. Sojourner Truth was an African-American abolitionist best-known for her speech on racial inequalities, “Ain’t I a Woman?”
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Voice of Freedom Fannie Lou Hamer: The Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement by Carole Boston Weatherford. Fannie Lou Hamer was a voting and women’s rights activist, leader in the civil rights movement and a community activist.
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The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch by Chris Barton. John Roy Lynch was born a slave and went on to become a Republican politician, writer, attorney and military officer.
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Dear Benjamin Banneker by Andrea Davis Pinkney. Benjamin Banneker was a free African-American farmer, naturalist and almanac writer. Banneker dared to write Thomas Jefferson a letter, attacking the idea of slavery…and got a response.
Harriet Tubman
Harriet Tubman was born a slave. She eventually escaped and began working on the Underground Railroad. Her efforts helped about 70 people escape to freedom during her thirteen missions on the dangerous route.
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Before She Was Harriet by Lesa Cline-Ransome.
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Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman by Alan Schroeder
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Booker T. Washington
Booker T. Washington was born into slavery and as a child he dreamt of being able to read and write. As an adult he was freed following emancipation. Still wanting an education, Booker began a 500 mile journey, mostly walking, to Hampton Institute to make his dream come true. He went on to found Tuskegee University.
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With Books and Bricks: How Booker T. Washington Built a School by Suzanne Slade.
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Fifty Cents and a Dream: Young Booker T. Washington by Jabari Asim.
Scientists/Inventors/Doctors
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Wonder Horse: The True Story of the World’s Smartest Horse by Emily Arnold McCully. This is the incredible true story of a former slave and self-taught veterinarian, Bill “Doc” Key, and his horse, Jim Key. Doc believed, despite the way of thinking at the time, that animals should be taught with kindness and could be educated with patience. Doc actually teaches Jim how to read, spell and even do math! Our family was very amused by this astonishing true story and the power of kindness.
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Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly. This is about four black female mathematicians (Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden) who worked at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) during the Space Race.
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Counting on Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13 by Helene Becker. Katherine Johnson is an African-American mathematician whose calculations were critical to the success of the first U.S. manned spaceflights (and those that followed).
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Starstruck: The Cosmic Journey of Neil deGrasse Tyson by Kathleen Krull. Neil deGrasse Tyson is an American author, astrophysicist, and science communicator (which means he helps explain things to non-experts).
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Whoosh! Lonnie Johnson’s Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions by Chris Barton. Lonnie Johnson is the inventor of the Super Soaker water gun. Who doesn’t love a Super Soaker?! Johnson is an inventor and engineer who holds more than 120 patents!
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The Vast Wonder of the World: Biologist Ernest Everett Just by Melina Mangal. Ernest Everett Just loved the sea. His study of sea creatures led him to make new discoveries about how life begins in egg cells. Many of his findings went against what most scientists thought at the time. The artwork in this book is colorful, bright and alive.
George Washington Carver
George Washington Carver was a chemist who researched crops such as peanuts and sweet potatoes. He came up with dozens of uses for peanuts, but not peanut butter as some people think. His work helped poor, southern farmers improve their diets and grow a wider variety of crops.
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George Washington Carver by Tonya Bolden.
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A Picture Book of George Washington Carver by David A. Adler
Artists
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A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin by Jen Bryant. Horace Pippen is an American folk painter.
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In Her Hands: The Story of Sculptor Augusta Savage by Alan Schroeder. Augusta Savage was an African-American sculptor associated with the Harlem Renaissance.
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Gordon Parks: How the Photographer Captured Black and White America by Carole Boston Weatherford. Gordon Parks is a photographer, film director and author who documented African-American life.
Sports
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She Loved Baseball: The Effa Manley Story by Audrey Vernick. Effa Manley was an African-American sports executive who co-owned the Newark Eagles baseball franchise with her husband.
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A Picture Book of Jesse Owens by David A. Adler. Jesse Owens won four gold medals at the 1936 Olympic games in Berlin.
Trailblazing Women
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Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison. This book is filled with 40 trailblazing women who broke barriers of race and gender to pave the way for future generations. There is also a board book version available, Dream Big, Little One by Vashti Harrison.
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Molly, by Golly! The Legend of Molly Williams, America’s First Female Firefighter by Dianne Ochiltree. Milly Williams was the first female firefighter.
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Fly High! The Story of Bessie Coleman by Louise Borden and Mary Kay Kroeger. Bessie became the first African-American to earn a pilot’s license.
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Bring Me Some Apples and I’ll Make You a Pie: A Story About Edna Lewis by Robbin Gourley. Edna Lewis was an African-American chef, author, and teacher. She helped refine the American view of Southern cooking.
Musicians
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Ella Fitzgerald: The Tale of a Vocal Virtuosa by Andrea Davis Pinkney. Sometimes referred to as the First Lady of Song and the Queen of Jazz, Ella Fitzgerald is still heard on the airwaves today.
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The Lengendary Miss Lena Horne by Carole Boston Weatherford. Lena Mary Calhoun Horne was an actress, singer, dancer, and civil rights activist.
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Little Melba and Her Big Trombone by Katheryn Russell-Brown. Melba Doretta Liston was a jazz trombonist and composer. She was the first woman trombonist to play in big bands during the mid-20th century.
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The 5 O’Clock Band by Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews. Troy Andrews is an African-American musician, best known for his trombone and trumpet playing.
Poets
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Phillis Sings Out Freedom: The Story of George Washington and Phillis Wheatley by Ann Malaspina. Phillis Wheatley was born in West Africa, and sold into slavery around age 7-8. She was the first published African-American female poet.
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Coming Home: From the Life of Langston Hughes by Floyd Cooper. James Mercer Langston Hughes was a poet, novelist, playwright and social activist.
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Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton by Don Tate. George Moses Horton was an African-American poet from North Carolina, who actually had a book (The Hope of Liberty) published while still enslaved. Not many African American writers had their work published while still a slave.
Be sure to check out some of our other book and resource lists all about Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Winter.
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60 Comments
Leah
When I saw this post, I HAD to click on it and check it out. Thank you for compiling it! I’m looking in to each book now! I would love to add several to my baby’s library as she gets older.
Charlene
Aw…thank you! We are glad you found it helpful, Leah. There are so many fascinating people on it. The other day we read “With Books and Bricks” about Booker T. Washington. His story is very inspiring…he actually made over 25,000 bricks by hand, with the help of fellow students, for the school he built. Incredible! Sounds like your baby is very lucky to have a Mom who enjoys reading. Hope you find some to add to your library.
Beatriz
Thank you for the list!
Charlene
Happy to help!
Robin
Wow! Great list of books. Love that you put music in there too 🙂
Charlene
Thank you, we do love musicians.
Angela
My daughter has read a few of these from her school library, good list.
Charlene
Sounds like her school has a great selection at the library!
Charlene
With the holiday coming up, these are great ideas to incorporate a little history into our day. Thanks!
Charlene
For sure! Glad you found our list helpful!
Sydney Delong
Great list! Each of your posts makes me more excited for when my son and future kids start school and I can implement some of this!
Charlene
Aw, thank you so much for your kind words. Sounds like you’ll do a fantastic job teaching and learning with your kids.
Lora Rovegna
What an inspiring list! There are so many moving and motivating stories there. I wish schools did a better job at teaching African American history since it is a large part of American history.
Charlene
Thank you! We definitely enjoy the flexibility with homeschooling that allows us to explore many topics and cultures.
Malia
Great list! I wanted to also suggest Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales The Underground Abductor, a graphic novel about Harriet Tubman if you have any kids that enjoy graphic novels out there! https://www.amazon.com/Underground-Abductor-Nathan-Hales-Hazardous/dp/1419715364 My son was a huge fan.
Charlene
Thank you so much for sharing, it looks like a great selection. I’ve heard graphic novels have become quite popular lately.
Holly
I have read most of these inspiring books but I have found a couple of new ones I am putting on my must-read list!! Great post thank you for sharing!!
Charlene
That’s so awesome to hear! Yay for reading!
Lisa
Thanks for compiling this great list! I will have to go to the library and check them out!
Charlene
Sure thing, we can’t keep quiet about great books!
Cindy
This is an amazing collection of books. Teachers and parents should have this list!
Charlene
Thank you and happy reading!
heather jandrue
What a fantastic list of books. These are great. Thank you for sharing. I am going to pick some up for my nephew.
Charlene
Many thanks! We hope you enjoy reading them with your nephew!
Jen
Looks like a lot of interesting books on this list. Thank you for sharing
Charlene
So many fascinating people to learn about.
Beth
I’ve always loved picture books and other children’s literature and appreciate knowing about so many titles here that I’ve not heard of. I can’t wait until my grandson is old enough to enjoy these (at 16 months he’s enjoying board books now).
Charlene
We love children’s non-fiction picture books too. Board books and babies are the best! Sounds like your grandson is off to a great start exploring the joy of books!
Jennifer
Thanks for sharing a list of inspiring people and books.
Charlene
Certainly!
Amy Irvin
What an awesome list! I’m oping some teachers will get ahold of this list! Maybe I will share this with my son’s teacher. Thanks!
Charlene
Thank you much and we appreciate your sharing our list with others.
Stacey Billingsley
These would be so cool to add to elementary classrooms and libraries! I happen to live near the birthplace of George Washington Carver, so I’d really love to check that one out. All of them look great!
Charlene
George Washington Carver has always been a favorite of ours to learn about since childhood. We visited Greenfield Village in Dearborn, MI and learned about him while there. So cool you live near his birthplace.
Tricia Snow
What a great list for black history month! Thanks for the reviews!
Charlene
Thank you!
Katherine Wolfe
This is a GREAT list, thanks so much for all of the work to put this together!
Charlene
We love sharing great books!
Christina Furnival
Thanks for compiling this list! What a great selection of books on such amazing people.
Charlene
You’re welcome. Amazing people indeed!
Melissa Jones
What great ideas!
Charlene
Thank you!
Brianna
What a great compilation! I’d love to read some of these books listed to my kids. Thank you!
Charlene
Thank you and happy reading!
Suzan
What a great compilation of reads! Thank you for putting it together!
Charlene
Sure thing! We love sharing great children’s books with others.
Robin @ Reinventing Robin
Wow, what a great list! Several people I’ve never heard of before and all of the books sound super interesting! My 8 year old & I will have to check them out- thank you!
Charlene
Quite a few of these names were new to us as well. Happy reading!
Tara
That is a great list of books! You definitely put a lot of time into this!
Charlene
Thank you!
Shirley
This is a fantastic list of books! Thank you for compiling them all. That was a lot of work! I would love to read the ones on George Washington Carver. Thanks for sharing.
Charlene
Thank you so much and your’re welcome. We can’t seem to keep quiet about great children’s books. We enjoy reading about Carver too!
Susan
This is a great list. It also brings back good memories of studying many of these great men and women in school.
Charlene
Thank you. Glad our list brought back some memories for you.
Michele
What a great collection! We have read many of these in our homeschool!
Charlene
Thank you and so glad to hear!
T.M. Brown
Such a great list of books in one place! So much to learn and great figures to read about.
Charlene
Thank you… and yes, SO many remarkable people to learn about.
Lisa
What a great list! I am going to see if our library has some for us to check out.
Charlene
Good luck… we hope you score!!!