New Picture Book Biographies About Black Activists, Authors, Trailblazers & More

by Sandra Neil Wallace; illustrated by Bryan Collier

Diane Nash was a civil rights movement leader at the side of Martin Luther King Jr. and John Lewis. Born in 1938 in Chicago, Diane went on to take command of the Nashville Movement, leading lunch counter sit-ins and peaceful marches. Diane decided to fight not with anger or violence, but with love. With her strong words of truth and actions, she worked to stop segregation.

by Jerdine Nolen; illustrated by James E. Ransome

Born Chloe Ardelia Wofford in Ohio, Toni Morrsion grew up listening to stories and loved reading. She worked at her town library as a teenager and was an editor for a New York publisher as an adult. When it came time for her to write her own stories, she knew she wanted to write about her people—Black people. Early in the morning and late at night after her children were asleep, Toni began work on what would become an acclaimed and trailblazing body of work.

by Michelle Duster; illustrated by Laura Freeman

Ida B. Wells was an educator, journalist, feminist, businesswoman, newspaper owner, public speaker, suffragist, civil rights activist, and women’s club leader. She wrote, spoke, and traveled, challenging the racist and sexist norms of her time. Faced with criticism and threats to her life, she never gave up. This is her extraordinary true story, as told by her great-granddaughter.

by Carole Boston Wetherford & Rob Sanders; illustrated by Byron McCray

On August 28, 1963, a quarter of a million people convened for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. They raised their voices in unison to call for racial and economic justice for all Black Americans, to call out inequities, and ultimately to advance the civil rights movement. One of the unsung heroes at the center of some of the most important decisions and events of the civil rights movement was a quiet man, a gay African American man. He was Bayard Rustin.

by Renée Watson; illustrated by Bryan Collier

Introduces young readers to the life and work of Maya Angelou, whose words have uplifted and inspired generations of readers. The author of the celebrated autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya was the first Black person and first woman to recite a poem at a presidential inauguration, and her influence echoes through culture and history.

by Charles R. Smith Jr.; illustrated by Charlot Kristensen

In 1929, 18-year-old Bessie Stringfield hopped on her motorcycle and headed out on an adventure, an unusual choice for a young Black woman at the time. Paying her way by winning motorcycle races, she criss-crossed the country through small towns, big cities, and wide open spaces. But not everyone was happy to see Bessie's brown face peeking out from underneath her helmet. And more than once, Bessie found herself making some quick exits on the back of her bike to escape Jim Crow. A trailblazer in the world of women's racing and motorcycling, Bessie Stringfield was a figure who will inspire all children to pursue their dreams.

 by Carole Boston Weatherford; illustrations by Jeffery Boston Weatherford

This is the story of Mary Hamilton, an African American woman and civil rights activist, who was found to be in contempt of court when she would not respond to questions from an Alabama judge who used only her first name, while calling white people "Mr.," "Mrs.," or "Miss." The NAACP took her case, which appealed all the way to the US Supreme Court, which ruled in Mary Hamilton's favor.

by Tracey Baptiste; illustrated by Tonya Engel

When 15-year-old Claudette Colvin boarded a segregated bus on March 2, 1955, she had no idea she was about to make history. At school she was learning about abolitionists like Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth, which helped inspire her decision to refuse to give up her seat to a white woman, which led to her arrest, which began a crucial chain of events: Rosa Park's sit-in nine months later, the organization of the Montgomery bus boycott and the Supreme Court decision that Alabama's bus segregation was unconstitutional. Because of Claudette's brave stand against injustice, history was transformed. 

by Chris Barton; illustrated by Steffi Walthall

As a child, Alton Yates watched Black veterans return home from fighting for their country, only to have that country turn its back on them. After Alton joined the Air Force and risked his life to make spacecraft and airplane flight safer, he returned home to the same Jim Crow laws. Alton now had a new mission: To make a stand against Jim Crow. Based on author Chris Barton’s extensive interviews, witness Alton Yates’s lifelong commitment to his country, as he put his life on the line time and again for science, for civil rights, and for America’s progress.

by Angela Joy; illustrated by Janelle Washington

Mamie Till-Mobley is the mother of Emmett Till, the 14-year-old boy who was brutally murdered while visiting the South in 1955. His death became a rallying point for the civil rights movement, but few know that it was his mother who was the catalyst for bringing his name to the forefront of history. Mamie fearlessly refused to allow America to turn away from what happened to her only child. She turned pain into change that ensured her son's life mattered.

by Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara; illustrated by Janna Morton

When Mae Jemison was a little girl, she dreamed of blasting off into space on a rocket ship. She was so excited as she watched the Apollo Moon landings, but she wondered...why were none of the astronauts women? Mae loved science and was so bright that she started college at just 16, and was training to be a doctor by the age of 20. She joined the Peace Corps, using her medical knowledge to help people in countries all around the world. Upon returning to the United States, she was accepted into NASA’s astronaut program. After hard work and training, in 1992 Mae became the first Black woman to travel into space!

by Alice Faye Duncan; illustrations by Keturah A. Bobo

The true story of Black activist Opal Lee and her vision of Juneteenth as a holiday for everyone will inspire children to be brave and make a difference. Growing up in Texas, Opal knew the history of Juneteenth, but she soon discovered that most Americans had never heard of the holiday that represents the nation’s creed of 'freedom for all.' Follow Opal Lee as she fights to improve the future by honoring the past.

by Ruby Bridges; illustrated by Nikkolas Smith

When Ruby Bridges was six years old, she became the first African American student to integrate an elementary school in the South. Told in the perspective of her six-year-old self and based on the pivotal events that happened in 1960, Ruby tells her story like never before. Embracing her name and learning that even at six years old she was able to pave the path for future generations, this is a story full of hope, innocence, and courage.

by Audrey Vernick; illustrated by Cannaday Chapman

In 1947, Larry Doby signed with the Cleveland Indians, becoming the first Black player in the American leagues. He endured terrible racism, both from fans and his fellow teammates. Despite this, he became a unifying force on and off the field, and went on to become a seven-time All Star. Illustrated with Cannaday Chapman’s bold, stylized illustrations, this exceptional biography tells the story of an unsung hero who not only opened doors for those behind him, but set amazing records during his Hall of Fame career. More significantly, it examines the long fight to overcome racism in sports and our culture at large, a fight that is far from over.