{"id":3789,"date":"2022-02-01T20:55:43","date_gmt":"2022-02-01T20:55:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.getepic.com\/learn\/?p=3789"},"modified":"2022-02-01T20:55:44","modified_gmt":"2022-02-01T20:55:44","slug":"african-american-history-books-for-kids-on-epic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.getepic.com\/learn\/african-american-history-books-for-kids-on-epic\/","title":{"rendered":"18 African American History Books for Kids on Epic"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Check out these African American history books for kids of all ages, both on and off our platform!<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Black History Month is here, and it’s the perfect time for young readers to learn about and reflect on the struggles, contributions and triumphs of Black people in America throughout our nation’s history. From overcoming slavery and fighting for a more equal world to their valuable achievements in music and the arts, the Black community has given much to our society and our culture. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite children’s books to teach kids about influential figures and events in Black history, past and present. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check out these African American history books for kids below! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

African American<\/strong> History<\/strong> Books for Kids on Epic<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Jackie Robinson<\/strong>: Baseball Legend<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

By:\u00a0Grace Hansen<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ages:\u00a0<\/strong>3-7<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

Explore the life and career of\u00a0Jackie Robinson\u00a0in this informative\u00a0picture book\u00a0biography. Featuring simple text and black and white photos throughout, this book will introduce your little one to the famed athlete as well as race issues in an accessible way. They’ll also learn how he broke the color barrier for\u00a0Black men\u00a0in Major League baseball and went on to become one of history’s most influential\u00a0civil rights activists. \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"African<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Two Friends: Susan B. Anthony and\u00a0Frederick Douglass<\/a><\/strong> (Audiobook)<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

By: Dean Robbins<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ages:\u00a0<\/strong>3-7<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

Susan B. Anthony and\u00a0Frederick Douglass\u00a0meet for tea and a chat in this kid-friendly 6-minute audiobook. Together they relate over their experiences fighting for civil rights. Anthony is known for championing labor rights and equal pay for women and Douglass for his tireless fight against slavery and\u00a0segregation. Inspired by a famous statue in their hometown of Rochester,\u00a0New York\u00a0depicting the two having tea, it teaches\u00a0young children\u00a0about these important themes in a way that\u2019s engaging and easy to understand.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"African<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Freedom in Congo Square<\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Written by: Carole Boston Weatherford

Illustrated by: R. Gregory Christie<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ages:<\/strong>\u00a04-8<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

This\u00a0Caldecott\u00a0Honor winner tells the true story\u00a0of enslaved people in 19th-century Louisiana finding hope and joy even under the most oppressed conditions. All week, they labor all day long, with the exception of Sundays, when they worship in the mornings. But in the afternoons they can gather with free Blacks at Congo Square. Here they sing and dance, set up a market, play music and forget their struggles for just a little while. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"Best<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Case for Loving:\u00a0The Fight for Interracial Marriage<\/a> (Audiobook)\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Written by: Selina Alko<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Illustrated by: Sean Qualls<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ages:\u00a0<\/strong>4-8<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

Set between 1958 and 1967, this powerful story follows an interracial couple from Virginia who travel to\u00a0Washington D.C. to realize their dream of becoming a family. After Mildred, who is Black marries Richard Loving, who is white, they return to Virgina where they’re arrested for violating the state’s interracial marriage laws. Forced to return to D.C., the\u00a0Lovings refuse to send the message to their children that their love is wrong. Based on real-world events, they take their case all the way to the\u00a0Supreme Court\u00a0and win. This is an\u00a0inspiring story\u00a0of how one family’s love made a real difference in the fight for civil rights.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"African<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Book Itch: Freedom, Truth & Harlem’s Greatest Bookstore<\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

By: Vaunda Micheaux Nelson<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ages:<\/strong>\u00a04-8<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

In the 1930s, Lewis\u2019s dad had an itch: a book itch. How to scratch it? He starts a bookstore in\u00a0Harlem. Soon people everywhere, including the famed Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X and Langston Hughes are traveling near and far to visit the remarkable shop. What would one day be known as the National Memorial African Bookstore in\u00a0Harlem, becomes a hub for the exchange of books and ideas for a generation of students, intellectuals, writers and artists. This\u00a0story\u00a0reveals the power of ideas to bring people together and spark positive change.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"African<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Rosa Parks<\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Written by:\u00a0Emma E. Haldy<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Illustrated by:\u00a0Jeff Bane<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ages:<\/strong>\u00a05-7<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

Part of the adorable My Itty-Bitty Bio for early readers, this simple\u00a0picture book\u00a0tells the story of\u00a0Rosa Parks\u00a0from her point of view, starting in early childhood and moving through her historic bus protest and beyond. Adding to the educational factor are engaging questions throughout, like “Why do you think my parents wanted me to go to school?” It also includes a timeline of events and a glossary to help little ones grasp civil rights concepts in an age-appropriate way.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"Rosa<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Roots of Rap:16 Bars on the 4 Pillars of Hip-Hop<\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Written by:\u00a0Carole Boston\u00a0Weatherford<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Illustrated by:\u00a0Frank Morrison\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ages:<\/strong>\u00a05-7<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

Explore the roots of rap with your kid in this rhyming\u00a0picture book. Starting with the colorful, eye-grabbing cover and resonating through stunning illustrations throughout, this book takes kids on a captivating musical journey. They’ll travel through hip-hop’s evolution, from folktales, street rhymes and spirituals, to funk and jazz, to the art form we recognize today. Both you and your kid will learn a ton about hip-hop culture, and you’ll have plenty of fun along the way.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"African<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Trombone Shorty<\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Written by: Troy \u201cTrombone Shorty\u201d Andrews<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Illustrated by Bryan Collier<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ages:\u00a0<\/strong>5-10<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

This award-winning\u00a0picture book\u00a0tells the\u00a0true story\u00a0of Grammy-nominated musician Troy Andrews during his childhood in\u00a0New Orleans. Nicknamed \u201cTrombone Shorty\u201d because he was so small that his trombone was twice his size, he attends the\u00a0New Orlean’s Jazz Heritage Festival with his mom and is invited on stage to play with the great Jazz musician Bo Diddley. From that moment forward, he’s been performing ever since. This beautiful, upbeat book is a love note to music and an ode to following your dreams. \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"Trombone<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Freedom over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams\u00a0<\/strong><\/a>(Animated Book)\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

By: Ashley Bryan<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ages:<\/strong>\u00a06-10<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

Based on estate documents from an actual plantation owner, this\u00a0inspiring story\u00a0reveals the priceless experiences and dreams of human beings who were enslaved. Through striking paintings and poems, the book presents the lives of 11 fictional slaves, valued at less than an ox, a dress, even a chair. It imagines and interprets each of their lives, as well as their hopes, dreams and knowledge that they’re worth more than an owner or overseer would ever imagine. \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"African<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Henry’s Freedom Box\u00a0<\/strong><\/a>(Animated Book & Audiobook)<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

By: Ellen Levine <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ages:\u00a0<\/strong>6-11<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

In this stirring\u00a0true story\u00a0about hope and holding on to your dreams at all costs, a young slave named Henry Brown yearns for freedom. One day his family is sold and he\u2019s put to work in a warehouse. Then he grows up and marries a young woman, who is also a slave. But when she is also sold, he risks everything to mail himself to the North, making the arduous journey in a crate.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"Best<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Martin’s Big Words <\/strong><\/a>(Audiobook) <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

By: Doreen Rappaport<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ages:<\/strong>\u00a06-10<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

In this audio version of the accessible\u00a0picture-book\u00a0biography, you and your kid can listen to the story of\u00a0Dr.\u00a0Martin Luther King, Jr. and his pivotal role in the\u00a0civil rights movement\u00a0in his own words. Covering events from the\u00a0Montgomery\u00a0bus boycott to his famous “I Have a Dream” speech and fight for desegregation in\u00a0Birmingham, this absorbing book presents an unforgettable portrait of a figure who forever changed\u00a0America\u00a0and the world.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"Martin's<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Teacher’s March!: How Selma’s Teachers Changed History<\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Written by:\u00a0Rich Wallace, Sandra Neil Wallace<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Illustrated by:\u00a0Charly Palmer<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ages:\u00a0<\/strong>7-10<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

In this tribute to the Selma Teachers’ March, your kid can learn about the power of peaceful protest and standing up for what’s right. Chronicling the voting rights movement in Selma,\u00a0Alabama, this book follows a group of highly respected educators who risked their jobs to march to the county courthouse and demand their right to vote. Informed by interviews with organizer Reverend F.D. Reese and several teachers who participated in the march, this colorful, illustrated\u00a0nonfiction\u00a0book is an exciting, highly relevant story for\u00a0young readers\u00a0today.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"African<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Ruth and the Green Book<\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Written by:\u00a0Calvin Alexander Ramsey<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Illustrated by:\u00a0Floyd Cooper<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ages:<\/strong>\u00a07-11<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

Set in the 1950s, this beautifully illustrated story teaches kids about what’s known as the “green book.” When young Ruth’s family gets a car, they decide to take a road trop from their home in Chicago to\u00a0Alabama\u00a0to visit her grandmother. But soon they discover that Black travelers aren’t treated well in some towns. Many hotels and gas stations refuse service and restaurants are reserved for white people only. But eventually, a friendly gas station attendant shows them the green book, a guidebook with lists of places welcoming to Black people. This informative piece of historical fiction teaches kids about how Black people across the nation worked together to combat the indignities of\u00a0Jim Crow\u00a0laws through solidarity and kindness. \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"African<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Before She Was Harriet<\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Written by:\u00a0Lesa Cline-Ransome<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Illustrated by:\u00a0James E. Ransome<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ages:\u00a0<\/strong>8-10<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

We know her today as\u00a0Harriet Tubman, the former slave who helped liberate countless people through the\u00a0Underground Railroad. But before she became known as the “Moses of her people,” “General Tubman” and other honors, she was a young girl named Araminta. Told in\u00a0evocative verse and beautiful water color illustrations, this book offers kids a powerful glimpse into the life, courage and compassion of this heroic\u00a0African American\u00a0woman. \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"African<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Follow the Drinking Gourd: Come Along the <\/strong>Underground Railroad<\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Written by:\u00a0Wim Coleman and Pat Perrin<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Illustrated by:\u00a0Courtney A. Martin and Courtney Martin<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ages<\/strong>: 8-11<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

Slaves Old Ellie and Old Sam escape to the north with the aid of a sailor with a wooden leg named Peg Leg Joe. He teaches them a song about a drinking gourd, a water dipper used by slaves to drink from. But the song actually contains coded instructions that guide them through their journey along the path to freedom. With rich, bold paintings and rhythmic text, this\u00a0picture book\u00a0gives kids a compelling fictional account of this important map song and its significance.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"Follow<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

28 Days: Moments in Black History That Changed the World <\/strong><\/a>(Audiobook) <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Written by: By: Charles R. Smith, Jr.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Illustrated by: Shane W. Evans<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ages:\u00a0<\/strong>8-12<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

This\u00a0nonfiction\u00a0audiobook honors famous events and\u00a0Black Americans\u00a0that have helped define our understanding of Black history. Told in a series of “days,” it covers 28 influential figures, from Crispus Attucks, the first man shot in the Boston Massacre, to Thurgood Marshall, the first Black appointee to the U.S.\u00a0Supreme Court\u00a0and\u00a0Barack\u00a0Obama, our first\u00a0African-American\u00a0president.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"African<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Like a Bird: The Art of the American Slave Song<\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Written by:\u00a0Cynthia Grady<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Illustrated by:\u00a0Michele Wood<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ages:<\/strong>\u00a08-12<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

For enslaved\u00a0African Americans, the yearning for freedom was expressed in many forms, including music. Slave songs tell the story of the pain, struggles and even hope and optimism of these oppressed people. Through biblical and ancestral African rhythms and striking imagery, this book reveals the depths of their sorrow and the strength that rallied them together through their powerful songs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"African<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Ruby Bridges and the Desegregation of American Schools<\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

By:\u00a0Tom Head and Duchess Harris<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ages<\/strong>: 9-12 \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

With historical photos and accessible text, this book tells\u00a0the story of Ruby Bridges, the six-year old girl from\u00a0Mississippi\u00a0who, in 1960, became the first Black student to attend a previously all-white school. Flanked by federal marshalls and her mother, Ruby walked into a\u00a0New Orleans\u00a0elementary school on her first day. She was frightened and confused at the crowds of protesters swarming around her, and took shelter in the principal’s office. Enduring threats and isolation for her entire first year, Ruby eventually paved the way for other Black kids to integrate into white schools. This informative\u00a0chapter book\u00a0is a great way to give kids perspective into the obstacles behind desegregation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"Ruby<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Other Recommendations<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Want more engaging, educational\u00a0Black history books\u00a0to share with your kid? Here are several highly recommended\u00a0African American\u00a0History\u00a0Books for Kids off our platform, all available on\u00a0Amazon<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n