Picture Biographies of Black Americans
Fort Mose : and the story of the man who built the first free black settlement in colonial America
by Glennette Tilley Turner

A unique historical picture book recounts the story of Fort Mose, which was founded in St. Augustine, Florida, and was the first free African settlement to legally exist in what later became the United States.
Moses : when Harriet Tubman led her people to freedom
by Carole Boston Weatherford

Follows Harriet Tubman's spiritual journey to freedom as she, leaving her family behind, escaped from slavery and helped many others break free from forced servitude via the Underground Railroad, in this inspirational picture book filled with paintings that depict strength, hope, and healing. Teacher's Guide available.
We are the ship : the story of Negro League baseball
by Kadir Nelson

Rich illustrations capture the excitement and thrills of the glory years of Negro League baseball in the early 1900s, profiling its star athletes, highlighting the challenges faced by the players, and the sacrifices made to live out their dreams and play the game they loved.
Testing the ice : a true story about Jackie Robinson
by Sharon Robinson

After retiring from baseball and moving to Connecticut with his family, the neighborhood kids loved to play with this baseball legend, but when they noticed that he didn't like going near the water, the kids became curious to discover why, in this charming tale based on a true story.
She loved baseball : the Effa Manley story
by Audrey Vernick

Introduces Effa Manley, the first women inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, from her childhood in Philadelphia to her groundbreaking role as business manager and owner of the Newark Eagles baseball team. 15,000 first printing.
Henry Aaron's dream
by Matt Tavares

The creator of Zachary's Ball offers an inspiring homage to one of the greatest baseball players of all time, from his early days growing up in segregated Mobile, Alabama, when there wasn't a single African-American in the Major Leagues, through his time in the Negro Leagues, to when he began spring training for the Braves and soon made baseball history.
Black Jack the ballad of Jack Johnson : The Ballad of Jack Johnson
by Jr. Smith, Charles R.

A combination of poetic text and vibrant collage artwork pays tribute to boxer Jack Johnson who, in the early 20th century, rose through the ranks to break the color barrier in the sport of boxing. Jr Lib Guild.
Skit-scat raggedy cat : Ella Fitzgerald
by Roxane Orgill

A young person's introduction to the beloved jazz performer is a rollicking portrait that covers Ella Fitzgerald's childhood years while offering insight into the difficult historical and cultural factors that she overcame on her journey to fame.
Odetta, the queen of folk : The Queen of Folk
by Stephen Alcorn

A young person's introduction to the life and career of the legendary folk singer traces her Alabama childhood, early musical achievements and role in breaking artistic ground for other musicians. By the illustrator of the Coretta Scott King Honor-winning Let It Shine.
Martin's big words : the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
by Doreen Rappaport

A picture-book biography brings to life the message of a gifted and influential speaker by using some of his own words to tell the story. By the creators of Freedom River. A Caldecott Honor Book.
Dizzy
by Jonah Winter

Breaking all the rules of jazz, Dizzy Gillespie found a way to make his mark in music using his instincts and talents in order to survive a difficult childhood and become one of the most famous musicians of his time.
Sit-in : how four friends stood up by sitting down
by Andrea Davis Pinkney

A picture book celebration of the 50th anniversary of the momentous Woolworth's lunch counter sit-in, when four college students staged a peaceful protest that became a defining moment in the struggle for racial equality and the growing Civil Rights Movement.
Claudette Colvin : twice toward justice
by Phillip M. Hoose

Presents the life of the Alabama teenager who played an integral but little-known role in the Montgomery bus strike of 1955-1956, once by refusing to give up a bus seat, and again, by becoming a plaintiff in the landmark civil rights case against the buscompany
Child of the civil rights movement
by Paula Young Shelton

A daughter of civil rights activist Andrew Young describes her experiences of growing up in the Deep South at the height of the movement, sharing her witness to the efforts of her father, family friend Martin Luther King, Jr. and thousands of others who participated in the historic march from Selma to Montgomery.
Onward : a photobiography of African-American polar explorer Matthew Henson
by Dolores Johnson

Follows the dangerous and difficult journey to the North Pole by Robert E. Peary and Matthew Henson, the son of sharecroppers, who spoke Inuit to the natives, mastered the dog sled, and helped lead their party to their successful destination.
Barack Obama : son of promise, child of hope
by Nikki Grimes

When David asks his mother about the man on television, she tells him the story of Barack Obama, discussing his childhood in Hawaii and Indonesia, his parents' divorce, and his desire to help others
Bad news for outlaws : the remarkable life of Bass Reeves, deputy U.S. marshal
by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson

Recounts the life story of U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves, a black man born into slavery who became the most successful lawman of the Wild West, bringing thousands of fugitives to justice through fear, cunning and respect despite an atmosphere of prejudice.