Children's Books by African American Authors

Marian Anderson, with the power of her magnificent voice, triumphed over the racial barriers of her time. In a career that spanned four decades, she lifted herself out of poverty to become a world-famous singer. In this wonderful, easy text, the McKissacks show how the light of Marian Anderson grew bright and transformed her into one of the most beloved people around the world.

A phenomenal #1 bestseller that has appeared on theNew York Timesbestseller list for nearly three years, this memoir traces Maya Angelou's childhood in a small, rural community during the 1930s. Filled with images and recollections that point to the dignity and courage of black men and women, Angelou paints a sometimes disquieting, but always affecting picture of the people—and the times—that touched her life.

Music has been in my blood from the day I was born, said Louis Armstrong. He rose from a troubled childhood and a life of poverty to set the music world on fire. Armstrong's lively trumpet playing, trademark scat singing, and natural talent for showmanship dazzled audiences for more than fifty years. In clear, crisp prose, the McKissacks place Armstrong in American musical history and show the impact his extraordinary talent made throughout the world.

Chronicles the pain and poverty of Baldwin's early adult years in Paris and gives a sense of his life as a black homosexual in a white world.

I believe in the essential goodness of my fellow man, said Ralph Bunche. In the early years of the United Nations, Bunche took the spotlight as an extraordinary negotiator for peace around the world. He became the first African American to win the Nobel Peace Prize. In simple, clear prose, Patricia and Frederick McKissack introduce an American statesman who devoted his life to a world of equality and of peace.

Beautiful verse explores agricultural scientist George Washington Carver's life and many achievements, from his work as a botanist and inventor to his unsung gifts as a painter, musician, and teacher. George Washington Carver was determined to help the people he loved. Born a slave in Missouri, he left home in search of an education, eventually earning his master's degree. When Booker T. Washington invited Carver to start the agricultural department at the all-black-staffed Tuskegee Institute, Carver truly found his calling. He spent the rest of his life seeking solutions to the poverty among landless Black farmers by developing new uses for soil-replenishing crops such as peanuts, cowpeas, and sweet potatoes. This STEAM biography reveals Carver's complex and profoundly devout life.

George Washington Carver spent his life asking questions and looking for the answers. He gained a reputation as the farmers' best friend after teaching about crop rotation: He told farmers to grow peanuts and sweet potatoes to rest their soil between cotton crops. And what could they do with all those peanuts? Carver developed more than 300 peanut-based products, from milk to printers' ink, and more than 100 ways to use sweet potatoes. Young children love the story of this exceptional inventor.

Soar along with Bessie Coleman in this inspirational tale of a woman whose determination reached new heights.Elizabeth "Bessie" Coleman was always being told what she could & couldn't do. In an era when Jim Crow laws and segregation were a way of life, it was not easy to survive. Bessie didn't let that stop her. Although she was only 11 when the Wright brothers took their historic flight, she vowed to become the first African -American female pilot. Her sturdy faith and determination helped her overcome obstacles of poverty, racism, and gender discrimination. Innovatively told through a series of monologues.

All her life, Zora Neale Hurston dreamed of becoming a successful writer. She traveled throughout the southern United States and Caribbean to collect what she called lying stories. These tales of African-American culture and folklore became the core of her writing. With easy-to-read simplicity, Patricia and Fredrick McKissack paint a lyrical portrait of this gifted storyteller of the Harlem Renaissance.

A classic memoir that's gripping, funny, and ultimately unforgettable from the bestselling former National Ambassador of Books for Young People. A strong choice for summer reading--an engaging and powerful autobiographical exploration of growing up a so-called "bad boy" in Harlem in the 1940s. As a boy, Myers was quick-tempered and physically strong, always ready for a fight. He also read voraciously--he would check out books from the library and carry them home, hidden in brown paper bags in order to avoid other boys' teasing. He aspired to be a writer (and he eventually succeeded). But as his hope for a successful future diminished, the values he had been taught at home, in school, and in his community seemed worthless, and he turned to the streets and to his books for comfort. Don't miss this memoir by New York Times bestselling author Walter Dean Myers, one of the most important voices of our time. 

I always loved running, said Jesse Owens, who as a boy could outrun all his playmates. When he competed in the Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, people used words like express and comet to describe him. Owens won an amazing four Olympic gold medals in track and field events, and demonstrated to the world that Nazi leader Adolf Hitler's theory of racial inferiority was wrong. An athlete, humanitarian, speaker, and author, Owens dedicated his later years to helping the youth of America reach for greatness.

Paul Robeson proved his prowess on the football field and excelled in college and law school in an era that offered few opportunities to African Americans. He won international acclaim as a singer and actor, but was blacklisted as a controversial political activist. Today, Robeson's legacy has reclaimed its rightful place in history. He is recognized for his astounding range of talents and his unwavering stature as a champion of civil rights.

I have plowed and reaped and husked and chopped and mowed, and can any man do more than that'...Ain't I a woman? Sojourner Truth (1797-1883) was born into slavery in 1897 and sold away from her family as a child. Many years later, free at last, she became the first black woman to travel around the country preaching for human rights. Patricia and Fredrick McKissack introduce young readers to one of America's most eloquent, often-quoted reformers, an outspoken woman who delivered passionate sermons on the abolition of slavery and the importance of women's rights.

Don't wait for opportunities to come...get up and make them. said Madam C. J. Walker. She rose from laundry woman to become America's first black woman millionaire. Born in poverty, Walker set her sights on a better life and made her fortune by developing hair care and beauty products specially formulated for African Americans. As her wealth and influence grew, she also channeled her energies into working for civil rights and social change. This real-life rags-to-riches story is presented in an engaging narrative by the McKissacks.

Ida B. Wells-Barnett rose from her roots in slavery to become an outspoken voice for her people. She was an important and influential journalist at a time in history when few women had careers. Using the power of her writing, she launched the first anti-lynching campaign and gained worldwide attention for this cause. Readers will love the story of this exceptional talent.

A New York Times Bestseller and National Book Award Winner Jacqueline Woodson, the acclaimed author of Red at the Bone, tells the moving story of her childhood in mesmerizing verse.   Raised in South Carolina and New York, Woodson always felt halfway home in each place. In vivid poems, she shares what it was like to grow up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s, living with the remnants of Jim Crow and her growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement. Touching and powerful, each poem is both accessible and emotionally charged, each line a glimpse into a child's soul as she searches for her place in the world. Woodson's eloquent poetry also reflects the joy of finding her voice through writing stories, despite the fact that she struggled with reading as a child. Her love of stories inspired her and stayed with her, creating the first sparks of the gifted writer she was to become.   A National Book Award Winner A Newbery Honor Book A Coretta Scott King Award Winner Praise for Jacqueline Woodson: Ms. Woodson writes with a sure understanding of the thoughts of young people, offering a poetic, eloquent narrative that is not simply a story . . . but a mature exploration of grown-up issues and self-discovery."--The New York Times Book Review