100 Essential Children’s & Young Adult Nonfiction Books by Black Writers
Discover 100 essential biographies, histories, memoirs, and educational nonfiction for children and teens by African American and Black diaspora writers. Arranged alphabetically by title.
- Africa, Amazing Africa: Country by Country by
- Ain’t Burned All The Bright by , Illustrated by Jason Griffin
- An American Story by , Illustrated by Dare Coulter
- American Wings: Chicago’s Pioneering Black Aviators and the Race for Equality in the Sky by
- Andre Andre Leon Talley—A Fabulously Fashionable Fairy Tale by
- Baby Young, Gifted, and Black: With a Mirror! by , Illustrated by Andrea Pippins
- Bad News For Outlaws: The Remarkable Life Of Bass Reeves, Deputy U. S. Marshal by , Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
- Barracoon Adapted for Young Readers: The Story of the Last Black Cargo by , Illustrated by Jazzmen Lee-Johnson
- Basket Ball: The Story of the All-American Game by
- Beyonce: A Little Golden Book Biography by , Illustrated by Anastasia Magloire Williams
- The Black Friend: On Being a Better White Person by
- A Black Girl and Her Braids by , Illustrated by Brittney Bond
- Black History Is Your History by
- Black Stars of the Harlem Renaissance by
- A Black Women’s History of the United States by
- The Blacker The Berry by , Illustrated by Floyd Cooper
- Blue: A History of the Color as Deep as the Sea and as Wide as the Sky by , Illustrated by Daniel Minter
- Book of Black Heroes from A to Z: An Introduction to Important Black Achievers for Young Readers by
- Born on the Water: The 1619 Project by , Illustrated by Nikkolas Smith
- Carlotta’s Special Dress: How a Walk to School Changed Civil Rights History by , Illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton
- Carver: A Life in Poems by
- Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civil Rights Movement by , Illustrated by Janelle Washington
- Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by
- Dave The Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave by , Illustrated by Bryan Collier
- Discovering Wes Moore by
- Dream Big, Little Leader by
- Dream Builder: The Story of Architect Philip Freelon by , Illustrated by Laura Freeman
- Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His Orchestra by , Illustrated by Brian Pinkney
- Ellington Was Not a Street by , Illustrated by Kadir Nelson
- Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah by , Illustrated by Sean Qualls
- Fifty Cents And A Dream: Young Booker T. Washington by
- Follow Your Dreams, Little One by
- Freedom in Congo Square by , Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
- Go Forth and Tell: The Life of Augusta Baker, Librarian and Master Storyteller by , Illustrated by April Harrison
- Grandma’s Records by
- Hand in Hand: Ten Black Men Who Changed America by
- Harlem Grown: How One Big Idea Transformed a Neighborhood by , Illustrated by Jessie Hartland
- Harlem’s Little Blackbird by , Illustrated by Christian Robinson
- Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans by
- Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by , Illustrated by Laura Freeman
- Hidden Figures Young Readers’ Edition by
- How Do You Spell Unfair?: Macnolia Cox and the National Spelling Bee by , Illustrated by Frank Morrison
- I Have a Dream (Picture Book) by , Illustrated by Kadir Nelson
- I, Too, Am America by , Illustrated by Bryan Collier
- Infinite Hope: A Black Artist’s Journey from World War II to Peace by
- Jimi: Sounds Like A Rainbow: A Story Of The Young Jimi Hendrix by , Illustrated by Javaka Steptoe
- Jimmy’s Rhythm & Blues: The Extraordinary Life of James Baldwin by , Illustrated by Jamiel Law
- Josephine: The Dazzling Life Of Josephine Baker by , Illustrated by Christian Robinson
- Just Mercy (Adapted for Young Adults): A True Story of the Fight for Justice by
- Letters to a Young Brother: Manifest Your Destiny by
- Letters to a Young Sister: DeFINE Your Destiny by
- Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina Young Readers Edition by
- Lifting as We Climb: Black Women’s Battle for the Ballot Box by
- Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by
- Little Melba And Her Big Trombone by , Illustrated by Frank Morrison
- Locomotion by
- Lovely One (Adapted for Young Adults) by
- Major Taylor, Champion Cyclist by
- Malcolm Little: The Boy Who Grew Up To Become Malcolm X by
- Mama Africa!: How Miriam Makeba Spread Hope with Her Song by , Illustrated by Charly Palmer
- Mansa Musa and the Empire of Mali by
- March Book One by , Illustrated by Nate Powell
- March Book Three by , Illustrated by Nate Powell
- Maritcha: A Nineteenth-Century American Girl by
- Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by , Illustrated by Bryan Collier
- The Middle Passage: White Ships/ Black Cargo by
- Nelson Mandela by
- Obama Talks Back: Global Lessons - A Dialogue With America’s Young Leaders by
- Only Passing Through by , Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
- Our Children Can Soar: A Celebration Of Rosa, Barack, And The Pioneers Of Change by , Illustrated by Shadra Strickland
- Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton by
- Priceless Facts about Money by
- Prince: A Little Golden Book Biography by , Illustrated by Don Tate
- Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat by
- Red Shoes by , Illustrated by Ebony Glenn
- Revolution in Our Time: The Black Panther Party’s Promise to the People by
- Rosa by , Illustrated by Bryan Collier
- Rosa Parks: A Little Golden Book Biography by , Illustrated by Lynn Gaines
- Sankofa: A Culinary Story of Resilience and Belonging by , Illustrated by Lala Watkins
- Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library by , Illustrated by Eric Velasquez
- Seven Million Steps: The True Story of Dick Gregory’s Run for the Hungry by , Illustrated by Frank Morrison
- Shades of Black: A Celebration of Our Children by
- Sisters and Champions: The True Story of Venus and Serena Williams by , Illustrated by Floyd Cooper
- So Tall Within: Sojourner Truth’s Long Walk Toward Freedom by , Illustrated by Daniel Minter
- Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You: A Remix of the National Book Award-Winning Stamped from the Beginning by
- Star Child: A Biographical Constellation of Octavia Estelle Butler by
- There Was a Party for Langston by , Illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey and Jarrett Pumphrey
- Think Big, Little One by
- Trombone Shorty by , Illustrated by Bryan Collier
- The Undefeated by , Illustrated by Kadir Nelson
- Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre by , Illustrated by Floyd Cooper
- Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer: The Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement by , Illustrated by Ekua Holmes
- We Are The Ship: The Story Of Negro League Baseball by
- What Color Is My World?: The Lost History Of African-American Inventors by
- What Is Juneteenth? by
- Who Is Beyonce? by
- Whoosh!: Lonnie Johnson’s Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions by , Illustrated by Don Tate
- William Still and His Freedom Stories: The Father of the Underground Railroad by
- You Are Wonderfully Made: 12 Life-Changing Principles for Teen Girls to Embrace by
- Yummy: The Last Days Of A Southside Shorty by
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