Carter G. Woodson Award Winning Books


As of 2001 awards and honors are given in the following categories, Elementary (K-6), Middle (5-8), and Secondary (7-12) grade level books.

Carter Woodson Award Seal Carter G. Woodson Seal

The National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) established the Carter G. Woodson Book Awards for the most distinguished books appropriate for young readers that depict ethnicity in the United States. First presented in 1974, this award is intended to “encourage the writing, publishing, and dissemination of outstanding social studies books for young readers that treat topics related to ethnic minorities and race relations sensitively and accurately.” Books relating to ethnic minorities and the authors of such books rarely receive the recognition they merit from professional organizations. By sponsoring the Carter G. Woodson Awards, NCSS gives wide recognition to and encourages these authors and publishers. Here is a printable list of all the award winning books. Learn more at NCSS’s website.

Also check out our list of Top 100+ Recommended African-American Children’s Books, some are also CSK Award winning titles.


4 Award Winning and Honored Books for 1996


Secondary Level Winner

A Fence Away From Freedom
by Ellen S. Levine

Publication Date: Oct 17, 1995
List Price: $18.99
Format: Hardcover, 260 pages
Classification: Nonfiction
Target Age Group: Middle Grade
ISBN13: 9780399226380
Imprint: Putnam Juvenile
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Parent Company: Bertelsmann

Read a Description of A Fence Away From Freedom


Book Description: 
A series of interviews with Japanese Americans, who were placed in internment camps during World War II merely because they had Japanese ancestry, reveals how they lost businesses, homes, and personal possessions.

Outstanding Merit

Red-Tail Angels: The Story Of The Tuskegee Airmen Of World War Ii
by Patricia C. McKissack and Fredrick McKissack

    Publication Date: Jan 01, 1996
    List Price: $21.95
    Format: Hardcover, 144 pages
    Classification: Nonfiction
    Target Age Group: Middle Grade
    ISBN13: 9780802782922
    Imprint: Walker Childrens
    Publisher: Walker and Co
    Parent Company: Walker and Co

    Read a Description of Red-Tail Angels: The Story Of The Tuskegee Airmen Of World War Ii


    Book Description: 
    A history of African American pilots with a focus on World War II.

    Outstanding Merit

    Konnichiwa! I Am a Japanese-American Girl
    by Tricia Brown

      Publication Date: Apr 01, 1995
      List Price: $15.95
      Format: Hardcover
      Classification: Nonfiction
      Target Age Group: Early Reader
      ISBN13: 9780805023534
      Imprint: Henry Holt & Company (BYR)
      Publisher: Macmillan Publishers
      Parent Company: Holtzbrinck Publishing Group

      Read a Description of Konnichiwa! I Am a Japanese-American Girl


      Book Description: 
      Presents the activities of Lauren Kamiya and her family as they prepare for and participate in the Cherry Blossom Festival in San Francisco, an event that combines elements of both Japanese and American cultures. By the author of Chinese New Year.

      Elementary Award

      Songs from the Loom: A Navajo Girl Learns to Weave (We Are Still Here)
      by Monty Roessel

        Publication Date: Sep 01, 1995
        List Price: $8.95
        Format: Paperback, 48 pages
        Classification: Nonfiction
        Target Age Group: Picture Book
        ISBN13: 9780822597124
        Imprint: Lerner Publishing Group
        Publisher: Lerner Publishing Group
        Parent Company: Lerner Publishing Group

        Read a Description of Songs from the Loom: A Navajo Girl Learns to Weave (We Are Still Here)


        Book Description: 
        In this unique series, Native American authors examine their cultural traditions, from Navajo rug weaving in the Southwest to wild rice gathering in northern Minnesota. Each book describes these customs as they are seen through the eyes of the participants and discusses how Native American people maintain their cultural identities in contemporary society.