Librarian Prep Post: Celebrating Black History Month

Freedom Braids

Interest Level: Kindergarten – Grade 3

In the sugarcane plantations, Nemy stumbles upon a group of women braiding each other’s hair. Will the paths these courageous women weave guide Nemy to a new home where she can be free?

A picture book of love, liberation, and legacy inspired by the true story of enslaved African women in Colombia braiding maps to freedom.

Ballpark Legends: The Legacy of the Negro Leagues

From the Series Black Trailblazers in Sports (Read Woke ™ Books)
Interest Level: Grade 4 – Grade 8

From the late 1800s to 1947, Major League Baseball was mostly segregated. Black athletes and coaches were not welcome. Instead, many played in the Negro Leagues. Learn about the history of the Negro Leagues and some of baseball’s greatest players.

The Forgotten Four: Breaking the Color Barrier in Pro Football

From the Series Black Trailblazers in Sports (Read Woke ™ Books)
Interest Level: Grade 4 – Grade 8

Millions of people watch the NFL every year, but Black men weren’t always allowed to play. Learn about the NFL’s beginning, football’s Forgotten Four who integrated the league, and football players’ ongoing fight for racial justice.

Hoops Heroes: The Untold Story of Black Basketball

From the Series Black Trailblazers in Sports (Read Woke ™ Books)
Interest Level: Grade 4 – Grade 8

Black athletes played basketball long before the National Basketball Association or Women’s National Basketball Association existed. Learn about basketball’s beginnings and the stars of the Black Fives Era. Discover how the sport became integrated and how the Black Fives had a lasting impact.

Raising the Bar: Black Women Who Changed Gymnastics

From the Series Black Trailblazers in Sports (Read Woke ™ Books)
Interest Level: Grade 4 – Grade 8

Black women are a force in the gymnastics world. But it wasn’t until 1992 that Betty Okino and Dominique Dawes became the first Black women to compete in the Olympics for Team USA. Learn about the sport’s history and the Black gymnasts and coaches who made a difference.

Carl Walker: The Sound of Justice

From the Series Difference Makers
Interest Level: Grade 4 – Grade 8

Carl Walker is a musician, pastor, and the founder of Walker West Music Academy in St. Paul, Minnesota. Driven by a mission to use music to uplift his community, he has brought the joy of music to thousands of people.

Shirley Chisholm: Champion of Change

From the Series Difference Makers
Interest Level: Grade 4 – Grade 8

Discover the extraordinary life of Shirley Chisholm, a trailblazing leader who defied the odds and inspired generations to dream big and break barriers. Her legacy paved the way for other women, especially Black women, to become difference makers too.

Athletes Who Made a Difference

Interest Level: Grade 3 – Grade 6

This graphic nonfiction series presents true sports stories of grit, leadership, and resistance. Follow legendary athletes from their early years to pro careers, and see how they pushed to change the world around them.

Black Excellence Project (Read Woke ™ Books)

Interest Level: Grade 4 – Grade 8

Celebrate notable contributions and accomplishments of Black Americans—many of whom have been left out of history books. Bring to light the names and stories of Black achievers in careers ranging from science, politics, and business to sports, music, and entertainment.