African American Biographies & Historical Fiction Picture Books

Biographies

Let it Shine: Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters by Andrea Davis Pinkney, illustrated by Stephen Alcorn (2000), J 920 Pinkney

The Champ: The Story of Muhammad Ali by Tonya Bolden, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie (2004), J 921 Ali

I Shook Up the World: The Incredible Life of Muhammad Ali by Maryum “May May” Ali, illustrated by Patrick Johnson (2004), J 921 Ali

When Marian Sang: The True Recital of Marian Anderson, the Voice of a Century by Pam Munoz Ryan, illustrated by Brian Selznick, (2002), J 921 Anderson

George Washington Carver by Tonya Bolden (2008), J 921 Carver

Ray Charles by Sharon Bell Mathis, illustrated by George Ford (1973), J 921 Charles

Talkin’ About Bessie: The Story of Aviator Elizabeth Coleman by Nikki Grimes, illustrated by E.B. Lewis (2002), J 921 Coleman

Before John Was a Jazz Giant: A Song of John Coltrane by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Sean Qualls (2008), J 921 Coltrane

George Crum and the Saratoga Chip by Gaylia Taylor, illustrated by Frank Morrison (2006), J 921 Crum

Jimi Sounds Like a Rainbow: A Story of the Young Jimi Hendrix by Gary Golio, illustrated by Javaka Steptoe (2010), J 921 Hendrix

I, Matthew Henson: Polar Explorer by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Eric Velasquez (2008), J 921 Henson

Black Jack: The Ballad of Jack Johnson by Charles R. Smith, illustrated by Shane W. Evans (2010), J 921 Johnson

Coretta Scott by Ntozake Shange, illustrated by Kadir Nelson (2009), J 921 King

Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Doreen Rappaport, illustrated by Bryan Collier (2001), J 921 King

Barack Obama: Son of Promise, Child of Hope by Nikki Grimes, illustrated by Bryan Collier (2008), J 921 Obama

Satchel Paige by Lesa Cline-Ransome, illustrated by James E. Ransome (2003), J 921 Paige

Freedom River by Doreen Rappaport, illustrated by Bryan Collier (2000), J 921 Parker

If a Bus Could Talk: The Story of Rosa Parks written and illustrated by Faith Ringgold (1999), J 921 Parks

Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshall by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie (2009), J 921 Reeves

Paul Robeson by Eloise Greenfield, illustrated by George Ford (2009), J 921 Robeson

In Her Hands: The Story of Sculptor Augusta Savage by Alan Schroeder, illustrated by JaeMe Bereal (2009), J 921 Savage

Piano Starts Here: The Young Art Tatum written and illustrated by Robert Andrew Parker (2008), J 921 Tatum

Major Taylor: Champion Cyclist by Lesa Cline-Ransome, illustrated by James E. Ransome (2004), J 921 Taylor

Only Passing Through: The Story of Sojourner Truth by Anne Rockwell, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie (2002), J 921 Truth

Vision of Beauty: The Story of Sarah Breedlove Walker by Kathryn Lasky, illustrated by Nneka Bennett (2000), J 921 Walker

A Voice of Her Own: The Story of Phillis Wheatley, Slave Poet by Kathryn Lasky, illustrated by Paul Lee (2003), J 921 Wheatley

Richard Wright and the Library Card by William Miller, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie (1997), J 921 Wright

Malcolm X: A Fire Burning Brightly by Walter Dean Myers illustrated by Leonard Jenkins(2001), J 921 X

Historical Fiction

Ron’s Big Mission by Rose Blue and Corinne J. Naden, illustrated by Don Tate (2009), JE Blue

The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles, illustrated by George Ford (1995), JE Coles

Rosa by Nikki Giovanni, illustrated by Bryan Collier (2005), JE Giovanni

God Bless the Child by Billie Holiday & Arthur Herzog, Jr., illustrated by Jerry Pinkney (2004), JE Holiday

A Band of Angels: A Story Inspired by the Jubilee Singers by Deborah Hopkinson, illustrated by Raul Colon (1999), JE Hopkinson

Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt by Deborah Hopkinson, illustrated by James Ransome (1993), JE Hopkinson

Virgie Goes to School with Us Boys by Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard, illustrated by E.B. Lewis (2000), JE Howard

Henry’s Freedom Box by Ellen Levine, illustrated by Kadir Nelson (2007), JE Levine

Goin’ Someplace Special by Patricia McKissack, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney (2001), JE McKissack

Joe Louis, My Champion by William Miller, illustrated by Rodney S. Pate (2004), JE Miller

Almost to Freedom by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, illustrated by Colin Bootman (2003), JE Nelson

Big Jabe by Jerdine Nolen, illustrated by Kadir Nelson (2000), JE Nolen

Boycott Blues: How Rosa Parks Inspired a Nation by Andrea Davis Pinkney, illustrated by Brian Pinkney (2008), JE Pinkney

Aunt Harriet’s Underground Railroad in the Sky written and illustrated by Faith Ringgold (1992), JE Ringgold

Testing the Ice: A True Story About Jackie Robinson by Sharon Robinson, illustrated by Kadir Nelson (2009), JE Robinson

Bessie Smith and the Night Riders by Sue Stauffacher, illustrated by John Holyfield (2006), JE Stauffacher

Joe-Joe’s First Flight by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley, illustrated by E. B. Lewis (2003), JE Tarpley

Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Kadir Nelson (2006), JE Weatherford

The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by E.B. Lewis (2001), JE Woodson

Show Way by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by Hudson Talbott (2005), JE Woodson

Nonfiction

Simeon's Story: An Eyewitness Account of the Kidnapping or Emmett Till by Simeon Wright (2010), J 305.80097 Wright

Our Children Can Soar: A Celebration of Rosa, Barack, and the Pioneers of Change by Michelle Cook, illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera (2009), J 305.896073 Cook

Child of the Civil Rights Movement by Paula Young Shelton, illustrated by Raul Colon (2010), J 323.1196 Shelton

March On!: The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World by Christine King Farris, illustrated by London Ladd (2008), J 323.1196073 Farris

Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down by Andrea Davis Pinkney, illustrated by Brian Pinkney (2010), J 323.1196073 Pinkney

John Henry by Julius Lester, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney (1994), J 398.2 Lester

We Are The Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball words and paintings by Kadir Nelson (2008), J 796.35709 Nelson

She Loved Baseball: The Effa Manley Story by Audrey Vernick, illustrated by Don Tate (2010), J 796.357092 Vernick

Miss Crandall’s School for Young Ladies & Little Misses of Color by Elizabeth Alexander and Marilyn Nelson, illustrated by Floyd Cooper (2007), J 811.54 Alexander

Harriet and the Promised Land written and illustrated by Jacob Lawrence (1993), J 811.54 Lawrence

Sweethearts of Rhythm: The Story of the Greated All-Girl Swing Band in the World by Marilyn Nelson, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney (2009), J 811.54 Nelson

We Troubled the Waters by Ntozake Shange (2009), J 811.6 Shange