Sale price
$1498
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 2017
Rosa Parks
A brave act on a bus ignites a movement for equality.
32 pages· 567 words· Est. 5 min read-aloud
5.8/7 Bookroo experts·4.4/5 Goodreads · 1,207 ratings
$15.99Save 6%
Books About African American History · 56 titles considered
The Best African American History Books for Kids
By the Bookroo Editors
Looking for excellent children's books about african american history? This collection brings together Bookroo's highest-rated and most useful picks in one place.
Start with our editorial favorites, then browse recommendations organized by reading stage to find the right book for your reader.
The Shortlist
Our 10 Favorite Books About African American History
Sale price
$1797
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 2020
Overground Railroad
By Lesa Cline-Ransome, James E. Ransome (Illustrator)
A young girl journeys north, seeking freedom and new beginnings.
48 pages· 901 words· Est. 7 min read-aloud
5.5/7 Bookroo experts·4.3/5 Goodreads · 966 ratings
$18.99Save 5%
Sale price
$1899
Picture Book · Ages 6–9 · 2020
A Ride to Remember
A carousel ride becomes a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights movement.
40 pages· 1,745 words· Est. 14 min read-aloud
5.5/7 Bookroo experts·4.3/5 Goodreads · 410 ratings
$19.99Save 5%
Sale price
$1498
Picture Book · Ages 6–9 · 2015
Juneteenth for Mazie
By Floyd Cooper
A young girl prepares to honor the day her ancestors gained freedom.
32 pages· 454 words· Est. 4 min read-aloud
5.5/7 Bookroo experts·4.3/5 Goodreads · 984 ratings
$15.95Save 6%
Sale price
$1498
Picture Book · Ages 5–8 · 2018
I am Harriet Tubman
A young enslaved girl escapes to freedom and becomes a leader in the fight against slavery
40 pages· 2,478 words· Est. 20 min read-aloud
4.5/5 Goodreads · 756 ratings
$15.99Save 6%
Sale price
$1697
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 2016
Freedom in Congo Square
By Carole Boston Weatherford, R Gregory Christie (Illustrator)
In 19th century Louisiana, slaves find brief freedom and joy in Congo Square every Sunday.
The New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children’s Books Award (2016)Coretta Scott King Award (2017)Caldecott Medal (2017)
34 pages· 290 words· Est. 3 min read-aloud
4.3/5 Goodreads · 2,839 ratings
$17.99Save 6%
Sale price
$1697
Picture Book · Ages 7–10 · 2015
The Book Itch
By Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, R Gregory Christie (Illustrator)
A bookstore in Harlem becomes a hub for change and ideas.
32 pages· 1,515 words· Est. 12 min read-aloud
4.4/5 Goodreads · 2,090 ratings
$17.99Save 6%
Sale price
$1697
Picture Book · Ages 6–10 · 2016
Freedom Over Me
By Ashley Bryan
Explore the untold dreams and worth of those deemed mere property.
56 pages· 3,457 words· Est. 27 min read-aloud
4.3/5 Goodreads · 2,190 ratings
$17.99Save 6%
Sale price
$1797
Picture Book · Ages 4–7 · 2015
Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer
By Carole Boston Weatherford, Ekua Holmes (Illustrator)
A civil rights champion fights for equal voting rights against fierce opposition.
Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award (2016)Caldecott Medal (2016)Boston Globe–Horn Book Award (2016)
56 pages· 3,807 words· Est. 30 min read-aloud
4.3/5 Goodreads · 2,836 ratings
$18.99Save 5%
Sale price
$1697
Chapter Book · Ages 6–8 · 2017
Katherine Johnson
Discover the mathematician whose calculations launched NASA's early missions.
48 pages· 2,334 words· Est. 26 min read
4.3/5 Goodreads · 170 ratings
$17.99Save 6%
Browse by age
African American History Picture Books
Illustrated read-alouds about african american history for preschool and elementary-age readers.
Sale price
$1799
Counting the Stars
Ages 4–8 · 2019
A mathematician's calculations are crucial for a historic space mission.
Sale price
$1599
Jesse Owens
Ages 4–7 · 2020
A young athlete defies racism and sets world records at the 1936 Olympics.
Sale price
$1599
Aretha Franklin
Ages 4–7 · 2020
Discover how a young girl from Tennessee became the Queen of Soul and a music legend.
Sale price
$1799
The Oldest Student
Ages 4–8 · 2020
A young girl dreams of freedom and learning to read in the midst of slavery and hardship.
Sale price
$1495
The ABCs of Black History
Ages 5–12 · 2020
Explore Black history through an alphabet of triumph, creativity, and iconic figures.
Sale price
$1899
Ruth and the Green Book
Ages 7–11 · 2010
A family navigates a perilous journey with a guide to safe havens during a time of racial injustice.
Sale price
$1999
Ellington Was Not a Street
Ages 5–11 · 2004
Discover a community of Black innovators who defied adversity and sparked a movement that changed the world.
Sale price
$2526
Juneteenth
Ages 7–9 · 2005
Discover the origins and evolution of Juneteenth.
Sale price
$799
Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt
Ages 3–7 · 1993
A seamstress crafts a secret map to freedom using scraps of cloth.
Sale price
$1899
When Marian Sang
Ages 7–10 · 2002
A singer's voice defies barriers at a historic concert.
Sale price
$1899
Steamboat School
Ages 4–8 · 2016
A boy and his teacher defy a law banning Black education by creating a floating school.
Sale price
$1899
Boycott Blues
Ages 4–8 · 2008
A community walks for justice, defying oppression with every step.
Browse by age
African American History Chapter Books & Middle Grade
Longer stories about african american history for developing and independent readers.
Sale price
$699
Who Was Coretta Scott King?
Ages 8–11 · 2017
A biography of Coretta Scott King, from her childhood to her role in the civil rights movement and beyond
Sale price
$699
Who Were the Tuskegee Airmen?
Ages 8–12 · 2018
The Tuskegee Airmen were the first airplane pilots of color ever in the US military, and they played a major role in winning World War II.
Sale price
$699
Who Was Rosa Parks?
Ages 8–12 · 2010
A biography of Rosa Parks, a civil rights activist who refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama bus in 1955, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott and becoming a symbol of the Civil Rights Movement
Sale price
$599
Escape North!
Ages 7–9 · 2000
Escape slavery, lead others to freedom, and fight for justice.
Sale price
$599
What Was the March on Washington?
Ages 8–12 · 2013
A quarter of a million Americans gather in Washington, DC, to demand equal rights for black Americans.
Sale price
$899
Duke Ellington
Ages 6–9 · 1998
Discover the groundbreaking journey of jazz legend Duke Ellington.
Sale price
$699
Who Was Louis Armstrong?
Ages 8–12 · 2004
The life of Louis Armstrong, a famous jazz musician, is explored from his childhood in New Orleans to his rise to fame.
Sale price
$999
Childtimes
Ages 8–12 · 1979
Three generations of women share vivid childhood memories, revealing a century of history and heritage.
Sale price
$799
Amos Fortune, Free Man
Ages 9–12 · 1950
Captured at 15, Amos dreams of freedom for 45 years. Will he finally break his chains?
Graphic Nov.
Sale price
$899
Jackie Robinson
Ages 8–14 · 2007
Discover the groundbreaking journey of a baseball legend.
Sale price
$2500
Sojourner Truth
Ages 9–12 · 2000
A woman born into slavery in New York endures separation, abuse, and loss before finding her voice as a powerful advocate for freedom, justice, and equality.
Sale price
$399
Harriet Tubman
Ages 6–10 · 2005
A brave woman defies oppression, leading many to freedom.