28 Read Alouds for Black History Month

Black history is American history. To help you celebrate with your students, we’ve rounded up 28 books that are perfect for Black history read alouds, one for each day of the month.

• Henry’s Freedom Box
  Explore the underground railroad with your students in this touching story.
• When Harriet Met Sojourner
  This book tells about the lives of these two iconic women as well as the day they met.
• Ron’s Big Mission
  This story is based on the early life of scientist and astronaut Ron McNair. As a young boy, Ron stood up the discriminatory policies at his local public library and created lasting change in his community.
• Martin’s Big Words
  One of my all time favorite books about the life of Dr. martin Luther King Jr.
• Through My Eyes
  This is the story of Ruby Bridges told though her own words.
• The Youngest Marcher
  This is the story of Nine-year-old Audrey Faye Hendricks, the youngest known child to be arrested for a civil rights protest in Birmingham, Alabama, 1963.
• Ruth and the Green Book
  This book tells the story of Ruth and her family going on a road trip in the 1950s as they navigate Jim Crow Laws using the Green Book.
• Malcolm Little
  Tells the story of the life of Malcolm X. 
• Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World’s Fastest Woman
  This books shares the life and accomplishments of renowned Olympian Wilma Rudolph.
• Trailblazer: The Story of Ballerina Raven Wilkinson
  This book shares the story of the first African American woman to dance for a major classical ballet company.
•  A Picture Book of George Washington Carver
  He didn’t just invent peanut butter! This book shares all the contributions George Washington Carver made to science and history.
•  Hidden Figures
  This book shares the inspiring true story of four black women who helped NASA launch men into space. 
•  Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat
  This is the story of Jean-Michel Basquiat and his unique artistic style.
•  Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History
  This book shares stories of 40 inspiring black women who changed history.
•  Barack Obama: Son of Promise, Child of Hope
  Nikki Grimes’ inspirational story of our 44th President.
•  Shirley Chisholm is a Verb
  The biography of America’s first African American Congresswoman.
•  Words Set Me Free
  This book shares the story of a young Frederick Douglass and how books helped him to find his passion for justice.
•  Nelson Mandela: A Long Walk to Freedom
  A kid friendly version of Mandela’s autobiography. 
•  A is for Africa
  An A to Z illustration of the beautiful diversity of African life and culture. 
•  Boundless Grace
  Grace travels to Africa to visit her father and learns about her African heritage and culture. 
•  The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Picture Book Edition
  A young boy discovers how to bring electricity to his village in Malawi.
•  Fly High: The Story of Bessie Coleman
  This book tells the story of the first African-American to earn a pilot’s license.
•  Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library
  This book tells the story of how the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture was created.
•  Mae Among the Stars
  This book tells the story of Mae Jemison, the first African American woman to travel in space.
•  The Doctor with an Eye for Eyes: The Story of Dr. Patricia Bath
  Learn about the journey of a Dr. Patricia Bath who, despite the odds, dreamed of becoming a doctor and eventually developed a revolutionary treatment for blindness. 
•  This Is the Rope: A Story from the Great Migration
  Jacqueline Woodson tells the story of the Great Migration, when millions of African Americans relocated from the South, through this generational story of a black family’s journey north seeking better opportunities.
•  One Last Word: Wisdom From the Harlem Renaissance
  A series of poems by Nikki Grimes inspired by Harlem Renaissance icons.

Do you have other books you’d recommend for Black History read alouds? Drop us a note in the comments.