The Best Black History Month Books for Elementary Students

February is Black History Month! Many schools have activities planned over Black History Month for students to learn about and celebrate the accomplishments of African Americans who have influenced our nation over time. School activities may include assemblies, performances, and research reports to name a few. Along with these activities, it is important to include good books for research and/or read alouds. It can be difficult to find books geared towards elementary-aged students that share information about influential African Americans and celebrate Black culture. So, today I’m sharing the best Black History Month books for elementary students!

Black History Month Books About Influential People

1. Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Doreen Rappaport- This book is a Caldecott Honor Book, so without me saying so, you know the illustrations are amazing! I, also, love this book because it uses quotes lifted directly from Dr. King’s speeches, while telling the story of Dr. King’s remarkable life in an understandable way.

2. Black Heroes: A Black History Book for Kids: 51 Inspiring People from Ancient Africa to Modern-Day U.S.A. by Arlisha Norwood PhD- If you’re looking for a reference book with facts about multiple influential African Americans, this is the one! It includes short biographies of 51 Black Heroes, including Rosa Parks, James Forten, and Daisy Bates. Many names I recognized, but there were some names that were new to me.

3. The Story of Ruby Bridges: An Inspiring Biography for Young Readers by Arlisha Norwood Alston PhD- The story of Ruby Bridges is relatable to elementary students because she was only a girl when she stood up for what she believed in. This book is geared towards upper-elementary students with short informational chapters. It, also, contains a glossary that defines the words in bold type found throughout the book. If you like this one, this book is part of The Story Of series, which include biographies of other notable historical figures.

4. Rosa’s Bus: The Ride to Civil Rights by Jo S. Kittinger- This is the story of Bus #2857, the bus Rosa Parks rode the day she refused to give up her seat to a white person. This book shares all the facts of the Montgomery Bus Boycott in an interesting way that is sure to engage your students. If reading this book to first or second graders, I would break it up into chunks to read over two to three days. It is rather long for students with short attention spans.

Black History Month Books About Culture

1. Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry- This is the sweetest story about a father and daughter! Zuri is a young girl whose hair takes on many hair styles, but when Zuri wants the “perfect hairstyle” her daddy comes to the rescue. This family’s love shines through the heartfelt illustrations.

2. My Hair is Magic by M.L. Marroquin- Another great book about a girl who is proud of her “big hair”! On every page she describes how her hair is unique and special. The beautiful illustrations help to reinforce the magnificence and beauty of the girl’s hair.

3. The Hula-Hoopin’ Queen by Thelma Lynne Godin- This book tells the story of a competive girl named Kameeka who loves to hula hoop. All of her hula-hooping gets her into a bit of trouble when the birthday cake she’s supposed to be helping with doesn’t get done on time. In the end, Kameeka figures out a way to solve this problem and finds out Miz Adeline, the birthday girl, loves hoopin’ too!

4. Come On, Rain! by Karen Hesse- A sizzling hot day and no rain for three weeks. Tessie watches a rain storm roll in with her friend, Jackie-Joyce. Tessie, Jackie-Joyce, and their mammas celebrate in the rain together when it finally arrives! Feel the relief as the rain splatters down and cools them off.

5. Ty’s Travels books by Kelly Starling Lyons- Ty is a little boy with a big imagination! Ty goes on many adventures with his friends in this collection of light-hearted books for beginning readers.

6. Follow the Drinking Gourd by Jeanette Winter- This book is based on an African American folk song about using the stars from the constellation The Big Dipper as a map to guide people to freedom through the Undergroud Railroad. My daughter said it was one of her favorite books to hear during Black History Month!

Conclusion

Black History Month is a great time to teach and lead discussions about historical events and African Americans who helped shape our nation. However, Black history and the influence of African Americans do not have to be contained to this one month. It can, and should, be interwoven throughout the year in social studies units taught.

Furthermore, it’s important to have books in your classroom library that reflect the cultures of all your students. This list was created with that in mind, as well. For suggestions on ways to fund your classroom library, be sure to check out this post, Top 10 Ways to Build a Classroom Library on a Budget.