Picture Book Wednesday: Black History Month

 

These books are picture book biographies that are perfect all year round - but especially for Black History Month. 

A young girl isn't sure of her family tree which she's creating for a school project. Her grandmother shares the history of slavery and Black America.

Wow, this is a powerful book. I love how the poems spoke about pride, shared knowledge, and survival. A beautiful book that should be in every school and public library.

Elizabeth Hobbs Keckly's skill with the needle made a huge difference in her life. She bought her freedom from slavery with her skills and she created dresses for the First Lady. 

This book positioned the horror of slavery next to hope. Obviously, this story ended well, which makes this a great discussion topic. I loved the illustrations as some pieces looked like stitches and fabric. Another great book for public libraries and schools. 

Opal Lee shares the story of Juneteenth with her great-grandson and his friends. She talks about the first celebration, and she talks about the celebrations from her childhood. Both inspired her to help the day become a National Holiday.

I loved how this book shared the past moments in history with storytelling. A great book about the history and celebration of this holiday. Another great book for sharing in schools and public libraries.

* This book also includes a recipe for Red Punch and a timeline of Juneteenth 

Elijah Cummings knew the world wasn't fair from a young age and he wanted to do something about it. So he did, but it wasn't always easy and his parents helped instill lessons in him that he would always remember. 

I admired the Congressman and enjoyed learning about his childhood. Of course I loved how the library brought him a sense of peace and quiet. But I also loved how the Congressman kept his roots and always wanted to make a better world for people. This is an important biography for school and public libraries.