Lists and Suggestions for Kids

List: Black History Month Performers and Artists

Copeland, Misty.

American Ballet Theatre soloist Misty Copeland encourages a young ballet student, with brown skin li... More

Dempsey, Kristy.

A young girl growing up in Harlem in the 1950s, whose mother cleans and stitches costumes for a ball... More

Cline-Ransome, Lesa, author.

This joyful tribute to Louis Armstrong tells the story of the virtuoso musician and buoyant persona... More

Powell, Patricia Hruby, 1951- author.

"This is the true story of Lil Hardin Armstrong: pianist, composer, and bandleader in the earl... More

Randolph, Joanne, editor.

Imagine a world in which gospel, the blues, jazz, R & B, and rock 'n' roll didn'... More

Wilson, Jamia, 1980- author.

"Join us on a journey across borders, through time and even through space to meet 52 icons of ... More

Todd, Traci N., author.

"A biography of Nina Simone, an acclaimed singer whose music gave voice to the struggle for ra... More

Brière-Haquet, Alice, 1979- author.

With evocative black-and-white illustrations and moving prose, readers are introduced to Nina Simon... More

Raschka, Christopher, author, illustrator.

A one-hundredth birthday tribute to the late jazz artist explores his observations about humanity&#... More

Warren, Sarah E., author.

Follow the story of Beyoncé as she finds her voice through trials and triumphs, and understand tha... More

Wilkins, Ebony, author.

"A highly-designed, highly-illustrated middle-grade biography of Beyonce--exploring her childh... More

Schwartz, Heather E., author.

An account of the life of Beyoncé, from her career as a child performer, to the success of Destiny... More

Schroeder, Alan.

"A biography of African American entertainer Florence Mills, an internationally renowned dance... More

Miller, J. P. (Janice P.), author.

Rosetta could sing and play guitar like no one had ever before. From her church's stage to Car... More

Weatherford, Carole Boston, 1956- author.

"Aretha Franklin was born to sing. The daughter of a pastor and a gospel singer, her musical t... More

Sánchez Vegara, Ma Isabel (María Isabel), author.

In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS... More

Tucker, Zoë, author.

"Flo, Mary, and Diana are teenage girls from Detroit with big ambitions. They want to be the b... More

London, Martha, author.

"Describes the life and career of singer and rapper Lizzo. Includes an "At-a-Glace" ... More

Wilson, Lakita, author.

"Lizzo started singing and rapping with musical groups in her hometowns of Houston and Minneap... More

Weatherford, Carole Boston, 1956- author.

Presents the history of hip-hop including, how it evolved from folktales, spirituals, and poetry, t... More

Hudalla, Jamie, author.

"Chance the Rapper rose to fame in the late 2000s. He collaborates with many other musicians a... More

Toth, Henrietta, author.

"Lil Nas X became famous in 2019 for the country rap song "Old Town Road." He collab... More

Russell-Brown, Katheryn, 1961- author.

"A biography of African American musician Melba Doretta Liston, a virtuoso musician who played... More

Winter, Jonah, 1962-

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Golio, Gary, author.

"Jazz icon Sonny Rollins found an inspired spot to practice his saxophone when his neighbors c... More

Parker, Robert Andrew.

The story of the young Art Tatum, who became one of the all-time greats of jazz piano. ... More

Golio, Gary.

Tells the story of the legendary jazz musician, from his deeply religious childhood to his career a... More

Winter, Jonah, 1962- author.

"In this unusual ... picture book that riffs on the language and rhythms of old New Orleans, .... More

Andrews, Troy, author.

Hailing from the Tremé neighborhood in New Orleans, Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews got h... More

Pinkney, Andrea Davis.

A brief recounting of the career of this jazz musician in the voice of "Scat Cat Monroe",... More

Berman, Kathleen Cornell, author.

Explores the childhood and early career of the noted jazz trumpeter who gained fame performing at t... More

Wittenstein, Barry, author.

"Sonny Rollins is one of the most prolific sax players in the history of jazz, but in 1959, at... More

Weatherford, Carole Boston, 1956-

This lyrical picture-book biography of John Coltrane focuses on his childhood and how he interprete... More

Donohue, Moira Rose, author.

"Though a disability stunted his growth and left him with a hunched back, William Henry "... More

Collins, Terry (Terry Lee)

"Describes the life of Louis Armstrong, focusing on his rise as a pop-culture icon"--Prov... More

Veirs, Laura, author.

Elizabeth Cotten was only a little girl when she picked up a guitar for the first time. It wasn... More

Ryan, Pam Muñoz.

The inspiring story of Marian Anderson, best known for her historic concert at the Lincoln Memorial... More

Russell-Brown, Katheryn, 1961- author.

In this stirring biography of a true artistic and social icon, young readers learn how Aretha'... More

Nolan, Nina, author.

A picture-book introduction to the gospel singer's life and career. ... More

Weatherford, Carole Boston, 1956- author.

Surveys the life of the actress and civil rights activist, describing her childhood, early years in... More

Steptoe, Javaka, 1971- author, artist.

Jean-Michel Basquiat and his unique, collage-style paintings rocketed to fame in the 1980s as a cul... More

Hill, Laban Carrick.

Chronicles the life of Dave, a nineteenth-century slave who went on to become an influential poet, ... More

Clinton, Catherine, 1952-

Story of Phyllis Wheatley of Boston, Mass., a slave, who published a book of poetry in 1773. ... More

Cooper, Floyd.

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Simons, Lisa M. B., 1969- author.

Presents the life and career of the award-winning author. ... More

Cooper, Abby, author.

"Author Kwame Alexander writes books for children of all ages. His book The Crossover won the ... More

Derby, Sally, author.

"Did you know that Paul Laurence Dunbar originated such famous lines as "I know why the c... More

Burleigh, Robert.

Describes how the twentieth-century African American poet Langston Hughes affirms his vocation as a... More

Tate, Don, author.

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Slade, Suzanne, author.

A biography of African American poet, Gwendolyn Brooks. ... More

Duncan, Alice Faye, author.

A collection of poems profiles the Chicago author who gave voice to the urban African American expe... More

Rajczak Nelson, Kristen, author.

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Hegedus, Bethany, author.

"A biography of African American writer, performer, and activist Maya Angelou, who turned a ch... More

Benson, Kathleen, author.

Introduces readers to Benny Andrews, one of the most important African-American painters of the 20t... More

Churnin, Nancy, author.

"Growing up in the late 19th century, Laura Wheeler Waring didn't see any artists who loo... More

Simons, Lisa M. B., 1969- author.

Discover how Kadir Nelson becam a best-selling children's book author and illustrator. ... More

Whitehead, Kathy, 1957-

Clementine Hunter's paintings went from hanging on her clothesline to hanging in museums, yet ... More

Herkert, Barbara, author.

"Harriet Powers learned to sew and quilt as a young slave girl on a Georgia plantation. She li... More

Tate, Don.

"A biography of twentieth-century African American folk artist Bill Traylor, a former slave wh... More

Tate, Don, author, illustrator.

"From acclaimed author and illustrator Don Tate, the rousing story of Ernie Barnes, an African... More

Bryan, Ashley, author, illustrator.

This book details artist Ashley Bryan's experiences as a Black soldier in the segregated army ... More

Harvey, Jeanne Walker.

In Harlem, New York City, an artist follows the rhythms of blues music as he recalls his North Caro... More

Rhodes-Pitts, Sharifa, author.

"Jake Makes a World follows the creative adventures of the young Jacob Lawrence as he finds in... More

Weatherford, Carole Boston, 1956- author.

Gordon Parks is most famous for being the first black director in Hollywood. But before he made mov... More

Bryant, Jen. 1960-

Presents an illustrated introduction to the life and work of artist Horace Pippin, describing his c... More

Loney, Andrea J., author.

"A biography of James Van Der Zee, innovative and celebrated African American photographer of ... More

Schroeder, Alan.

"A biography of African American sculptor Augusta Savage, who overcame many obstacles as a you... More

Blumenthal, Deborah, author.

"As soon as Ann Cole Lowe could walk, her momma and grandma taught her to sew. When her mom di... More

Hill, Laban Carrick, author.

Before there was hip hop, there was DJ Kool Herc. On a hot day at the end of summer in 1973 Cindy C... More

Weatherford, Carole Boston, 1956- author.

An introduction to the life and career of the African American opera singer. ... More

Cline-Ransome, Lesa.

Short biography of Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-George, a mixed race violinist who would play... More

Alcorn, Stephen.

An introduction to the life and career of the folk singer Odetta, which traces her Alabama childhoo... More

Mahin, Michael, author.

Presents the life of blues legend Muddy Waters, describing how he persisted with his interest in mu... More

Golio, Gary.

Before he became one of the greatest guitar players of all time, Jimi Hendrix was a boy who loved t... More

Smith, Charles R., Jr., 1969- author.

"The story of guitarist Jimi Hendrix's career told in verse"-- ... More

Watson, Renée.

A tribute to lesser-known Harlem Renaissance performer Florence Mills includes coverage of her yout... More

Powell, Patricia Hruby, 1951-

A portrait of the passionate performer and civil rights advocate Josephine Baker, the woman who wor... More

Erskine, Kathryn, author.

A harrowing picture biography of civil-rights activist and Grammy Award-winning South African singe... More

Medina, Tony.

"A biography in verse about the Jamaican reggae musician Bob Marley, offering an overview of k... More