March is Women’s History Month! Part I of our “Celebration of Black Cover Girls” featured sixty fiction stories written by Black women. The stories cover a wide range of genres and themes—from picture to young adult books and historical to contemporary. The second part in the series presents fifty nonfiction stories about the lives of women who have made tremendous contributions to society or just lived extraordinary lives overcoming and achieving personal greatness. As with part one, Black women wrote the stories, featuring a broad range of genres and themes. Some stories are well-known, and others are less often told. A few of the books, like Let It Shine or Little Leaders, tell the stories of many women, so more stories for you! If you like the authors, discover more stories by them in our directory. Our stories matter.
Catching the Moon: The Story of a Young Girl’s Baseball Dream – Crystal Hubbard, Illustrator – Randy DuBurke
Little Melba and Her Big Trombone – Katheryn Russell-Brown, Illustrator – Frank Morrison
Fly, Bessie, Fly – Lynn Joseph, Illustrator – Yvonne Buchanan
Harlem’s Little Blackbird: The Story of Florence Mills – Renee Watson, Illustrator – Christian Robinson
The Legendary Miss Lena Horne – Carole Boston Weatherford, Illustrator – Elizabeth Zunon
The Girl Who Buried Her Dreams in a Can – Tererai Trent, Illustrator – Jan Spivey Gilchrist
Celia Cruz, Queen of Salsa – Veronica Chambers, Illustrator – Julie Maren
Ella Fitzgerald: The Tale of a Vocal Virtuosa – Andrea Davis Pinkney, Illustrator – Brian Pinkney
Hoorah for Mary Seacole – Trish Cooke, Illustrator – Anni Axworthy
Oprah: The Little Speaker – Carole Boston Weatherford, Illustrator – London Ladd
Coretta Scott – Ntozake Shange, Illustrator – Kadir Nelson
Mae Among the Stars – Roda Ahmed, Illustrator – Stasia Burrington
Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race – Margot Lee Shetterly, Illustrator – Laura Freeman
Selma Burke: Artist – Garnet Nelson Jackson
Biddy Mason: The Open Hand – Deborah Newton Chocolate, Illustrator – Keaf Holliday
Ida B. Wells-Barnett: A Voice Against Violence – Patricia & Fredrick McKissack
Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer: The Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement – Carole Boston Weatherford, Illustrator – Ekua Holmes
Mary McLeod Bethune – Eloise Greenfield, Illustrator – Jerry Pinkney
Before She was Harriet – Lesa Cline-Ransome, Illustrator – James E. Ransome
Sojourner Truth’s Step-Stomp Stride – Andrea Davis Pinkney, Illustrator – Brian Pinkney
Marian Anderson: A Great Singer – Patricia & Fredrick McKissack
African Princess: The Amazing Lives of Africa’s Royal Women – Joyce Hansen, Illustrator – Laurie McGaw
The Riches of Oseola McCarty – Evelyn Coleman, Illustrator – Daniel Minter
Susie King Taylor: Destined to Be Free – Denise Jordan, Illustrator – Higgins Bond
Michelle Obama – Christine Taylor-Butler
A Girl Named Rosa: The True Story of Rosa Parks – Denise Lewis Patrick, Illustrator – Melissa Manwill
Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History – Vashti Harrison
Through My Eyes – Ruby Bridges
All About Madam C. J. Walker – A’Lelia Perry Bundles
A Strong Right Arm: The Story of Mamie “Peanut” Johnson – Michelle Y. Green
Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina Young Readers Edition – Misty Copeland
The Poems of Phillis Wheatley: With Letters and a Memoir – Phillis Wheatley
Pennies to Dollars: The Story of Maggie Lena Walker – Muriel Miller Branch & Dorothy Marie Rice
Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker: The Unlikely Friendship of Elizabeth Keckley and Mary Todd Lincoln – Lynda Jones
Marley Dias Gets It Done-And So Can You – Marley Dias
Let It Shine: Stories Of Black Women Freedom Fighters – Andrea Davis Pinkney, Illustrator – Stephen Alcorn
Young, Black, and Determined: A Biography of Lorraine Hansberry – Patricia & Fredrick McKissack
Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina – Michaela DePrince w/Elaine Deprince
Mo’ne Davis: Remember My Name: My Story from First Pitch to Game Changer – Mo’ne Davis w/Hilary Beard
Grace, Gold, and Glory My Leap of Faith – Gabrielle Douglas w/Michelle Burford
Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, A Life in Balance – Simone Biles w/Michelle Burford
How Dare the Sun Rise: Memoirs of a War Child – Sandra Uwiringiyimana w/Abigail Pesta
March Forward, Girl: From Young Warrior to Little Rock Nine – Melba Pattillo Beals, Illustrator – Frank Morrison
Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race – Margot Lee Shetterly
Unbought and Unbossed – Shirley Chisholm
Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad – Ann Petry
Crusade for Justice: The Autobiography of Ida B. Wells – Ida B. Wells-Barnett
Hazel Scott: The Pioneering Journey of a Jazz Pianist from Cafe Society to Hollywood to HUAC – Karen Chilton
The Meaning of Michelle: 16 Writers on the Iconic First Lady and How Her Journey Inspires Our Own – Veronica Chambers
Black Girls Rock!: Owning Our Magic. Rocking Our Truth. – Beverly Bond
Are you excited about reading any of the book selections in your classroom or home? Let us know in the comments!
And since you’re here, please know that your thoughtful donation will support our mission to promote awareness of children’s and young adult literature by Black authors. Our stories matter. Thank you!
