Triumph!
African-American History Month
February, 2007

Our staff at the Library chose books that cover the African American struggle from slavery to today.

ADULTS: NONFICTION -- FICTION -- YOUNG ADULT

CHILDREN: FICTION -- PICTURE BOOKS -- NON-FICTION

 ADULT NONFICTION

A. Philip Randolph, Pioneer of the Civil Rights Movement
by Paula F. Pfeffer (Black Life 323.4 RANDOLPH)
A detailed and insightful biography of the man whose ideologies and strategies provided the framework for the Civil Rights Movement that emerged in the 1950’s and early 1960’s.

African-Americans and Civil Rights: From 1619 to the Present
by Michael L. Levine (Black Life/323.4 Le)
Discusses the African-Americans struggle for racial equality from the colonial era to the present, links the role of African Americans in the economy to their legal and political status.

African American Women During the Civil War
by Ella Forbes (R 973.71 Fo)
Using a prominent number of primary resources, the author restores African American women to their rightful place in American Civil War history by documenting their presence, contributions and experiences.

African American Women in the Struggle to Vote
(324.73 Te)
Constructs a comprehensive portrait of the African American women who fought for the right to vote, why they joined and how they participated in the U.S. Women’s Suffrage Movement.

The Afro-American Woman: Struggles and Images
Edited by Sharon Harley & Rosalyn Terborg-Penn (301.412 Af)
An excellent anthology of essays that provides an accurate image of African-American women during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

Blessed Are the Peacemakers: Martin Luther King, Jr., Eight White Religious Leaders and the “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”
by Jonathan S. Bass (Black Life/323.4 Du)
The circumstances surrounding the writing and effects of King’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.”

The Civil Rights Movement: an Eyewitness History
by Sanford Wexler (R323.4 We)
This book covers the key Civil Rights years of 1954-1965 in detail and provides hundreds of first hand accounts of the civil rights movement.

The Dream: Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Speech that Inspired a Nation
by Drew W. Hansen (323 Ha)
A riveting account of the origins and legacy of Dr. King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech.

Encyclopedia of African-American Civil Rights: From Emancipation to the Present
(R 323.4 En)
An overview of the century long struggle for civil rights by African-Americans.

Encyclopedia of Civil Rights in America
(R323.4 vol.1-3)
A three volume encyclopedia that surveys the history, meaning, and application of civil rights issues in the United States.

Expressions of Freedom
(Sheet Music 783.9 Ex)
This collection of spirituals, arranged by Rene Boyer-Alexander for voices and Orff instruments, is much more than a mere song collection. It is a chronicle of expression that will enrich and uplift both children and adults in classrooms, choirs, community gatherings and churches.

Eyes with winged thoughts / poetry and images
By Gordon Parks (811 Parks)
Parks, photographer, poet, filmmaker, etc., presents a collection of his poems illustrated by his photos.

Fire from the Soul: A History of the African-American Struggle
by Donald Spivey (301.45 Sp)
Spivey’s work provides a challenging look at racism in America throughout the centuries, with special emphasis on the Civil Rights Movement.

Freedom in the Family: A Mother-Daughter Memoir of the Fight for Civil Rights
by Tananarive Due (Black Life/323.4 Du)
A moving and important tribute to the Civil Rights Movement written by a mother and daughter who lived the struggle.

Freedom’s Daughters: The Unsung Heroines of the Civil Rights Movement from 1830 to 1970
by Lynne Olson (323.4 Ol)
Groundbreaking work that finally gives credit to the bold women who were crucial to the success of the Civil Rights Movement.

Gee’s Bend: The Architecture of the Quilt
(Black Life 746.4 Ge)
This book's 330 color illustrations and insightful text bring home the exciting experience to readers while displaying all the cultural heritage and craftsmanship that have gone into these remarkable quilts.

Harlem Really Cooks: the Nouvelle Soul Food of Harlem
By Sandra Lawrence BL (641.4 La)
From the hot pink cover to the recipes that literally make your mouth water, this book is a delight. Harlem Really Cooks combines recipes with art, history, photographs, personal anecdotes, and nostalgia.

In Search of Nella Larsen: A Biography of the Color Line
By Hutchinson, George (813.09 Larsen, N)
Hutchinson offers a multilayered look at a complex woman struggling with racial identity and other fears through her novels.

Labor of Love, Labor of Sorrow: Black Women, Work, and the Family from Slavery to the Present
by Jacqueline Jones (301.412 Jo)
A gripping portrayal of the changing role of African-American women in the labor force and in the family.

Live Like You're Blessed: Simple Steps for Making Balance, Love, Energy, Spirit, Success, Encouragement, and Devotion Part of Your Life
Johnson Cook, Suzan D. (BL248.4 Jo)
Using the stories of real people facing life’s challenges, and with suggestions and resource lists on where to go for help, Cook gives readers an excellent guide to better living through faith.

Mama Made the Difference: Life Lessons my Mother Taught Me
Jakes, T.D. (BL248.8 JA)
As the first teachers we have, mothers provide lessons in life, love and longevity to all of us. Bishop Jakes shares the lessons he learned from his own mother, as well as some from his friends and family to help readers deepen their faith and enrich their lives.

Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present
Washington, Harriet A.(174.2 Wa)
Washington has written a well researched, well documented and profoundly disturbing book, showing a side of American racism that we rarely see.

Mirror to America: The Autobiography of John Hope Franklin
By John Hope Franklin (BL 973 Franklin, J Fr)
This autobiography of John Hope Franklin might be viewed as a microcosm of the civil rights movement and race relations in America. Born in 1915, he grew up in an era of enforced segregation and spontaneous lynching.

My Life as a Furry Red Monster: What Elmo Has Taught Me About Life, Love and Laughing ut Loud
by Kevin Clash (Black Life 791.5 Clash, K Cl)
Meet Kevin Clash, the man behind the Muppet and the unassuming heart and soul of Elmo. At last, the puppeteer who has performed Elmo for nearly twenty years comes out from behind the stage to share his story.

Nice Dreads: Hair Care Basics and Inspiration for Colored Girls Who've Considered Locking Their Hair
By Lonnice Brittenum Bonner (BL 646.7 Bo)
Perfect for women who want dreadlocks but aren't sure how to start, or for those who've already started and want to know the best ways to keep hair healthy, Nice Dreads can help you grow your own lovely locks.

Open Wide the Freedom Gates
by Dorothy I. Height (Black Life/323 HEIGHT)
Civil Rights activist and leader Dorothy Height tells the remarkable story of her life, her work, and what it means to be both African-American and a woman.

The Oxford Anthology of African-American Poetry
(811.08 Ox)
Arranged by theme instead of the usual author this wide ranging collection offers a broad picture of African American culture.

Partners in History
by Donzaleigh Abernathy (323.4 Ab)
Rev. Ralph David Abernathy was one of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s closest friends and confidants. This work by Rev. Abernathy’s daughter illuminates the mighty forces in the fight for equality and justice.

Rise and Fall of Jim Crow
by Richard Wormser (323.4 Wo)
A guide to the PBS special by the same name, this book explores the history of racial discrimination, beginning with the end of the Civil War and concluding with the integration of public schools.

Screens Fade to Black: Contemporary African American Cinema
by David J. Leonard (Black Life 791.43 Le)
Looking at such recent films as Love and Basketball, Antwone Fisher, Training Day, and the two Barbershop films-this book examines the issues of representation and opportunity in contemporary cinema.

The Skin Between Us: A Memoir of Race, Beauty, and Belonging
By Kym Ragusa (BL 974.7 Ra)
Ragusa's sensuous memories bring to life the joy, pain, and inexhaustible richness of a racially and culturally mixed heritage.

Skinny Cooks Can’t Be Trusted
By Mo’Nique BL (642 Mo)
Mo'Nique exults in the joys of being a large woman. Here, she explores the great love of her life – food. This is food with flavor, from chocolate and cream to sugar and butter and everything in between.

Southern Black Leaders of the Reconstruction Era
edited by Howard N. Rabinowitz (301.45 So)
A compelling work of essays reflecting on relatively unknown and almost completely forgotten African-American political leaders during Reconstruction.

Uplifting the Race: Black Leadership, Politics, and Culture in the Twentieth Century
by Kevin Kelly Gaines (301.45 Ga)
Provides an interesting study examining the variations and inconsistencies in the evolution of “racial uplift” ideology from Emancipation through the twentieth century.

We Are Your Sisters: Black Women in the Nineteenth Century
edited by Dorothy Sterling (324.73 Te)
This collection of letters, and oral histories, as well as excerpts from diaries and autobiographies, presents a portrayal of African-American women who lived between 1800 and the 1880s, providing a panoramic portrait of their lives.

A Well-Paid Slave: Curt flood’s Fight for Free Agency in Professional Sports
By Brad Snyder (BL 796.35 Sn)
Curt Flood and the landmark Supreme Court case that changed professional sports forever.

Where You’re At: Notes from the Frontline of a Hip-Hop Planet
by Patrick Neate (Black Life 784.61 Ne)
Spirited and idealistic, yet grittily insightful, Where You're At is a global tour of a small planet, with hip-hop, in all its multifarious forms, as the main character.

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ADULT FICTION 

Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman
by Ernest Gaines (Black Life/Fiction Gaines)
This novel, supposedly the memoirs of a 110-year-old ex-slave, is a stirring tribute to survival and courage.

Beloved
by Toni Morrison (Black Life/Fiction Morrison)
A novel that brings the unimaginable experience of slavery into the literature of our time and into our comprehension.

The Color Purple
by Alice Walker (Black Life/Fiction Walker)
Celie is a poor black woman whose letters tell the story of 20 years of her life, beginning at age 14. Celie eventually learns that her abusive husband has been keeping her sister’s letters from her and the rage she feels, combined with an example of love and independence provided by her close friend Shug, pushes her finally toward an awakening of her creative and loving self.

Go Tell It on the Mountain
by James Baldwin (Black Life/Fiction Baldwin)
A teenager’s conversion to religion and the history of an African American family.

Juneteenth
by Ralph Ellison (Black Life/Fiction Ellison)
A jazz novel, a sermon, a song of praise to the richness of the African American experience, a showcase for a writer of unsurpassed lyrical gifts, and an autobiographical reckoning with Ellison’s own life journey.

Known World
by Edward P. Jones (Black Life/Fiction Jones)
A riveting novel that looks at blacks who owned black slaves in the pre-Civil War South. Henry, a former slave, eventually buys human property himself and treats them with violent disdain. A remarkable study of character and human integrity.

Native Son
by Richard Wright (Black Life/Fiction Wright)
The story of a young black man caught in a downward spiral after he kills a young white woman in a brief moment of panic. Set in Chicago in the 1930s, this novel is just as powerful today as when it was written.

Secret Life of Bees
by Sue Monk Kidd (Fiction Monk)
Maternal loss and betrayal, guilt and forgiveness are intertwined in the story of protagonist Lily’s discovery of the thing her heart longs for most when she and her “stand-in mother” flee to Tiburon, South Carolina where they are taken in by an eccentric trio of black, beekeeping sisters.

Their Eyes Were Watching God
by Zora Neale Hurston (Black Life/Fiction Hurston)
Fair and long-legged, independent and articulate, Janie Crawford sets out to be her own person – no mean feat for a black woman in the 1930s. Janie’s quest for identity takes her through three marriages and into a journey back to her roots.

To Kill a Mockingbird
by Harper Lee (Black Life/Fiction Lee)
Lawyer Atticus Finch defends a black man charged with the rape of a white woman. Through the eyes of Atticus’s children, Harper Lee explores, with rich humor and unfaltering honesty, the irrationality of adult attitudes toward race and class in the Deep South of the 1930s.

The Ways of White Folks
by Langston Hughes (Black Life/Fiction Hughes)
In these acrid and poignant stories, Hughes depicts black people colliding – sometimes humorously, more often tragically – with whites in the 1920s and 1930s.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin
by Harriet Beecher Stowe (Fiction Stowe)
Charts the paths of a martyr who transcends all earthly ties, and locates the issues of race and the role of women in American nineteenth century.

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YOUNG ADULT 

Days of Jubilee: The End of Slavery in the United States
by Patricia C. and Frederick L. McKissack (YA/326.19 McK )
The authors use slave narratives, letters, diaries, military orders and other documents to chronicle the various stages leading to the emancipation of slaves in the United States.

Fight On! Mary Church Terrell’s Battle for Integration
by Dennis B. Fradin and Judith Bloom Fradin (YA/323.4 Fr )
Profiles the first black Washington, DC Board of Education member who helped to fund the NAACP and organize the boycott that led to the 1953 Supreme Court decision to integrate area restaurants.

Getting Away with Murder: The True Story of the Emmett Till Case
by Chris Crowe (YA/364.15 Cr)
This moving and thought provoking true account presents the 1955 murder of fourteen-year-old Emmett Till in Mississippi. A must read!

Out of Bounds: Seven Stories of Conflict and Hope
by Beverly Naidoo (YA/Fiction Naidoo)
Seven stories, spanning 1948 to 2000, which chronicle the experiences of young people from different races and ethnic groups as they try to cope with the restrictions placed on their lives by South Africa’s apartheid laws.

This is Our Dark Country: The American Settlers of Liberia
by Catherine Reef (YA/966.62 Re )
A very interesting history of the colony, later the independent nation of Liberia, that was established on the west coast of Africa in 1822 as a haven for free African Americans.

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CHILDREN’S FICTION

Cheetah Girls (Series)
by Deborah Gregory. (J/Fiction Gr)
A popular series about four African-American girls with brains, courage, friends and style!

Mr. Chickee’s Funny Money
By Christopher Paul Curtis (J Curtis)
The Flint Future Detective Club is on the case of a mysterious quadrillion-dollar bill.

Shadows on Society Hill: An Addy Mystery
By Evelyn Colesman(J Colesman)
Addy, our friend from the American Girls Series, must figure out the mystery on Society Hill before anything bad happens!

Storm Warriors
by Elisa Carbone. (J/Fiction Ca)
Despite his father’s objections, twelve-year-old Nathan moves to Pea Island, off the coast of North Carolina, and hopes to join the all-black crew of the nearby lifesaving station.

Time Pieces
by Virginia Hamilton. (J/Fiction Ha)
The late award-winning author writes this semi-autobiographical novel with compassion and mystery and tells the story of a young girl’s awakening to the fact that growing up means constant change.

Trouble Don’t Last
by Shelley Pearsall (J/Fiction Pe)
Samuel, a slave in Kentucky, and Harrison, the slave who helped raise him, attempt a flight to freedom through the Underground Railroad.

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 CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOKS

The Baby on the Way
by Karen English. (E/English)
When a young boy asks his grandmother if she was ever a baby, she tells him the story of how she was born.

The Bake Shop Ghost
by Jacqueline K. Ogburn (E/Ogburn)
Miss Cora Lee Merriweateher haunts her bake shop, until the new shop owner makes a deal with her.

Chicken-Chasing Queen of Lamar County
By Janice N. Harrington (Easy Harrington)
Laugh along as a young girl tries to catch her favorite chicken on the farm – and enjoy the lesson she learns in life.

Goin’ Someplace Special
by Patricia C. McKissack (E/McKissack)
Tricia Ann is all set for a trip to someplace special – but before she can find her way there she must face the obstacles of a segregated city in the 1950s.

Homemade Love
by bell hooks (E/Hooks)
A girl who is Girlpie to her mother and Honey Bun Chocolate Dewdrop to her daddy savors the love and warmth of her family.

The Little Red Hen
By Jerry Pinkney (Easy Little)
Pinkney’s brilliant illustrations bring The Little Red Hen and her friends to life in this classic tale.

Over the Green Hills
by Rachael Isadora (E/Isadora)
Zolani who lives in a rural black homeland in South Africa, goes with his mother to visit his grandma Zindzi.

Pink and Say
by Patricia Polacco (E/Polacco)
A powerful picture book based on the true story of two young soldiers, one black and one white, facing emotional choices during the Civil War and creating a unique friendship that changed their lives.

A Season for Mangoes
by Regina Hanson (E/Hanson)
In Jamaica, Sareen is concerned about participating in her first sit up a celebration of the life of her recently deceased grandmother, but discovers that sharing the stories of her Nana's passion for mangoes helps lift the sadness.

Snug in Mama's Arms
by Angela Shelf Medearis (E/Medaris)
As she snuggles her daughter in her arms at bedtime, a mother describes how animals and children around the world go to sleep.

Teammates
By Tiki and Ronde Barber(Easy Barber)
These two National League Football star brothers bring a story of teamwork to the children of today.

 CHILDREN’S NON-FICTION

Carver: a Life in Poems
by Marilyn Nelson (J811/Nelson)
The life of George Washington Carver, noted scientist and inventor, is described in poetic form accompanied by notes, pictures and photographs.

Delivering Justice: W.W. Law and the Fight for Civil Rights
by Jim Haskins. (JB/Law, W.W./ Ha)
This book describes how Wesley Law fought for the integration of retail stores in Savannah, Georgia.

Ella Fitzgerald: The Tale of a Vocal Virtuosa
by Andrea Davis Pinkney & Brian Pinkney (JB/Fitzgerald, E./ Pinkney)
The authors briefly recount the life of this consummate Jazz performer in a beautifully illustrated book.

Fight On! Mary Church Terrell’s Battle for Integration
by Dennis Brindel Fradin & Judith Bloom Fradin (JB/Terell, M/Fradin, D)
Profiles the first black Washington, D.C., Board of Education member, co-founder of the NAACP and organizer of protests and marches to integrate D.C. restaurants.

Gwendolyn Brooks: Poetry is Life Distilled
Christine M Hill (JB /BROOKS,G /Hi)
Describes the life of an African American women poet whose subjects were the every day lives of the people around her in a segregated South Side Chicago neighborhood.

Langston's Train Ride
Robert Burleigh (JB /HUGHES, L /Bu)
Describes the creative moment when Langston Hughes create his most famous poem “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.”

Maritcha: A Nineteenth-Century American Girl
by Tonya Bolden( JB /LYONS, M /Bo)
Chronicles the early life of a young African American girl who was born free and living in New York City as she struggles for education while living through the destruction of her family home and business.

Martin Luther King Jr.: A Life of Determination
Sheila Rivera, (JB KING,M Ri)
Describes the life and struggles of this Civil Rights Leader in a book appropriate for young readers.

Nat Turner: Slave Revolt Leader
by Terry Bisson and John Davenport. (JB /TURNER,N /B)
This well written biography describes the life of Nat Turner and his efforts to organize a slave revolt and free an entire community of slaves by killing those who claimed ownership over human beings.

Onward: A Photo-biography of African-American Polar Explorer Matthew Henson
by Dolores Johnson (JB /Henson, M /Jo.)
During the 1909 quest to reach the North Pole, Matthew Henson functioned as Robert Peary’s scout and was actually the first man to step on the North Pole, a fact that was not recognized until 2001.

Perfect Harmony: A Musical Journey with the Boys Choir of Harlem
by Charles R. Smith, Jr. (J811 Smith)
Dynamic photographs of the Choir accompany these energetic poems celebrating music and harmony.

Slave Spirituals and the Jubilee Singers
by Michael L. Cooper (J782.42 Co)
Six years after slavery was abolished, the Fisk University Jubilee Singers embarked on a tour to raise money for their struggling school and endured racism and mistreatment to eventually become one of the most famous musical groups of the nineteenth century.

The Sound That Jazz Makes
by Carole Boston Weatherford (J781.57 We)
Rhyming couplets trace the history of Jazz from the drumbeats and kalimba strumming of Africa to the plaintive slave spirituals and on to the rhythms of big bands and rappers.

A Strong Right Arm
by Michelle Y. Green (JB Johnson, M/ Gr)
Explore the life of Mamie “Peanut” Johnson, one of three women to play professional baseball as a pitcher for the Negro Leagues’ Indianapolis Clowns in the 1950s.

Talkin’ About Bessie: The Story of Aviator Elizabeth Coleman
by Nikki Grimes (JB/Coleman, B / Gr)
Only eleven years old when the Wright brothers first took flight, Bessie vows that she will pursue her dream and be the first African-American female pilot.

This is Our Dark Country: The American Settlers of Liberia
by Catherine Reef (J966.62 Re)
The author explores the history of this West African colony which became the independent nation of Liberia and a haven for African Americans fleeing slavery.

Visiting Langston
by Willie Perdomo (J/811 Perdomo)
Dreams run wild and imagery abounds in this book that honors Langston Hughes’s famous poetry.

When Marian Sang: The True Recital of Marian Anderson
by Pam Munoz Ryan (JB Anderson, M/Ry)
An introduction to the life of Marian Anderson, extraordinary singer, civil rights activist, and the first African American woman to sing at the Metropolitan Opera. Her amazing life and career encouraged social change.

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African Americans - Civil Rights

African Americans - History

African Americans - Segregation

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