"Perhaps the best written of all the slave narratives, Twelve Years a Slave is a harrowing memoir about one of the darkest periods in American history. It recounts how Solomon Northup, born a free man in New York, was lured to Washington, D.C., in 1841 with the promise of fast money, then drugged and beaten and sold into slavery. He spent the next twelve years of his life in captivity on a Louisiana cotton plantation. After his rescue, Northup published...

Based on her popular Instagram posts, debut author/illustrator Vashti Harrison shares the stories of 40 bold African American women who shaped history.

In this lyrical, unsentimental, and compelling memoir, the son of a black African father and a white American mother searches for a workable meaning to his life as a black American. It begins in New York, where Barack Obama learns that his father₇a figure he knows more as a myth than as a man₇has been killed in a car accident. This sudden death inspires an emotional odyssey₇first to a small town in Kansas, from which he retraces the migration...

"This is the nonfiction love story of Elinor Powell, an African American army nurse, and Frederick Albert, a German prisoner of war. The two met when black army nurses were put in regular contact with German POWs who were detained in the United States during World War II, an unlikely and little-discussed circumstance during one of the most documented periods in history"--

"A picture book biography [in poems] that tells the story of one of America's most celebrated children's book authors, Virginia Hamilton-- the first African American to win the Newbery Medal"--

Two-time Olympic gymnast Simone Biles reigns over gymnastics. With four impressive skills already named after her, Biles has amassed legions of fans. Explore this standout superstar's career and life.

Presents the life and accomplishments of the legendary basketball player, from his childhood and college career to his success in the NBA, his product endorsements, and his philanthropic efforts.

"Laymon writes eloquently and honestly about the physical manifestations of violence, grief, trauma, and abuse on his own body. He writes of his own eating disorder and gambling addiction as well as similar issues that run throughout his family. Through self-exploration, storytelling, and honest conversation with family and friends, Heavy seeks to bring what has been hidden into the light and to reckon with all of its myriad sources, from the most...

"Having lost her mother at a young age, Ella Fitzgerald struggled as a child, especially during the Great Depression. But after winning over the audience with her singing at an Amateur Night at the Apollo, Ella's career began, and she eventually went on to become a world-renowned singer known as the First Lady of Song. Complete with an introduction from Chelsea Clinton, black-and-white illustrations throughout, and a list of ways that readers can...

Tells the life story of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., describing his early years in Georgia, his influences, his work for equal rights for African-Americans, his assassination, and his legacy.