Benjamin Banneker was born free when most blacks were still enslaved. A self-taught mathematician and astronomer, he was the author of the first published almanac written by a black man. Throughout his life Bannecker was troubled that all blacks were not free. So, in 1791, he sent a letter to Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson. Here is the extraordinary correspondence between the two men. Full-co ...

Ever the underdog, Mo is the youngest player on his football team. That why he thinks the coach keeps telling the team not to pass the ball to him. But is it that? Or does the coach have a secret he's keeping until the last minute of a big game? Another delightful story with an underdog every reader will be cheering for.

A young girl discovers that growing up brings challenges and surprises. Full-color illustrations.

Another stunning picture book biography of a prominent twentieth-century African-American in the arts, from the creative team behind Alvin Ailey.

Like other ex-slaves, Paschal and his brother, Gideon, have been promised 40 acres and maybe a mule. But the notorious night riders have plans to take it away, threatening to tear the beautiful freedom that the two boys are enjoying for the first time in their young lives.

Learn about the abolitionist Frederick Douglass and his fight for freedom in this Step 3 Biography Reader! Frederick Douglass was a keystone figure in the abolitionist movement, and his story has impacted generations of people fighting for civil rights in America. He was born to an enslaved mother and grew up with the horrors of slavery. In the course of his childhood, he was able to learn to read ...

In his signature prose, Freedman draws on personal stories and historical accounts to provide a dramatic overview of how the 381-day resistance to segregated buses in Montgomery, Alabama, spearheaded the Civil Rights Movement. Illustrations & photos.

Louis relies upon his father's words of wisdom when a runaway slave and her two children come looking for safe passage. In this newest title in the Tales of Young Americans series, Whelan beautifully creates a suspenseful coming-of-age story while illuminating a difficult time in America's past. Illustrations.

With simple but engaging text, paintings, and an illuminating author's note telling the true account of a young slave who joins the Union Army, this tale of a real person's role in the Civil War is ideal for beginning readers and burgeoning history buffs. Full color.

Born a slave near the end of the Civil War, George Washington Carver was a small and sickly child. Too frail to work in the fields of the Missouri farm where he grew up, George did chores around the house. But when his work was done, he headed for the woods. There his lifelong love of nature was born. As a teacher and scientist at Alabama's Tuskegee Institute in the 1900s, George Washington Carver ...

Once a kidnapped slave baby, George Washington Carver found freedom in learning everything he could about the world around him. Overcoming poverty and racism, George became a brilliant scientist and a gifted professor who dedicated his expertise to helping black farmers escape the devastating grip of poverty. George's scientific creativity knew no limits. His ingenious experimentation with peanut ...

He plays in the quietest spot on the baseball field. He bats last. Can Mo really help his team? A story of triumph that will have young readers cheering for a lovable character.

When Peter and his friend Archie find motorcycle goggles, some bigger boys try to take them away. Full color.

Before blacks were allowed in the major leagues, Hank Aaron was determined to play. This is the story of how he became a great ballplayer and an inspiration to us all.

Find out about the life of Harriet Tubman and how her brave actions working to "conduct" the Underground Railroad helped the Union Army in the Civil War lead more than 700 slaves to freedom. Learn about Harriet Tubman's life, achievements, and the challenges she faced along the way. The Level 2 text provides accessible, yet wide-ranging information for independent readers. National Geographic Read ...

In this powerful story, Levine weaves together the extraordinary events in the life of Henry "Box" Brown, who as a young boy hid in a wooden crate in one of the most amazing escapes using the Underground Railroad. Full color.

Young Libby tries not to lie--she's been taught that it's good to be honest. But sometimes the truth can be hard to take, and Libby soon finds herself in trouble with her friends. It doesn't take long for Libby to realize while being honest is good, being honest and kind is better. Full color.

Eight-year-old J.D. turns a tragic home haircut into a thriving barber business in this hilarious new illustrated chapter book series J.D. has a big problem--it's the night before the start of third grade and his mom has just given him his first and worst home haircut. When the steady stream of insults from the entire student body of Douglass Elementary becomes too much for J.D., he takes matters ...

From the time he was a young boy on a farm in Alabama until he received his fourth Olympic gold medal in Berlin in 1936, all Jesse Owens wanted to do was run. Overcoming sickness, poverty, and racial discrimination, Jesse worked hard, shattered many track and field records, and earned countless medals and trophies. But perhaps his greatest and most important accomplishment came when he stood up to ...

Illustrated in rich colors, Lester's folksy retelling of a popular African-American folk ballad has warmth, tall tale humor, and boundless energy. A Caldecott Honor Book.