These books provide an introduction to one of the defining issues of our time, with a focus on the involvement of young people in the Civil Rights Movement.
Compiled by:
Children's Services Staff
Because of You, John Lewis(Juvenile Nonfiction – J 323.1196 Pin)
10-year-old activist, Tybre Faw, is determined to meet John Lewis after learning of his march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in the fight for the right to vote. Soon after, his two grandmothers drive him to Selma, Alabama, to meet John Lewis himself, and that begins a beautiful friendship between the two. Recommended for ages 4–8.
Nina: A Story of Nina Simone(Juvenile Nonfiction – J 780.92 Simone Tod)
As the Civil Rights Movement gained steam, Nina's voice soon became a thunderous roar as she raised her voice in powerful protest in the fight against racial inequality and discrimination. Recommended for ages 4–8.
Coretta: The Autobiography of Mrs. Coretta Scott King(Juvenile Nonfiction - J 921 King Kin)
In her own words, Coretta Scott King recounts her life, from growing up with parents who aspired to give her a better life, to marrying Martin Luther King, Jr. and working as a civil rights activist after his sudden death. Kids who know King from black-and-white video footage can see her story come to life with vibrant illustrations by Ekua Holmes. Recommended for ages 7–10.
A Song for the Unsung: Bayard Rustin, the Man Behind the 1963 March on Washington(Juvenile Nonfiction - J 921 Rustin Wea)
Bayard Rustin may not be a household name like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. or John Lewis, but his contribution to the Civil Rights Movement was crucial to its success. This is an empathic tribute to the quiet man who organized the 1963 March on Washington, giving MLK a platform for his "I Have a Dream" speech. Weatherford and Sanders highlight how important music was to Rustin's life, encouraging the reader to find the strength to take action for what's right. Recommended for ages 6–10.
Lillian's Right to Vote: A Celebration of the Voting Rights Act of 1965(Juvenile Picture Books – Ej Win)
As an elderly woman named Lillian walks to the polls on Election Day, she reminisces about the struggles that African Americans faced and overcame on the way to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Lillian's journey up a steep hill serves as a touching metaphor for her family's generations-long journey to have a political voice, as her own great-great-grandparents were sold as slaves on the courthouse lawn and her uncle was forced to pass impossible literacy tests. Recommended for ages 4–8.
The Undefeated(Juvenile Picture Books– Ej Ale)
Originally performed for ESPN's The Undefeated, this poem highlights the unspeakable trauma of slavery, the faith and fire of the Civil Rights Movement, and the grit, passion, and perseverance of some of the world's greatest heroes. Recommended for ages 5–10.
Love Is Loud(Juvenile Nonfiction – J 921 Nash Wal)
Learn about the activist in charge of the Nashville Movement, Diane Nash, and how she eventually convinced the city's mayor to integrate lunch counters. Recommended for ages 4–8.
Black Voter Suppression(Juvenile Nonfiction – J 323.1196 Tyn)
Series: The Fight For Black Rights
In short chapters and easy-to-understand text, this informative book provides a history of black voter suppression in the United States, giving context to current voter suppression efforts. Tyner's book, part of a series titled The Fight For Black Rights, clearly defines terms like gerrymandering and voter suppression while also busts common myths about voter fraud. Recommended for ages 8–12.
One Crazy Summer(Juvenile Fiction - J William)
In the tumultuous summer of 1968, 11-year-old Delphine and her two younger sisters travel to Oakland, California, in search of their mother who abandoned them. They're soon whisked away to a summer camp run by the Black Panthers, and Delphine comes to understand her family and social injustice in ways she never imagined. The first book in a trilogy that continues in P.S. Be Eleven and ends with Gone Crazy in Alabama. Recommended for ages 9–12.
Freedom Summer 1964: Turning Point for Voting RightsJuvenile Nonfiction – J 323.1196 Nna
A clear and approachable introduction to the Freedom Summer project, a grassroots campaign that challenged the suppression of Black voters in Mississippi.
Radiant(Juvenile Fiction - J Nelson)
It's 1963, and Cooper Vale is entering the fifth grade as one of the few Black girls in a mostly white community. While life-shattering events are taking place around the nation, Cooper plunges headfirst into Beatlemania and tries to find some form of normalcy. This novel-in-verse puts you in Cooper's head as she struggles with peers and internalized racism. Recommended for ages 10–12.
Justice Rising: 12 Amazing Black Women in the Civil Rights Movement(Juvenile Nonfiction – J 920 Rus)
Discover 12 biographies of underrepresented Black women and the major contributions they made to the Civil Rights Movement. Recommended for ages 7–12.
Rosa Parks & Claudette Colvin: Civil Rights Heroes(Juvenile Graphic Novels – J-GN 920 Bap)
Get to know two brave Black women who stood up against segregation, setting in motion the Montgomery Bus Boycott and showing the nation how positive change can start with a single defiant act. Recommended for ages 8–12.
Lifting As We Climb: Black Women's Battle for the Ballot Box(Juvenile Nonfiction – J 323. 34 Dio)
Follow the story of Black women as a force in the suffrage movement—when fellow suffragists did not accept them as equal partners in the struggle. Recommended for ages 8–12.
Through My Eyes(Juvenile Nonfiction – J 921 Bridges Bri)
Ruby Bridges recounts the story of her involvement, as a 6-year-old, in the integration of her school in 1960. Recommended for ages 8–12.
Malcolm Lives!: The Official Biography of Malcolm X for Young Readers(Juvenile Nonfiction - J 921 X Ken)
This definitive biography compiles speeches, correspondence, and other historical documents to offer a compelling look at the life of one of the most influential thinkers and activists within the Civil Rights Movement. Spanning his traumatic childhood, to his criminal past, and his renewed spirituality, Kendi's book tells the story of this complicated man in an accessible way without oversimplification or avoiding difficult topics that other children's biographies might try to paper over. An immaculately researched and humanizing biography that's equal parts informative and enjoyable. Recommended for ages 10–12.
Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom(Juvenile Nonfiction – J 323.1196 Low)
This is the story of the youngest person to complete the Selma to Montgomery March. Recommended for ages 8–12.
Marching for Freedom: Walk Together, Children, and Don't You Grow Weary(Juvenile Nonfiction – J 323.1196 Par)
This book focuses on the children who faced terrifying violence in order to walk alongside Martin Luther King Jr. in their fight for freedom and the right to vote. Recommended for ages 8–12.
What Is The Civil Rights Movement?(Juvenile Nonfiction – J 323.1196 Smi)
Relive the moments when African Americans fought for equal rights, and made history through momentous events and stories of people who were on the frontlines of the Civil Rights Movement. Recommended for ages 8–12.