Celebrating Black History with Eight Biographies

Ellen WernerBooks

The WITS library is full of diverse picture books, poetry, chapter books, graphic novels, and of course, biographies! The biographies in our collection range from traditional informational texts, to picture book biographies, to longer chapter books. All year, our program team has the distinct pleasure of learning along with our students by enjoying stories of figures like trombonist Melba Liston, urban farmer Will Allen, and DJ Kool Herc. In honor of Black History Month, here are eight biographies of Black heroes that our students have been enjoying this school year:

“Mae Jemison” by Jodie ShepherdLittle Melba and Big Trombone

“Little Melba and Her Big Trombone” by Katheryn Russell-Brown

“I am Martin Luther King, Jr.” by Brad Meltzer

“Ruby Bridges Goes to School: My True Story” by Ruby Bridges

“Simone Biles: Superstar of Gymnastics” by Christine Dzidrums

“Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table” by Jacqueline Briggs Martin

“When the Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop” by Laban Carrick Hill

“Who are Venus and Serena Williams?” by James Buckley Jr.