Child of the Civil Rights Movement by Paula Young Shelton and Raul Colon. (Age 4-8) Paula
Young Shelton shares her memories of marching alongside of Martin Luther King
and Coretta Scott King with her father, Andrew Young.
The Youngest Marcher: The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a
Young Civil Rights Activist, by Cynthia
Levinson. (Age 5-9) A beautifully written and illustrated book on the youngest
child to be arrested during the Children’s March.
Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison. (Age 7-12) Includes profiles and
illustrations of 40 African-American women who have helped change the world.
Young, Gifted and Black: Meet 52 Black Heroes from Past and
Present by Jamia Wilson and Andrea
Pippins. (Age 8-13) An illustrated collective biography of 52 diverse black leaders.
We Who Believe in Freedom: The Life and Times of Ella Baker
(True Tales for Young Readers) by
Lea E. Williams. (Age 8 and up) Baker was an important activist and organizer who is best known
for challenging unfair policies as a student at Shaw University. She was a
founder of Student
Non-Violent Coordinating Committee and involved in several other civil rights
organizations.
Claudette Colvin:Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose. (Age 10-14) Nine months before Rosa
Parks did so, Claudette Colvin refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white
woman. This is her story.
We’ve Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children’s March by Cynthia Levinson. (Age 10-15) Tells the story of four
young people; two boys and two girls, who participated in the Birmingham
Children’s March.
Ida B. Wells-Barnett: Crusader Against Lynching by Elaine Slivinski Lisandrelli. (Age 11 and up) Born a
slave, Wells devoted her life to fighting injustice. She was a journalist,
educator and one of the founders of the NAACP.
Fight On: Mary Terrell’s Battle for Integration by Dennis Brindell Fradin and Judith Bloom Fradin. (Age
11-14) A compelling account of the life of activist , Mary Terrell, whose
career spanned 60 years. The book is filled with reproductions of archival
material.
Shirley Chisholm: Catalyst for Change (Lives of American
Women) (Age 13 and up) A succinct
biography of the first African -American woman to be elected to Congress and to
seriously run for President.
The Life and Legacy of Mary McLeod Bethune by Nancy Ann Zrinyi Long. (Age 13 and up) The fascinating
story of Dr. Mary Bethune as told by the author with interviews from her
children and former students.
Unbought and Unbossed: Expanded 40th Anniversary Edition by Shirley Chisholm. (Age 13 and up)
Chisholm, the first
black woman elected to Congress speaks out on her life. This expanded 40th
anniversary edition delves more deeply into her impact on today’s world.
Freedom's Daughters: The Unsung Heroines of the Civil Rights
Movement from 1830 to 1970 by Lynne Olson.
(Age 13 and up) Includes profiles of over sixty women who were crucial to the
success of the civil rights movement.
Women, Race and Class by
Angela Y. Davis. (Age 13 and up) Prominent activist, Angela Davis, examines how
the Women’s Movement has historically been hampered by the biases of its
leaders.
Lighting the Fires of Freedom: African American Women in the
Civil Rights Movement by Janet Dewart
Bell. (Age 13 and up) A collection
of oral histories by nine African-American women prominent in the civil rights
movement. Published to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights
Act of 1968.
Mary McLeod Bethune: Building a Better World, Essays and
Selected Documents Edited by Audrey
McCluskey. (Age 13 and up) “Explores
Mary McLeod Bethune in her roles as stateswoman, politician, educational
leader, and social visionary. It offers a unique combination of original
documentary sources and analysis of Bethune’s life and work.” (from the
publisher)
Ain’t I a Woman: Black:Women and Feminism by bell hooks. (Age 14 and up) In hooks’ classic book she examines the impact of sexism and racism on black
women.
Hands on the Freedom Plough:Personal Accounts by Women in
the SNCC Edited by Faith S. Holsaert, Martha Prescod, Norman Noonan, Judy Richardson et al. (Age 13 and up) Fifty-two women share their stories of
working for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) during the
Civil Rights Movement.
Ella Baker and the Black Freedom Movement: A Radical
Democratic Vision (Gender and American Culture) by Barbara Ransby. (Age 14 and up) A readable and
scholarly biography of one of the most important women in the civil rights
movement. Baker was a founder of Student
Non-Violent Coordinating Committee and was involved in several other civil
rights organizations.
Articles on Marielle Franco
“Brazilian Activist
Killed In Drive-By Shooting.” NPR. Mar 16, 2018. (Age 11 and up)
Marielle Franco was an
unusual face in Brazilian politics. She was black, outspokenly feminist and
grew up in a poor neighborhood in Rio. NPR Morning Edition, audio and
transcript.
“The Assassination of Brazilian Politician Marielle Franco Turned
Her into a Global Icon.” Time. March 22, 2018. (Age 13 and up) http://time.com/5210509/assassination-brazilian-politician-marielle-franco-global-icon/
“Marielle Franco:
Vivacious Fighter Shaped by the Favela.” BBC News. Mar 22, 2018. (Age 13
and up) Marielle Franco's life had been on an up until she was shot dead in Rio
de Janeiro on 14 March.
