This February, celebrate Black History Month in the classroom by bringing in book resources your students will enjoy! I compiled a list of impactful books perfect for the elementary (upper-elementary as well!) classroom. {This article contains Amazon affiliate links – no additional cost to you, but I do earn a small commission to help keep the blog afloat}
The bottom of this post also contains reading comprehension passages with annotations that focus on 10 Black heroes of history – ideal for upper elementary and middle school readers!
“Have You Thanked an Inventor Today? is a journey into the often forgotten contributions of African-American inventors, that contributed to the American landscape. The book comes complete with brief biographies about each inventor as well as fun activities to promote and encourage reading comprehension. “
Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by Marot Lee Shetterly and Laura Freeman“In this beautifully illustrated picture book edition, we explore the story of four female African American mathematicians at NASA, and how they overcame gender and racial barriers to succeed in a highly challenging STEM-based career.”
“You’re invited to meet ancient Egyptian rulers, brilliant scientists, legendary musicians, and civil rights activists―all in the same book! Black Heroes introduces you to 51 black leaders and role models from both history and modern times. This black history book for kids features inspirational biographies of trailblazers from the United States, Egypt, Britain, and more.”
“An important book for all ages, Little Leaders educates and inspires as it relates true stories of forty trailblazing black women in American history.”
Young, Gifted and Black: Meet 52 Black Heroes from Past and Present by Jamia Wilson and Andrea Pippins 
“…to be revisited again and again…The candy-colored pages and straightforward stories are hard to resist…” –The New York Times
“Follow along with two girls as they find themselves in the middle of a civil rights demonstration, and find out how the fight for equality changed the country forever.”
The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles and George Ford
“The year is 1960, and six-year-old Ruby Bridges and her family have recently moved from Mississippi to New Orleans in search of a better life. When a judge orders Ruby to attend first grade at William Frantz Elementary, an all-white school, Ruby must face angry mobs of parents who refuse to send their children to school with her.”
You might also be interested in: Black History Month Reading Passages
2 versions included for all reading passage files:
- Digital Google Slides {Google Classroom Compatible}
- Printable PDF Version
Designed for Upper Elementary and Middle School students! Perfect for Distance Learning and/or the Digital Classroom
10 Black Heroes of History Covered in this Unit: Maya Angelou, Muhammad Ali, Sojourner Truth, Rosa Parks, Booker T. Washington, Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King Jr., George Washington Carver, Sarah E. Goode, and Ruby Bridges
This resource contains 10 Engaging, Non-Fiction Reading Comprehension Passages with Directions for Student Annotations!
- Reading Comprehension Questions and Answer Keys also included
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