Martin Luther King Jr.: Walking in the Light tells young readers about the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a brave man who helped change unfair laws in America. It starts with his childhood in Atlanta, Georgia, his school years, and how he learned about peaceful protest from a leader named Mahatma Gandhi. The book talks about important events like the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the March on Washington, and Dr. King’s famous "I Have a Dream" speech. It explains these moments in a way that is easy to understand.
Who Was Jackie Robinson?tells the inspiring story of the first African American to play Major League Baseball in modern times. The book starts with Jackie’s childhood, showing how much, he loved sports and how he faced unfair treatment because of his skin color. As he grew up, Jackie went to college, joined the military, and then made history by joining the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. He faced mean fans and unfair rules, but he stayed strong and didn’t give up.
Who Was Booker T. Washington tells the amazing story of a man who was born a slave, but grew up to be a strong and smart leader. When he was a boy, life was very hard, but he never gave up. He wanted to learn so badly that he walked miles just to go to school. He believed that getting a good education, working hard and being patient could help Black people have better lives. He started a school called Tuskegee Institute to help Black students learn important skills.
Film student Steve Harmon is on trial for murder. He claims he didn’t do it, but does the jury believe that? Monster narrates his experiences as an African American seventeen-year-old from Harlem in the judicial system, and the apparent biases/stereotyping from his jurors. How does it all end? Find out!
Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin is thought to be semi-autobiographical, being based on Baldwin's own life. James Baldwin, in case anyone doesn’t know, is a renowned author (and my favorite author) best known for his works, Giovanni's Room and If Beale Street Could Talk.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (Fiction) is a story the world knows all too well. Starr is an African-American teenage girl from Garden Heights, what most would call the hood, yet she goes to Williamson High School, an expensive private school with not a lot of minorities. Starr and her brothers were put in Williamson because when Starr was a child she saw her friend die in a drive by, which made her parents question whether Garden Heights was safe for their children.
Just Mercy is a first-person account of Bryan Stevenson, a black lawyer, who helps prisoners that did not receive fair trials as part of a non-profit organization. Stevenson writes about various clients that he has worked for over the years and how the justice system has failed them.
