11 Books To Help Teach Your Little One Black History
11 Children's Books To Help Teach Your Little One Black History - Page 12
- Mainstream media often depicts Blackness in stereotypical ways, but children need to see the joy in the mundane.
- Parents, guardians, and mentors should actively seek out books that represent Black children in all aspects of life.
- Celebrating Black history and culture should not be limited to one month, but integrated throughout the year.
Education starts at home for many Black children. In a climate where their history is increasingly obscured, misinterpreted, and diminished, it is more crucial than ever that they be exposed to Black excellence, resilience, and mundanity.
Black History Month presents a unique opportunity to teach the beauty and power of Blackness to the children in your life. But it should not be where their education ends.
Mainstream Doesn’t Always Mean Us
Everyday is an opportunity for representation. Mainstream media often depicts Blackness in stereotypical extremes. But there are everyday moments steeped in Blackness that children need to see to become.
Related: 26 Black Books We Can’t Wait To Curl Up And Read In 2026
Authors are using trips to the dentists, bus rides, chess games, barbershop debates, and more to introduce the joy in the mundane. The children who will carry on our traditions and further our culture can learn from their words.
Black children deserve to see themselves in every aspect of life. Parents, godparents, uncles, and aunties should be working to make that happen because cultural osmosis is not always inclusive.
See the following children’s books to educate the littles in your life with this month – and all year-round.
1. Kicks – Van G. Garrett
Sneaker culture is celebrated in this sweet telling of the connection of Black people to their soles. It uses rhythm and color to emphasize the importance of design and personal style, something that can be lacking with the advancement of monolith microtrends.
2. Jayylen’s Juneteenth Surprise -Lavaille Lavette
Now that Juneteenth has been converted (and some might say sanitized) into a federal holiday it is crucial that its origins are preserved. Follow a little boy as he learns about the occasion and what it means to his family while preparing to celebrate it.
3. What Does Brown Mean to You? – Ron Grady
Combat the dog whistles embedded in society with this celebration of different skin tones. Teach your children about the beauty of their skin with this cute book.
4. All Rise: The Story of Ketanji Brown Jackson – Carole Boston Weatherford
Teach your children about the importance of the judicial branch in an age appropriate way through the lens of the life of Ketanji Brown Jackson.
5. Bold Words From Black Men – Tamara Pizzoli
Dr. Tamara Pizzoli introduces little minds to the words of great Black athletes, musicians, and scientists in this read. Give your little one insights from Colin Kaepernick, D-Nice, Jean-Michel Basquiat and more.
6. Shirley Chisholm: Champion of Change (Difference Makers) – Tonya Allen
Long before we were posting about Kamala and her ever present silk press, Shirley Chisholm was breaking barriers in politics. Teach the story of her trek to becoming the first Black woman in congress with this colorful book.
7. Make Your Mark: The Empowering True Story of the First Known Black Female Tattoo Artist – Jacci Gresham and Sherry Fellores
Explain body art through the lens of an artist. This book presents a great opportunity to teach children about respectability politics.
8. “The Adventures of Liz and Abe: Visit to the dentist” – Nurse Noel
Anthea Noel, known professionally as Nurse Noel, penned this sweet story about twins taking a trip to the dentist. There’s a fun pop culture connection here that your kids will recognize. The dentist the twins head to see is Dr. Catrice Austin, the dentist to the stars who transformed Cardi B’s grill. According to the American Journal of Public Health, “Black children and Hispanic children are more likely to have decayed teeth and untreated dental problems,” making the message from this story more important than ever.
9. Black Heroes: A Black History Book for Kids: 51 Inspiring People from Ancient Africa to Modern-Day U.S.A. (People and Events in History) – Arlisha Norwood
Howard grad Arlisha Norwood shares the stories of 51 great Black people your child should be able to recall when the world portrays them as less than.
10. When Sage Sailed The World – Diamond C Spratling
This sweet story uses a polar bear to help children understand the threat of climate change. This is something they need to know as studies indicate that they are at a disproportionate risk of being impacted by it.
11. JUST LIKE TINA: Inspired by the Life of Tina Turner – Ebony Lynn Mudd
In a world full of whisper singers with no rhythm, it is crucial that your child learn about the woman who inspired Queen Bey. You can save the movie for when they’re older enough to handle violence for the sake of art.
11 Children's Books To Help Teach Your Little One Black History - Page 12 was originally published on hellobeautiful.com
