There are so many amazing books that celebrate Black History Month. How do you know which ones to read? This post shares some of the best Black History Month books for older kids that will motivate your kids / students to continue learning about Black History all year long!
Plus grab a FREE Black History Month book activity below!
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Choosing Black History Month Books for Older Kids
With the wide variety of African-American picture books for kids, how do you know which stories are best for your older kids / students?
Well, honestly that depends on the personality, maturity level, and reading skills your students possess.
For this list of Black History Month books for older kids, you will find fiction and nonfiction selections. Plus, this list contains:
- books that can be used for Accelerated Reader (AR)
- children’s books written by diverse authors
- chapter books, as well as, shorter picture books
- mentor texts that also help you reinforce important reading comprehension skills for older students
You can also pair these books with other Black History Month activities you are doing in your classroom.
Who Is / Who Was Chapter Books for Black History
The first category of engaging Black History Month books you can use with your older kids is the line of Who Is/ Who Was books.
These chapter books allow you to teach your older students about important people who changed Black and American history.
Your older students will enjoy reading these Black History Month biographies:
- Barack Obama
- Rosa Parks
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Nelson Mandela
- Maya Angelou
- Oprah Winfrey
- George Washington Carver
- The Tuskegee Airmen
- The Underground Railroad
I could go on and on with this list! The Who Is/ Who Was series offers a huge selection of Black History Month biographies, plus books on important events.
Books Written by Black Authors
Introducing your students to a wide variety of Black History Month topics is so important (BHM is about more than just slavery!) , but it’s also essential to expose them to a variety of authors!
This category of Black History Month books for older kids have all been written by Black authors, poets, and playwrights.
For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf by Ntozake Shange
High school students will benefit greatly from reading this book! Playwright Ntozake tackles issues related to suicide, women’s rights, and problems that plague African-American communities with this choreopoem.
The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander is one of my favorite Black History Month books to show my students!
Kwane Alexander writes poetry and children’s books full of rich vocabulary and imagery.
The Undefeated is a poem that highlights Black History Month in a positive and informative way.
Illustrator, painter, and author Kadir Nelson, who is also African-American, brings even more life to this fun picture book with his gorgeous pictures of Black History Month figures.
Related Post You May Enjoy: Poetry Books That Celebrate Diversity
Infusing Read-Alouds with Your Black History Month Activities
Another Black History Month book I recommend for older kids is not only written by a Black author, but it also makes a great read aloud to pair with your other activities.
28 Days: Moments in Black History That Changed The World by Charles R. Smith
Each page is ordered by days and each day presents a new Black History Month fact for students to know. (See the above picture for an example.)
Since February has 28 days, except during a Leap Year, you can begin each day by reading one page of this dynamic book.
I give my students graphic organizers so they can write the daily Black History Month fact from this read aloud.
By the end of the month, they put all 28 graphic organizers together to create their own Black History Month mini-book.
Popular Black History Month Chapter Books For Older Students
As you gather Black History Month books that present facts about people and events, you can also consider the realistic fiction chapter books for this section.
- The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
- Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
- Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis
- The Watsons Go to Birmingham also written by Christopher Paul Curtis
- Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson (Book 1 of a gripping trilogy that your students will love reading!)
- Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor
These books make great novel studies that can be read anytime of the school year!
Related Resources You May Enjoy: Madam CJ Walker Biography Set, Toni Morrison Biography Activity, Martin’s Big Words Book Companion Set
Black History Month Activities for Older Students
Books about Black History introduce the topic to your students in a beautiful way.
But Black History is American History, which means it’s more than just a 28-day span of book reading.
To be a culturally relevant teacher, you must infuse your read-alouds with more activities that help embody the full spirit Black History.
These activities will help you get the ball rolling:
- Complete a Black History Month internet scavenger hunt where your students will complete research about facts and figures related to Black History.
- Build in literature discussions and reflection time to help your students brainstorm ways to end the racism and prejudice that’s still happening around the world today.
- Invite Black community leaders, pastors, and mentors into your classroom so that your students can interview them.
- Have a Character Dress-Up Day where your students complete a biography project on a Black History Month figure and present themselves as that person.
I also give my students Black History Biography reading passages throughout the school year during literacy centers and for homework.
This allows students to understand that Black History is a part of all history that lasts all year.
Everything You Need for Black History Month
Want even more ideas on how to teach and celebrate Black History in your classroom?
This resource page is your new one-stop destination for everything you need related to Black History Month.
Not only do I answer valid questions and concerns teachers have, but I also share more inspiration on things like:
- bulletin board ideas
- door decorations
- read-aloud recommendations
- how to introduce Black History Month to elementary students
- AND MORE!!
Free Black History Month Activity
As you enjoy reading diverse books about Black History, turn it into an engaging writing activity for your students!
This freebie works with any book you choose to read during February.
However, it works best with the read aloud title 28 Days, which you can learn more about in this blog post:
Before you run off to see the post, sign up to have the booklet sent to your email. I know that you and your students will get a lot out of it!
Enjoy teaching and reading about Black History Month π¦
