📖 March Trilogy by John Lewis. Congressman John Lewis’ personal account of the Civil Rights movement, presented in graphic novel form, would make a terrific spine for an in-depth study of this era. Winner of the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature; highly recommended. – Middle • High

📖 Lillian’s Right to Vote: A Celebration of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by Jonah Winter. “A very old woman stands at the bottom of a very steep hill. It’s Voting Day, she’s an American, and by God, she is going to vote. Lillian is her name.” Winter’s moving text seamlessly weaves African American history into Lillian’s personal story. Endnotes provide more historical detail. – Elementary

📖 Freedom on the Menu: The Greensboro Sit-Ins by Carole Boston Weatherford. ​ Here is the story of the Woolworth sit-ins in Greensboro, North Carolina, as told through the eyes of 8-year-old Connie, whose family becomes involved with the movement. – ​Preschool • Elementary

📖 A Sweet Smell of Roses by Angela Johnson. Two sisters slip out of their house to join a Civil Rights march led by Dr. King. With simple text and beautiful illustrations, this gentle picture book pays tribute to the children of the movement. – ​Preschool • Elementary

📖 We March by Shane Evans. Appropriate for the very youngest children, this is a simple account of the historic March on Washington. – ​Preschool

📖 Let the Children March by Monica Clark-Robinson. Here’s a moving picture book story of the 1963 Children’s Crusade, when the children of Birmingham bravely marched for justice and equality. The Afterword explains the impact of the march. There are some disturbing images, including children being sprayed with hoses and attacked by police dogs. – Elementary

📖 These Hands by Margaret Mason. Joseph’s grandfather tells of how black workers took action against racial discrimination in the Wonder Bread Factory. This book does a lovely job of conveying the mood; if you’re looking for historical detail, look elsewhere. – ​Preschool • Elementary

📖 Ruth and the Green Book by Calvin Alexander Ramsey. On a road trip with her parents through the segregated south, Chicago native Ruth is surprised to find that there are many places that refuse to serve black customers. The family eventually purchases The Green Book, which lists all of the places that will welcome them. – Elementary

📖 We Shall Overcome: The Story of a Song by Debbie Levy. Here is a lovely picture book history of the signature song of the Civil Rights Movement. The book traces the song's history from its roots in slavery to its adoption by civil rights movements in America and around the world. – Elementary

📖 Grandmama's Pride by Becky Birtha. ​"Every summer Sarah Marie visits her Grandmama who lives in the south. She doesn't realize how segregated the south is because Grandmama is too proud to put up with those things. They walk to town instead of sitting in the back of the bus." Another good option for teaching about life in the segregated south. – Elementary

📖 Richard Wright and the Library Card by William Miller. Full access to the public library was often denied African Americans living in the segregated south. This is a picture book retelling of a pivotal episode in the life of acclaimed author, Richard Wright. Also see Ron's Big Mission, which describes how young Ron McNair – future scientist and astronaut – secured a library card in 1950s South Carolina. – Elementary

📖 Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down by Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney. ​​Another lyrical and vibrant picture book on the Civil Rights Movement from the Pinkneys—this one centers around the Woolworth sit-ins in Greensboro. – Elementary

📖 Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges.​​​ In 1960, 6-year-old Ruby Bridges made history when - flanked by federal marshals—she became the first black student to enroll in the William Frantz elementary school in New Orleans. Here, Ruby describes how she experienced that first year, while putting the event into historical perspective. Recommended as a read-aloud for a younger child because of the racial slur that appears (in context) several times throughout the book. – Elementary • Middle

📖 Freedom Summer: The 1964 Struggle for Civil Rights in Mississippi by Susan Goldman Rubin. This is a detailed and well-researched account of the 1964 Freedom Summer Murders—the abduction and murder of three Civil Rights workers in Mississippi. Best for upper middle or high school students. – Middle • High

📖 Marching for Freedom: Walk Together Children, and Don't You Grow Weary by Elizabeth Partridge. Partridge introduces the Civil Rights Movement’s effort to secure voting rights for African Americans and gives a day-by-day account of the famous March to Selma in this detailed, 60-plus page book. Includes many evocative black-and-white photographs.​ – Middle • High

📖 Twelve Days in May: Freedom Ride 1961 by Larry Dane Brimner. In this excellent nonfiction account, Brimner tells the story of the Freedom Riders, 13 activists who travelled from Washington, DC, to New Orleans by bus in order to challenge the South’s Jim Crow laws. The book contextualizes this important episode with summaries of key court decisions and other moments of the Civil Rights movement.  – Middle • High

🔗 Content Connection: Reconstruction. Learn about Booker T. Washington, Ida B. Wells, and others.

📖 Boycott Blues: How Rosa Parks Inspired a Nation by Andrea Davis Pinkney.​ This poetic, beautifully illustrated book celebrates the spirit and determination of the boycotters who used nonviolent means to achieve an end to segregation on the Montgomery City Buses. The rhythmic cadence makes this one an ideal read-aloud. – Elementary

📖 Back of the Bus by Aaron Reynolds.​ In this fictionalized story, a black boy and his mother sitting at the back of a Montgomery city bus witness Rosa Parks' famous act of resistance. The incident is nicely told through the eyes of the young boy. – Elementary

📖 Rosa by Nikki Giovanni.​ This is a nice retelling of Rosa Parks’ act of civil disobedience. Giovanni shines the spotlight on the often overlooked women of the movement. Illustrator Bryan Collier's cut paper art is lovely. – Elementary

📖 Martin & Mahalia: His Words, Her Song by Andrea Davis Pinkney & Brian Pinkney. Here’s a lyrical first introduction to two giants of the Civil Rights Movement: Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mahalia Jackson. – ​Preschool • Elementary

📖 Martin's Big Words by Doreen Rappaport. This award-winning picture book provides a wonderful introduction to Martin Luther King for young children. The text is spare, and the illustrations are lovely. – ​Preschool • Elementary

📖 I Have A Dream by Martin Luther King, Jr. & Kadir Nelson. This must-read book consists of a portion of King's iconic I Have A Dream Speech, accompanied by Kadir Nelson's magnificent illustrations. A CD with King's entire speech is included with the book. – Preschool • Elementary • Middle

📖 Martin Rising: Requiem for a King by Andrea Davis Pinkney. From the Pinkneys, here is a poetic tribute to the life and lasting influence of King: “In a rich embroidery of visions, musical cadence, and deep emotion, Andrea and Brian Pinkney convey the final months of Martin Luther King's life—and of his assassination—through metaphor, spirituality, and multilayers of meaning. Andrea's stunning poetic requiem, illustrated with Brian's lyrical and colorful artwork, brings a fresh perspective to Martin Luther King, the Gandhi-like, peace-loving activist whose dream of equality—and whose courage to make it happen—changed the course of American history.” – Elementary • Middle

📺 Selma ​from Paramount.
Starring David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King, here is the moving, often disturbing story of the famous march for voting rights. Rated PG-13 for upsetting violence and some language (see Parental Guide for more). – Middle • High

📖 One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia. In 1968, three sisters travel to Oakland, California, to spend the summer with their mother, who abandoned them when they were young. The girls wind up attending a day camp run by the Black Panthers; this is a wonderful coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of the Civil Rights movement. Also see the sequel, P. S. Be Eleven. – Middle

📖 The Watsons Go to Birmingham–1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis. This classic Newbery Honor Book follows the Watson family as they travel from Flint, Michigan, to segregated Alabama at the peak of the Civil Rights Movement. Also check out the 2013 movie adaptation. – Middle

📖 The Rock and the River by Kekla Magoon. "In 1968 Chicago, it’s not easy for thirteen-year-old Sam to be the son of known civil rights activist Roland Childs. Especially when his older brother, Stick, starts keeping to himself. Then, one day, Sam finds something under Stick’s bed that changes everything: literature about the Black Panthers. Suddenly, nothing feels certain anymore." – Middle • High