African American Library

Have you ever wondered how the human spirit can rise above the most crushing circumstances to achieve greatness? In Up from Slavery, Booker T. Washington delivers a powerful and intimate account of his ascent from a child born into slavery to becoming one of the most significant educators in American history. This is not merely a historical record; it is a profound manual on succeeding against all odds.

Until now, you've only heard one side of the story: how slavery began, and how America split itself in two to end it. Here's the true story of America from the African American perspective. From the moment Africans were first brought to the shores of the United States, they had a hand in shaping...

Until now, you've only heard one side of the story: how Abraham Lincoln defeated the Confederacy to end slavery, but the truth involves a vast network of abolitionists who would keep fighting for freedom long after the end of the war. Here's the true story of the Civil War and Reconstruction...

This heartfelt picture book biography, adapted for audio, tells the story of MaVynee Betsch, an African American opera singer turned environmentalist and the legacy she preserved. MaVynee loved going to the beach. But in the days of Jim Crow, she couldn't just go to any beach--most of the...

Chronicling the story of the last Africans brought illegally to America in 1860, African Town is a powerful and stunning novel-in-verse. In 1860, long after the United States outlawed the importation of enslaved laborers, 110 men, women and children from Benin and Nigeria were captured and...

When a new student arrives at an elite Black boarding school, bearing a striking resemblance to its previous Queen Bee—a girl who mysteriously died last year—she’s thrown into a deadly cat and mouse game of lies, wealth, and murder in this juicy thriller for fans of Gossip Girl. Kennedy...

From the author of Finding Jupiter comes a powerful new novel about love, self-esteem, and mental health. Reeling from unresolved family trauma and a viral heartbreak, a Black teen is thrust onto an unexpected journey of self-discovery, healing, and first love. Sixteen-year-old Skye is an expert...

In this eloquent first novel in verse by renowned poet Marilyn Nelson, a boy embraces his newfound genealogy and his surprising connection to American history. “A quietly powerful story about race, ignorance, and identity from a poetry master.”—Bustle “Stunning.”—Shelf Awareness “A...

From the #1 New York Times bestselling series comes the latest title in the Who HQ Now format for trending topics. It tells the history of a political and social movement that advocates for non-violent civil disobedience and protests against incidents of police brutality--and all racially...