A doctress
An activist
An inspiration
Mary Seacole is now known for her medical work in the Crimean war, and as a brilliant woman who combated the racial prejudice she experienced in her lifetime. But for a long time her story was lost.
From growing up in Kingston, Jamaica as the daughter of a doctress to helping soldiers in the war, discover the details of the amazing life that Mary Seacole led in this beautifully illustrated book with real-life stories, timelines and facts.
A graphic novel for children age 7 to 10. Rosa Parks was the courageous thinker and leader known as the Mother of the Civil Rights Movement. Long before the Montgomery Bus Boycott made her famous, she was a social justice activist and organizer. In honor of her work, she received a Congressional Gold Medal and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This is her story.
When Paloma goes to visit her family in Trinidad, she doesn’t feel that she fits in. But Tante Janet has a story to tell her: An ancient story of warrior queens and talking drums, of treasures and tales that span thousands of years… a story that Paloma shares in, because her story starts in Africa, too.. Join Tante and her inquisitive niece as they share the story of how her family came to the Caribbean, through the dark days of colonization and slavery, to the emergence of a thriving, contemporary community of many faces, places and successes.
Publishing for the 75th anniversary of the Partition of India in August 2022, this book is a unique exploration of the rich and complicated history of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Britain.
There are many ways of telling the same story, and how you tell it depends on your point of view. Some stories are so complicated, or difficult to explain, that they’re not often told at all. Like the story of how a company ended up running a country, or how one man drawing a line on a map could change the lives of millions of people forever.
This book aims to piece together the interesting, surprising, and sometimes very sad story of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Britain, and how these countries have shaped one another over the centuries. From exploring the vast empires and amazing inventions of ancient India, to revealing the challenges faced by South Asian migrants to Britain – or celebrating the amazing culture, innovations, inventions, and achievements of British people of South Asian heritage today – this book shows how the past, present and future of these four countries will always be intertwined.
Written by Donna and Vikesh Amey Bhatt who were inspired to write this book for their two young sons, with consultancy by Rajbir Hazelwood, historian of South Asia and Modern Britain, Lands of Belonging includes an exploration of the impact of British rule over India (India, Pakistan and Bangladesh were all one country at the time), from the foundation of the East India Company to India’s involvement in supporting Britain during both World Wars, to India’s fight for independence and the British government’s decision to Partition the country, resulting in the largest migration of people in history.
A Grand Slam champion
An activist
An inspiration
Serena Williams began playing tennis when she was just a child, and is now an Olympic champion who’s won more Grand Slam singles titles than anyone else.
Throughout her life she’s battled many things, from life-threatening illnesses and sports injuries, to sexism and racism in the tennis world. Now she’s an icon in sport, fashion and activism, an inspiration to every young person who has dared to dream big.
Hiya! Alison Hammond here! I love getting to know all about different people and I’ll tell you a secret . . . sometimes people we don’t know much about are the most interesting of all! Which is really what this book is all about.
Let me ask you a question: How many Black people can you name from our history? Mary Seacole ? Ira Aldridge ? George Bridgetower ? Pablo Fanque? Walter Tull ? Have you heard of these people?
Yes? That’s great! But if you haven’t, don’t worry , you’re not alone, which is why I’m so excited to tell you all about them. Because the people in this book should be totally famous given the AMAZING things they’ve done! And we’re not going to stop in the past, I’ll introduce you to people making waves right here and now!
From sportspeople to scientists, activists to musicians, politicians to writers, we’re going to meet a whole bunch of AWESOME people who have helped shape the world we live in . So , are ready for you a journey Black in time ?? Course you are, let’s go!
Explore the incredible history of Afro hair.
The Story of Afro Hair celebrates the fashion and styles of Afro hair over the last 5,000 years. From plaits to the Gibson Girl, cornrows to locks, the hi-top fade to funki dreds, The Story of Afro Hair is the ultimate book of Afro hairstories. Kicking off with an explanation of how Afro hair type grows and why, The Story of Afro Hair then takes us right back to the politics and fashion of Ancient Egypt. Speeding forwards to modern times we experience the Kingdom of Benin, Henry VIII’s court, the enslavement of African peoples, the Harlem Renaissance, the beginnings of Rastafarianism, Britain in the 1980s – and much more.
With profiles of inspirational key figures in the Afro hair beauty industry, such as Sara Spencer Washington, Madam CJ Walker, Viola Desmond, Lincoln Dyke, Dudley Dryden and Anthony Wade.
Olaudah Equiano was cruelly snatched from his home in Essaka, Africa, aged only 11, in 1756. Initially taken with his older sister, Ifeoma, they soon became separated. Olaudah never heard from her again. From there he was taken to England, first enduring a long voyage where he was treated horribly, along with the other slaves. He was sold several times before being taken to America to be a house slave. The master was cruel and the slaves were too scared to even speak to each other. Next he was bought by an English naval officer and taken to sea. Here he finally made friends and began to learn to read and write, as well as experiencing many adventures and great peril.
Olaudah’s story does not end there. He is bought and sold a couple more times before he is taken to the West Indies. Here he sees a chance of freedom. It turns out he has a flair for business and becomes his master’s trusted slave. Working hard, he finally earns enough money to buy his freedom and returns to England as a free man. Here he wrote a book about his experiences and worked hard in the campaign against slavery.
This is an incredible true story, vividly brought to life by Catherine Johnson. It would be a brilliant addition to any UKS2 or KS3 classroom, especially if studying slavery. A difficult subject matter sensitively brought to life for children.
We’ve put together a list of the best children’s books about black history both in the UK and around the globe. We’ve also included some key titles that support conversations about systematic racism in a child-friendly way.
Trace key historical events in Timelines from Black History, explore more about Britain’s Black history in Black and British or join young Nemy as she joins a courageous group of slaves in Freedom Braids. These books can be used for Black History Month, when many schools and families dedicate time to research Britain’s black history and to find out more about particular black people who have made a difference. We believe these books are just as important all year round, too.
If you are looking for more about Black British history, we have a separate Black British history booklist with even more suggestions.
In this book from the highly acclaimed Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the incredible life of Rosa Parks, the ‘Mother of the Freedom Movement.’
Rosa Parks grew up in Alabama, where she learned to stand up for herself at an early age. Rosa went on to become a civil rights activist. In 1955, she refused to give up her seat to a white man on a segregated bus, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Her courageous decision had a huge impact on civil rights, eventually leading to the end of segregation on public transport. She never stopped working for equal rights. This moving book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back , including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the activist’s life.
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