Embedded Files
New book list!
1954 – 1968
The Civil Rights Movement in the United States was a struggle for equality and justice for African Americans, particularly in the 1950s and 1960s. It aimed to end racial segregation and discrimination, especially in the South. Leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and Malcolm X played key roles in organizing protests, boycotts, and marches to demand change. Major achievements included the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act, which helped to dismantle legal segregation and secure voting rights. The movement was a turning point in American history, advancing the fight for racial equality.
Picture books
Memphis, Martin, and the Mountaintop: The Sanitation Strike of 1968
Story of MLK’s final protest through the eyes of a girl who witnessed it
Child of the Civil Rights Movement
Poignant true story of the civil rights movement through the eyes of a girl who witnessed it close up
Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down
Compelling story of the Greensboro lunch counter sit-in protest, told in free verse
Ruth and the Green Book
Story of a girl experiencing the challenges of travel through Jim Crow country, and discovering the Green Book
Sing, Aretha, Sing!: Aretha Franklin,”Respect,” and the Civil Rights Movement
Story of how Aretha Franklin’s song Respect fueled the Civil Rights movement
Lillian’s Right to Vote: A Celebration of the Voting Rights Act of 1965
Moving story of an elderly African-American woman remembering her family’s tumultuous voting history
Freedom on the Menu: The Greensboro Sit-Ins
Story of a girl witnessing the Greensboro lunch counter sit-in protests
Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer: The Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement
Powerful story of a civil rights leader, told through verse
Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Award-winning biography of Martin Luther King, Jr. using quotes from his iconic speeches
The Story of Ruby Bridges
Inspiring true story of Ruby Bridges facing opposition as she tries to go to school
Pies from Nowhere: How Georgia Gilmore Sustained the Montgomery Bus Boycott
Striking true story of a woman who baked to support the Montgomery bus boycott
A Ride to Remember: A Civil Rights Story
Gentle true story about the desegregation of a Maryland amusement park
Gordon Parks: How the Photographer Captured Black and White America
Compelling true story of a self-taught photographer whose work documented Jim Crow injustices
Let the Children March
Powerful story of real children taking action after hearing Dr. King speak in 1963
Evicted! The Struggle for the Right to Vote
Set of interconnected stories about members of an early grassroots movement that led to the Voting Rights Act
Delivering Justice: W.W. Law and the Fight for Civil Rights
Inspiring true story of a mail carrier and civil rights leader
Northbound: A Train Ride Out of Segregation
Gentle retelling of the author’s true story of discovering state differences in segregation during his first train ride
I am Brave: A Little Book about Martin Luther King, Jr.
Gentle board-book introduction to Martin Luther King, Jr.
Boycott Blues: How Rosa Parks Inspired a Nation
Uplifting tribute to the participants in the Montgomery bus boycott
Unstoppable
Inspiring story of Bayard Rustin organizing the March on Washington while facing opposition
Chapter books
The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963
Classic story of a family who travels to Birmingham in 1963 and witness turmoil
With the Might of Angels: The Diary of Dawnie Rae Johnson
Fictional diary of a black girl attending a newly desegregated school
The Journal of Biddy Owens: The Negro Leagues
Fictional diary of a teenage boy playing baseball in the Negro Leagues
Non-fiction books
Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott
Riveting story of the Montgomery bus boycott, with primary sources and photos
Miles to Go for Freedom: Segregation and Civil Rights in the Jim Crow Years
Detailed account of segregation told through multiple first-person accounts
American Civil Rights: Primary Sources
Primary source excerpts from the Civil Rights movement, with explanations
The Voting Rights Act of 1965
Thorough overview of the events that led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the impact of the act
The Girl from the Tar Paper School
Story of a girl who led nonviolent civil disobedience protests in the 1950s
Biographies
Who Was Martin Luther King, Jr.?
Excellent introduction to Martin Luther King, Jr., his times, and his work
Opening the Road: Victor Hugo Green and His Green Book
Picture book introduction to Victor Hugo Green and his work on the Green Book
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