African-American Non-Fiction Book Lists

Are you looking for the best African-American non-fiction books online? Look no further! We’ve pulled together an extensive collection of top titles for kids of all ages. Whether you’d prefer picture books, audio narratives, or classic autobiographies, you’ll find plenty to choose from in the categories below.

1. Picture Books

Start your children with African-American non-fiction books to read from a young age. Picture books provide a captivating introduction to the lives and accomplishments of Black Americans. Older students will enjoy many of these titles, too. Picture books give big kids a brain break from big words while still conveying fascinating facts.

Picture books with true stories about African-Americans include:

• Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson
• The Book Itch: Freedom, Truth & Harlem’s Greatest Bookstore by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson
• Game Changer: John McLendon and the Secret Game by John Coy
• Hey, Charleston!: The True Story of the Jenkins Orphanage Band by Anne Rockwell
• Let ‘Er Buck: George Fletcher, the People’s Champion by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson
• Martin and Anne: The Kindred Spirits of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Anne Frank by Nancy Churnin 
• Mumbet’s Declaration of Independence by Gretchen Woelfle
• Something to Prove: The Great Satchel Paige vs. Rookie Joe DiMaggio by Rob Skead
• A Spy Called James: The True Story of James Lafayette, Revolutionary War Double Agent by Anne Rockwell
• Strange Fruit: Billie Holiday and the Power of a Protest Song by Gary Golio
• Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre by Carol Boston Weatherford
• The Vast Wonder of the World: Biologist Ernest Everett Just by Mélina Mangal

2. Chapter Books

As students get older and improve their reading skills, they can handle longer text and more information. Some chapter books are designed for blossoming readers while others are perfect for older students.

Middle-grade readers and above can try:

• Benjamin Banneker: Pioneering Scientist by Ginger Wadsworth
• Black Lives Matter: From the Hashtag to the Streets by Artika R. Tyner
• Black Voter Suppression: The Fight for the Right to Vote by Artika R. Tyner
• The Civil Rights Movement by Eric Braun
• Harriet Tubman: Abolitionist and American Hero by Niki Ahrens
• Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad by Ann Petry (available for purchase)
• Harriet Tubman: Freedom Fighter by Nadia L. Hohn (available for purchase)
• Hidden Black History: From Juneteenth to Redlining by Amanda Jackson Green
• John Lewis: Courage in Action by Matt Doeden
• Juneteenth by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson
• Martin Luther King Jr.: A Peaceful Leader by Sarah Albee (available for purchase)
• Martin Luther King Jr.: Walking in the Light by Jon M. Fishman
• Vigilante Danger: A Threat to Black Lives by Artika R. Tyner

3. Young Adult Reads

Teens are capable of reading more involved texts. They’re also mature enough to hear harder truths. Non-fiction books will give your students a closer look at the lives of famous African-Americans, help them grapple with hard topics, and provide in-depth information for research reports.

Suggest these young adult titles to your teens:

• No Crystal Stair: A Documentary Novel of the Life and Work of Lewis Michaux, Harlem Bookseller by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson
• Jackie Robinson by Joe Schuster (available for purchase)
• Jackie Robinson: with Profiles of Satchel Paige and Branch Rickey from World Book
• Martin Luther King, Jr.: with Profiles of Mohandas K. Gandhi and Nelson Mandela from World Book
• Now Is Your Time! by Walter Dean Myers (available for purchase)
• Racial Profiling: Everyday Inequality by Alison Marie Behnke

4. Autobiographies

There’s nothing quite like hearing from the people who actually lived history. Autobiographies are people’s stories in their own words. Many autobiographies are classics that have been beloved for generations.

Your older students will glean many insights from these classic autobiographies:

• The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, the African by Olaudah Equiano
• Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave by Frederick Douglass
• My Bondage and My Freedom by Frederick Douglass
• Up from Slavery: An Autobiography by Booker T. Washington
• Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup

5. Audio Books

When it’s time for a break from reading, kids don’t have to put away the books entirely! Students of all ages can sit back and listen to the narration of an audiobook. As kids listen, they can visualize the setting and characters of the story.

Your kids will enjoy these non-fiction books in audio format:

• LeBron James by Jon M. Fishman
• My Life in the South by Jacob Stroyer
• NASA Mathematician Katherine Johnson by Heather E. Schwartz
• The Negro Leagues: Celebrating Baseball’s Unsung Heroes by Matt Doeden
• Rise!: From Caged Bird to Poet of the People by Bethany Hegedus
• Serena Williams: Athletes Who Made a Difference by Blake Hoena
• The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois

That’s a huge list of African-American non-fiction books for kids, but it’s not all that LightSail has to offer! For even more non-fiction books about noteworthy African-Americans, dig into the LightSail libraries or check out our Unit Studies. The topics include Underground Railroad, Martin Luther King Jr., and African-American History Classics.