Black History Month

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Explore 500 years of the African American experience from the slave trade to the Civil Rights movement to the present day in this online resource.

Research materials relating to slavery from libraries and archives across the country.

Bessie Coleman became the first African American woman to get both a national and international pilot’s license. Find books and ebooks about the challenges she overcame to achieve her goals.

After commandeering a Confederate ship to free himself and his family, he became the first Black captain of an Army ship and later a member of the U.S. Congress. Find books and resources that tell his story.

Learn about Black Americans from leaders of the Civil Rights Movement to the women of color who are transforming politics from the ground up.

Biographies of activists, former slaves, artists, athletes, educators, lawyers, writers, scientists, and more.

Nonfiction writings that presents what it is to be black in America. Includes the only full run of The Black Panther newspaper.

Essays and images that cover blues, jazz, spirituals, civil rights songs, slave songs, gospel, and other forms of black American musical expression.

In Read Until You Understand: The Profound Wisdom of Black Life and Literature, Griffin intertwines her personal history with stories and experiences told by Black artists and authors including Toni Morrison and Barack Obama.

Lewis Latimer assisted with some of the greatest inventions of all time, including the lightbulb and the telephone. Often overlooked, his contributions as an engineer, an artist, and an activist are featured in this accessible children’s book.

Great for parents and teachers! Print, save, and share materials about Black History Month.