Altman, Susan. Extraordinary Black Americans: From Colonial
to Contemporary Times. Chicago: Children's Press, 1989. ISBN:
516405810
Presents short biographies of ninety-five black Americans from colonial to contemporary
times, highlighting their personal achievements and their resulting contributions
to the growth of American Society.
Order Extraordinary Black Americans: From Colonial to Contemporary Times
African American Persepective Resource
Angelou, Maya. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.
New York: Bantam, 1983. ISBN: 553279378
The remarkable autobiography of poet Maya Angelou, who grew up in a small town
in Arkansas. Her story provides poignant insights into racial problems and personal
obstacles that she had to overcome.
Order I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
African American Persepective Resource
Asante, Molefi Kete. African American History: A Journey of
Liberation. Maywood: The Peoples Publishing Group, Inc., 1995.
ISBN: 1562569031
The only African American History textbook for the schools that is written by
an African American scholar from an authentic, insider's perspective. For the
first time, center yourself in African American history.
Order African American History: A Journey of Liberation
African American Persepective Resource
Bennett, Lerone. Before the Mayflower. Johnson
Publishing Company, 1982. ISBN: 0-14-017822-8
From the origins in western Africa to the civil rights movement and life today,
this book traces black history.
African American Persepective Resource
Charlesworth, Liza. African Americans Who Made A Difference:
15 Plays for the Classroom. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 1997.
ISBN: 590535463
This book is a compilation of plays about famous African Americans including
background information, photos, and scripts.
Order African Americans Who Made A Difference: 15 Plays for the Classroom
African American Persepective Resource
Dee, Katherine. Kid Heroes of the Environment.
Bathroom Readers Press, 1991. ISBN: 1879682125
Real-life stories about kids who are doing great things for the environment.
Each story contains a description of a project, as well as interviews and a
listing of sources for further information.
Order Kid Heroes of the Environment
Greenfield, Eloise. Under the Sunday Tree. New
York: HarperTrophy, 1991. ISBN: 64432572
A collection of poems and paintings evoke life in the Bahamas.
African American Persepective Resource
Hall-Russell, Cheryl and Robert H. Kasberg. African American
Traditions of Giving and Serving. Bloomington: Indiana University,
1997.
History and culture of African-American philanthropy, including traits and traditions
of giving practices. Offers a perspective for the future of giving within this
people group.
African American Persepective Resource
Hansen-Harding, Alexandra. Great American Speeches (comp.).
New York: Scholastic Trade, 1997. ISBN: 590898108
A compilation of twenty speeches delivered by men and women throughout history
who have made a positive contribution to society. Diverse cultures and ethnic
backgrounds are represented.
Order Great American Speeches (comp.)
African American Persepective Resource
Lester, Julius. To Be A Slave. New York: Scholastic
Paperbacks, 1998. ISBN: 590424602
Experiences of slavery told by former slaves. A Newberry Honor Book, An ALA
Notable Children’s Book, School Library Best Book of the Year, Lewis Carroll
Shelf Award, Horn Book Fanfare Honor List, New York Times Outstanding Book of
the Year.
African American Persepective Resource
Levitin, Sonia. Dream Freedom. Silver Whistle,
2000. ISBN: 152024042
Marcus and his classmates learn about the terrible problem of slavery in present-day
Sudan and raise money to help buy the freedom of some of the slaves. Alternate
chapters tell the stories of the slaves.
African American Persepective Resource
Lewis, Barbara A., and Pamela Espeland. Kid’s Guide
To Service Projects: Over 500 Service Learning Ideas for Young People Who Want
to Make a Difference (The). Free Spirit Publishing, 1995. ISBN:
915793822
Guide for young people to more than 500 service projects and organizations.
Mazer, Ann (Editor). America Street: A Multicultural Anthology
of Stories. New York: Persea Books, 1993. ISBN: 892551917
A collection of fourteen stories by American authors with different cultural
and ethnic perspectives. Inspirational ideals are depicted.
Order America Street: A Multicultural Anthology of Stories
African American Persepective Resource
Mills, Lauren. Rag Coat (The). Boston: Little,
Brown & Company, 1991. ISBN: 316574074
A child's account of life in the Appalachian Mountains. After the death of the
father, a coat is needed for school but the family cannot afford it. Neighbors
known as the Quilting Mothers generously construct a
coat of rags which becomes a coat of memories.
Mochizuki, Ken. Passage to Freedom: The Sugihara Story.
Lee & Low Books, 1997. ISBN: 1880000490
In 1940, 5 year-old Hiroki's father was the Japanese consul to Lithuania. When
Nazi soldiers approached their town, he wrote life-saving visas for thousands
of Jews and Polish refugees. He put conscience and duty to God above duty to
his government, which had denied him permission to grant to visas. His family
supported him, though all spend 18 months in a Soviet internment camp and he
lost his post. He eventually became only Asian to receive the Righteous
Among the Nations Award from the Israel Holocaust Memorial.
Order Passage to Freedom: The Sugihara Story
Parks, Rosa and Gregory J. Reed. Dear Mrs. Parks: A Dialogue
with Today’s Youth. Lee and Low Books, 1997. ISBN: 1880000458
Children from all over the United States wrote to Rosa Parks. She returns their
letters in this inspirational novel. NAACP Image Award
Order Dear Mrs. Parks: A Dialogue with Today’s Youth
African American Persepective Resource
Paterson, Katherine. Jip: His Story. Puffin
Paperback, 1998. ISBN: 140386742
Orphaned Jip lived in a Vermont poor farm during 1850s and 1856. When a lunatic,
Put, is brought to the farm and kept in a cage during his spells, a deep friendship
develops between the two and Jip discovers that Put is intelligent and articulate.
When a stranger comes to town searching for Jip, his origins are gradually revealed:
he is the son of a biracial slave and her master. When Jip and Put board the
Underground Railroad, Jip eventually finds freedom in Canada.
African American Persepective Resource
Paulsen, Gary. Nightjohn. Laurel Leaf, 1995.
ISBN: 440219361
Nightjohn, a slave, escaped to freedom but came back to teach other slaves how
to read. Nightjohn teaches a young child to read even though it may mean penalties
for everyone.
African American Persepective Resource
Smith, Jennifer, Slvia Shue, Jennifer Lisa Vest & Joseph Villared.
Philanthropy in Communities of Color. Bloomington
& Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1999. ISBN: 0-253334934
A compilation of philanthropic influences in communities of colored people.
Order Philanthropy in Communities of Color
African American Persepective Resource
Taylor, Mildred. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.
New York: Puffin Books, 1991. ISBN: 014034893X
An inside look at African-American culture from the inside, exploring cultural
diversity through the eyes of a young girl.
Order Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
African American Persepective Resource
Taylor, Theodore. Cay (The). Yearling Books,
2002. ISBN: 0440416639
A young prejudiced boy is shipwrecked and struck blind. He learns to care for
others and to be non-judgmental when a West Indian named Timothy cares for him.
African American Persepective Resource
Walgren, Judy. Lost Boys of Natinga: A School for Southern
Sudan’s Young Refugee (The). Houghton Mifflin Co., 1998.
ISBN: 395705584
Describes daily life at Natinga, a refugee camp and school established in 1993
in southern Sudan for boys forced from their homes by that country's Civil War.
Order Lost Boys of Natinga: A School for Southern Sudan’s Young Refugee (The)
African American Persepective Resource
For Our Children Too!: To Benefit Pediatric AIDS Foundation.
Rhino Records Compact Disc. ASIN: B0000033UA
Various pop-artists sing favorite children’s songs like Puff the Magic
Dragon. Benefits from sales go to the Pediatric AIDS Foundation.
Order For Our Children Too!: To Benefit Pediatric AIDS Foundation
Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Songs of the Mississippi Civil Rights
Movement. Folk Era Productions Compact Disc. ASIN: B00000182V
Songs that defined the Civil Rights era, including some of the most socially
significant artists, songs and songwriters of the time.
Order Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Songs of the Mississippi Civil Rights Movement
African American Persepective Resource
Medicine Man Yaya. Teach the Children. Lightyear Entertainment
USA Compact Disc. ASIN: B000003TRS
This cassette contains lyrics and music about famous historical figures of the
African American culture like Harriet Tubman and Rosa Parks. A Tribute to African
American History in Song and Poetry.
African American Persepective Resource
Seeger, Pete, Si Kahn and Jane Sapp. Carry It On: Songs of America’s
Working People. Flying Fish Records Compact Disc. ASIN: B000000MF2
A collection of 21 labor songs include "Step by Step" and "Harriet
Tubman."
Order Carry It On: Songs of America’s Working People
African American Persepective Resource
Seeger, Pete. We Shall Overcome: Complete Carnegie Hall Concert.
Sony Compact Disc. ASIN: B0000026V
A live recording from June 8, 1963 headlined, by the songs often sung during
civil rights protests of the 1960s. An introduction to folk music, world music,
and the American civil rights movement.
Order We Shall Overcome: Complete Carnegie Hall Concert
African American Persepective Resource
Sing for Freedom: The Story of the Civil Rights Movement Through
Its Songs. Smithsonian/Folkway Compact Disc. ASIN: B000001DHL
A collection of songs and speeches by people of courage and drive that will
also inspire listeners in the hardships they face.
Order Sing for Freedom: The Story of the Civil Rights Movement Through Its Songs
African American Persepective Resource
National Council for the Humanities. The White House Conference
on Philanthropy: Gifts to the Future. 14 minutes. South Carolina
ETV, 1999. Videocassette.
A White House conference highlighting the unique American tradition of giving,
covering the diverse and changing face of philanthropy and proposed means to
sustain and grow this tradition for future generations. Available through Michigan
Middle School and High School Media Centers and Public Libraries or by contacting
Learning to Give at 231-638-0943.