Books That Carry On the Legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. left behind a legacy of equal rights and justice for all people through his nonviolent activism and service.

When I think about how to teach my children about Dr. King’s legacy, I think about using rich children’s books that echo King’s vision for a better future. Stories like these. Stories that prompt discussion.

Picture Books

I Have a Dream

by Martin Luther King, Jr., illustrated by Kadir Nelson

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Experience Dr. King’s speech in written form, accompanied by beautiful illustrations.

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Change Sings

by Amanda Gorman, illustrated by Loren Long

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A young girl leads a cast of characters on a musical journey to discover how they can make a difference, in this stunning picture book by presidential inaugural poet Amanda Gorman.

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Little Black Girl

by Kirby Howell-Baptiste, illustrated by Paul Davey

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In this empowering book by actress Kirby Howell-Baptiste, a little black girl pursues her dream of robotics and shows the unlimited potential to reach her wildest dreams. Check out the perfect companion Little Black Boy.

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The 1619 Project: Born on the Water

by Nikole Hannah-Jones and Renée Watson, illustrated by Nikkolas Smith

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A young student receives a family tree assignment in school, but she can only trace back three generations. She learns that her ancestors 400 years ago, in 1619, were stolen and brought to America. This powerful lyrical verse invites readers of all ages to reflect on the origins of American identity.

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Standing in the Need of Prayer

by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Frank Morrison

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A powerful reckoning of the painful stories within African American history, Standing in the Need of Prayer leads conversations on all levels with its message of faith, perseverance, and resilience.

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I am Martin Luther King, Jr.

by Brad Meltzer, illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos

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A look at Martin Luther King, Jr. as he was as a boy, his shock at the unfair way African Americans were treated, and his determination once he grew up to do something about it — peacefully, with powerful words.

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Enough! 20 Protesters Who Changed America

by Emily Easton, illustrated by Ziyue Chen

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This beautifully illustrated picture book celebrates some of the most influential activists who have embraced peaceful protest as a means to change the course of history.

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I am Rosa Parks

by Brad Meltzer, illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos

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Rosa Parks, the woman who was tired of being made to sit at the back of the bus, helped change bus segregation in the South and the Civil Rights Movement with her activism.

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Ron’s Big Mission

by Rose Blue and Corinne J. Naden, illustrated by Don Tate

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Before Ron McNair became a Challenger astronaut, he was refused a library card simply because of the color of his skin.

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Firebird

by Misty Copeland, illustrated by Christopher Myers

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As the first African American Female Principal Dancer with the American Ballet Theatre, Misty Copeland made history. In Firebird, Copeland shows young readers, and every kind of ballet hopeful, that it's possible to break barriers and reach new heights by working hard, staying determined, and believing in yourself.

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Of Thee I Sing

by Barack Obama, illustrated by Loren Long

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Written as a letter to his daughters, President Barack Obama pays tribute to 13 American men and women — from Georgia O'Keeffe to Jackie Robinson — whose exemplary traits helped change the course of American history. Obama shares how these virtues are reflected not only in his own children, but in all of America's children, and encourages them to nurture that greatness.

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Each Kindness

by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by E.B. Lewis

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Chloe’s teacher shows her how a small act of kindness would have made a big difference in how Chloe treated the new girl Maya.

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Chapter Books & Middle Grade

Who Is Ketanji Brown Jackson?

by Shelia P. Moses and Who HQ, illustrated by Dede Putra

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Learn how a young girl who was the star of her school’s debate team became a federal jurist and the first Black woman to sit on the United States Supreme Court.

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Hands

by Torrey Maldonado

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In this heartfelt tale of discovering responsibility, Trev learns the possibility that lies within his hands. Will he use them to build or destroy?

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Black Boy Joy

edited by Kwame Mbalia

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From 17 acclaimed Black male and non-binary authors comes a vibrant collection of stories, comics, and poems about the power of joy and the wonders of Black boyhood.

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Clean Getaway

by Nic Stone

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An 11-year-old boy sets out on an impromptu road trip with his grandmother, following her Green Book, a travel guide created to help African American travelers navigate the Jim Crow-era American South.

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Finding Langston

by Lesa Cline Ransome

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It’s 1946, and Langston is grieving both the death of his mother and the loss of his home. His father just uprooted them from Alabama to the cacophony of Chicago, and Langston’s never felt lonelier. But the Chicago Public Library, unlike Alabama’s, welcomes patrons of every race, and it’s there that Langston learns about Langston Hughes — the poet his mother loved.

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The Lions of Little Rock

by Kristin Levine

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Friends Lizzie and Marlee live in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1958 where they face prejudice when Lizzie gets caught trying to pass for white.

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Freedom's Children: Young Civil Rights Activists Tell Their Own Stories

by Ellen S. Levine

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This poignant collection brings together the first-hand accounts of young people who grew up the 1950s and ’60s and bravely joined the fight for equality in the U.S. It’s a must-have for every tween learning about the Civil Rights Movement.

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The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963

by Christopher Paul Curtis

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The Watsons head from Flint, Michigan to Birmingham, Alabama in 1963 when a church bomb explodes and racial tensions are high.

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Brown Girl Dreaming

by Jacqueline Woodson

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Transplanted between South Carolina and New York City during the time of the Civil Rights Movement, experience firsthand Jacqueline Woodson’s childhood of struggles and dreams in her powerful fictionalized memoir.

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Strong Inside (Young Readers Edition): The True Story of How Perry Wallace Broke College Basketball's Color Line

by Andrew Maraniss

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Learn about Perry Wallace, who in 1966 became the first African American college student to play basketball in the Southeastern Conference, and his bravery in boldly facing the racism he endured in the South as he traveled with his team, ultimately becoming a Civil Rights hero and inspiration to other athletes of color.

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This Is My America

by Kim Johnson

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In this gripping debut novel by Kim Johnson, Tracy and her family are changed forever by the infamous past of their Texas town’s racist history that still haunts the present. A timely and powerful story about racial injustice.

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Just Mercy (Adapted for Young Adults)

by Bryan Stephenson

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As a young lawyer, Bryan Stevenson founded the Equal Justice Initiative with a mission to end mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the U.S. In this young adult adaptation of his bestseller, Stevenson shares stories of his work with those who have faced discrimination or wrongful conviction in the criminal justice system.

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Dear Martin

by Nic Stone

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Justyce’s seemingly perfect world is turned upside down after he’s falsely accused of a crime. Frustrated by the prejudice and hate he and other black individuals face, and seeking some clarity amid the confusion, Justyce starts writing letters to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in a journal. A timely novel that packs a big punch.

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Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom: My Story of the 1965 Selma Voting Rights March

by Lynda Blackmon Lowery, illustrated by P.J. Loughran (retold by Elspeth Leacock and Susan Buckley)

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In 1965, Martin Luther King Jr. led thousands of nonviolent demonstrators from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama — a dangerous 54-mile march to campaign for voting rights. Lowery was the youngest person to participate, and her memoir about the experience gives readers a deeply personal look at the Civil Rights Movement and how it felt to help reshape the world.

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Editor’s note: This article was originally published in 2015 and updated in 2022.

Picture Books

Chapter Books & Middle Grade

YA