Earlier posts on this blog pay careful attention to books containing diverse characters. In support of the Black Lives Matter movement, I want to share this list of middle grade historical fiction. In most cases, the main characters are black Americans, however there are a few titles whose black characters play a secondary role. I included these because of their exceptional equity in telling the characters' stories.
Historical fiction is often scrutinized for misappropriation, especially when it comes to diverse voices. Because of this, I have tried to select more recent titles, whose authors are working harder than ever to promote the important work of telling accurate stories. Names with a star (*) are considered #ownvoice authors, portraying characters that reflect their own heritage and race.
Historical fiction is often scrutinized for misappropriation, especially when it comes to diverse voices. Because of this, I have tried to select more recent titles, whose authors are working harder than ever to promote the important work of telling accurate stories. Names with a star (*) are considered #ownvoice authors, portraying characters that reflect their own heritage and race.
Since 1619, when the first slaves landed on American soil, the history of African American and Black men, women, and children has been wrought with racism, discrimination, violence, and death. These stories all touch on that. Not to glorify the pain, but so we can read their stories (often based on factual events) and learn from them. Yet despite themes that get paraded each Black History Month (and these months, in the midst of protests against the wrongful murders of Black men and women)--that is not where their stories end. For every instance of bigotry, segregation, and rejection, you will read every-day occasions of joy, expectation, celebration, and growth.
There is both power and humility in reading about characters who are different from yourself. Embrace it as a challenge and begin the important work of growing seeds of understanding, acceptance, equity, justice, and peace.
Within each section, titles are listed in chronological order.
Within each section, titles are listed in chronological order.
MIDDLE GRADE
NON-FICTION
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The Underground Abductor
Nathan Hale
(Underground Railroad and Abolition, 1800s)
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Spy on History: Mary Bowser and the Civil War Spy Ring
Enigma Alberti and Tony Cliff
(The Civil War
and Reconstruction, 1850-1877)
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This Promise of Change: One Girl’s Story in the Fight
for School Equality
*Jo Ann Allen Boyce and Debby Levy
(Civil Rights Era,
1954-1968)
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Brown Girl Dreaming
*Jacqueline Woodson
(Civil Rights Era,
1954-1968, Vietnam and Cold War Era,1955-1980s)
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Hidden Figures
*Margot Lee Shetterly
(Civil Rights Era,
1954-1968)
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Chasing King's Killer: The Hunt for Martin Luther King,
Jr.'s Assassin
James L. Swanson
(Civil Rights Era,
1954-1968)
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FICTION
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Jefferson’s Sons
Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
(The American
Revolution and the New Nation, 1760-1820s)
|
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Chains (Seeds of America #1)
Laurie Halse Anderson
(The American
Revolution and the New Nation, 1760-1820s)
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Forge (Seeds of America #2)
Laurie Halse Anderson
(The American
Revolution and the New Nation, 1760-1820s)
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Ashes (Seeds of America #3)
Laurie Halse Anderson
(The American
Revolution and the New Nation, 1760-1820s)
|
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The Detective’s Assistant
Kate Hannigan
(Underground Railroad and Abolition, 1800s)
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Sugar
*Jewell Parker Rhodes
(Underground Railroad and Abolition, 1800s)
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Stealing Freedom
Elisa Carbone
(Underground Railroad and Abolition, 1800s)
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Running Out of Night
Sharon Lovejoy
(Underground Railroad and Abolition, 1800s)
|
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Ann Fights for Freedom: An Underground Railroad
Survival Story
(Girls Survive series)
*Nikki Shannon Smith and Alessia Trunfio
(Underground Railroad and Abolition, 1800s)
|
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Unbound: A Novel in Verse
Ann E. Burg
(Underground Railroad and Abolition, 1800s)
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Elijah of Buxton
*Christopher Paul Curtis
(Underground Railroad and Abolition,1800s, The Civil War and Reconstruction, 1850-1877)
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The Journey of Little Charlie
*Christopher Paul Curtis
(Underground Railroad and Abolition, 1800s, The Civil War and Reconstruction, 1850-1877)
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If I Just Had Two Wings
Virginia Frances Schwartz
(The Civil War
and Reconstruction, 1850-1877)
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Calico Girl
*Jerdine Nolen
(The Civil War
and Reconstruction, 1850-1877)
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Charlotte Spies for Justice: A Civil War Survival Story
(Girls Survive series)
*Nikki Shannon Smith and Alessia Trunfio
(The Civil War
and Reconstruction, 1850-1877)
|
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Crow
Barbara Wright
(Immigration,
Industrialization, and Urbanization, 1870-1920)
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Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy
Gary D. Schmidt
(Immigration,
Industrialization, and Urbanization, 1870-1920)
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Crossing the Line
Bibi Belford
(Immigration,
Industrialization, and Urbanization, 1870-1920)
|
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The Mighty Miss Malone
*Christopher Paul Curtis
(The Jazz Age and
the Great Depression, 1920-1940)
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Stella by Starlight
*Sharon M. Draper
(The Jazz Age and
the Great Depression, 1920-1940)
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Bud, Not Buddy
*Christopher Paul Curtis
(The Jazz Age and
the Great Depression, 1920-1940)
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Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
*Mildred D. Taylor
(The Jazz Age and
the Great Depression, 1920-1940)
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Bird in a Box
*Andrea Davis Pinkney
(The Jazz Age and
the Great Depression, 1920-1940)
|
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Jump into the Sky
Shelley Pearsall
(World War II, Jim Crow, and the Great Migration, 1940s)
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Invasion
*Walter Dean Myers
(World War II, 1940s)
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Clayton Byrd Goes Underground
*Rita Williams-Garcia
(Jim Crow and the Great Migration, 1940s-50s)
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Finding Langston
*Lesa Cline-Ransome
(Jim Crow and the Great Migration, 1940s-50s)
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Leaving Lymon
*Lesa Cline-Ransome
(Jim Crow and the Great Migration, 1940s-50s)
|
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The Hero Two Doors Down: Based on the True Story of
Friendship Between a Boy and a Baseball Legend
*Sharon Robinson
(Jim Crow and the Great Migration, 1940s-50s)
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How High the Moon
*Karyn Parsons
(Jim Crow and the Great Migration, 1940s-50s)
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Betty Before X
*Ilyasah Shabazz and *Renée Watson
(Jim Crow and the Great Migration, 1940s-50s)
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The Unsung Hero of Birdsong, USA
*Brenda Woods
(World War II, 1940s,
Civil Rights Era, 1954-1968)
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A Friendship for Today
*Patricia C. McKissack
(Civil Rights Era,
1954-1968)
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The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1961
*Christopher Paul Curtis
(Civil Rights Era,
1954-1968)
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One Crazy Summer (Gaither Sisters series #1)
*Rita Williams-Garcia
(Civil Rights Era,
1954-1968)
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P.S. Be Eleven (Gaither Sisters series #2)
*Rita Williams-Garcia
(Civil Rights Era,
1954-1968)
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Gone Crazy in Alabama (Gaither Sisters
series #3)
*Rita Williams-Garcia
(Civil Rights Era,
1954-1968)
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Unstoppable Octobia May
*Sharon G. Flake
(Civil Rights Era,
1954-1968)
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The Lions of Little Rock
Kristin Levine
(Civil Rights Era,
1954-1968)
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Midnight Without a Moon (Rose Lee Carter #1)
*Linda Williams Jackson
(Civil Rights Era,
1954-1968)
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A Sky Full of Stars (Rose Lee Carter #2)
*Linda Williams Jackson
(Civil Rights Era,
1954-1968)
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Abby Takes a Stand
*Patricia C. McKissack
(Civil Rights Era,
1954-1968)
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The Toothpaste Millionaire
Jean Merrill
(Civil Rights Era,
1954-1968)
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Ruby Lee and Me
Shannon Hitchcock
(Civil Rights Era,
1954-1968)
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Walking with Miss Millie
Tamara Bundy
(Civil Rights Era,
1954-1968)
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Glory Be
Augusta Scattergood
(Civil Rights Era,
1954-1968)
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The Long Ride
*Marina Budhos
(Civil Rights Era,
1954-1968, Vietnam Era, 1960s-70s)
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HISTORICAL FICTION AND PRESENT-DAY BLENDS
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Morning Star
Judith Plaxton
(Underground Railroad and Abolition, 1800s and Present-day)
|
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The Length of a String
Elissa Brent Weissman
(World War II, 1940s
and Present-day)
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Ghost Boys
*Jewell Parker Rhodes
(Civil Rights Era,
1954-1968 and Present-day)
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The Parker Inheritance
*Varian Johnson
(Civil Rights Era,
1954-1968 and Present-day)
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YOUNG ADULT (YA)
NON-FICTION
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A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919
*Claire Hartfield
(Immigration,
Industrialization, and Urbanization, 1870-1920)
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March: Books 1
*John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell
(Civil Rights Era,
1954-1968)
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March: Books 2
*John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell
(Civil Rights Era,
1954-1968)
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March: Books 3
*John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell
(Civil Rights Era,
1954-1968)
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FICTION
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Copper Sun
*Sharon M. Draper
(Colonization and
Settlement, 1585-1759)
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Letters from a Slave Girl: The Story of Harriet Jacobs
Mary E. Lyons
(Underground Railroad and Abolition, 1800s)
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Crossing Ebenezer Creek
*Tonya Bolden
(The Civil War
and Reconstruction, 1850-1877)
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The Land
*Mildred D. Taylor
(Immigration,
Industrialization, and Urbanization, 1870-1920)
|
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Flygirl
*Sherri L. Smith
(World War II, 1940s)
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Mare's War
*Tanita S. Davis
(World War II, 1940s)
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All the Days Past, All the Days to Come
*Mildred D. Taylor
(Civil Rights Era,
1954-1968)
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M.C. Higgins the Great
*Virginia Hamilton
(Civil Rights Era,
1954-1968)
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The Rock and the River (The Rock and the River
#1)
*Kekla Magoon
(Civil Rights Era,
1954-1968)
|
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Fire in the Street (The Rock and the River
#2)
*Kekla Magoon
(Civil Rights Era,
1954-1968)
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Mississippi Trial, 1955
Chris Crowe
(Civil Rights Era,
1954-1968)
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It All Comes Down to This
*Karen English
(Vietnam and Cold
War Era, 1955-1980s)
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