Some bookstores may be closed in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on January 19, 2026, but many are open and ready to help you find inspiring and informative books about Dr. King and his fight for Civil Rights.
I think March should be required reading in all American high schools. It’s a historical graphic novel about the civil rights movement and the life of John Lewis. Nate Powell’s stark black and white illustrations and John Lewis’s words create an evocative and immersive experience that would be difficult (if not impossible) to achieve in …
I was searching for an up-to-date account of the events and issues surrounding Boldt Decision on the 50th anniversary of that momentous court case, and Treaty Justice was just the ticket. While I learned what I had hoped to about the so-called “fish wars,” I found the book to offer an outstanding overall account of the …
Part autobiography and part civil rights primer, March chronicles Rep. John Lewis’ childhood on an Alabama farm and his involvement with the civil rights movement. Artist Nate Powell powerfully captures the tension of this period in stark black and white illustrations. The complete trilogy spans the civil rights movement up to the inauguration of President …
A world record holder and gold medalist at the 1963 Olympics, Smith and a teammate took to the awards podium and made history with their protest. Her is a long-overdue look at this moment. –Holly, Elliott Bay Book Company, Seattle, WA Take long-overdue looks with books from Elliott Bay Book Company and other independent bookstores. …
From Marissa at Grass Roots Books & Music in Corvallis, OR, originally posted on nwbooklovers on April 11, 2018: In Zumas’s all-too-familiar dystopia set in a small Oregon coastal town, Roe v. Wade has been overturned. The narrative explores the complexity of childbearing — both the desire for and not for — and the reduction …
What books would you recommend to contemplate and celebrate the life and works of Martin Luther King, Jr.?
Martha Jones is a giant in the field of African American history and this book is her best yet. Beautiful storytelling, which incorporates Jones’s own family history, makes this the perfect book for any armchair historian. Jones brings to light the stories of dozens of black women who are often ignored in history books, proving that …
From the archives: The March Trilogy is one of the most important graphic novels created. A superbly told history of the civil rights movement, John Lewis’s personal account of the actions of individuals and organizations throughout the South (but focused largely in Alabama) is a gripping, passionate, and richly detailed narrative of the events that would eventually …
No matter your age, there is value for you in this video of an event hosted by The Brown Bookshelf, a group of authors and illustrators who came together to push awareness of the myriad of African American voices writing for young readers. The Brown Bookshelf is honoured to host the KidLit4BlackLives Rally that took …
