Young, Gifted and Black: Meet 52 Black Heroes from Past and Present

Ò...to be revisited again and againÉThe candy-colored pages and straightforward stories are hard to resistÉÓ ÐThe New York Times

Ò...diverse collection of iconic figuresÉvibrantly illustratedÉbeautifully crafted volumeÉÓ ÐKirkus Reviews, Starred Review

ÒÉexuberantÉexquisitely designedÉa launching point for more discoveries.Ó ÐSchool Library Journal, Starred Review

ÒA luminous and diverse tribute to black movers and shakers across the centuries.Ó ÐPublishers Weekly

Meet

52 icons of color from the past and present

in this celebration of inspirational achievementÑa collection of stories about changemakers to encourage, inspire, and empower the next generation of changemakers. Jamia Wilson has carefully curated this range of black icons and the book is stylishly brought together by Andrea PippinsÕ

colorful and celebratory illustrations

.

Written in the spirit of Nina SimoneÕs song ÒTo Be Young, Gifted, and Black,Ó this vibrant book is a perfect introduction to both historic and present-day icons and heroes. Meet

figureheads

,

leaders

, and

pioneers

such as Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Rosa Parks, as well as

cultural trailblazers

and

athletes

like Stevie Wonder, Oprah Winfrey, and Serena Williams.

All children deserve to see themselves represented positively in the books they read.

Highlighting the talent and contributions of black leaders and changemakers from around the world, readers of all backgrounds will be empowered to discover what they too can achieve. Strong, courageous, talented, and diverse, these extraordinary men and women's achievements will inspire a new generation to chase their dreamÉwhatever it may be.

The 52 icons:

Mary Seacole, Matthew Henson, Ava Duvernay, Bessie Coleman, Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Cathy Freeman, George Washington Carver, Malorie Blackman, Harriet Tubman, Mo Farah, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Jesse Owens, Beyonce Knowles, Solange Knowles, Katherine Johnson, Josephine Baker, Kofi Annan, Langston Hughes, Toni Morrison, Brian Lara, Madam C.J. Walker, Yannick Noah, Maurice Ashley, Alexandre Duma, Martin Luther King, Jr., Maya Angelou, Nina Simone, Simone Biles, Stevie Wonder, Esperanza Spalding, Sidney Poitier, Oprah Winfrey, Pele, Nelson Mandela, Louis Armstrong, Rosa Parks, Naomi Campbell, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Muhammad Ali, Shirley Chisholm, Steve McQueen, Zadie Smith, Usain Bolt, Wangari Maathai, Mae Jemison, W.E.B. Du Bois, Nicola Adams, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, and Misty Copeland.

If you like this book, check out

Young, Gifted and Black Too,Ê

for 52 more inspiring icons! For younger readers,

Baby Young Gifted and Black

is perfect to introduce litte ones to these trailblazers who changed the world.

If you like this book, check out

Step Into Your Power

and

Big Ideas for Young Thinkers

, by the same author-illustrator team.Ê