CLOSURE: Central Library will be closed Tuesday, July 21, through Saturday, July 25, while emergency repairs are made to the building’s cooling system. We expect to reopen Monday, July 27. Click for more details on holds, program schedules, and returns during the closure. 

Notice of Public Meeting: Kalamazoo Public Library Board of Trustees | July 27 | 5:30 pm | Central Library/Van Deusen Room. The packet of information for the meeting can be found on the library’s website

Black history is your history

Call Number

  • 973.0496 C3454 TEEN (CEN, EAS, OSH, POW, WSQ)

Browse similar titles by call number

Edition

First edition.

Publication Information

New York : Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2025.

Physical Description

189 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm

Audience

Ages 12 up Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Summary

"With sparkling wit and humor-and lots of fun pop culture references-digital content creator Taylor Cassidy (creator of TikTok sensation "Fast Black History") takes readers on a journey through the Black history that she wishes she was taught in school. Weaving together research and personal anecdotes that illuminate each trailblazer's impact on her own life, Taylor paints a vibrant picture of twelve figures from Black history whose groundbreaking contributions shaped America as we know it today. From activists like Claudette Colvin and Marsha P. Johnson to literary giants Zora Neale Hurston and Maya Angelou, fashion designer Patrick Kelly, Olympic Gold medalist Tommie Smith, and more, this one-of-a-kind collection makes Black history relatable, relevant, and inspiring, so modern readers can recognize themselves within its pages. By the end, you'll want to proudly proclaim: "Black history is my history!""--

Contents

  • Claudette Colvin and how to make change at any age
  • Benjamin Banneker and how to never shrink yourself
  • Ida B. Wells and why true strength means being vulnerable
  • Zora Neale Hurston and how to embrace your complex identity
  • Gordon Parks and when it's time to take a risk
  • Ledger Smith and how to find confidence in nerve-racking moments
  • Tommie Smith and how to know who's on your team
  • Cicely Tyson and why good representation changes lives
  • Maya Angelou and why your energy is never too much
  • Patrick Kelly and how rejection can become redirection
  • Marsha P. Johnson and why anger is not an enemy
  • Mae Jemison and how dreaming big will help you reach the stars.

Added Authors

Adriana Bellet