Black History Trailblazers
Portraits of Determination in Black History
Twenty barrier-breaking figures who shaped American history through courage and conviction. Featuring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
$14.99 USD
Classroom-friendly coloring books built for kindergarten classrooms, homeschool tables, and family read-alouds. The first books many children will own about the people who built the country they're inheriting.
She learns who Katherine Johnson is. And she learns that books like this — books about real American history — include her.
That is the entire reason the Young Learners Series exists.
We built this series because the books that introduce children to Black historical figures are too often either too academic (a kindergartner cannot read a 200-word biography) or too watered-down (a kindergartner can absolutely understand who Martin Luther King Jr. was, if you write it for them). There is a middle ground. The Young Learners Series sits in it.
Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop, the children's-literature scholar, wrote in 1990 that books should serve as both mirrors and windows for children — mirrors that reflect their own lives, windows into the lives of others. Both matter. Both are how children build a sense of who they are and who else is in the world with them.
For Black children, the mirror has historically been missing from most early-childhood bookshelves. For non-Black children, the window has been missing too. The Young Learners Series was built to put both back.
Some adults assume children are too young for history. Children prove them wrong every day. A four-year-old who can recite every dinosaur from the Cretaceous period can absolutely learn who Ruby Bridges was. Children at this age are not too young for history — they are at exactly the age when they form their earliest opinions about what is normal, who is important, and what the world looks like.
What early history exposure does for children:
Coloring is not a filler activity. For children ages 4–7, it is one of the most useful tools on the table:
Pair coloring with biography and you get something better than either alone.
Portraits of Determination in Black History
Twenty barrier-breaking figures who shaped American history through courage and conviction. Featuring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Portraits of Curiosity in Black History
Twenty brilliant minds whose curiosity changed the world. Featuring Neil deGrasse Tyson — a STEM-focused volume that sparks scientific wonder.
Portraits of Courage in Black History
Twenty voices of conscience who stood up for justice. Featuring Fannie Lou Hamer, Bayard Rustin, and Ella Baker.
Portraits of Creativity in Black History
Twenty creators who shaped American culture through music, visual art, and performance. Featuring Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald.
Portraits of Excellence in Black History: HER Stories
Twenty extraordinary women whose stories inspire the next generation. Featuring Katherine Johnson and Mae Jemison.
Picture books for read-aloud, classroom, and family use.
A Young Learners Storybook · Ages 4–7
A warm, intergenerational picture book in which Grandma shares the meaning of Juneteenth with her grandchildren — freedom, family, and remembrance.
By Lamont Spence · Illustrated by NanaBanana Pro · Ages 4–7
A tender watercolor-illustrated story about memory, family, and the day that shaped a young boy's understanding of who he is.
Each volume is structured around twenty short, illustrated biographies — one-a-day rotation during Black History Month, Juneteenth programming, or any month a teacher wants to bring real history into the room.
Wholesale and bulk pricing available for schools, libraries, and senior facilities. Booksellers, museum shops, and community organizations welcome.