With the world feeling out of control lately, it can be hard to know how to feel and what to do. For me, I’m taking more time to listen to those that are hurting. I know that my kids are watching how I’m reacting to the events that are happening right now. I want to be a good example to them of tolerance, understanding, and love. To help me and my family to be better allies to our friends and neighbors, I want to expand our home library to include more books featuring Black characters. Here’s a few of my favorite books to teach kids about black history and culture. Some of these I own, and some are on my wish list!
My kids have some good friends that are black, so we have had talks many times about different skin tones and cultures. I included a few of our favorite books that we read together in my list below. I think sometimes we forget, as parents, that our kids just want to understand the world around them. Little kids, especially, are just curious about the differences between them and their friends. These books are great tools for helping kids of all colors accept and understand each other.
Sweater | Biker Shorts
Little Girls Dresses
Rowe’s Hat | Tee | Shorts
Kids’ Books That Teach Diversity, Acceptance, & Pride
Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The World Needs More Purple People
We’re Different, We’re The Same. And We’re All Wonderful!
Books To Teach Kids About Black History & Culture
Little Legends: Exceptional Men in Black History
You Can Fly: The Tuskegee Airmen
Memphis, Martin, And the Mountaintop
Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History
Heart and Soul: The Story of America & African Americans
I like these books because they are non-fiction and they’re great for older kids. I’m sorry to say that I wasn’t aware of some of these stories and people in history. I’m glad my kids will be able to grow up knowing more about other races and their history. It’s so important that we remember that every culture has an important heritage that should be celebrated.
If you’re looking for more information about black history and culture, here are a few websites I’ve found that are really informative and helpful.
Parent Toolkit: How to talk to kids about race and racism
Do you have anymore books or websites I should add to my list? How have you taught your kids about racism? I know so many people are hurting and have been hurting for a long time. I hope that I can raise my kids to be better allies to our friends and neighbors.
