Celebrating Black Trailblazers From History Part 2 (With More Books and Free Downloadable Coloring Pages For Kids!)
Last week we shared some of our favorite Black Trailblazers in history, from civil rights icon Rosa Parks to our new Madame Vice President Kamala Harris. This week, the celebrations continue with even more Trailblazing women, including four brand new faces to the collection!
We're back with more book recommendations and free downloadable coloring pages to teach your little ones about these incredible pioneers in writing, sports, politics, and more!
What other activities or resources are you using with your kids for Black History Month? Share with us in the comments!
P.S. We want to see your artwork! Post a picture on Instagram and tag us at @piccolina_kids for a chance to be featured!
Maya Angelou
ABOUT MAYA:
Maya Angelou was an American poet, author, singer, memoirist, and civil rights activist. She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, and is credited with a list of plays, movies, and television shows spanning over 50 years. She received dozens of awards and more than 50 honorary degrees, including for her 1969 memoir which made literary history as the first nonfiction bestseller by an African American woman.
BOOKS ABOUT MAYA ANGELOU
Shop the Maya Angelou Collection here
Marian Anderson
ABOUT MARIAN:
Marian Anderson (1897-1993) was an American singer and one of the finest contraltos of her time. Her pure vocal quality, richness of tone, and tremendous range allowed her to perform a wide range of music, from opera to spirituals. Although many concert opportunities were closed to her because of her race, Anderson performed with renowned orchestras in major concert and recital venues throughout the United States, Europe, and South America between 1925 and 1965. She was an important figure in the struggle for African-American artists to overcome racial prejudice in the United States during the mid-twentieth century.
In 1955, Marian Anderson became the first African American singer to perform as a member of the New York Metropolitan Opera and was given a standing ovation by the audience. In addition, she worked as a delegate to the United Nations Human Rights Committee and as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United States Department of State, giving concerts all over the world as well as participated in the civil rights movement in the 1960s.
Anderson was a recipient of numerous awards and honors including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1963, the Congressional Gold Medal in 1977, the National Medal of Arts in 1986, and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1991.
BOOKS ABOUT MARIAN ANDERSON
Madam CJ Walker
ABOUT MADAM CJ WALKER:
Madam C. J. Walker (born Sarah Breedlove) (1867 - 1919) was an American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and political and social activist. Walker's business acumen led her to be one of the first American women to become a self-made millionaire and help create the role of the 20th Century, self-made American businesswoman. After suffering from a scalp ailment that resulted in her own hair loss, Walker invented a line of African American homemade hair products and became a pioneer of the modern black hair-care and cosmetics industry.
She founded the Madam C. J. Walker Manufacturing Company and traveled to promote and teach her hair care methods known as the "Walker system". C. J. Walker was also know for her philanthropic endeavors and used her fortune to fund scholarships for women and donated generously to educational causes, Black charities, NAACP, the Black YMCA, and dozens of other organizations.
BOOKS ABOUT CJ WALKER
Toni Morrison
ABOUT TONI:
Chloe Anthony Wofford Morrison (1931-2019) known as Toni Morrison, was an American Nobel prize and Pulitzer prize-winning novelist, essayist, book editor, and college professor. Her novels are known for their epic themes, exquisite language, richly detailed African American characters, and for her examination of Black experience (particularly Black female experience) within the Black community. Morrison's works are praised for addressing the harsh consequences of racism in the United States.
Among her best-known novels are 'The Bluest Eye', 'Sula', 'Song of Solomon', 'Beloved', 'Jazz', 'Love', and 'A Mercy'. During her career, she branched out to children's literature and other genres. In recognition of her contributions to her field, Morrison received the 1993 Nobel Prize in Literature, making her the first African American woman to be selected for the award. As a true champion of the arts, Toni Morrison earned a plethora of book-world accolades and honorary degrees, as well as received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012.
BOOKS ABOUT TONI MORRISON
There's no better way to get to know an author than through their own written work, and thankfully Toni has written a number of children's book with her son Slade:
Shirley Chisholm
ABOUT SHIRLEY:
Shirley Anita Chisholm (1924-2005) was an American politician, educator, and author. In 1968, she became the first African American woman elected to the United States Congress, representing New York's 12th congressional district for seven terms from 1969 to 1983. Known as "Fighting Shirley", she introduced more than 50 pieces of legislation, championed racial and gender equality, and fought for the poor.
In the 1972 United States presidential election, Chisholm went on to make history yet again becoming the first African American candidate for a major party's nomination for President of the United States and the first woman to run for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination. After retiring from Congress in 1983, Shirley taught at Mount Holyoke College and co-founded the National Political Congress of Black Women while continuing her political organizing and fight for education opportunities and social justice.
BOOKS ABOUT SHIRLEY CHISHOLM
Lisa Leslie
ABOUT LISA:
Lisa Deshaun Leslie started her basketball career on an all boy basketball team in middle school and became a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner. Drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks, Leslie helped her team make the playoffs five consecutive times and led them to win a WNBA title in 2001.
In 2002, Leslie became the first woman to dunk the ball in a WNBA game and also the first WNBA player to score over 3,000 total career points. Leslie remains the Sparks' career scoring and rebounding leader and also became the third player in WNBA history to record a "triple double." Since her retirement from professional basketball in 2009, Leslie has worked as a sports commentator and analyst for several sports networks, such as NBC, ABC and Fox Sports News.
BOOKS ABOUT LISA LESLIE
Wilma Rudolph
ABOUT WILMA:
Despite enduring many health issues throughout her childhood, Wilma Rudolph became the first American woman to win three gold medals in track and field at a single Olympic Games. Rudolph was born prematurely in 1940 and had many health issues early in her childhood. At one point, Rudolph's doctors even told her she would never walk as the result of issues with one of her legs. Yet, with great determination, physical therapy, and the support of her mother she was able to overcome her disabilities.
Nicknamed "Skeeter" for her infamous speed, Rudolph was the youngest member of the U.S. track and field team and won a bronze medal in the 400-meter relay during the 1956 Olympic Games in Australia. During the 1960 Olympic Games in Italy, Rudolph broke the Olympic record in the 200-meter dash, claiming a gold medal. She was also a part of the U.S. team that established the world record in the 400-meter relay. After Rudolph retired, she went on to teach, coach and run a community center.
