Our collection of picture books featuring Black and Indigenous people and People of Color (BIPOC) is available to the public. *Inclusion of a title in the collection DOES NOT EQUAL a recommendation.* Click here for more on book evaluation.
COVID-19 Info: Currently, our collection is only available via Interlibrary Loan (ILL). However, we appreciate your patience as these services are still limited and you may find inactive links to the Bates Library Catalog and MARC record on certain book pages.
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23 matching books
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Biography 14
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Canadian 1
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Mexican 1
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Unspecified 21
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Activism 7
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Fiction 9
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Non-Fiction 14
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Boy/Man 19
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Girl/Woman 19
Crayola Team Colors
"Why are soccer balls black and white? What do the colors on a team's jersey mean? Explore colors in sports with Crayola! Photos and text celebrate colors in children's sports as well as favorite professional teams. Back matter features the Crayola colors found in photos throughout the book." -- publisher
Northbound: A Train Ride Out of Segregation
"On his first train ride, Michael meets a new friend from the “whites only” car—but finds they can hang together for only part of the trip—in the last story in a trilogy about the author’s life growing up in the segregated South. Michael and his granddaddy always stop working to watch the trains as they rush by their Alabama farm on the way to distant places. One day Michael gets what he’s always dreamed of: his first train journey, to visit cousins in Ohio! Boarding the train in the bustling station, Michael and his grandma follow the conductor to the car with the “colored only” sign. But when the train pulls out of Atlanta, the signs come down, and a boy from the next car runs up to Michael, inviting him to explore. The two new friends happily scour the train together and play in Bobby Ray’s car—until the conductor calls out “Chattanooga!” and abruptly ushers Michael back to his grandma for the rest of the ride. How could the rules be so changeable from state to state—and so unfair? Based on author Michael Bandy’s own recollections of taking the train as a boy during the segregation era, this story of a child’s magical first experience is intercut with a sense of baffling injustice, offering both a hopeful tale of friendship and a window into a dark period of history that still resonates today." -- publisher
The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read
"Imagine learning to read at the age of 116! Discover the true story of Mary Walker, the nation’s oldest student who did just that, in this picture book from a Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator and a rising star author. In 1848, Mary Walker was born into slavery. At age 15, she was freed, and by age 20, she was married and had her first child. By age 68, she had worked numerous jobs, including cooking, cleaning, babysitting, and selling sandwiches to raise money for her church. At 114, she was the last remaining member of her family. And at 116, she learned to read. From Rita Lorraine Hubbard and rising star Oge More comes the inspirational story of Mary Walker, a woman whose long life spanned from the Civil War to the Civil Rights Movement, and who—with perseverance and dedication—proved that you’re never too old to learn." -- publisher
Born to swing
Ever since she was a young girl, Lil Hardin played music with a beat. She jammed at home, at church, and even at her first job in a music store. At a time when women's only place in jazz was at the microphone, Lil earned a spot playing piano in Chicago's hottest band.
Hammering for freedom
The inspirational story of William "Bill" Lewis, a hardworking blacksmith who slowly saved his money to free his family--Publisher-provided summary
Lorraine
Pa Paw and Lorraine always lift their spirits by playing music together, but their instruments are missing when a fearsome storm hits the Tennessee hills.
Memphis, Martin, and the mountaintop
This historical fiction picture book presents the story of nine-year-old Lorraine Jackson through prose and poetry. In 1968 she witnessed the Memphis sanitation strike--Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s final stand for justice before his assassination--when her father, a sanitation worker, participated in the protest.
Mia and Luis / Luis y Mia
Luis y Mia/Mia and Luis is a flip-over book that tells the story of a cross-cultural friendship from each child’s perspective. Luis is the child of Mexican immigrants and Mia is a White American child. Their story begins when Mia makes a culturally insensitive remark to Luis. Prayer and thoughtful conversations with family help Luis and Mia move past this rocky start and develop a lasting friendship. Mia’s story explores important issues such as what makes someone American, biblical perspectives on immigrants, and how to make amends. Luis’s story explores issues such as cultural pride, challenges faced by immigrants, and forgiveness. Luis y Mia/Mia and Luis will help children ages 6-9 understand the importance of showing love to people who are different, apologizing when you’re wrong, forgiving one another, and making everyone feel welcome. Both stories are in English and Spanish. -- publisher
Someday is now
Presents the life of Clara Luper, an African-American teacher and local civil rights leader who taught her students about equality and led them in lunch counter sit-in demonstrations in Oklahoma City in 1958.
Beacon to freedom
Tells the story of nineteenth century abolitionist Reverend John Rankin and his brave early efforts working as a conductor on the Underground Railroad, risking his safety and the safety of his family to help nearly two thousand slaves escape from Kentucky to Ohio