Freeman, Laura Archives - Diverse BookFinder

Ketanji: Justice Jackson’s Journey to the U.S. Supreme Court

“Ketanji Brown Jackson is no stranger to people trying to stand in her way.

When a guidance counselor told her she should set her sights lower than Harvard, she decided to go to Harvard for her undergraduate degree and her law degree.

When she became a public defender and was confronted with systemic inequalities in the justice system, she used her legal skills to advocate for people who needed her help, but couldn’t afford an attorney.

Ketanji’s path to the Supreme Court may have been unique—she’s the only current Justice to have been a public defender and one of just a few who went to public school—but it is distinctively powerful and heartening, and will present a generation of readers with a new inspirational figure.” — publisher […]

The Highest Tribute: Thurgood Marshall’s Life, Leadership, and Legacy

“Growing up, Thurgood Marshall saw that things weren’t fair. Baltimore, his hometown, was segregated—laws said Black and white people couldn’t use the same resources, like schools, parks, or water fountains. When Thurgood had to read the Constitution as punishment for a prank at school, his eyes were opened. Thurgood knew Jim Crow laws were wrong, and he was willing to do whatever it took to change them.

His determination to make all Americans equal led him to law school and then the NAACP, where he argued cases like Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka in front of the Supreme Court before Lyndon Johnson appointed him as a justice. But to get to the highest court in the land, Thurgood had to make space for himself every step of the way.” — publisher […]

This Is Tap: Savion Glover Finds His Funk

“This is a story about tap dancing, a distinctly American art form that blended English-Scottish-Irish clog dancing with African tribal dancing. And it’s about a boy, Savion Glover–who was born to feel the music—to dance and perform and invent. And to delight and awe audiences with the movements of his body.” — publisher […]

A voice named Aretha

In this stirring biography of a true artistic and social icon, young readers learn how Aretha’s talent, intelligence, and perseverance made her a star who will shine on for generations to come. — […]

Dream Builder

“You’ve seen the building. Now meet the man whose life went into it.
Philip Freelon’s grandfather was an acclaimed painter of the Harlem Renaissance. His father was a successful businessman who attended the 1963 March on Washington. When Phil decided to attend architecture school, he created his own focus on African American and Islamic designers. He later chose not to build casinos or prisons, instead concentrating on schools, libraries, and museums–buildings that connect people with heritage and fill hearts with joy. And in 2009, Phil’s team won a commission that let him use his personal history in service to the country’s: the extraordinary Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Dream Builder: The Story of Architect Philip Freelon celebrates a contemporary black STEAM role model, a man whose quiet work enabled the creation of an iconic building reflecting America’s past and future. With a stirring text by Kelly Starling Lyons, vibrant pictures by Laura Freeman, and an afterword from Philip Freelon himself, it is sure to inspire the next generation of dreamers and builders.” — publisher […]

Kamala Harris

“Discover the incredible story of a young daughter of immigrants who would grow up to be the first woman, first Black person, and first South Asian American ever elected Vice President of the United States in this moving picture book biography of Kamala Harris.

When Kamala Harris was young, she often accompanied her parents to civil rights marches—so many, in fact, that when her mother asked a frustrated Kamala what she wanted, the young girl responded with: “Freedom!”

As Kamala grew from a small girl in Oakland to a senator running for president, it was this long-fostered belief in freedom and justice for all people that shaped her into the inspiring figure she is today. From fighting for the use of a soccer field in middle school to fighting for the people of her home state in Congress, Senator Harris used her voice to speak up for what she believed in and for those who were otherwise unheard. And now this dedication has led her all the way to being elected Vice President of the United States.

Told in Nikki Grimes’s stunning verse and featuring gorgeous illustrations by Laura Freeman, this picture book biography brings to life a story that shows all young people that the American dream can belong to all of us if we fight for one another.” — publisher […]

Follow Chester!

“A little known civil rights hero and college football MVP finally gets a voice in this fictional account detailing Chester Pierce’s game-changing play as he became the first black college football player to compete south of the Mason-Dixon Line.

In 1947, no African American player can play at a southern school; in return, the opposing team benches a player of “equal talent.” This historical fiction picture book frames a turbulent time in the civil rights era with the clever use of a football play to show race relations and teamwork. Inspired by a true story, capturing a historic defense against the Jim Crow laws of the South.” — publisher […]

Hidden figures

Explores the previously uncelebrated but pivotal contributions of NASA’s African American women mathematicians to America’s space program, describing how Jim Crow laws segregated them despite their groundbreaking successes. Includes biographies on Dorothy Jackson Vaughan (1910-2008), Mary Winston Jackson (1921-2005), Katherine Colman Goble Johnson (1918- ), Dr. Christine Mann Darden (1942- ) […]

Fancy party gowns

"As soon as Ann Cole Lowe could walk, her momma and grandma taught her to sew. When her mom died, Ann continued sewing dresses. It wasn’t easy, especially when she went to design school and had to learn alone, segregated from the rest of the class. But the work she did set her spirit soaring, as evidenced in the clothes she made. Rarely credited, Ann Cole Lowe became "society’s best kept secret." This beautiful picture book shines the spotlight on a figure who proved that with hard work and passion, any obstacles can be overcome"–|cProvided by publisher […]