Brave. Black. First.: 50+ African American Women Who Changed the World

by Cheryl Willis Hudson, Erin K. Robinson (Illustrator)

Overview

Published in collaboration with the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, discover over 50 remarkable Black women whose unique skills and contributions paved the way for the next generation of young people.

Fearless. Bold. Game changers.

Harriet Tubman guided the way.
Rosa Parks sat for equality.
Aretha Franklin sang from the soul.
Serena Williams bested the competition.
Michelle Obama transformed the White House.
Black women everywhere have changed the world!

Published in partnership with curators from the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, this illustrated biography compilation captures the iconic moments of 50 Black women whose heroism and bravery rewrote the American story for the better.

"A beautifully illustrated testament to the continuing excellence and legacy of African American women." -Kirkus Reviews

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780525645849
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	01/10/2023
Pages:	128
Sales rank:	414,494
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 9.90(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	NC1270L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Cheryl Willis Hudson is an award- winning children’s book author and cofounder with her husband, Wade Hudson, of Just Us Books, Inc., an independent publishing company that focuses on Black-interest books for young people. Her published titles include the classic AFRO- BETS ABC Book; Bright Eyes, Brown Skin; and Brave. Black. First.: 50+ African Ameri-can Women Who Changed the World. She and Wade coed-ited the middle- grade anthologies Recognize, We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices and The Talk: Conversations About Race, Love & Truth. A member of the PEN America Children’s and Young Adult Books Committee, Cheryl has been honored with the Madam C. J. Walker Legacy Award and Children’s Book Council Diversity Outstanding Achieve-ment Award. You can learn more about Cheryl on her website cherylwillishudson.com.

Erin K. Robinson is an Emmy-nominated illustrator in the News and Documentary category. Trained at the Parsons School of Design and the Corcoran School of Art, Erin's illustrations have been featured in the New York Times and the Washington Post, among others. Erin splits her time between Brooklyn, NY, and Washington, DC. You can find her art on her Etsy shop brooklyndolly.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Brave. Black. First.:
A Black Caucus of the American Library Association's Best of the Best Selection!
A Champions of Change Showcase Reading List Pick!
One of NBC News's "7 Awe-Inspiring Children's Books to Celebrate Women's History Month!"

From the Publisher

2019-11-10
Accompanied by Robinson's brightly textured illustrations, Hudson's text highlights trailblazing African American women from the 1700s until the present day.

Including women from all industries and spheres of activity—theater to mathematics to tennis—everyone here has made her mark. The illustrations evoke a reverence for these women and capture iconic poses, such as Zora Neale Hurston in her fur-trimmed coat and feathered cap and Angela Davis with a raised fist. Each one-page biography includes a famous, inspiring quote from its subject as epigraph. "Women know how to get things done," for instance, introduces civil rights activist Dorothy Irene Height. Alongside familiar figures are names likely new to many readers: sculptor Augusta Fells Savage, fashion designer Ann Lowe, and Union Army nurse Susie King Taylor, for instance. Although the book does include a few members of the lesbian, bisexual, and queer community, such as Sheryl Swoopes, there is an absence of transgender women, many of whom have achieved historic firsts in the 20th and 21st centuries. It is disappointing to see the omission of such pivotal figures, who have often stood side by side with cisgender black women to advance the rights and freedoms of African Americans. The backmatter provides additional facts about each woman along with information on artifacts at the National Museum of African American History and Culture and at the National Portrait Gallery.

A beautifully illustrated testament to the continuing excellence and legacy of African American women. (Collective biography. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews