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

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

Published in collaboration with the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, discover over fifty remarkable African American women whose unique skills and contributions paved the way for the next generation of young people. Perfect for fans of Rad Women Worldwide, Women in Science, and Girls Think of Everything.

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 fifty African American women whose heroism and bravery rewrote the American story for the better.

They were fearless. They were bold. They were game changers.

Genres: Biography, History, Nonfiction, Middle Grade, Childrens, Anthologies, Picture Books

128 pages, Hardcover

First published January 7, 2020

About the author

Cheryl Willis Hudson is vice president and editorial director of Just Us Books, an independent publisher of black-interest books for children and young adults. She has written many books for children, and lives in New Jersey.

Reviews

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come.

[Amy Layton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Discussing prominent figures such as Michelle Obama, Misty Copeland, and Simone Biles, Brave. Black. First. also features historical figures that may be lesser known to children of todya's generation, such as Aretha Franklin, Katherine Johnson, and Bessie Coleman.  Each biography is about a page long, accompanied by a full-page illustration of each featured woman. It gives a brief overview of their lives, their accomplishments, their achievements, and either what they are doing now (if they're still alive), or why their accomplishments were so incredibly important.  

I learned about so many women that I either didn't know anything about, or my knowledge about some women was further reinforced.  This is such a fantastic resource, great for inspiration and school projects.  Perfect for grades 3-5.

Review cross-listed here!

[Shannon Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

these are the women we should be learning about in school. it’s a shame that our education system refuses to teach us about some of the most influential women in our country simply because they are black.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an awesome read! 52 mini bios of African American women who changed the world. The title says it all! Each two-page spread had a beautiful illustration of the featured woman on one side and a bio on the other. Each bio started with a quote from the woman. I jotted down many of them for inspiration! Then at the end of the book was an extra section with a few bullet points of extra info on each woman, plus any available related photographs. Finally, the authors conclude with a section about the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the National Portrait Gallery, and a list of suggested further resources, to share with young readers where they got their information. I think this is going to be a new go-to recommendation for students needing to do a biography project!

The women aren't listed out on the back of the book. Here's a list of who's featured:
•Marian Anderson
•Maya Angelou
•Mary McLeod Bethune
•Simone Biles
•Black Lives Matter (Patrisse Cullors, Alicia Garza, Opal Tometi)
•Ruby Bridges
•Gwendolyn Brooks
•Elizabeth Catlett
•Shirley Chisholm
•Bessie Coleman
•Misty Copeland
•Angela Davis
•Ruby Dee
•Ava DuVernay
•Ella Fitzgerald
•Aretha Franklin
•Althea Gibson
•Fannie Lou Hamer
•Carla Hayden
•Dorothy Irene Height
•Lena Horne
•Zora Neale Hurston
•Judith Jamison
•Mae C. Jemison
•Katherine Johnson
•Barbara Jordan
•Beyoncé Knowles-Carter
•Ann Lowe
•Loretta Lynch
•Toni Morrison
•Ibtihaj Muhammad
•Michelle Obama
•Rosa Parks
•Leontyne Price
•Condoleeza Rice
•Faith Ringgold
•Diana Ross
•Wilma Rudolph
•Augusta Fells Savage
•Ntozake Shange
•Nina Simone
•Sheryl Swoopes
•Susie King Taylor
•Sojourner Truth
•Harriet Tubman
•Madame C.J. Walker
•Ida B. Wells
•Phyllis Wheatley
•Serena Williams
•Oprah Winfrey

[Shani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very succinct and well selected women. The art was good and the additional notes at the end were nice. A good but brief summary of the achievements of several amazing black women. #BlackGirlMagic

[forky wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful art.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was a 3.5 for me, and I would certainly recommend that classrooms and libraries add it to their collection since it fills an important gap. Middle graders and older readers in search of examples of African-American world-changers will find a great place to start in this volume. Featuring more than 50 women who were artists, singers, dancers, activists, mathematicians, athletes, writers, academics, astronauts, and even librarians, this book will surely inspire young readers to dream big and not others limit their possibilities. Each woman receives a full-page text description of her accomplishments and formative years as well as lifespan and a quote that typifies her. On the opposite page there is a luminous illustration of that woman. Each of these women could have just stepped out of history, and the images are rendered romantically, to highlight the subjects' strengths and notable characteristics. The individuals profiled here have made their mark on history with some of them still making those marks. Since the book has been published in support and with assistance from the curators of the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture, readers won't want to miss the back matter that provides even more information about them, including protest posters, clothing they wore or designed, statues, and even a shawl once worn by Harriet Tubman. Oh, my! What an experience it would be to see these artifacts! These black women were undeniably brave ground-breakers, and the author and artist are clearly in awe of their accomplishments.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brave. Black. First.: 50+ African American Women Who Changed the World by Cheryl Willis Hudson, illustrated by Erin K. Robinson, 128 pages. NONFICTION. Crown Books for Young Readers (Penguin Random House), 2020. $19
Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: G; Violence: G.

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

This collection of one page biographies is a collaboration with the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture. Each biography includes an illustration and a quote. Some of the biographies are of very popular women such as Harriet Tubman, Serena Williams and Oprah, but many are lesser known women.

This anthology of short biographies and full page illustrations is very engaging. It would be fun to read one a day in the classroom, during Black History Month or at any other time. At the end of the book there are photographs of the artifacts of these women that are housed in the museum, giving this virtual field trip potential.

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2020...

[Pam Carlson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title says it all. The women recognized here devoted (or still devote) their lives to altering the worlds of politics, social justice, literature, education, dance, sports, music, science, entrepreneurship, and more. Each has one page devoted to her accomplishments and life story. The facing pages contain striking, not always flattering full page illustrations. More information on each is contained in a Learn More section in the back along with those who are represented in the National Museum of African American History and Culture and National Portrait Gallery. There is also information on the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Some of these women are unknown by many. All may serve as role models.

[SarahO · Rating 3 out of 5]

The thing that stood out to me in reading about all these women is the communities around them. Communities that saw their potential and worked together to support them and help them reach their goal. And many of the women gave back to the communities and helping the next generation of young dreamers. It's very inspirational.
While I really enjoyed the topic, and learning about all the amazing women throughout U.S. history, I had an issue with writing itself. Each woman had their own one page bio but the narrative seemed all over the place that I kept losing focus. I would have enjoyed it more if it had a little more structure.

[Elaine Fultz, Teacher Librarian, MLS · Rating 4 out of 5]

Librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden is featured in here. Woohoo!

[Aleezeh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It was so informative, insightful, inspiring, and beautiful! There are 52 women featured in this book, each with a one-page story of their life and impact, accompanied by a beautiful illustration of them by Erin C. K. Robinson. The women who are celebrated in this book include well-known names like Michelle Obama, Ruby Bridges, and Oprah, as well as women I never knew about, such as Misty Copeland, Carla Hayden, and Wilma Rudolph.

Even though this book is only about 100 pages long, it took me almost a week to finish it because I kept wanting to learn more about each woman before moving on to the next one. For this reason I LOVED the “Learn More” section in the back of the book which includes photos, fun facts, and some of the many creations of the women in this book. I wholeheartedly believe that more books should include a section like this.

I am not a teacher, but I can clearly see that this book has immense educational value for children of all ages, especially when the current education system does not teach about many of these women. Most of the schools I attended in my life had a predominantly white student and teacher population, and it was not often that we were challenged to expand our frame of reference to look through diverse perspectives outside of our own. I would have loved it if one of my school teachers had made it a project to research more about one of the women in this book and to present our work to the class. This way we would get to expand our frame of reference and learn about the amazing work and legacies of these women, and celebrate their numerous contributions to art, science, sports, politics, and many many many more.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short bite-sized biographies for any reader. Just enough information to start to get to know these brave black first women. Readers will want to learn more about these women and hopefully, they will seek out more information, I know I was hungry for more information. I loved the quotes at the beginning of each biography.

Can be read in order or readers can skip around to their favorites and learn about new favorites. I would have liked to learn a bit more about the women such as how they died, only a few had how they died. I don't want to sound morbid but I am curious about how their life ended. The book does list the dates and places of birth and death (when applicable). Many of the women received the Medal of Freedom but didn't say from which president. Sure, I can look it up online or in another book but I felt like there could/should have been more complete information. At the end of the book, it did have some additional information on each woman.

"Brave. Black. First" is definitely a must for all libraries, all levels.

[C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brave Black First is a brilliantly compiled manuscript of fascinating women, some widely known and others lesser-known individuals, all successful and well accomplished by any standards. The book flows well and offers inspiring looks into lives of struggles, hardships, joys, and ultimately triumphs.

One of the best features is that this book covers women of all backgrounds, abilities, and areas of accomplishment. Some women are from pre emancipation, such as Harriet Tubman, some from the Jim crow/civil rights era, such as Fannie Lou Hamer, to current amazing women like the Williams sisters, Shirley Chisholm, Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, etc.

Some women are organizers, educators, athletes, politicians, authors, celebrities, musicians, and our beloved first African American First Lady, Michelle Obama. The book feels warm, like a comfortable blanket of love and reassurance that we do more than survive; we thrive and leave beautiful legacies.

[Read Ribbet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful anthology of over fifty profiles of women of color. Both historical and contemporary women are featured from the arts, activism, science, government, sports and business. Each profile is about a page in length. It would be a great book to jigsaw with allowing students to choose different profiles to read and share with others. The book ends with a nice collection of bullet point summaries of each woman. It links to artifacts on display at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. A great resource to add to any classroom or school collection.

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would have adored this book of profiles as a middle grade reader! I so appreciate the care Cheryl Willis Hudson takes in all her projects, and particularly her gifts for making collections like this possible. Striking illustrations by Erin K. Robinson, loved the short quote from each woman at the top of each page. A little surprised that there was not more disability and sexuality included (only one profile mentioned the subject coming out as a lesbian), not to mention the lack of trans women, but maybe in a sequel?

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great, easy to read history of over 50 accomplished black women. Most of whom I have heard of and read about but there were few in the book I had not been that familiar with so I appreciated those a little more b/c I love learning about people I don't know anything about. Erin K. Robinson's illustrations are nice as well.

The ones I didn't know that much about are:

Augusta Fells Savage - Art work and sculptor
Elizabeth Catlett - Printmaker and sculptor
Susie King Taylor - The first black army nurse during the Civil War
Loretta Lynch - First Black Female Attorney General

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Biographies of more than 50 African American women who have made history (herstory!). From Michelle Obama to Serena Williams to Rosa Parks, this book features scientists, singers, dancers, artists, civil rights leaders, politicians, and more. Each bio is accompanied by beautiful portraits.
My favorite quote from Zora Neale Hurston: "Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose."

[Tracey Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has 50 mini-biographies of African American women who changed the world. A great mix of the ultra-famous current figures like Michelle Obama to historical and lesser-known but still critically important women. This is a great book for Black History Month, Women's History Month, or for teaching about the genre of biography. I've used it to help students pic a famous woman they wanted to do a research paper on or to extend learning on women's issues and African American history.

[❄Elsa Frost❄ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is really cool! I thought of a few important African American women not mentioned here (I.e. Gabby Douglas, Tarana Burke, et al.), but this is for sure a great, really comprehensive book covering many historic figures and present day important people.

[Erin Logan · Rating 4 out of 5]

What can I say? I'm a sucker for an anthology of amazing women! Each two-page spread features artwork of and a brief history of a bold Black woman and how she changed the world. The artwork is lovely and the writing is compelling.

[Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic array of fine women. included is further information about each person, an index, and links to the Smithsonian museum. This is a great start to learn more about more people than we genrally hear of in a typical history class

[Annese · Rating 4 out of 5]

Includes a good mix of contemporary women contributing to American society. Very refreshing to see.

[Amber Alvarado Canto · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will be buying this ASAP!

[Ms. Arca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my favorite art / formatting style, but I loved the collection of women chosen and that each one gets art and a one pager.

[Jbondandrews · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good collection of short biographies.

[Yasmin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very beautiful book.

[Katie (BooksRUs) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the pictures and descriptions. However, I wasn't sure of the organization of the book, though. It's not alphabetical, topical, or by birth year. It would have been better one of those way.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved reading about those I should long ago known about among those I had. Lots of interesting things. Really liked the reference section at the end.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Children can graduate from Vashti Harrison's Little Leaders to this. I loved the format and artwork.