Young, Gifted and Black - (See Yourself in Their Stories) by Jamia Wilson (Hardcover)

About the Book

This book brings together 52 icons of color from the past and present in a celebration of achievement.

Book Synopsis

"...to be revisited again and again...The candy-colored pages and straightforward stories are hard to resist..." -The New York Times

"...diverse collection of iconic figures...vibrantly illustrated...beautifully crafted volume..." -Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

"...exuberant...exquisitely designed...a launching point for more discoveries." -School Library Journal, Starred Review

"A luminous and diverse tribute to black movers and shakers across the centuries." -Publishers Weekly

Meet 52 icons of color from the past and present in this celebration of inspirational achievement--a collection of stories about changemakers to encourage, inspire, and empower the next generation of changemakers. Jamia Wilson has carefully curated this range of black icons and the book is stylishly brought together by Andrea Pippins' colorful and celebratory illustrations.

Written in the spirit of Nina Simone's song "To Be Young, Gifted, and Black," this vibrant book is a perfect introduction to both historic and present-day icons and heroes. Meet figureheads, leaders, and pioneers such as Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Rosa Parks, as well as cultural trailblazers and athletes like Stevie Wonder, Oprah Winfrey, and Serena Williams.

All children deserve to see themselves represented positively in the books they read. Highlighting the talent and contributions of black leaders and changemakers from around the world, readers of all backgrounds will be empowered to discover what they too can achieve. Strong, courageous, talented, and diverse, these extraordinary men and women's achievements will inspire a new generation to chase their dream...whatever it may be.

The 52 icons: Mary Seacole, Matthew Henson, Ava Duvernay, Bessie Coleman, Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Cathy Freeman, George Washington Carver, Malorie Blackman, Harriet Tubman, Mo Farah, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Jesse Owens, Beyonce Knowles, Solange Knowles, Katherine Johnson, Josephine Baker, Kofi Annan, Langston Hughes, Toni Morrison, Brian Lara, Madam C.J. Walker, Yannick Noah, Maurice Ashley, Alexandre Duma, Martin Luther King, Jr., Maya Angelou, Nina Simone, Simone Biles, Stevie Wonder, Esperanza Spalding, Sidney Poitier, Oprah Winfrey, Pele, Nelson Mandela, Louis Armstrong, Rosa Parks, Naomi Campbell, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Muhammad Ali, Shirley Chisholm, Steve McQueen, Zadie Smith, Usain Bolt, Wangari Maathai, Mae Jemison, W.E.B. Du Bois, Nicola Adams, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, and Misty Copeland.

If you like this book, check out Young, Gifted and Black Too, for 52 more inspiring icons! For younger readers, Baby Young Gifted and Black is perfect to introduce litte ones to these trailblazers who changed the world.

If you like this book, check out Step Into Your Power and Big Ideas for Young Thinkers, by the same author-illustrator team.

Review Quotes

'A truly international and much-needed volume.' --Bookseller

'If you have faced adversity or have sympathy for those who have, then this book is for you.'--AOI

'This is an essential book for inspiring even the tiniest children to face the world with boldness and self-belief.'--The Observer

"A celebration of the achievements of 52 inspirational Black people, past and present, from homeland abroad. This is an excellent educational tool, as well as something to cherish for life."--Grazia

'a beautifully curated, illustrated and enriching book that everyone should have the pleasure of experiencing, no matter their age.'--Skin Deep Magazine

'Covering a wide spectrum of gifts, talents and trailblazing feats, the book is brought to stunning life by Andrea Pippins' beautiful and distinctive illustrations...This is a beautifully-packaged, very accessible read and should serve as inspiration for a generation of young readers'--Reading Zone

'Pippins' vibrant illustrations are matched perfectly with Wilson's clear, readable mini biographies and the book covers everything from sports stars to writers and political activists. You'll have trouble resisting the urge to cut pages out to hang on your walls.' --Scoop

'Readers from five to eight should be inspired by Jamia Wilson's Young, Gifted and Black, with celebratory illustrations by Andrea Pippins.'--Guardian

'The book addresses a serious problem: the stories we encounter in films, on television and even at school often give a limited view of the achievements of black people...it's truly inspiring and energising read.' --The Week Junior

'This book is a perfect introduction to historic and present-day icons...'--Scotland4kids

"With acid-bright illustrations, this book is a glorious celebration of 52 black heroes - past and present. It's such an inviting book - everything about it is big and bold, the pages teem with detail and information. [...] "You have to see it to be it" is the driving force of this book - this is what young people of all races need to see."--Martha Alexander, The Independent

If you haven't already please pre-order Young, Gifted and Black with words by the incomparable @jamiaw and illustrations from the darling @andreagpippins.--Black Girls Book Club, Black Girls Book Club

In a world dominated by white privilege this book is a brilliant new addition to an arsenal of education about the stars of our multi-cultural world who are so often ignored or airbrushed out of history.--Teen Librarian, Teen Librarian

This inspiring, illuminating, stylishly accessible anthology invites young readers to discover and celebrate phenomenal forebears and contemporary catalysts, while encouraging them to blaze their own inimitable trails...with such a dazzling diversity of talents portrayed here (from writers, musicians, dancers and visual artists, to sports people, scientists and politicians), this book has much to inspire a real range of young readers.--Lovereading4Kids, Lovereading4Kids

About the Author

Jamia Wilson joined Random House as an executive editor in 2021, and is the former executive director and publisher of the Feminist Press. An activist and writer, Wilson has contributed to New York Magazine, The New York Times, The Today Show, CNN, BBC, Teen Vogue, Elle, Refinery 29, Rookie, and The Guardian. She is the author of Young Gifted and Black; Baby Young, Gifted, and Black; Step Into Your Power; and Big Ideas for Young Thinkers. She is also a co-author of Road Map for Revolutionaries and wrote the introduction and oral history to Together We Rise: Behind the Scenes at the Protest Heard Around the World.

Andrea Pippins is an illustrator, designer, and author who has a passion for creating images that reflect what she wants to see in art, media, and pop culture. Her vision is to empower people of color with tools and inspiration to create and tell their own stories. She is the best-selling creator of the coloring book I Love My Hair and the interactive journal Becoming Me. Her clients include O: The Oprah Magazine, Scoop Magazine, Family Circle, The Huffington Post, Bustle, Free People, Lincoln Center, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Andrea is based in Stockholm, Sweden.