Published by Wide Eyed Editions

Summary:  In this second volume of the series, profiles of 52 Black people from all over the world are arranged chronologically, beginning with Spanish poet Juan Latino (c. 1518-c. 1594) and concluding with Flint, Michigan activist Mari Copeny (2007-present).  Each subject gets several paragraphs of text and a folk art-style illustration that includes objects that show the subject’s area of expertise.  The introduction encourages readers to think about what contributions they want to make to the world.  Includes a glossary.  64 pages; grades 2-6.

Pros:  An excellent addition to Black history collections, with plenty of recognizable names like Thurgood Marshall and Coretta Scott King but lots of lesser-known ones that deserve to have some light shone on them.  There’s lots of international representation and the illustrations do a nice job celebrating the subjects’ achievements.

Cons:  The information is necessarily short, so additional resources will be needed for more in-depth research.