Inventors, authors, musicians, activists and others come to life in Little Legends: Exceptional Men in Black History by Vashti Harrison (Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History) with Kwesi Johnson. In 35 brief illustrated biographies, Harrison highlights the achievements of black men through centuries of world history, including renowned figures like Frederick Douglass and Prince and lesser-known, but equally important, men such as Benjamin Banneker, who built the first full-sized clock in America, and Oscar Micheaux, the first black man to make a feature-length film.
These incredible men influenced both their contemporaries and future generations: historian Arturo Schomburg began preserving books by or about black people after learning about Banneker; activist Paul Stephenson was inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to lead the fight for civil rights in Britain. For young readers whose interest is piqued, Harrison includes some even mini-er biographies, an appendix of resources for further reading, and a challenge to draw your own little legend. --Kyla Paterno, freelance reviewer