Comics and graphic novels have long served to educate and engage readers around social injustice—which is why the American Library Association’s Graphic Novels and Comics Round Table and the Black Caucus of the American Library Association have curated a list of comics relating to the Black Lives Matter movement. The list contains both fiction and nonfiction titles, with selections aimed toward readers of all ages.
“Comic books have always been political. They are both a reflection and a barometer of our times,” the list introduction reads. “Comic books have been and continue to be vitally important avenues to visually tell our stories, to share our histories, and to show experiences and multiple perspectives while engaging both sides of our brain.”
The full list of titles is below. For descriptions of each work, visit the Graphic Novels and Comics Round Table website.
Comics, Graphic Novels, and Picture Books for Children
The Case for Loving: The Fight for Interracial Marriage
by Selina Alko, writer; Sean Qualls and Selina Alko, artists
Dream Big, Little One
by Vasthi Harrison, writer and artist
Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History
by Vashti Harrison, writer and artist.
Little Legends: Exceptional Men in Black History
by Vashti Harrison, writer and artist; with Kwesi Johhnson, writer.
The Little Rock Nine and the Fight for Equal Education
by Gary Jeffrey, writer; Nana Li, artist
New Kid
by Jerry Craft
Strange Fruit. Volume II: More Uncelebrated Narratives from Black History
by Joel Christian Gill, writer and artist
Tales of the Talented Tenth: No. 2, Bessie Stringfield
by Joel Christian Gill, writer and artist
Woke Baby
by Mahogany Browne, writer; Theodore Taylor, illustrator,
A Wreath for Emmett Till
by Marilyn Nelson, writer; Philippe Lardy, artist
Comics and Graphic Novels for Young Adults
Black History in Its Own Words
by Ronald Wimberly
Black Panther & The Crew: We are the Streets
by Ta-Nehisi Coates, Yona Harvey, and Jackson Butch Guice
Colorblind: A Story of Racism
by Johnathan Harris, writer; Donald Hudson, artist; Fahriza Kamaputra, colorist
Colored: The Unsung Life of Claudette Colvin
by Émilie Plateau
Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans
by Don Brown
Fights: One Boy’s Triumph Over Violence
by Joel Christian Gill
I Am Alfonso Jones
by Tony Medina, writer; Stacey Robinson and John Jennings, artists
Malcolm X: A Graphic Biography
by Andrew Helfer, writer; Randy DuBurke, artist
March
by John Lewis and Andrew Aydin, writers; Nate Powell, artist
Monster: A Graphic Novel
by Walter Dean Myers, writer; Guy A. Sims, adapter; Dawud Anyabwile, artist
Pitch Black
by Anthony Horton, writer; Youme Landowne, writer and artist
Race to Incarcerate: A Graphic Retelling
by Marc Mauer, writer; Sabrina Jones, adapter and artist
Superman Smashes the Klan
by Gene Luen Yang, writer; Gurihiru, artist
Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty
by Gregory Neri, writer; Randy Duburke, artist
Comics and Graphic Novels for Adults
Are You at Risk for “Empathy Myopia”?
by Ezra Claytan Daniels
Big Black: Stand at Attica
by Frank “Big Black” Smith and Jared Reinmuth, writers; Ameziane, artist
Bitter Root
by David F. Walker and Chuck Brown, writers; Sanford Greene, artist
Black
by Kwanza Osajyefo, writer/co-creator; Tim Smith 3, designer/co-creator; Jamal Igle, artist
Black (AF): America’s Sweetheart
by Kwanza Osajyefo, writer/co-creator; Tim Smith 3, co-creator; Jennifer Johnson, artist
Black History for Beginners
by Denise Dennis, writer; Susan Willmarth, illustrator
From Truth With Truth
by Lawrence Lindell
The Harlem Hellfighters
by Max Brooks, writer, Caanan White, artist
Incognegro: A Graphic Mystery
by Mat Johnson, writer; Warren Pleece, artist
Josephine Baker
by José-Louis Bocquet, writer; Catel Muller, artist
Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation
by Octavia Butler, writer; Damian Duffy, adapter; John Jennings, artist
King — A Comics Biography: The Special Edition
by Ho Che Anderson
The Life of Frederick Douglass: A Graphic Narrative of an Extraordinary Life
by David F. Walker, writer; Damon Smyth and Marissa Louise, artists
The Nib
by various artists
Parable of the Sower: A Graphic Novel Adaptation
by Octavia Butler, writer; Damian Duffy, adapter; John Jennings, artist
The Silence of Our Friends
by Mark Long and Jim Demonakos, writer; Nate Powell, artist
Silver Wire
by Kriota Willberg
Three-Fifths a Man: A Graphic History of the African American Experience
by Sid Jacobson, writer; Ernie Colón, artist
Yellow Negroes and Other Imaginary Creatures
by Yvan Alagbé
Your Black Friend
by Ben Passmore
To learn more, visit the Graphic Novels and Comics Round Table website.
