The MLK Day Committee, IMF, My Brother’s Keeper Nashville and the Nashville Black Literacy Coalition proudly partner to lead the annual MLK Day Freedom Library Youth Book Drive!
The Drive is a powerful initiative celebrating the 40th anniversary of MLK Day in Nashville by fostering a love of reading and cultural pride in students from grades K-12. Our goal is to collect 500 books that inspire, educate, and empower young minds, ensuring every child has access to stories that reflect their identity and broaden their horizons.
We’re calling on our community to join this effort by donating books from our carefully curated list, which celebrates diversity, history, and creativity. Drop-off locations include Alkebu-Lan Images, Jefferson Street Missionary Baptist Church, and the TSU Gentry Center on MLK Day, January 20th.
Together, let’s make literacy a cornerstone of opportunity and joy for the next generation! For more details, contact [email protected].
Goals:
- Collect at least 500 books for students from 3rd to 12th grade.
- Ensure that books reflect diverse voices, cultures, and experiences, particularly those that resonate with Black, Latino, and Indigenous students.
- Create an inspiring, community-driven atmosphere that reflects the spirit of MLK Day.
Here are the titles that we seek to acquire based on Grade Tier:
Elementary School Level (3rd-5th Grade)
“Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.” by Doreen Rappaport
A Caldecott Honor-winning biography that introduces Dr. King’s life and powerful message using his own words.
“A Place to Land: Martin Luther King Jr. and the Speech That Inspired a Nation” by Barry Wittenstein
A Coretta Scott King Honor-winning picture book about the writing of Dr. King’s iconic “I Have a Dream” speech.
“Tar Beach” by Faith Ringgold
A Caldecott Honor and Coretta Scott King Award-winning story that blends African American history and family culture with magical realism.
“Last Stop on Market Street” by Matt de la Peña
Winner of the Newbery Medal, this book celebrates diversity and community through the eyes of a young boy on a bus ride with his grandmother.
“Each Kindness” by Jacqueline Woodson
A powerful anti-bullying story that received a Coretta Scott King Honor for its touching portrayal of kindness and empathy.
“Henry’s Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad” by Ellen Levine
A Caldecott Honor book about Henry “Box” Brown, an enslaved man who mails himself to freedom.
“Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl’s Courage Changed Music” by Margarita Engle
A Pura Belpré Award-winning book that tells the true story of a girl who breaks Cuba’s tradition and becomes a drummer.
“Freedom Summer” by Deborah Wiles
A powerful story of friendship and civil rights, set during the time of segregation, and a winner of the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent.
“The Youngest Marcher: The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a Young Civil Rights Activist” by Cynthia Levinson
The true story of nine-year-old Audrey Faye Hendricks, the youngest known child to be arrested during a civil rights protest in Birmingham, Alabama.
“Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat” by Javaka Steptoe
Winner of the Caldecott Medal and a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award, this book celebrates the vibrant creativity of artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.
Middle School Level (6th-8th Grade)
“March: Book One” by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell
A National Book Award finalist and Eisner Award-winning graphic memoir about Congressman John Lewis’s involvement in the civil rights movement.
“Brown Girl Dreaming” by Jacqueline Woodson
Winner of the National Book Award and a Newbery Honor, this poetic memoir tells the story of Woodson’s childhood growing up in the segregated South.
“As Brave As You” by Jason Reynolds
Winner of the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award, this novel follows two brothers spending the summer with their blind grandfather in rural Virginia.
“The Parker Inheritance” by Varian Johnson
A Coretta Scott King Honor book and winner of the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, this mystery weaves together history, family, and race.
“Ghost Boys” by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Winner of several awards, this novel tackles police violence and racial justice, connecting the life of a young Black boy with the legacy of Emmett Till.
“Harbor Me” by Jacqueline Woodson
A powerful novel about six middle schoolers who share their personal stories in a healing classroom environment.
“One Crazy Summer” by Rita Williams-Garcia
Winner of the Coretta Scott King Award and a Newbery Honor, this novel is about three sisters who visit their estranged mother during the height of the Black Panther movement.
“The Season of Styx Malone” by Kekla Magoon
A Coretta Scott King Honor book, this novel is a coming-of-age story about two brothers who form an unlikely friendship with a mysterious boy.
“Becoming Muhammad Ali: A Novel” by Kwame Alexander and James Patterson
This novel-in-verse tells the story of how Cassius Clay became the legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, with a strong focus on his childhood and upbringing.
“The Rock and the River” by Kekla Magoon
Winner of the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award, this historical novel explores the civil rights movement through the eyes of a young boy torn between his father’s peaceful activism and his brother’s involvement in the Black Panthers.
High School Level (9th-12th Grade)
“The March Trilogy” by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell
This complete trilogy, winner of the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, chronicles John Lewis’s role in the civil rights movement through graphic novels.
“The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr.” edited by Clayborne Carson
A thorough and inspiring biography of Dr. King’s life, work, and influence, offering first-person insight into his civil rights activism.
“Dear Martin” by Nic Stone
This New York Times bestseller explores contemporary racial injustice as a young Black teen writes letters to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. while navigating personal and societal issues.
“All American Boys” by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely
A Coretta Scott King Honor-winning novel about police violence and racial tension, co-written by two authors to tell both sides of the story.
“Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You” by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi
Winner of the Goodreads Choice Award, this remix of Kendi’s Stamped from the Beginning explores racism in America, framed for young readers.
“The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano” by Sonia Manzano
A Pura Belpré Honor-winning novel about a Puerto Rican girl coming of age in Spanish Harlem during the Young Lords’ movement in the 1960s.
“The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas
A Printz Honor and Coretta Scott King Award-winning novel that tackles racial violence and police brutality, through the story of a young girl witnessing her friend’s death.
“Long Way Down” by Jason Reynolds
A Newbery Honor and Printz Honor novel-in-verse that takes place in a single elevator ride, where a young boy faces the ghosts of his past.
“X: A Novel” by Ilyasah Shabazz and Kekla Magoon
A Coretta Scott King Honor book that explores the early life of Malcolm X, co-written by his daughter.
“Just Mercy (Adapted for Young Adults)” by Bryan Stevenson
A National Book Award-winning memoir about a lawyer’s fight for justice, focusing on wrongful convictions, including the story of Walter McMillian.