Nearly every genre of American music has been influenced by or has roots in African American music, and these picture books of Black musicians will help children (and their parents and teachers) learn about the rhythms, sounds, and trailblazers of Black music. Much like Black visual artists, these musicians have amazing life histories that informed their art in challenging and beautiful ways.

Use these books to help your children fall in love with Black music and the artists who laid the foundation of sounds we know and enjoy today!

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I may earn commissions from qualifying purchases using these links to picture books of black musicians at no additional cost to you. I appreciate your support.

Mary’s Idea by Chris Raschka

The Little Piano Girl: The Story of Mary Lou Williams, Jazz Legend by Ann Ingalls and Maryann Macdonald 

Rock, Rosetta, Rock! Roll, Rosetta, Roll!: Presenting Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the Godmother of Rock & Roll by Tonya Bolden

Strange Fruit: Billie Holiday and the Power of a Protest Song by Gary Golio

Ray Charles by Sharon Bell Mathis

Leontyne Price: Voice of a Century by Carole Boston Weatherford

Just a Lucky So and So: The Story of Louis Armstrong by Lesa Cline-Ransome

Before John Was a Jazz Giant: A Song of John Coltrane by Carole Boston Weatherford

Dark Was the Night: Blind Willie Johnson’s Journey to the Stars by Gary Golio

If I Only Had a Horn: Young Louis Armstrong by Roxanne Orgill

Song in a Rainstorm: The Story of Musical Prodigy Thomas “Blind Tom” Wiggins by Glenda Armand

The Legendary Miss Lena Horne by Carole Boston Weatherford

When the Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop by Laban Carrick Hill

Charlie Parker Played Be Bop by Chris Raschka

Ella Fitzgerald: The Tale of a Vocal Virtuosa by Andrea Pinkney

Skit-Scat Raggedy Cat: Candlewick Biographies: Ella Fitzgerald by Roxanne Orgill

Little Melba and Her Big Trombone by Katheryn Russell-Brown

The 5 O’Clock Band by Troy Andrews and Bill

Trombone Shorty by Troy Andrews

When Marian Sang: The True Recital of Marian Anderson by Pam Muñoz Ryan

RESPECT: Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul by Carole Boston Weatherford

Muddy: The Story of Blues Legend Muddy Waters by Michael Mahin

Little Stevie Wonder by Quincy Troupe

Nina: Jazz Legend and Civil-Rights Activist Nina Simone by Alice Brière-Haquet

By and By: Charles Albert Tindley, the Father of Gospel Music by Carole Boston Weatherford

Dizzy by Jonah Winter

How Jelly Roll Morton Invented Jazz by Jonah Winter

Jimi: Sounds Like a Rainbow: A Story of the Young Jimi Hendrix by Gary Golio

Birth of the Cool: How Jazz Great Miles Davis Found His Sound by Kathleen Cornell Berman

Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His Orchestra by Andrea Pinkney

Josephine: The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker by Patricia Hruby Powell

Libba: The Magnificent Musical Life of Elizabeth Cotten by Laura Veirs

Mama Africa!: How Miriam Makeba Spread Hope with Her Song by Kathryn Erskine

Born to Swing: Lil Hardin Armstrong’s Life in Jazz by Mara Rockliff

Becoming Billie Holiday by Carole Boston Weatherford

A Voice Named Aretha by Katheryn Russell-Brown

Satchmo’s Blues by Alan Schroder

Spirit Seeker: John Coltrane’s Musical Journey by Gary Golio

Nina: A Story of Nina Simone by Traci N. Todd

Stompin’ at the Savoy: How Chick Webb Became the King of Drums by Moira Rose Donohue

Harlem’s Little Blackbird: The Story of Florence Mills by Renée Watson

The Roots of Rap: 16 Bars on the 4 Pillars of Hip-Hop by Carole Boston Weatherford

Black Music Greats: 40 Inspiring Icons by Olivier Cachin – This illustrated 96-page book features an array of famous, modern, Black music legends. Each spread presents a single musician or band, highlighting key facts about their background, most popular songs, most iconic shows, genre-defining techniques, friends, rivals, and nicknames, along with a fun, illustrated depiction of them that calls out elements of their signature style. Featured musicians include:

Robert Johnson; Nina Simone; James Brown; Sly & the Family Stone; Miles Davis; Diana Ross & the Supremes; The Jackson 5; Marvin Gaye; Stevie Wonder; Aretha Franklin; Earth, Wind & Fire; Isaac Hayes; Tina Turner; Donna Summer; Bob Marley & the Wailers; Prince; Fela Kuti; The Last Poets; Chic; The Sugarhill Gang; Run-DMC; Eric B. & Rakim; Public Enemy; N.W.A.; Whitney Houston; 2Pac; The Fugees; Snoop Dogg; The Notorious B.I.G.; Erykah Badu; Jay-Z; Missy Elliott; Kanye West; Beyoncé; Pharrell Williams; Rihanna; Lil Wayne; Drake; Nicki Minaj; The Weeknd.

If you enjoy these picture books of Black musicians, be sure to check out these children’s books about Black artists.

You can find me hanging out on Instagram at @heritagemomblog. Please check out my book A PLACE TO BELONG to hear more about how my family incorporates music into our daily lives.