Black History Makers

Athletes have an amazing influence on young people. Sometimes this influence backfires, but sometimes it illuminates the importance of hard work and dedication in a way that young people can understand. Not every sports superstar makes their way into the history books, but when someone inspires generations of people to strive for their dreams it is hard to forget them. This volume will detail the lives and careers of such sports legends as Jesse Owens, Muhammad Ali, and Michael Jordan, and explore the impact of more recent sensations such as Venus and Serena Williams and Tiger Woods. Even those who are reluctant to pick up a book will have a hard time resisting the pull of the sports legends in this book.

Activists are people who are willing to fight hard for what they believe in. They put their own lives in danger to improve the lives of other people. Some famous activists include Martin Luther King, Jr., Frederick Douglass, and Rosa Parks. In the face of adversity, these brave men and women became formidable personalities and great orators. Readers will find out a great deal about the power of one voice to change the world as they delve into these profiles of some of the world's greatest activists for the rights of black people, but also for the ideas of freedom, equality, and justice for all people.

Certain musicians have had a lasting impact on the course of music, inspiring innovations or a new way of looking at this art form. Some of the talented men and women who fall into this category are Louis Armstrong, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, and Bob Marley. These musicians, and many others examined in this book, have pushed themselves to explore the boundaries of their craft and inspired so many others to do the same. Readers and music fans alike will find this a fascinating look at music through the lens of some of the most influential practitioners of it in many genres.