Ayres, Katherine. NORTH BY NIGHT: A STORY FO THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD. (1998) Lucy Spencer's family is keeping a secret. This book presents the journal of a girl whose family operates a stop on the Underground Railroad. Grades 5-9. (jFICTION/AYRES, KAT)

Ayres, Katherine. STEALING SOUTH. (2001) Will Spencer leaves home to become a peddler, but gets more than he bargained for when he agrees to go to Kentucky, steal two slaves, and help them reach their brother in Canada. Grades 7-10. (jFICTION/AYRES, KAT)

Banks, Sara H. ABRAHAM'S BATTLE: A NOVEL OF GETTYSBURG. As the Civil War approaches Gettysburg, a freed slave named Abraham joins the ambulance corps of the Union Army. Grades 4-8. (jFICTION/BANKS, SAR)

Belton, Sandra. MCKENDREE. (2000) In 1948, while spending the summer with her aunt in West Virginia to find her family roots, Tilara begins visiting the "colored" old folks' home called McKendree, makes new friends, and learns to love herself. Grades 5-9. (jFICTION/BELTON, SAN)

Berleth, Richard J. SAMUEL'S CHOICE. (1990) Samuel, a fourteen-year-old slave in Brooklyn in 1776 faces a difficult choice when the fighting between the British and the colonists reaches his doorstep and only he can help the rebels. Grades 3-6. (jFICTION/BERLETH, RIC)

Carbone, Elisa Lynn. STORM WARRIORS. (2001) Twelve-year-old Nathan moves with his father to Pea Island , where he hopes to join the all-black crew at the nearby lifesaving station, despite his father's objections. Grades 7-12. (jFICTION/CARBONE, ELI)

Childress, Alice. RAINBOW JORDAN. (1981) Her mother, her foster guardian, and 14-year-old Rainbow comment on the state of things as she prepares to return to a foster home for yet another stay. Grades 7-12. (jFICTION/CHILDRESS, ALI)

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Clifton, Lucille. THE TIMES THEY USED TO BE. (2001) A young black girl relates the adventures of the summer her Uncle Sunny died and her best friend broke out in sin because she wasn't saved. Grades 4-7. (jFICTION/CLIFTON, LUC)

Coleman, Evelyn. CIRCLE OF FIRE. (2001) In 1958, Mendy puts herself in danger when she discovers that the Ku Klux Klan is planning to bomb the Highlander Folk School in order to disrupt a visit from Mendy's hero, Eleanor Roosevelt. Grades 4-7. (jMYSTERY/COLEMAN, EVE)

Collier, James Lincoln. JUMP SHIP TO FREEDOM. (1981) In 1787 a fourteen-year-old slave escapes from his dishonest master and tries to find help in cashing the soldier's notes received by his father for fighting in the Revolution. Grades 4-7. (jFICTION/COLLIER, JAM)

Collier, James Lincoln. WAR COMES TO WILLY FREEMAN. (1983) A free black girl is caught up in the horror of the Revolutionary War and danger of being returned to slavery when her patriot, father is killed by the British. Grades 4-7. (jFICTION/COLLIER, JAM)

Evans, Freddi Williams. A BUS OF OUR OWN. (2001) Walking the five miles to school is difficult for Mabel Jean her friends, so she tries to find a way to get a bus for them the same as the white children have. Grades 1-5. (jFICTION/EVANS, FRE)

Gee, Maurice. THE CHAMPION. (1993) In 1943 twelve-year-old Rex sees his quiet New Zealand village dramatically changed by the arrival a black American soldier on leave from the war. Grades 5-9. (jFICTION/GEE, MAU)

Guy, Rosa. THE UPS AND DOWNS OF CARL DAVIS III. (1989) Twelve-year-old Carl is sent from his life in New York City to live with his Grandmother in South Carolina where he faces problems with a prejudiced teacher. Grades 5-8. (jFICTION/GUY, ROS)

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Hahn, Mary Downing. PROMISES TO THE DEAD. (2000) Twelve-year-old Jesse leaves his home on Maryland's Eastern Shore to help a young runaway slave find a safe haven in the early days of the Civil War. Grades 5-9. (jFICTION/HAHN, MAR)

Hamilton, Virginia. THE HOUSE OF DIES DREAR. (1968) A black family of five moves into an enormous house once used as a hiding place for runaway slaves. Grades 4-7. (jFICTION/HAMILTON, VIR)

Hamilton, Virginia. THE MYSTERY OF THE DREAR HOUSE: BOOK TWO OF THE DIES DREAR CHRONICLES. (1987) A black family living in the house of long-dead abolitionist Dies Drear must decide what to do with his treasure. Grades 4-7. (jFICTION/HAMILTON, VIR)

Hamilton, Virginia. ZEELY. (1967) Greeder's summer at her uncle's farm is made special because of her friendship with a very tall, composed woman who raises hogs and who closely resembles the magazine photograph of a Watutsi queen. Grades 4-7. (jFICTION/HAMILTON, VIR)

Houston, Gloria. BRIGHT FREEDOM'S SONG: A STORY OF THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD. (1998) Bright discovers that her home is a safehouse for the Underground Railroad and helps to save a runaway slave named Marcus. Grades 5-12. (jFICTION/HOUSTON, GLO)

Koertge, Ronald. THE HEART OF THE CITY. (1998) After she and her parents move to an ethnically mixed inner city neighborhood, ten-year-old Joy and her new friend Neesha decide to do something to keep drug dealers off their block. Grades 4-7. (jFICTION/KOERTGE, RON)

Lester, Julius. LONG JOURNEY HOME. (1998) In this group of masterfully written stories spanning the period of slavery, the Civil War and Reconstruction, this book introduces readers to several people and events. Grades 6-12. (jFICTION/LESTER, JUL)

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McKissack, Pat. COLOR ME DARK (2000) Nellie Lee Love records in her diary the events of 1919, when her family moves to Chicago, hoping to leave the racism and hatred of the South behind. Grades 4-11. (jFICTION/MCKISSACK, PAT)

Myers, Walter Dean. THE JOURNAL OF BIDDY OWENS: THE NEGRO LEAGUES. (2001) Biddy Owens' journal about working for the Birmingham Black Barons and his family's resistance to his becoming a professional baseball player. Grades 5-12. (jFICTION/MYERS, WAL)

Nelson, Vaunda Micheaux. BEYOND MAYFIELD. (1999) In 1961 the children of Mayfield are concerned with air-raid drills and fallout shelters, but the civil rights movement becomes real when a neighbor joins the Freedom Riders. Grades 3-5. (jFICTION/NELSON, VAU)

Pinkney, Andrea Davis. SILENT THUNDER: A CIVIL WAR STORY. (1999) In 1862 Summer and her brother Rosco take turns describing how life on the Virginia plantation where they are slaves is affected by the Civil War. Grades 5-9. (jFICTION/PINKNEY, AND)

Porter, Connie Rose. HIGH HOPES FOR ADDY. (1999) Addy's new life in Philadelphia in the late 1860s continues to hold surprises, as she competes in a kite festival and her teacher recommends her for the Institute for Colored Youth. Grades 3-8. (jFICTION/PORTER, CON)

Pryor, Bonnie. JOSEPH'S CHOICE, 1861. (2000) In the early days of the Civil War, Joseph must decide whether to defend his stepfather's Union beliefs or side with the slave owners and Southern rights supporters in his hometown. Grades 3-6. (jFICTION/PRYOR, BON)

Robinet, Harriette. WALKING TO THE BUS-RIDER BLUES. (2000) Alfa Merryfield and his grandmother struggle for rent money, food, and their dignity as they participate in the Montgomery, Alabama bus boycott. Grades 8-12. (jFICTION/ROBINET, HAR)

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Schotter, Roni. F IS FOR FREEDOM. (2000) When ten-year-old Manda interrupts a midnight delivery, she discovers her parents' involvement in the Underground Railroad and makes her own contribution to a fugitive slave's freedom. Grades 3-6. (jFICTION/SCHOTTER, RON)

Stowe, Cynthia. THE SECOND ESCAPE OF ARTHUR COOPER. (2000) A family of Quakers protects Arthur Cooper and his family from slave catchers. Grades 4-6. (jFICTION/STOWE, CYN)

Tate, Eleanora E. THE MINSTREL'S MELODY. (2001) In 1904, twelve-year-old Orphelia follows her dream by running away from home to join an all-black minstrel show headed for the Saint Louis World's Fair. Grades 3-7. (jFICTION/TATE, ELE)

Taylor, Mildred D. THE GOLD CADILLAC. (1987) Two black girls living in the North are proud of their family's beautiful new Cadillac until they take it on a visit to the South and encounter racial prejudice for the first time. Grades 2-3. (jFICTION/TAYLOR, MIL)

Taylor, Mildred D. ROLL OF THUNDER, HEAR MY CRY. (1976)A black family living in the South during the 1930's, are faced with prejudice and discrimination which their children don't understand. Grades 7-12. (jFICTION/TAYLOR, MIL)

Tolan, Stephanie S. FLIGHT OF THE RAVEN. (2001) Elijah, a African-American with unusual mental powers becomes a hostage of a terrorist militia group and finds himself in a world of violence. Grades 7-10. (jFICTION/TOLAN, STE)

Vaughan, Marcia K. THE SECRET TO FREEDOM. (2001) Great Aunt Lucy tells a story of her days as a slave, when she and her brother, Albert, learned the quilt code to help direct other slaves. Grades 2-5. (jFICTION/VAUGHAN, MAR)

Walter, Mildred Pitts. BECAUSE WE ARE. (1983) Black honor student Emma is transferred from the integrated high school where she has excelled to a segregated school where she finds a different kind of challenge. Grades 5-12. (jFICTION/ WALTER, MID)

Walton, Darwin McBeth. DANCE, KAYLA! (1998) Brown-skinned, green-eyed Kayla uses her dancing to help deal with her plight when her grandmother's death causes her to leave her farm and live in Chicago with relatives. Grades 4-6. (jFICTION/WALTON, DAR)

Wyeth, Sharon, Dennis. A PIECE OF HEAVEN. (2001) Thirteen-year-old Haley holds her life together with the help of good people after her mother suffers a nervous breakdown and her brother is arrested. Grades 4-7. (jFICTION/WYETH, SHA)

Wyeth, Sharon, Dennis. FREEDOM'S WINGS: COREY'S DIARY. (2001) A nine-year-old slave keeps a diary of his journey to freedom along the Underground Railroad in 1857. Grades 3-6. (jFICTION/WYETH, SHA)

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