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In 1962, illustrator and writer Ezra Jack Keats published a picture book called "The Snowy Day," which captures a child's delight in winter's first snowfall. The book received immediate and enduring attention because, for the first time ever, the main character was African American. Keats later wrote that "none of the manuscripts I'd been illustrating featured any blacks — except for token blacks in the background."

Now, more than 50 years later, there is still a striking need for books that reflect the experiences of minority American children and young adults. The good news is that writers, illustrators and publishers are responding to the call. A number of titles celebrating our country's rich cultural diversity were singled out for special recognition during the ALA's recent meetings in Boston. "Last Stop on Market Street" by Matt de la Peña, for example, received both the 2016 Newbery Medal and a Caldecott honor for illustration.

In honor of Martin Luther King's birthday, here are a number of titles for young readers — new, newish and older — that reflect a range of the African-American experience, past and present.

"Last Stop on Market Street," written by Matt de la Peña and illustrated by Christian Robinson

While on their way to the soup kitchen, a young African-American boy asks his grandmother why they "gotta wait for the bus in all this wet." The grandmother takes the opportunity to point out the unexpected beauty of their low-income neighborhood as they travel through its streets together. De la Peña's book violates a cardinal rule of writing for young readers, i.e. that the child — not the adult — should provide the answer to the story's central question. Furthermore, there are those who justifiably wonder if a picture book should receive an award (the Newbery) typically reserved for novels. But there's no denying that "Last Stop on Market Street" is a wonderfully warm and beautiful book.

"Trombone Shorty," written by Troy Andrews and illustrated by Bryan Collier

You don't have to be a fan of musician Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews' jazz-infused music to enjoy this lively picture book autobiography about a young boy growing up in New Orleans who develops a style all his own. "Trombone Shorty" is a loving tribute to the musician's hometown and the people who live there. Like "Last Stop on Market Street," "Trombone" was singled out for recognition by the Caldecott Committee. It also was awarded a Coretta Scott King award for illustration.

"Freedom in Congo Square," written by Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

"Freedom in Congo Square" is yet another example of how the picture book form can lend itself to nonfiction subjects. This new title examines the development of New Orleans' historic Congo Square, where slaves were allowed to gather on Sundays to dance, tell stories and make music — giving rise to the city's influential musical culture.

"Frederick's Journey," written by Doreen Rappaport and illustrated by London Ladd

"You have seen how man was made a slave; You shall see how a slave was made a man." This picture book biography gives an overview of Frederick Douglass' remarkable life. Born a slave, Douglass eventually escaped and became a prominent leader in the abolitionist movement. Even as a young man, he intuitively understood the ability of the written word to inspire social change. Douglass' own words, in fact, are woven throughout the text of this informative book.

"When Marian Sang," written by Pam Muñoz Rylan and illustrated by Brian Selznick

This picture book biography of Marian Anderson, created by two of the most talented people working in the world of children's literature today, is as gorgeous now as it was when it hit the shelves in 2002. Anderson, who rose to prominence as a gifted opera singer, brought together an integrated crowd of over 75,000 when she sang from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1939. "When Marian Sang" offers the reader a glimpse into the segregated world in which the beloved singer came of age.

"Sail Away," poems by Langston Hughes and art by Ashley Bryan

Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes, who worked briefly as a merchant seaman when he was a young man, later celebrated the ocean in a number of poems, some of which are gathered in this accessible collection for young readers. Bryan's colorful paper collages make reading "Sail Away" an upbeat, visually engaging experience.

"Crossover" by Kwame Alexander

Brimming with heart, heartbreak and hope, "Crossover" is a middle-grade novel about love — love of sport, love of family, love of language. Told in freewheeling verse that captures the rhythms of hip-hop and rap, "Crossover" tells the story of 13-year-old athletic phenom Josh "Filthy McNasty" Bell, who must learn to negotiate the changes in his life as easily as he handles a basketball on the court. "Crossover" was awarded both a Newbery Medal and a Coretta Scott King honor in 2015.

"Mississippi Trial, 1955" by Chris Crowe

In 1955, a 14-year-old black boy from Chicago named Emmett Till was tortured and murdered in Money, Miss., for allegedly whistling at a white woman. Chris Crowe's outstanding young-adult novel tells the story of a white boy from the West who witnesses the events of that explosive summer while staying in Money with his grandfather. Crowe's book deserves a great deal of credit for introducing Till's story to white America.

"The Watsons Go to Birmingham — 1963" by Christopher Paul Curtis

Another novel set against the backdrop of the emerging civil-rights movement, "The Watsons Go to Birmingham" tells the story of a close-knit African-American family from Flint, Mich., who travel south to see family in Birmingham. While there, the 16th Street Baptist Church is bombed by Klan members, killing four little girls — an act that further galvanizes activists across the country. By turns funny and tragic, "Watsons" is an altogether powerful read.

"Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry" by Mildred D. Taylor

Fifty years after its initial publication, "Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry," which chronicles the experiences of the land-owning Logan family during the Depression in the Deep South, has reached the undisputed status of a classic. The beloved title has been recently reissued in a hardcover anniversary edition with a note from the author, a new introduction by Jacqueline Woodson and gorgeous illustrations by the immensely talented Kadir Nelson.

"Brown Girl Dreaming" by Jacqueline Woodson

Like "Crossover," "Brown Girl Dreaming" is told in verse. But Woodson's stunning book, which was both a Coretta Scott King and a National Book Award winner, is nonfiction. Set against the backdrop of our country's history during the '60s and '70s, Woodson shares her memorable experiences as a child and young woman in search of her identity.

"The Port Chicago 50" by Steve Sheinkin

It's not surprising Sheinkin has been a National Book award finalist and Newbery honoree. Though he writes nonfiction for young adults, he brings a novelist's sensibility to the true stories he tells. In "The Port Chicago 50," a powerful story about personal courage in the face of outrageous bigotry, Sheinkin recounts what happens to a group of African-American sailors who stand up for their rights during the Second World War.

"Getting Away With Murder" by Chris Crowe

Realizing he had acquired enough research to write a nonfiction book about the Emmett Till trial, Crowe began work on "Getting Away With Murder." The result is a gripping true account of Till's murder and his killers' subsequent trial.