Myths and fables: Discovery of fire -- Anansi gets what he deserves -- Why the chameleon shakes his head -- Two creation myths -- Nine wild dogs and one lion -- A home for sun and moon -- The sheep -- The suspect -- The spirit tree -- A quarrel between earth and sky -- Why people fight -- Why elephants are as intelligent as people -- Moses in Pharaoh's court -- Hunger, rice and cassava -- Indaji, the reckless hunter -- The moon king -- A quarrel between friends -- Some African proverbs -- The greedy woman becomes a woodpecker. -- Fairy tales: Baboon skins / Terry Berger -- Battle between the birds and beasts / Frances Carpenter -- Who can break a bad habit? / Frances Carpenter -- Two ways to count to ten / Frances Carpenter -- The fairy frog / Terry Berger -- Pemba and the python and the friendly rat / Frances Carpenter -- The three little eggs / Terry Berger -- The magic bones -- Timba, the dissatisfied bird.

Folk tales: Don't blame it on Adam -- The bravest of all men -- Why Brer Wasp never laughs -- Dividing the cheese -- Why the hippopotamus lives in the water -- The hyena's dinner -- Kimwaki and the weaver birds -- The 'nsasak and the odudu -- Two riddle stories : Who shall marry the chief's daughter ; Three sons of a chief -- Rooster in a huff -- How the skunk became feared -- How tortoise grew a tail -- Why worms live underground -- Wiley and the Hairy Man. -- Friends and helpers: Anansi saves antelope -- The ant and the pigeon -- Badger and otter are friends -- Help from lightning -- Lion, hare, and hyena -- The man and the bird -- The four friends. -- Hawk and chicken tales: Why hawks kill chickens -- Hawk's gift from the king -- The missing ring -- Why the hawk catches chickens / Joel Chandler Harris.

Rabbit stories: Who ate the butter? -- Why the rabbit has a short tail and long ears -- The hare, the hippo, and the elephant -- Granny, cutta the cord -- Meeting trouble -- Rabbit's horse -- Wanting a long tail -- The favorite Uncle Remus [tales] : The wonderful tar baby ; The briar patch ; The money mint ; The fate of Mr. Jack Sparrow -- How Sandy got his meat. -- Liar, fool, and tall tales: The champion liar -- Fertile land and pumpkins, potatoes, and corn : Pumpkins and potatoes ; Salt the puddin' -- The splendid liar -- Lucky shot. -- Biography: Alvin Ailey / Andrea Davis Pinkney -- Arthur Ashe / David K. Wright -- Ray Charles / David Ritz -- Daniel "Chappie" James / Glennnette Tilley Turner -- Martin Luther King, Jr. / Robert Jakoubek -- Rosa Parks / Mary Hull -- Colin Powell / Warren Brown -- Arthur Schomberg / Glennette Tilley Turner -- Sojourner Truth / Peter Krass.

History: Black heroes of the American Revolution : William Lee ; George Latchom ; Austin Dabney ; Prince Whipple ; James Forten / Burke Davis -- African-American inventors / Patricia and Patrick McKissack -- Stealing the planter / Zak Mettger -- Mary Lincoln's dressmaker / Becky Rutberg. -- Slavery: Incidents in the life of a slave girl / Harriet Jacobs -- Up from slavery / Booker T. Washington -- The slave dancer / Paula Fox -- Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass, an American slave -- My name is not Angelica / Scott O'Dell. -- Growing up: Fast Sam, cool Clyde, and stuff / Walter Dean Myers -- For the life of Laetitia / Merle Hodge -- Sounder / William H. Armstrong -- The cay / Theodore Taylor.

Songs and poetry: The sweet and sour animal book / Langston Hughes -- African-American songs: He's got the whole world in his hands ; Swing low, sweet chariot ; Amazing grace ; Down by the riverside ; Get on board, little children ; This little light of mine ; Kum ba ya ; Over my head ; Take this hammer ; Miss Mary Mack Mack ; Hambone.