I firmly advocate for a diversified curriculum that amplifies authors representing diverse gender, racial, and cultural backgrounds. It is so important to incorporate a wide range of perspectives throughout the year. Transitioning to Black History Month, we find an opportune moment to spotlight voices from the African American community. In this post, I’m delighted to share a compilation of my preferred short stories for Black History Month. These captivating narratives serve as excellent avenues to introduce students to the compelling works of black authors. I hope these insights offer inspiration as you celebrate this significant month with your middle school learners.
Also – be sure to read through to the bottom of this post – I share some free resources that you can immediately download and use alongside your next short story unit!
Short Stories for Black History Month – “Geraldine Moore the Poet”
“Geraldine Moore the Poet” by Toni Cade Bambara is a narrative that delves into a young girl’s encounters with poverty. As she’s tasked with crafting poetry in class, Geraldine faces challenges. Her teacher conveys to the class that poetry should mirror the beauty in their surroundings. Yet, for Geraldine, recognizing that beauty becomes difficult due to her harsh and challenging life experiences.
This is undoubtedly a heart-wrenching story, and it’s a narrative that resonates with many middle school students. Furthermore, it provides space for great classroom discussions about poetry, how experiences shape our perspectives and understandings, and the true meaning of beauty.
Full text of this story can be found online here.
Check out some fun resources to use along with this story here.
Short Stories for Black History Month – “The Treasure of Lemon Brown”
“The Treasure of Lemon Brown” is a short story by Walter Dean Myers. In the story, young Greg Ridley struggles with school and the his parent’s expectations. One night, to avoid a confrontation with his father, Greg enters an abandoned house. While there, he meets a homeless man named Lemon Brown. He teaches Greg an important lesson about life and its treasures.
The struggles that Greg faces with school and his parents are universal conflicts that many middle school aged students can readily connect with. Walter Dean Myers is a highly engaging author (if you have not read his novel, “Monster”, I highly recommend it!), and there are ample opportunities in this text to examine language and symbolism.
Full text of the story can be found online here.
Check out some fun resources to use along with the story here.
Short Stories for Black History Month – “Thank You Ma’am”
“Thank You Ma’am” is classic short story by African America writer Langston Hughes. The story revolves around a young boy named Roger, who attempts to steal the purse of Mrs. Luella Bates Washington. A bad move on Roger’s part, Luella manages to thwart the robbery.
Seeing his face his dirty and his hair is uncombed, Luella grabs him by his shirt and drags him home with her. While there, Roger is forced to confront his actions and learns an important lesson about the kindness of strangers.
This is another powerful story for class discussion. It lends itself to topics relating to kindness, forgiveness, empathy and trust. Also, it is a universally polarizing story. It allows students to examine ways we are all similar. In addition, it shows how most situations can be improved with just a little bit of understanding and kindness.
YouTube has great film adaptation of this classic story – check it out below!
Full text of the story can be found online here.
Check out some fun resources to go along with the story here.
Looking to try out these stories with your middle school students?
I have resources available to use along with these stories available in my TPT shop. Click here or on the images below to check them out!
Looking for more Short Story ideas?
Check out my previous short story posts below!
The Best Short Stories for Middle School
Halloween Short Stories for Middle School
More Spooky Short Stories for Middle School
Looking for a FREE resource to use alongside your Short Story Unit?
Clickhereor on the images below todownload a FREE activityto teach plot! It includes detailed student notes. Also, it contains fill in the blank notetaking templates!
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