Black Is a Rainbow Color

A child reflects on the meaning of being Black in this moving and powerful anthem about a people, a culture, a history, and a legacy that lives on.

Red is a rainbow color.

Green sits next to blue.

Yellow, orange, violet, indigo,

They are rainbow colors, too, but

My color is black . . .

And there’s no BLACK in rainbows.

From the wheels of a bicycle to the robe on Thurgood Marshall's back, Black surrounds our lives. It is a color to simply describe some of our favorite things, but it also evokes a deeper sentiment about the incredible people who helped change the world and a community that continues to grow and thrive.

Stunningly illustrated by Caldecott Honoree and Coretta Scott King Award winner Ekua Holmes, Black Is a Rainbow Color is a sweeping celebration told through debut author Angela Joy’s rhythmically captivating and unforgettable words.

An ALSC Notable Children's Book 2021

An NCTE 2021 Notable Poetry Book

A 2021 Notable Social Studies Trade Book of the NCSS/CBC

A New York Public Library Best Book of 2020

A Washington Post Best Book of 2020

A Horn Book Fanfare Best Book of the Year

A 2020 Jane Addams Children's Book Award Honoree