Pathfinders: The Journeys of 16 Extraordinary Black Souls

In an immersive series of brief, chronological biographies, Bolden (Capital Days) highlights 16 pioneering African-American men and women, beginning with Venture Smith—the son of a West African prince who was sold into slavery, freed himself and his family, and fought during the Revolutionary War—and concluding with mathematician and NASA researcher Katherine Coleman Goble Johnson. Detailed descriptions and sidebars offer rich portraits of each person’s life and era, and period illustrations and photographs lend further depth to figures who will likely be unfamiliar to many readers, including soprano Sissieretta Jones, banker Maggie Lena Walker, and WWI combat pilot Eugene Bullard. While recognizing these individuals’ accomplishments, Bolden makes it clear that countless other innovative and brave black citizens blazed trails alongside them. Ages 10–14. Agent: Jennifer Lyons, Jennifer Lyons Literary. (Jan.)