Free Black History Month Coloring Pages

Black History Month coloring pages can be a simple way to introduce important writers, activists, and inventors while keeping activities accessible for young learners.

This 13-page printable set features illustrated portraits paired with short, meaningful quotes, making it especially useful for kindergarten through upper elementary classrooms.

Younger children can focus on coloring and name recognition, while older students can read the quotes, discuss their meaning, or use them as short writing prompts.

These pages work well as daily February activities, quiet morning work, fast-finisher tasks, or discussion starters during Black History Month, offering a low-prep way to connect art, literacy, and history.

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What’s Included in the Black History Coloring Sheets

This printable set includes 13 coloring pages featuring influential Black writers, thinkers, and innovators. Each page pairs a simple, full-body illustration with the person’s name and a short quote.

The pages are flexible across age ranges. Younger children can focus on coloring and name recognition, while older students can read the quote, talk about its meaning, or use it as a short discussion or writing prompt.

No background reading is required, which makes these easy to use as stand-alone activities during February.

Black Leaders Featured In These Coloring Pages

The individuals included were selected because their work is commonly referenced in elementary and middle-grade classrooms and lends itself to brief, age-appropriate discussion.

• Alexander Miles is remembered for improving elevator safety, making his work easy to connect to everyday experiences children already recognize.
• Alice Walker, author of The Color Purple, explored identity, voice, and social justice through storytelling that is often introduced through guided excerpts.
• Angela Davis is a political activist, educator, and author whose work supports discussions around civil rights and social change. Women, Race & Class is frequently used as teacher background reading.

• James Baldwin, examined identity and society through essays and fiction, including Go Tell It on the Mountain and The Fire Next Time.
• Langston Hughes, a central figure of the Harlem Renaissance, wrote poetry and prose that reflects everyday life and cultural expression, including The Ways of White Folks.
• Maya Angelou, author of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, is known for writing about resilience, voice, and lived experience.

• Octavia Butler used speculative fiction to explore history, power, and identity in novels such as Kindred.
• Phillis Wheatley, the first African American woman to publish a book of poetry, challenged social barriers through works like Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral.
• Ralph Ellison, author of Invisible Man, explored themes of identity and individuality in American life.

• Richard Wright addressed lived experience and systemic inequality through works such as Native Son and Black Boy.
• Terry McMillan, author of Waiting to Exhale, wrote about family, relationships, and modern life.
• Toni Morrison, author of Beloved, explored memory, history, and identity in American literature.
• Zora Neale Hurston, author of Their Eyes Were Watching God, documented Black Southern culture and storytelling traditions.

More Black History Worksheets

If you’re looking to build out a full Black History Month plan, these printables work well alongside the coloring pages as short, low-prep activities.

• Black History inventors coloring sheets – A focused set highlighting inventors and their contributions, useful for connecting history to everyday life.
• Black History Month word search – Reinforces key names and vocabulary through a quiet, independent activity that works well for early finishers or morning work.
• Black History Month word scramble – A simple puzzle that encourages recall and spelling while keeping students engaged without adding writing pressure.
• Black History coloring bookmarks – A small craft-style activity with quotes and designs students can color and use, making it easy to extend learning beyond a single lesson.

Grab Your Free Black History Month Coloring Sheets Here!

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Last Updated on 2 January 2026 by Clare Brown