I Love My People – Lesson Plans

I Love My People is a celebration of Black history, cultural contributions and community in verse that’s great in the classroom or at home, during Black History Month or any other time. 

The text is written by Kim Singleton with beautiful, realistic illustrations by Kim Holt. The book follows a brother and sister walking through their neighborhood and talking about different figures from Black history related to dance, math, sports, filmmaking and more. 

The book includes a glossary at the back so if the people named in the story are unfamiliar to you, you’ll know a little bit more about them. Some will be familiar to most such as Venus and Serena Williams and Shirley Chisolm, while others are less well-known like the Nicolas Brothers, a 1930s-era dancing duo known for their acrobatic feats; or Gladys Mae West, a mathematician who helped develop GPS. 

The book touches on celebrations of Black community like Juneteenth and Kwanzaa, the importance of faith and community, activism and the variety of hairstyles Black people wear. 

Each two-page spread includes information about important people and aspects of Black culture, with each verse ending “I love my people.” 

This short book is a quick read that leaves you a lot more to explore, from learning more about the people named in the book to researching other figures from Black history and the present day. It’s joyful, full of details both in the text and the illustrations, and educational for people who might not know all of the people named in the story.

This would be a great book to add to your shelf or as a read aloud for Black History Month or any other time, because as the book says 

Special names

With African roots,

Stories from Elders 

You can’t find in books. 

Family reunions

Kwanzaa and Juneteenth,

Black History Month

Spread over fifty-two weeks.

About the book: 32 pages, hardcover, published 2026 by Beaming Books. Suggested retail price $18.99.