Women’s History Month Books for Teens

This year marks the centennial of the 19th Amendment. Women’s History Month is a fitting time to remember the women who championed the original suffrage movement, but also those who were excluded from it. This month, we want to recognize and celebrate the women who have continued to fight for equal voting rights for all, regardless of race, class, gender, ability, or education.

From trailblazers for African American women's suffrage in the 19th and 20th centuries, to those who are fighting against voter suppression today, we honor the minority and marginalized women who have worked against immeasurable odds to make our democracy more accessible to everyone.

For teens who want to immerse themselves in this inspiring history, check out our Women’s History Month and voting rights reading recommendations for young adults below, and be sure to check out our Events Calendar for a Women’s History Month event near you.

Roses and Radicals: The Epic Story of How American Women Won the Right to Vote by Susan Zimet – This book tells the history of the original suffrage movement and the ordinary citizens and peaceful protests that led to its success. Zimet takes some time to highlight the complexities of the movement and sheds some light on its exclusivity.

Because They Marched: The People's Campaign for Voting Rights that Changed America by Russell Freedman – This book presents the Civil Rights Movement through powerful photographs and first person accounts, showcasing the struggle faced by activists as they fought for the right to vote. Also available as an ebook.

Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom: My Story of the 1965 Selma Voting Rights March by Lynda Blackmon Lowery – An illustrated memoir by the youngest marcher in the 1965 voting rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. Lowery recalls the dangerous situations she encountered as a nonviolent protester, and what it was like to fight alongside Dr. Martin Luther King and be an active participant in changing American history. Also available as an ebook and audiobook.

A Tyranny of Petticoats: 15 Stories of Belles, Bank Robbers, and Other Badass Girls edited by Jessica Spotswood – 15 authors contribute tales of strong-willed women, all set in North America and all based on true stories. Get lost and get inspired by adventurous accounts of trailblazing women. Also available as an audiobook and ebook.

Vote!: Women’s Fight for Access to the Ballot Box by Coral Celeste Frazer – An easy-to-digest account of the 70-year fight for women’s suffrage and the civil rights and feminist movements of the 20th and 21st centuries that have followed, including #MeToo and Black Lives Matter. Also available as an ebook.