Mar. 31, 1927-Apr. 23, 1993

Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Yuyi Morales (Harcourt, 2003)

A heartfelt account of Chavez’s childhood, his days as a field laborer and as the nonviolent organizer of the 1965 grape boycott.

America’s Library posts several great stories about Chavez for kids.

Jack Johnson, athlete

March 31, 1878-June 10, 1949

Black Jack: The Ballad of Jack Johnson by Charles R. Smith Jr., illustrated by Shane W. Evans (Neal Porter Book/Roaring Brook Press, 2010)

It was the “Battle of the Century”, July 4, 1910, and Jack Johnson made history. He was the first black heavyweight champion of the world. But he wasn’t always brave and he had to learn how to fight. This is his story.

Unforgivable Blackness, a film by Ken Burns, featured Johnson. Read about it on PBS.org.

Mar. 30, 1853-July 29, 1890

Lives of the Artists: Masterpieces, Messes (and What the Neighbors Thought) by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt (Harcourt, 1995)

Van Gogh was the artist who cut off his ear and drank a lot of coffee, although the two were not related. Even though he was extraordinarily productive, he never saw acclaim in his lifetime.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art offers timelines, essays and images of Van Gogh’s life and work.