Short biographies featuring some of the prominent names in black history are ideal book report topics for fifth graders. Biographies are easy to research and allow students to highlight the personalities and accomplishments of strong African-American leaders throughout history. Some of the individuals suitable for a report during Black History Month include: Rosa Parks, referred to as the "mother of the Civil Rights Movement"; abolitionist Frederick Douglass, agriculturalist George Washington Carver; and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., a modern champion of civil rights.
Fifth graders can express their own views while writing about historic events important to African-American history. Personal essays are ideal for this. Students can research slavery or segregation and give a personal report describing their feelings about such topics. Students will still be using factual information, but the focus will be on personal insight regarding relevant issues.
An ideal report topic for fifth graders is the role of African-Americans during the Civil War. By the end of the conflict in 1865, about 179,000 black men served in the Union Army. A report on this topic could outline when African-American soldiers were allowed to join and describe the pride involved in fighting for freedom from slavery.
A report on the lives of freed slaves in the South at the end of the 19th century may give insight into music history. Blacks used chants and spirituals to help through the work day, and those vocals became the foundation of the blues music. A report could trace those beginnings to musicians like W.C. Handy and Bessie Smith. Individual reports on specific African-American musicians are ideal for Black History Month, as well.
A report on African-American political figures might include Willie Brown, who was the first black person to serve as speaker of the California State Assembly and as mayor of San Francisco. In 1969, Douglas Wilder became the first African-American since Reconstruction to win a seat in the Virginia Senate, and he went on to serve as mayor of Richmond and governor. Wilder, the grandson of slaves, attended a segregated school growing up. Another appropriate choice for a report, of course, is the monumental story of Barack Obama, who became the first black U.S. president.