The History of We

An awe-inspiring picture book about the origin and advancement of humans, from author and #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator Nikkolas Smith.

Fossil records show that the first humans were born in Africa. Meaning, every person on Earth can trace their ancestry back to that continent. The History of We celebrates our shared ancestors' ingenuity and achievements and imagines what these firsts would have looked and felt like.

What was it like for the first person to paint, to make music, to dance, to discover medicine, to travel to unknown lands? It required courage, curiosity, and skill.

The History of We takes what we know about modern human civilization and, through magnificent paintings, creates a tale about our shared beginnings in a way that centers Black people in humankind's origin story.

Nikkolas Smith is a Houston, Texas-born Artivist, picture book author, and Hollywood film illustrator. He is the illustrator of the groundbreaking #1 New York Times bestseller The 1619 Project: Born on the Water written by Nikole Hannah-Jones and Renée Watson. Nikkolas is also the illustrator of The Golden Girls of Rio, nominated for an NAACP Image Award, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever The Courage to Dream, I Am Ruby, My Hair Is Poofy and That's Okay, and World Cup Women. As a Black illustrator, Nikkolas is focused on creating captivating art that can spark important conversations around social justice in today's world and inspire meaningful change. He lives in Los Angeles, California. You can visit him at www.NIKKOLAS.art.

• Publisher: ‎Kokila (May 20, 2025)
• Language: ‎English
• Hardcover: ‎40 pages
• ISBN-13: ‎9780593619681
• Reading age: ‎4 - 8 years
• Grade level: ‎Preschool - 3
• Item Weight: ‎1 pound
• BISAC Categories: People & Places - United States - African American, History - Exploration & Discovery, Diversity & Multicultural