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.

BIO

Nikkolas Smith is an Artivist, picture book author, and Hollywood film illustrator. He is the author-illustrator of the USA TODAY bestselling picture book The Artivist, The Golden Girls of Rio, and My Hair Is Poofy & That’s Okay. He also illustrated the picture books A Change Is Gonna Come, Captain America: Brave New World: A Hero Looks Like You, I Am Ruby Bridges, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever: The Courage to Dream, That Flag, and the #1 New York Times bestselling The 1619 Project: Born on the Water. Many of Nikkolas’s viral and globally published sketches that have sparked important conversations and inspired meaningful change are included in his book Sunday Sketch: The Art of Nikkolas. 

REVIEWS

“Light but layered verse resists oversimplifying…It’s impossible to overstate the emotional effect of Smith’s artwork—simultaneously majestic and intimate…A triumph.” -- Kirkus Review, starred review

“[A] celebration of early human ingenuity….The text and art are elegantly matched in both beauty and impact…[E]xpansive and intimate, reminding readers of the connections running through all humanity.” -- The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review

“Using phrases that incorporate a communal we, and thickly stroked acrylic paintings that feel full of movement, Smith (The Artivist) establishes a progression of humankind’s creativity. . .It’s a visually rich collective history of humankind.” -- Publishers Weekly

[H]  Kokila  /  May 20, 2025

0.6" H x 10.1" L x 10.3" W (1.1 lbs) 40 pages

For ages 4 to 8