Readers, we’re nearing the end of Black History Month, and I’ve been loving seeing the reading lists, Instagram challenges, and inspiration around bookish corners of the internet.
I’ve been delighted to see requests for Black History Month book recommendations in our #wsirnreaderrecs inbox. To maintain an evergreen and easy-to-access resource for readers, today we’re sharing a list of 101 #ownvoices book recommendations for Black History Month and beyond. “Own voices” means that the authors are members of the community they’re writing about—in this case, Black authors writing about vast and varied Black experiences.
This list includes a wide variety of genres, from fantasy to memoir to middle grade, but it’s certainly not comprehensive. For more #ownvoices book recommendations and reviews, I recommend following Black bloggers, podcasters, and bookstagrammers. Here’s a short list of twenty amazing Instagram accounts to check out:
We try to link to the titles we mention as a service for readers—these links make it easier for you to find more information on the titles we mention on Modern Mrs Darcy and What Should I Read Next. Today we’re happy to share affiliate links from the new Bookshop program. Bookshop is an online bookstore that supports independent bookstores. More details here.
Fiction
- The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
- The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
- An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
- Passing by Nella Larsen
- Beloved by Toni Morrison
- Kindred by Octavia Butler
- How Long ‘Til Black Future Month by N.K. Jemisin
- Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
- Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
- The Street by Ann Petry
- Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue
- The Color Purple by Alice Walker
- The Mothers by Brit Bennett
- Native Son by Richard Wright
- Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
- If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin
- Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke
- Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
- Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
- Not Without Laughter by Langston Hughes
- Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
- Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley
Nonfiction
- The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
- The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
- Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi
- Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
- The Cooking Gene by Michael W. Twitty
- The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
- They Can’t Kill Us All by Wesley Lowery
- Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly
- Between The World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
- Birmingham Revolution by Edward Gilbreath
- The Hemingses of Monticello by Annette Gordon-Reed
- The Fire This Time: A New Generation Speaks About Race by Jesmyn Ward
Memoir & Biography
- The Autobiography of Malcolm X
- Dust Tracks on a Dirt Road by Zora Neale Hurston
- I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
- Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs
- How We Fight For Our Lives by Saeed Jones
- Notes From A Young Black Chef by Kwame Onwuachi
- Black Is The Body by Emily Bernard
- Becoming by Michelle Obama
- Dreams From My Father by Barack Obama
- The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton
- I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown
- When They Call You A Terrorist by Patrisse Khan-Cullors and asha bandele
- Year of Yes by Shonda Rimes
- Life In Motion by Misty Copeland
- Fire Shut Up In My Bones by Charles M. Blow
- The Dead Emcee Scrolls: The Lost Teachings of Hip-Hop by Saul Williams
- The Pretty One: On Life, Pop Culture, Disability, and Other Reasons to Fall in Love With Me by Keah Brown
- Hunger: a Memoir of (My) Body by Roxane Gay
- No Ashes in the Fire: Coming of Age Black and Free in America by Darnell L. Moore
- We’re Going to Need More Wine by Gabrielle Union
- The Yellow House by Sarah M. Broom
- Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
Middle Grade
- Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose
- Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
- The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
- Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes
- My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich by Ibi Zoboi
- Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred. D. Taylor
- The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla Magoon
- The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis
- One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia
- Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges
- Stella by Starlight by Sharon M. Draper
Young Adult
- How To Be Remy Cameron by Julian Winters
- Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert
- Pride by Ibi Zoboi
- Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
- The Beauty That Remains by Ashley Woodfolk
- The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton
- The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
- The Sun Is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon
- Dear Martin by Nic Stone
- The Good Luck Girls by Charlotte Nicole Davis
- Slay by Brittney Morris
- The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
- Let Me Hear a Rhyme by Tiffany D. Jackson
- Not So Pure and Simple by Lamar Giles
- Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
- How It Went Down by Kekla Magoon
- I Wanna Be Where You Are by Kristina Forest
- Black Enough: Stories of Being Young and Black in America edited by Ibi Zoboi
- A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow
Romance
- Dreamers series by Adriana Herrera
- Loyal League series by Alyssa Cole
- Love’s Serenade by Sheryl Lister
- Old West series by Beverly Jenkins
- Advertisements For Love series by Vanessa Riley
- Home To Milford College series by Piper Huguley
- Moments In Maplesville series by Farrah Rochon
Graphic Novel
- March by John Lewis
- Nat Turner by Kyle Baker
- Run For It: Stories of Slaves Who Fought for Their Freedom by Marcelo D’Salete
- Strange Fruit: Uncelebrated Narrative from Black History, Vol.1 by Joel Christian Gill
- Black Panther, Vol.1 A Nation Under Our Feet by Ta Nehesi Coates
- Still I Rise: A Graphic History of African Americans by Roland Laird with Taneshia Nash Laird
- Black History In Its Own Words by Ron Wimberly
- Incognegro by Mat Johnson
- I See the Promised Land: A Life of Martin Luther King, Jr. by Arthur Flowers
What have YOU been reading for Black History Month? Which books should be added to this list? I’d love to hear your recommendations in the comments.
P.S. Check out these 20 terrific titles from #ownvoices and #diversebooks authors.
46 comments
Dread Nation by Justina Ireland is a great YA read — reimagined American history. The sequel comes out this year.
That’s exactly what I was thinking — glad someone beat me to it!
I read With The Fire on High (YA fiction) and loved it! Also really enjoyed The Water Dancer. And for memoirs I loved We Speak for Ourselves- so good and written by a Baltimore boy which is my city! Also just finished The Color of Water. And The Color of Compromise is really excellent from a faith background. So many good books by AA authors!
Timothy Tyson, the author of The Blood of Emmett Till, is not African American. He’s a scholar of African American history and a civil rights activist, but he is white.
Tabatha, thank you so much for this correction. We’ve updated the post.
Is this a printable list somewhere?? Thanks!
Great idea, BJ! I’d like that, too.
Thanks for the list! For the memoir section, I enjoyed both “Black Boy” by Richard Wright and “My Grandfather’s Son” by Clarence Thomas.
Thank you so much for sharing this! I’m a black book blogger, and I’m loving the list of accounts you shared, can’t wait to check them out 😍
Anika | chaptersofmay.com
Our couples’ book group just read The Street by Ann Petry, and I am so happy to see it on your list. A street in Harlem in 1944 is a character as much as the people in this incredibly well-written, but devastating book. Even though it was written decades ago, it stands up well against more contemporary works and unfortunately feels all too relevant for today.
Another great list! I highly recommend both Behold the Dreamers and Such a Fun Age. And if you like one, you will likely like the other as there are some parallels. I also just read Just Mercy, and it is a non fiction must read for everyone that really makes you think about the legal system.
I’m currently reading Before The Mayflower by Lerone Bennett Jr. It is dense but quite informative on the black experience in America since 1619. Also, I would include Black Fortunes by Shomari Wills. The story of the first black millionaires that happened just after the end of slavery. And for fiction recommendations I will mention Lion’s Blood and Zulu’s Heart by Steven Barnes. A fascinating 2 book series that re-imagines slavery where blacks are control and whites are enslaved.
The Last Thing You Surrender by Leonard Pitts, Jr. The writing is superb and I am still thinking on the words he wrote. It is set during WWII. Excellent read. 5 stars
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones. I’m enjoying her writing and the story so much and am planning on reading her backlist! Not quite finished, but 5 stars!
I read “If Beale Street Could Talk” by James Baldwin right after this & it was such a thought provoking pairing. Fifty years apart and essentially the same story.
My book club pick for this month was Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo about twelve black women in England. I loved it and it also made for a very good discussion at our meeting. Highly recommend because it’s a good book but also as a great read for a book club.
I just picked this up from the library!
I would add The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates.
100% agree
YES!! I was coming here to say the same thing. The audiobook is one of the best books I have ever listened to.
I just wanted to add my praise for Sing, Unburied, Sing. It starts out very bleak. I put it down once for that reason. But I’m so glad I picked it up again. It’s a beautiful story which rewards the reader who continues with it.
Between the World and Me is a very powerful book that will stay with you about how young black lives are filled with worries and dangers that most young white people don’t even think about.
I would add Natasha Trethewey’s book of poetry, Monument. My Book Club heard her speak (along with Sarah M. Broom who wrote The Yellow House) a few weeks ago. I usually don’t read entire books of poetry, but hearing Ms. Trethewey read some of the poems from Monument reminded me that poetry has a different effect on our emotions as opposed to prose. Very powerful! I also suggest In the Country of Women by Susan Straight, which is written as a memoir for her three biracial daughters about their ancestors; some from Europe and some from former slaves. Beautiful book!
Others to for SURE add: Wade in the Water (poetry, Tracy K. Smith + her collection of essays, Ordinary Light, is AWESOME). Also, New Kid (graphic novel, Jerry Craft) is amazing. And for the justice/reconciliation folks out there, I Bring the Voices of My People (Chanequa Walker-Barnes) is a MUST. Also, I only read Black authors during Black History Month, and here’s a post of what I’ve recently been reading: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/coloringoutsidethelines/2020/02/reading-with-intention-during-black-history-month/
Thanks for these additions!
How about something by Marlon James (2015 Booker Prize winner)? He is Jamaican but lives in Minneapolis. I have on my TBR “Black Leopard, Red Wolf”.
I have read 16 of these and am currently reading The Sun Does Shine. Adding more to the list!
Thanks for the list, I would add The Water Dancer by Ta-nehisi Coates. Very beautiful writing..
I am adding quite a few to my TBR.
Red at the Bone. The Fifth Season. Parable of the Sower. Dear Ijaewele (for the re-read 2020 challenge). Binti. The Deep.
I was intentionally reading Afrofuturist books this month, but mostly because I like them so much 🙂
Oh! And Midnight Without a Moon for middle grade.
Native Son is one of the most powerful novels I have ever read. It changed me, and I will never forget it. It’s difficult to read, but so worth it.
I’ve read Their Eyes were watching God twice and am planning a second reread this year. Thank you for a great list!
Last year I listened to Invisible: The Forgotten Story of the Black Woman Lawyer Who Took Down America’s Most Powerful Mobster
by Stephen L. Carter, and I really enjoyed it. The author is the subject’s grandson, but most of his research was done as a historian rather than family member. It was also a fascinating look at a working mother with a child before it was the norm in America. I highly recommend it, especially for anyone with an interest in the 1930s, or in law, the mob, etc.
Check out the three book YA series by Laurie Halse Anderson: The Seeds of America Trilogy. Chains, Forge and Ashes take you through the years of the American Revolution lived through two young slaves: Isabel and Curzon. Both yearn to escape the bondage of cruel masters and both envision the dream of independence the Patriot forces are struggling to implement. It paints familiar events in American history in a whole new light!
Negroland by Margo Jefferson (Memoir)
If it has not been already, hope to see Bud, Not Buddy added to the list by Christopher Paul Curtis. The book was a Newbery Award and Coretta Scott King Award winner, and is read in schools. Bud is a resilient Depression-era foster care kid with themes of jazz music throughout the story.
Thank you for the recommendation!
Great list!!! I read several of these in February and have added many more to my TBR list! I would add Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith, a thought-provoking YA book about a young woman dealing with racism and sexism as she tries to become a pilot for the war effort during World War II.
I enjoyed Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson
Hi Anne! Please add two memoirs: The Color of Water by James McBride, and Warriors Don’t Cry: A Searing Memoir of the Battle to Integrate Little Rock’s Central High by Melba Beals. I read these years ago and both have stayed with me.
Thanks for the recommendations, Kristin!
One of the most powerful and moving novels I’ve ever read is The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill. I was very surprised it wasn’t in the list (unless I missed it). There was also a 6-part miniseries of the same name based on the novel.
Thanks for sharing this title, Carrie!
I am reading Caste which covers the Caste Systems in the United States, India, and Nazi Germany. There will be a discussion of it at the Fountaindale Library in Bolingbrook, IL on February 9, 2022, at 11:00 AM.
Oh! I also wanted to say that this is a great list! I will hold on to it.
Thank you
The Love Songs of W. E. DuBois is at the top of my list! Also, Leonard Pitts, Jr. a who writes for the Miami Herald ( he recently retired) has written two books that I simply could NOT put down. Grant City and Freeman are must reads. He is one awesome writer!
I Take My Coffee Black by Tyler Merritt! (Audio = phenomenal.)